Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
really good and I just finished it off the other
day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Kate Connally wrote:
> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.

I've never had grape pie. I'm sure I'd like one.

Are you still testing recipes for America's Test Kitchen?
I was wondering about that just the other day, and here
you are.

nancy

On Mon 29 Sep 2008 01:21:36p, Kate Connally told us...

> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> Kate
>

Grape pie is one of my favorites, too, Kate, but I've never seen seedless
concord grapes for sale. It's a lot more work with seeds...slipping the
skins, cooking the pulp, then putting through a food mill, then finally
recombining the cooked pulp and skins.

There was a vineyard near us in Ohio that grew concord grapes for
Smucker's. We would usually buy our grapes fresh from them, but those damn
seeds...! :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Monday, 09(IX)/29(XXIX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
6wks 10hrs 7mins
*******************************************
A cat is an animal who never cries
over spilled milk.
*******************************************

"Kate Connally" > wrote in message
...
>
> Seedless concords.

Wow! I never heard of such a thing!

On Sep 29, 3:21*pm, Kate Connally > wrote:
> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. *I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. *May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. *Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. *Yum! *Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> Kate

I have heard of grape pie but never had the opportunity to taste it.
Is there a certain cookbook you take your recipe from or do you just
make it on the fly?

Michael <- posting via Google because I'm at the Nissan dealership
getting the car serviced and using their computer

"Dog3" > wrote in message
...
On Sep 29, 3:21 pm, Kate Connally > wrote:
> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> Kate

I have heard of grape pie but never had the opportunity to taste it.
Is there a certain cookbook you take your recipe from or do you just
make it on the fly?

Michael <- posting via Google because I'm at the Nissan dealership
getting the car serviced and using their computer

Please if you have a recipe, please post it. I am intrigued by a grape pie.

Kate Connally wrote:
> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> Kate
>

Would you please post the recipe, if you haven't already?

We like picking wild Concord Grapes in the town they originated
in.... Every year, I think about making such a pie, but TNT would
be best.

TIA

--
Jean B.

Kate Connally wrote:

> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> really good and I just finished it off the other
> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.

I think my first or second new (as versus reply) post in this group, maybe
a year and a half ago was to ask why you (the generic you) never see grape
pies. As a result, I was given (and/or subsequently found) links to grape
pie vendors and to recipes. I made one, and other than it being too soupy
because of a typo in the recipe, it was quite yummy.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Need a new news feed? http://blinkynet.net/comp/newfeed.html

Jean B. wrote:
> Kate Connally wrote:
> > Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> > I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> > Seedless concords. �I made one pie and the
> > rest are in the freezer. �May make some freezer
> > jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> > really good and I just finished it off the other
> > day. �Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> > week or so. �Yum! �Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> > Kate
>
> Would you please post the recipe, if you haven't already?
>
> We like picking wild Concord Grapes in the town they originated
> in.... �Every year, I think about making such a pie, but TNT would
> be best.

At my last residense I grew my own concords... I never heard of
seedless concords either. From searching the net the grape called
seedless concord is not a concord at all; "Black Beauty, often called
the Beauty, is the only seedless black variety. Its flavor resembles
that of Concord grapes, spicy and sweet". After growing my own for
many years I doubt any grape varietal tastes anything like a true
concord.

Working with concords is very laborious, I know, I have the fingers
with shriveled skin to prove it.

Grape Pie (Welch's)

4 Cups Concord grapes
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 TBS. lemon juice
1-2 TBS. quick tapioca

Slip grapes from skins. Save skins.
Cook pulp until seeds loosen. Press through sieve.
Mix pulp, skins and remaining ingredients.
Let stand 5-10 minutes. Pour into UNBAKED pie shell,
top with second crust and bake. Pie will be done when
it is bubbling in the center (takes 45-60 minutes to bake).

(Special notes: Start pie at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350. Vent top crust well since this pie
tends to bubble over because of the high sugar content.
You may want to put a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom
of the oven to catch any spills.)

