Welcome to Spicy Sauce

You might recognize it as Heinz 57 sauce- but at our house for the last, say 14 years- it’s been known as “Spicy Sauce.” M named it- she really- ‘never left home without it’- if eating was involved. She took it with her on overnights along with her favorite stuffed animal. She really only ate chicken and a few vegetables on a regular basis anyway, but if you were hoping for a brave new exploration- you better have spicy sauce on hand to mitigate it.

J- on the other hand was intrigued by lots of different foods- as long as they were all mostly meat, and all mostly covered in mayonnaise. Texture meant everything to him- gastronomically. And even if mentally he was interested in trying something, he wasn’t shy about spitting it out all over the table if it felt too fuzzy or too soggy. There was no cute name for mayonnaise and spit up, however.

L never really liked meat- no matter what sauce you slathered it in. She was a good eater- liked clams, of all things, at fancy restaurants when she was 2- but always chose veggies or fruits, fish or chicken, oh- and sugar! If- it was around… her only weakness. And there we all were:

We had a vegetarian, a ‘meatatarian’ and a ‘spicysauceatarian’ in the house together for quite a few years, and somehow- they all survived (as did we)and now they like and remember similar foods from home. Like them enough to call with queries and suggestions- and share their own household or favorite food recipes with us and others.

Everyone remembers the funny foods our kids liked or didn’t like growing up- like ‘Weenies and Supa’ (hot dogs and ketchup for K) yummy! And /or ‘Tuna and Peas’ or Green mashed Potatoes’ not so yummy! It’s nice to see them all grown or nearly grown and interested in the food that eventually has meant ‘comfort’ and home to them. We all have developed memories and palates- based on vacations or home life patterns or our own new experiences, travels, and interests.

So here’s a new site devoted to our friends and families interest in memories and food- sometimes the pictures relate- sometimes they’re a bit random. I hope you all will join in the process and add photos and recipes to the fray-(once I get tech literate enough to share how???) and please! Don’t stop calling to ask, “What goes into this….” And please, forgive me if the proportions aren’t perfect! I’m counting on you all to fix and experiment.

- C




Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Pancakes and Kitchen Helpers


Pancakes-
This recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking - which I still use to get a recipe starting point lots of times. I just noticed that this quote starts it off:

“That which thy fathers have bequeathed to thee, earn it anew if thou wouldst possess it”
Goethe: Faust

Heat a large skillet or griddle until a droplet of cold water bounces and dances on contact- if your pan is too hot- the outsides burn and the middle stays raw.
Don’t worry about lumps in the batter- pancakes and muffins don’t like to be beaten too much. I like a thinner batter- but don’t be afraid to add more flour or more liquid until you get a pancake that you like.

~Stir together in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbls sugar
1 3/4 tsps baking powder
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1 tbls ground cinnamon (opt)
~Mix together and than add all at once to the dry ingredients:
1-to 1 1/2-cups milk or soymilk or a milk and water combination
3 tbls melted and cooled margarine or butter
1 lightly beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla


~Spoon the batter onto your prepared skillet – flip when the edges start to brown and there are little popped bubbles all over the pancake.

~I’ve added fresh blueberries to this recipe- just make the batter on the thicker side and the skillet a bit cooler.
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