Librarians Kick Ass; Film at 11

Librarians resist censorship, thus saving American civilization. In the second link, they make some concessions to the Forces of Blinding Light, but information remains available to all. (Second link is also fussy and may need to be loaded more than once to show up - not sure if they're just overloaded, or what.)

Librarians Kick Ass; Film at 11

Librarians resist censorship, thus saving American civilization. In the second link, they make some concessions to the Forces of Blinding Light, but information remains available to all. (Second link is also fussy and may need to be loaded more than once to show up - not sure if they're just overloaded, or what.)

Shortcake

Preheat oven to 425° F.

1 c unbleached all-purpose or pastry flour (not cake flour!)*
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cream of tartar
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 T sugar

Stir together with a fork until combined. Add

1/4 c (half of 1 standard stick) butter, softened

cut into several pieces. Blend using a long-tined fork, two knives, or a pastry cutter (best), cutting the fat into the flour until the pieces are the size of dry oatmeal. Stir in

1/4 c milk

with a fork, until it makes a soft dough; knead three or four times in the bowl with your (clean, natch) hands to make sure flour is completely combined and dough hangs together in a single mass. Divide into four equal portions and pat each down until it is roughly 1/2" thick. Place four portions together in a non-stick pan with a rim (you can use an 8"x8" pan, or whatever size you have on hand; do not grease the pan), so that they are just barely touching, and bake for 15-20 min, until the tops are light brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, until warm but not hot. Split each shortcake open horizontally and fill with sweetened fresh fruit - sliced peaches, halved strawberries, mixed berries, etc. - and whipped cream**. Makes 4 small servings, or 2 large ones; recipe can be doubled.

--

This is the original "shortcake" in "strawberry shortcake." If you make it with those little sponge-cake things, more power to you, but just bear in mind that you will confuse the heck out of those of us who still make the original, as this, being a biscuit derivative, really is a shortening-bread, while sponge cake generally isn't, using either vegetable oil or relying solely on the fat in the egg yolks.

Yes, I know some people use egg in their shortbread recipe. I consider this a Georgia affectation; I'm sure they consider mine a homely little Gulf-Central hick thing. I kinda like it crumbly; the egg version doesn't sop up the berry juice correctly, but that's just my thing. Yes, I am also aware that some parts of the coastal South historically used rounds of unfilled pie-crust in their strawberry shortcake. As that's also technically a shortening-bread, just an unleavened one, I don't have a problem with that, although again I prefer mine.


* If you live where the all-purpose flour is hard enough to bake high-rising bread with, without adding any bread flour or gluten, then you probably want to use pastry flour or half a cup of each.

** If you add a shot of brandy, rum, or vodka to the fruit, I certainly won't tell anyone. I like a pinch of sugar and a dash of vanilla in my whipped cream, but I'd never say you were wrong if you used lemon or orange extract instead, or left out the sugar.

Shortcake

Preheat oven to 425° F.

1 c unbleached all-purpose or pastry flour (not cake flour!)*
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cream of tartar
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 T sugar

Stir together with a fork until combined. Add

1/4 c (half of 1 standard stick) butter, softened

cut into several pieces. Blend using a long-tined fork, two knives, or a pastry cutter (best), cutting the fat into the flour until the pieces are the size of dry oatmeal. Stir in

1/4 c milk

with a fork, until it makes a soft dough; knead three or four times in the bowl with your (clean, natch) hands to make sure flour is completely combined and dough hangs together in a single mass. Divide into four equal portions and pat each down until it is roughly 1/2" thick. Place four portions together in a non-stick pan with a rim (you can use an 8"x8" pan, or whatever size you have on hand; do not grease the pan), so that they are just barely touching, and bake for 15-20 min, until the tops are light brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, until warm but not hot. Split each shortcake open horizontally and fill with sweetened fresh fruit - sliced peaches, halved strawberries, mixed berries, etc. - and whipped cream**. Makes 4 small servings, or 2 large ones; recipe can be doubled.

--

This is the original "shortcake" in "strawberry shortcake." If you make it with those little sponge-cake things, more power to you, but just bear in mind that you will confuse the heck out of those of us who still make the original, as this, being a biscuit derivative, really is a shortening-bread, while sponge cake generally isn't, using either vegetable oil or relying solely on the fat in the egg yolks.

Yes, I know some people use egg in their shortbread recipe. I consider this a Georgia affectation; I'm sure they consider mine a homely little Gulf-Central hick thing. I kinda like it crumbly; the egg version doesn't sop up the berry juice correctly, but that's just my thing. Yes, I am also aware that some parts of the coastal South historically used rounds of unfilled pie-crust in their strawberry shortcake. As that's also technically a shortening-bread, just an unleavened one, I don't have a problem with that, although again I prefer mine.


* If you live where the all-purpose flour is hard enough to bake high-rising bread with, without adding any bread flour or gluten, then you probably want to use pastry flour or half a cup of each.

** If you add a shot of brandy, rum, or vodka to the fruit, I certainly won't tell anyone. I like a pinch of sugar and a dash of vanilla in my whipped cream, but I'd never say you were wrong if you used lemon or orange extract instead, or left out the sugar.

Felicitations

I don't know if he'll actually check LJ today, being off in the Great Outdoors somewhere, but:

Happy Birthday, quantumduck!

Felicitations

I don't know if he'll actually check LJ today, being off in the Great Outdoors somewhere, but:

Happy Birthday, quantumduck!

Five Kinds of Wrong

New ad for Eureka. Fred Rogers is either spinning in his grave or laughing at us from Heaven. Naturally enough, I like it.

Five Kinds of Wrong

New ad for Eureka. Fred Rogers is either spinning in his grave or laughing at us from Heaven. Naturally enough, I like it.

More Quizzes

( I'm actually not particularly into Steampunk )

More Quizzes

( I'm actually not particularly into Steampunk )