Sheldon wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>> Kate Connally wrote:
>>> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
>>> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
>>> Seedless concords. �I made one pie and the
>>> rest are in the freezer. �May make some freezer
>>> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
>>> really good and I just finished it off the other
>>> day. �Then I'll probably make another pie in a
>>> week or so. �Yum! �Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>>> Kate
>> Would you please post the recipe, if you haven't already?
>>
>> We like picking wild Concord Grapes in the town they originated
>> in.... �Every year, I think about making such a pie, but TNT would
>> be best.
>
> At my last residense I grew my own concords... I never heard of
> seedless concords either. From searching the net the grape called
> seedless concord is not a concord at all; "Black Beauty, often called
> the Beauty, is the only seedless black variety. Its flavor resembles
> that of Concord grapes, spicy and sweet". After growing my own for
> many years I doubt any grape varietal tastes anything like a true
> concord.
>
> Working with concords is very laborious, I know, I have the fingers
> with shriveled skin to prove it.
>
> Grape Pie (Welch's)
>
> 4 Cups Concord grapes
> 3/4 C granulated sugar
> 1 1/2 TBS. lemon juice
> 1-2 TBS. quick tapioca
>
> Slip grapes from skins. Save skins.
> Cook pulp until seeds loosen. Press through sieve.
> Mix pulp, skins and remaining ingredients.
> Let stand 5-10 minutes. Pour into UNBAKED pie shell,
> top with second crust and bake. Pie will be done when
> it is bubbling in the center (takes 45-60 minutes to bake).
>
> (Special notes: Start pie at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
> Reduce heat to 350. Vent top crust well since this pie
> tends to bubble over because of the high sugar content.
> You may want to put a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom
> of the oven to catch any spills.)
>
Thanks for the recipe!

I wondered whether those grapes were Concord grapes--or whether
they just looked kind-of like them.

I planted Concord grapes several years ago. They barely grew
until this year, when they actually produced some bunches of
grapes. Of course, that means we are moving before any grapes
ripen next year....

There are wild Concord grapes all around here. I do especially
like picking them in Concord though. It just seems so right!

--
Jean B.

On Sep 29, 5:27*pm, "m. anne" > wrote:
> "Dog3" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Sep 29, 3:21 pm, Kate Connally > wrote:
>
> > Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
> > I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
> > Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
> > rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
> > jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
> > really good and I just finished it off the other
> > day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
> > week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
> > Kate
>
> I have heard of grape pie but never had the opportunity to taste it.
> Is there a certain cookbook you take your recipe from or do you just
> make it on the fly?
>
> Michael <- posting via Google because I'm at the Nissan dealership
> getting the car serviced and using their computer
>
> Please if you have a recipe, please post it. *I am intrigued by a grape pie.

BH & G has a "Concord Grape Pie" recipe - I've never tried it, myself.

N.

On Tue 30 Sep 2008 07:31:08a, Nancy2 told us...

> On Sep 29, 5:27*pm, "m. anne" > wrote:
>> "Dog3" > wrote in message

>> I have heard of grape pie but never had the opportunity to taste it.
>> Is there a certain cookbook you take your recipe from or do you just
>> make it on the fly?
>>
>> Michael <- posting via Google because I'm at the Nissan dealership
>> getting the car serviced and using their computer
>>
>> Please if you have a recipe, please post it. *I am intrigued by a grape
> pie.
>
> BH & G has a "Concord Grape Pie" recipe - I've never tried it, myself.

I have used this recipe many times.

4 c. concord grapes, prepared
3/4 to 1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 tbsp. tapioca
Butter to dot
Unbaked pie shell and top crust

Slip skins from approximately 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of Concord grapes. Reserve
skins. Put skinless grapes in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil several
minutes. Rub through sieve to remove seeds (I use a Foley Mill). Cool pulp
add skins and other ingredients to seedless pulp. Let stand 15 minutes, a
necessity for the tapioca. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter.
Top with lattice crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes then at 350
degrees until syrup boils with heavy bubbles that do not break about 30
minutes. Cool before serving.


