Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Weather, Taking Tea, The Queen,

The weather is not being my friend lately. Today bowling was cancelled because of the weather. We could have gone and played on our own but their parking lot hadn't been ploughed so we might have got stuck or something. Not only that, it is delaying the growth of the asparagus which now needs lots of sun to warm it up. Although I have been reading, I am actually somewhat bored and want to go.

The other day I saw someone talking on GMA I think saying Meghan Markle had had to be taught how to have tea with the Queen and commented about raising the baby or pinky finger. Sorry, that is NOT done in polite circles. I don't know where the idea started but it is something North Americans have got hold of and think that is the correct way to hold one's cup. I can assure you it is not. In fact it is considered most impolite and elitist. i.e. people trying to look better than they are socially. Maybe they were saying Meghan was being taught not to stick her finger out. I would actually imagine there are quite a few lessons Meghan had to learn in order to become a member of the Royal Family.

I keep thinking of things I want to write about and don't stop to write them down and guess what, they just float away like the unicorns in the Irish song.

Just watched another programme about the Queen. She really is an incredible person and has done a fantastic job over the years. It was interesting to see the quality of some of the old film when she got married and then when she was crowned and compare it with modern film of her. Amazing what we watched then and thought was wonderful. She certainly seems to have adapted to the times, telling us how heavy the coronation crown was and how it could have broken her neck and also how uncomfortable the carriages were/are.  They also displayed a book collection of stamps from the Empire/Commonwealth. Bob Scotney would have loved that collection. Apparently after the collapse of the Empire, Australia used a Koala and a Platypus on their stamps. Don't know what other countries did but I thought that was rather appropriate. There was a lot about her dress designers, Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies which was very interesting. Also about her handbag. She apparently has said that she doesn't feel dressed without it. They said all the things she carried in it, can't remember what they all were but one item was a pocket knife with all the gadgets on it!! She also carries a photo of Prince Andrew.

The name of this pie attracted my attention and then when I read about it, I thought it sounded quite yummy.

Crack Pie

Anyone who has taken a bite of Milk Bar's best selling crack pie immediately knows the reason for the sassy name. This rich, salty-sweet pie recipe has an irresistible oat cookie crust.

Oat Cookie Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
9 Tbs (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
5 1/2 Tbs (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
2 Tbs sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp (generous) salt

Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 Tbs nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
6 1/2 Tbs heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Oat Cookie Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.

Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

Filling

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 30 minutes (filling may begin to bubble). Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight

Servings: 10

Tips
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Sift powdered sugar lightly over top of pie. Cut pie into wedges and serve cold.

Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day
 

22 comments:

  1. Snow on the ground again this morning. I recently read that the young princes cannot wear long pants. Seems like a stupid rule to me. Charlie even has lined jeans for our winters. I saw that program on the Queen some time ago. It was fascinating. When they talked about her gowns I Googled and found that they almost copied them exactly for the series 'The Crown' on Netflix.
    We were talking about that pie on Saturday. My son Jason said he had made it and it was really good. He had been bugging me to do it and I never got around to it.

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    1. Everywhere is white here Denise, with the odd flake coming down right now. Roads are clear though. Little boys in England don't wear long pants until a certain age. That shows they are growing up. One thing that fascinated me was all the embroidery on the Coronation train. When one worker got up another took her seat instantly. They worked continuously.

      Well now you have the recipe to hand, you can make it.

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  2. My grandma once told me that the first sign of being in the presence of a true lady was that she would never have to tell you she was a lady, you'd just know. On the other hand, rude new money would want to rub their riches and manners in your face.

    I don't know if the story is true or not, but I once heard that an American visited the Queen and thought the hand water was soup and picked it up and drank it. The Queen never missed a beat-- in order to make her guest feel comfortable, she drank the hand cleansing water too. I could google that to see if the story is true, but I enjoy it so much, I don't want it not to be true. LOL

    It's snowing here today. It's time for spring. Go away winter.

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    1. I would agree with your grandma wholeheartedly Liz.

      Snowing hard one minute stopping the next. Doesn't seem to know what it wants to do. Went shopping earlier just in case.

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  3. I gave it a google. Seems I was partly right. It was Queen Victoria and an African diplomat.

    http://www.trivalleylifechurch.org/2013/09/06/drinking-finger-bowl/

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    1. Have an idea I had heard that story before too Liz. Will check your link later.

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  4. Hi Jo - thankfully it's not even raining today ... but hope that freezing weather goes away for you ... those films they're producing about the Queen are interesting to see ... that pie sounds good -cheers Hilary

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    1. Maybe I should move to BC Hilary. I hope the weather improves soon, I am so hungry for asparagus. They are interesting, I am enjoying them very much.

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  5. If you have a smart phone, you can just talk to Siri when you have those ideas you want to write down and she'll remember them for you.

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    1. Good idea Alex, but unfortunately I don't. I do have a tablet I could probably find an app to suit.

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  6. You don't hear much about Andrew these days. Or Edward. I wonder why she only carries his pic around? I'm really hoping this winter weather is done. We're not going to have a spring before the weather turns hot and humid.

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    1. They said something about him being her favourite and how worried she was about him when he was part of the raid on the Falkland Islands. Thought you weren't supposed to show your favouritism with your kids. Looks like that's going to happen but I won't be sorry to get rid of this snow.

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  7. I don't care how someone holds their tea and the whole idea of there being a right or wrong way is balls. I like a big mug of tea, wrap both my mitts around it, swing my bare feet from the kitchen table and smile as I sip. Anyone doesn't like that, they can suck it.

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    1. Fine Ivy, as you are unlikely to take tea with the Queen it doesn't matter. But if you were, then it would be important.

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    2. I wouldn't even want to have tea with a person who can't relax and just be themselves and enjoy tea. No. Pass. Huge Pass. Life is too short to be stuffy.

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    3. I am afraid I can't stand people who think they are being "posh" by sticking their little finger out when drinking tea and I assure you there are a lot of people who do Ivy. That is being affected it ever anything is.

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  8. Sorry, but the weather here is beautiful. Sunny and warm. I went out for a day of pampering. A shorter hair cut, love it!
    Hope spring comes north soon!

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    1. Thanks for cheering me up Yolanda LOL. I love short hair.

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  9. I watched the Netflix series "The Crown" and fell in love with the queen during that portrayal of her. Hubby showed me something he saw on Facebook tonight that she was devastated because their last corgi, Willow, had died. I can imagine how hard that would be for her, we only lost 1 corgi, she's lost I'm sure many over the years.

    Hard to imagine so many parts of the country and surrounding area still have snow on the ground and snow still falling when we are in the mid 80s most days with hints of 90s here and there.

    thanks for the welcome back!

    betty

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    1. How odd, I replied to this and then saw it there as a comment not a reply and now it has disappeared altogether. I never saw The Crown but I think it would have been great. I have heard that the Queen likes her animals more than people.

      We have plenty of the white stuff here Betty. I do so hope spring will hurry up.

      Nice to see you back.

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  10. The weather is crazy and it will be nice once spring actually comes. I just hope we have a spring and it doesn’t jump right into the hot summer.

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    1. I just hope we get some sun soon for the asparagus Birgit, you know I have been waiting 12 months for my feast.

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