--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Tuesday, 09(IX)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 6dys 15hrs 42mins
*******************************************
A cat is a friend who will never
betray you.
*******************************************

Nancy Young wrote:

> Kate Connally wrote:
>
>> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
>> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
>> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
>> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
>> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
>> really good and I just finished it off the other
>> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
>> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>
>
> I've never had grape pie. I'm sure I'd like one.

I'll post the recipe. I have to get it from home and
type it in. It's from Betty Crocker. It's pretty simple
if you have seedless concords - not so much if you have
seeded ones. It's basically grapes, sugar, flour, butter.
I add some vanilla. You could add cinnamon I you like it.

I never knew there were seedless concord until 2 years ago
when I went to get grapes and they asked me if I wanted
seeds or seedless. What a wonderful thing! Those damn seeds
were a PIA! So if you want to make grape pie I hope you can
get seedless grapes in your area.

> Are you still testing recipes for America's Test Kitchen?
> I was wondering about that just the other day, and here
> you are.

Theoretically. I get the recipes sent to me but
it's been a while since I made one. Mainly because
a lot of them are for things I have no interest in
making. Sometimes it's because the ingredients are
too expensive and I'm broke near the end of the month.
Also, sometimes it's because they only give you a week
to do it and it's just not convenient to do it that soon.
I really wish they give you a month, but even 2 weeks
would be better.

I think the last thing I tried, back in June, was a French
toast recipe which I didn't really care for. It was *way*
complicated and not even as good, imo, as my regular
French toast. (It was weird. First you used only yolks,
which I hate because I already have too many whites in
the freezer waiting for me to make angel food cake or something.
Then they had you add cinnamon which I didn't care for. I like
cinnamon but I would just as soon not have it in my French
toast batter - I think the cinnamon flavor "interferes" with
the maple syrup with which I slather it. Also, I had to find
one of several specific breads they recommended. I ended up
getting Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White as it was the
only one available in my area. Their goal was to have a bread
that wouldn't get too soggy and to make a crisper texture.
This was supposed to be accomplished by making crumbs of one
slice of bread and mixing them with brown sugar, cinnamon,
and butter and, after soaking the bread in the batter,
applying a coating of the crumb mixture to one side of the
bread. Then you fry it starting with the crumb side. Good
grief! Dirty dishes galore, ridiculous amount of work, for what?
I usually make French toast with whatever bread I have on hand but
my favorite is Mancini's twist (a local bakery's Italian bread).
I just whip up an egg or two and add some milk or cream and a
little vanilla, slop the bread around in it, and then fry it in
bacon grease or butter. It's excellent! I think it gets plenty
crisp on the outside if you do it right.)

So, basically, I'm waiting for them to send me one
that sounds good to me, with ingredients I like and
can afford, and when I don't have other plans for the
weekend and can get to the store for the groceries
and have the time to do the actual cooking.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> On Mon 29 Sep 2008 01:21:36p, Kate Connally told us...
>
>
>>Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
>>I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
>>Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
>>rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
>>jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
>>really good and I just finished it off the other
>>day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
>>week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>>
>>Kate
>>
>
>
> Grape pie is one of my favorites, too, Kate, but I've never seen seedless
> concord grapes for sale. It's a lot more work with seeds...slipping the
> skins, cooking the pulp, then putting through a food mill, then finally
> recombining the cooked pulp and skins.

Ah, yes, I have not-so-fond memories of doing that!

I think the seedless grapes are a fairly recent
thing. I don't know how long they've been around but
I only heard about them for the first time 2 years
ago. If you live where concord grow it might be easier
to find them but I think where you are you're probably
stuck with the seeds.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Dog3 wrote:

> On Sep 29, 3:21 pm, Kate Connally > wrote:
>
>>Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
>>I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
>>Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
>>rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
>>jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
>>really good and I just finished it off the other
>>day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
>>week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>>
>>Kate
>
>
> I have heard of grape pie but never had the opportunity to taste it.
> Is there a certain cookbook you take your recipe from or do you just
> make it on the fly?

Michael, the recipe I use is in Betty Crocker.
I'll post it later this week.
Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

On Tue 30 Sep 2008 12:54:11p, Kate Connally told us...

> Ah, yes, I have not-so-fond memories of doing that!
>
> I think the seedless grapes are a fairly recent
> thing. I don't know how long they've been around but
> I only heard about them for the first time 2 years
> ago. If you live where concord grow it might be easier
> to find them but I think where you are you're probably
> stuck with the seeds.
>
>

I haven't seen a concord grape for sale since we left Ohio. :-(

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Tuesday, 09(IX)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 6dys 8hrs 22mins
*******************************************
If cats have kittens, do bats have bittens?
*******************************************

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> I have used this recipe many times.
>
> 4 c. concord grapes, prepared
> 3/4 to 1 c. sugar
> 1 tbsp. lemon juice
> 2 1/2 tbsp. tapioca
> Butter to dot
> Unbaked pie shell and top crust
>
> Slip skins from approximately 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of Concord grapes. Reserve
> skins. Put skinless grapes in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil several
> minutes. Rub through sieve to remove seeds (I use a Foley Mill). Cool pulp
> add skins and other ingredients to seedless pulp. Let stand 15 minutes, a
> necessity for the tapioca. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter.
> Top with lattice crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes then at 350
> degrees until syrup boils with heavy bubbles that do not break about 30
> minutes. Cool before serving.
>
>
Thanks for that recipe, Wayne. I'd never heard of grape pie until about
10 years ago when someone brought one in to work. Trouble is it was
whole grapes--skins, seeds, and all. Omigod, it was AWFUL.

Yours sounds edible except that 3/4 cup sugar doesn't sound like much to
sweeten 4 cups of grapes. OTOH it would be better a bit tart rather
than tasting like Welch's grape jam in a crust....

Thanks!

gloria p

Kate Connally wrote:
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Mon 29 Sep 2008 01:21:36p, Kate Connally told us...
>>
>>
>>> Well, I made a grape pie yesterday.
>>> I got a peck of grapes from the farm market.
>>> Seedless concords. I made one pie and the
>>> rest are in the freezer. May make some freezer
>>> jam like I did a couple of years ago - it was
>>> really good and I just finished it off the other
>>> day. Then I'll probably make another pie in a
>>> week or so. Yum! Grape pie is one of my favorites.
>>>
>>> Kate
>>>
>>
>>
>> Grape pie is one of my favorites, too, Kate, but I've never seen
>> seedless concord grapes for sale. It's a lot more work with
>> seeds...slipping the skins, cooking the pulp, then putting through a
>> food mill, then finally recombining the cooked pulp and skins.
>
> Ah, yes, I have not-so-fond memories of doing that!
>
> I think the seedless grapes are a fairly recent
> thing. I don't know how long they've been around but
> I only heard about them for the first time 2 years
> ago. If you live where concord grow it might be easier
> to find them but I think where you are you're probably
> stuck with the seeds.
>
> Kate
>
No, I haven't seen them around Concord, Mass....

--
Jean B.

On Tue 30 Sep 2008 06:05:17p, Gloria P told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>
>> I have used this recipe many times.
>>
>> 4 c. concord grapes, prepared
>> 3/4 to 1 c. sugar
>> 1 tbsp. lemon juice
>> 2 1/2 tbsp. tapioca
>> Butter to dot
>> Unbaked pie shell and top crust
>>
>> Slip skins from approximately 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of Concord grapes.
>> Reserve skins. Put skinless grapes in saucepan and bring to a boil.
>> Boil several minutes. Rub through sieve to remove seeds (I use a Foley
>> Mill). Cool pulp add skins and other ingredients to seedless pulp. Let
>> stand 15 minutes, a necessity for the tapioca. Pour into unbaked pie
>> shell. Dot with butter. Top with lattice crust. Bake at 425 degrees for
>> 10 minutes then at 350 degrees until syrup boils with heavy bubbles
>> that do not break about 30 minutes. Cool before serving.
>>
>>
> Thanks for that recipe, Wayne. I'd never heard of grape pie until about
> 10 years ago when someone brought one in to work. Trouble is it was
> whole grapes--skins, seeds, and all. Omigod, it was AWFUL.
>
> Yours sounds edible except that 3/4 cup sugar doesn't sound like much to
> sweeten 4 cups of grapes. OTOH it would be better a bit tart rather
> than tasting like Welch's grape jam in a crust....
>
> Thanks!
>
> gloria p
>

You're welcome. Actually, concord grapes can be very sweet if very ripe.
I adjust the sugar accordingly. I do like it a bit on the tart side.

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Tuesday, 09(IX)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 6dys 5hrs 35mins
*******************************************
A sucking chest wound is just nature's
way of telling you to slow down.
*******************************************

Gloria P wrote:

> Thanks for that recipe, Wayne. I'd never heard of grape pie until about
> 10 years ago when someone brought one in to work. Trouble is it was
> whole grapes--skins, seeds, and all. Omigod, it was AWFUL.
>
> Yours sounds edible except that 3/4 cup sugar doesn't sound like much to
> sweeten 4 cups of grapes. OTOH it would be better a bit tart rather
> than tasting like Welch's grape jam in a crust....

I think Wayne has a recipe for that, too...


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Need a new news feed? http://blinkynet.net/comp/newfeed.html

On Tue 30 Sep 2008 08:29:46p, Blinky the Shark told us...

> Gloria P wrote:
>
>> Thanks for that recipe, Wayne. I'd never heard of grape pie until about
>> 10 years ago when someone brought one in to work. Trouble is it was
>> whole grapes--skins, seeds, and all. Omigod, it was AWFUL.
>>
>> Yours sounds edible except that 3/4 cup sugar doesn't sound like much to
>> sweeten 4 cups of grapes. OTOH it would be better a bit tart rather
>> than tasting like Welch's grape jam in a crust....
>
> I think Wayne has a recipe for that, too...

Actually, I have my grandmother's recipe for grape jam, but not Welch's.
:-)



--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Tuesday, 09(IX)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 6dys 3hrs 21mins
*******************************************
It's practically impossible to look at
a penguin and feel angry.
*******************************************

Kate Connally wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:

>> I've never had grape pie. I'm sure I'd like one.
>
> I'll post the recipe. I have to get it from home and
> type it in. It's from Betty Crocker. It's pretty simple
> if you have seedless concords - not so much if you have
> seeded ones. It's basically grapes, sugar, flour, butter.
> I add some vanilla. You could add cinnamon I you like it.

Sounds good.

> I never knew there were seedless concord until 2 years ago
> when I went to get grapes and they asked me if I wanted
> seeds or seedless. What a wonderful thing! Those damn seeds
> were a PIA! So if you want to make grape pie I hope you can
> get seedless grapes in your area.

I can't stand grape seeds and I don't know why people would
choose grapes with seeds if seedless are available.

>> Are you still testing recipes for America's Test Kitchen?
>> I was wondering about that just the other day, and here
>> you are.
>
> Theoretically. I get the recipes sent to me but
> it's been a while since I made one. Mainly because
> a lot of them are for things I have no interest in
> making. Sometimes it's because the ingredients are
> too expensive and I'm broke near the end of the month.
> Also, sometimes it's because they only give you a week
> to do it and it's just not convenient to do it that soon.
> I really wish they give you a month, but even 2 weeks
> would be better.

I can see how you'd pass on a lot of the recipes, especially
if you work .

> I think the last thing I tried, back in June, was a French
> toast recipe which I didn't really care for. It was *way*
> complicated and not even as good, imo, as my regular
> French toast. (It was weird. First you used only yolks,
> which I hate because I already have too many whites in
> the freezer waiting for me to make angel food cake or something.
> Then they had you add cinnamon which I didn't care for. I like
> cinnamon but I would just as soon not have it in my French
> toast batter - I think the cinnamon flavor "interferes" with
> the maple syrup with which I slather it. Also, I had to find
> one of several specific breads they recommended.

Oh, man, that's already too much trouble.

> I ended up
> getting Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White as it was the
> only one available in my area. Their goal was to have a bread
> that wouldn't get too soggy and to make a crisper texture.
> This was supposed to be accomplished by making crumbs of one
> slice of bread and mixing them with brown sugar, cinnamon,
> and butter and, after soaking the bread in the batter,
> applying a coating of the crumb mixture to one side of the
> bread. Then you fry it starting with the crumb side. Good
> grief!

Oh, that's hilarious. That is a lot of work for ... french toast.

> Dirty dishes galore, ridiculous amount of work, for what?
> I usually make French toast with whatever bread I have on hand but
> my favorite is Mancini's twist (a local bakery's Italian bread).
> I just whip up an egg or two and add some milk or cream and a
> little vanilla, slop the bread around in it, and then fry it in
> bacon grease or butter. It's excellent! I think it gets plenty
> crisp on the outside if you do it right.)

Now I'm getting a craving. Been a long time since I've had
french toast.

> So, basically, I'm waiting for them to send me one
> that sounds good to me, with ingredients I like and
> can afford, and when I don't have other plans for the
> weekend and can get to the store for the groceries
> and have the time to do the actual cooking.

Thanks for the update, Kate, very interesting.

nancy

On Wed 01 Oct 2008 05:10:32p, Nancy Young told us...

> Now I'm getting a craving. Been a long time since I've had
> french toast.

I occasionally make French toast and I really like what I make. Having
said that, it's been many years since I've found a restaurant that produces
remotely edible French toast. I'm convinced that the majority of
restaurants that make it properly are in NYC.

IMNSHO, proper French toast should be made with day old French bread,
sliced about 3/4" thick, or slightly less. The egg and milk or cream
mixture is not quite as important as the process and, naturally, the
result. French bread can absorb a proper amount of the egg mixture without
falling apart and losing its bread structure. The slices should be fried
in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.

Typical French toast I seem to always encounter is flabby and soft, perhaps
a bit eggy (which is fine), but the texture is disgusting.

My egg mixture is always made with whole eggs and either half-and-half or
heavy cream, slightly sweetened, with a few drops of vanilla, and a shake
or two of nutmeg.

My particular favorite is two slices of soaked French bread sandwiched with
a mixture of cream cheese and orange marmalade or slightly sweetened fresh
raspberries. Frying takes a bit longer with these to allow the interior to
cook properly.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Wednesday, 10(X)/01(I)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 5dys 6hrs 25mins
*******************************************
Personally, I like my flying brains
dark and evil.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> I occasionally make French toast and I really like what I make. Having
> said that, it's been many years since I've found a restaurant that produces
> remotely edible French toast. I'm convinced that the majority of
> restaurants that make it properly are in NYC.

Tell me about it. Restaurant pancakes are bad enough but restaurant
French toast has never been anything to write home about. The last time
I tried it was a few years ago when a new coffee specialty store opened
up, the type that roasts its own beans. You would expect their coffee
not to to be weak and flavourless. I ordered the coffee and French toast
at the same time, so I was caught off guard on both counts.

The French toast was made with cheap, fresh bread, something as insipid
as WonderBread, and it had likely been dipped in some sort of
commercially prepared dip of dairy and egg products, like really cheap
eggnog but without the nutmeg. It was disgusting. I had to wonder how
you could screw up something as simple as dipping stale bread into
beaten egg with milk and frying it on a griddle.



>
> IMNSHO, proper French toast should be made with day old French bread,
> sliced about 3/4" thick, or slightly less. The egg and milk or cream
> mixture is not quite as important as the process and, naturally, the
> result. French bread can absorb a proper amount of the egg mixture without
> falling apart and losing its bread structure. The slices should be fried
> in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
> brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
> with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.
>
> Typical French toast I seem to always encounter is flabby and soft, perhaps
> a bit eggy (which is fine), but the texture is disgusting.


I don't like it too eggy. That ends up more like bread cooked in
overcooked scrambled omelet.


>
> My egg mixture is always made with whole eggs and either half-and-half or
> heavy cream, slightly sweetened, with a few drops of vanilla, and a shake
> or two of nutmeg.

I skip the nutmeg and use a little cinnamon sugar.


>
> My particular favorite is two slices of soaked French bread sandwiched with
> a mixture of cream cheese and orange marmalade or slightly sweetened fresh
> raspberries. Frying takes a bit longer with these to allow the interior to
> cook properly.

I prefer them singly with maple syrup..... real maple syrup, not the
artificial maple flavoured corn syrup

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Wed 01 Oct 2008 05:10:32p, Nancy Young told us...
>
>> Now I'm getting a craving. Been a long time since I've had
>> french toast.
>
> I occasionally make French toast and I really like what I make. Having
> said that, it's been many years since I've found a restaurant that produces
> remotely edible French toast. I'm convinced that the majority of
> restaurants that make it properly are in NYC.
>
> IMNSHO, proper French toast should be made with day old French bread,
> sliced about 3/4" thick, or slightly less. The egg and milk or cream
> mixture is not quite as important as the process and, naturally, the
> result. French bread can absorb a proper amount of the egg mixture without
> falling apart and losing its bread structure. The slices should be fried
> in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
> brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
> with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.
>
> Typical French toast I seem to always encounter is flabby and soft, perhaps
> a bit eggy (which is fine), but the texture is disgusting.
>
> My egg mixture is always made with whole eggs and either half-and-half or
> heavy cream, slightly sweetened, with a few drops of vanilla, and a shake
> or two of nutmeg.
>
> My particular favorite is two slices of soaked French bread sandwiched with
> a mixture of cream cheese and orange marmalade or slightly sweetened fresh
> raspberries. Frying takes a bit longer with these to allow the interior to
> cook properly.
>

You missed it, Wayne. We had French toast from left over home made
Challah this morning before we left for Temple. It was soft inside and
crisp outside.

Next time I'll give you advance notice. <g>

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Wed 01 Oct 2008 06:53:10p, Dave Smith told us...

> Tell me about it. Restaurant pancakes are bad enough but restaurant
> French toast has never been anything to write home about. The last time
> I tried it was a few years ago when a new coffee specialty store opened
> up, the type that roasts its own beans. You would expect their coffee
> not to to be weak and flavourless. I ordered the coffee and French toast
> at the same time, so I was caught off guard on both counts.
>
> The French toast was made with cheap, fresh bread, something as insipid
> as WonderBread, and it had likely been dipped in some sort of
> commercially prepared dip of dairy and egg products, like really cheap
> eggnog but without the nutmeg. It was disgusting. I had to wonder how
> you could screw up something as simple as dipping stale bread into
> beaten egg with milk and frying it on a griddle.

UGH! I've alsohad that experience.

> I don't like it too eggy. That ends up more like bread cooked in
> overcooked scrambled omelet.

Actually, I don't either. My mixture is much heavier on some sort of
cream.

>> My egg mixture is always made with whole eggs and either half-and-half
>> or heavy cream, slightly sweetened, with a few drops of vanilla, and a
>> shake or two of nutmeg.
>
> I skip the nutmeg and use a little cinnamon sugar.

My mom made great French toast and always used nutmeg, so that's what I'm
most used to. I sometimes used cinnamon, which is certainly good, but I
stil prefer nutmeg. Old habits die hard. :-)

>> My particular favorite is two slices of soaked French bread sandwiched
>> with a mixture of cream cheese and orange marmalade or slightly
>> sweetened fresh raspberries. Frying takes a bit longer with these to
>> allow the interior to cook properly.
>
> I prefer them singly with maple syrup..... real maple syrup, not the
> artificial maple flavoured corn syrup

Actually, that how I usually make and serve them. My French toast
"sandwiches" are made far less often, and usually for company.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Wednesday, 10(X)/01(I)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 5dys 4hrs 33mins
*******************************************
Computer - A device designed to speed
and automate errors.

On Wed 01 Oct 2008 07:01:03p, Janet Wilder told us...

> You missed it, Wayne. We had French toast from left over home made
> Challah this morning before we left for Temple. It was soft inside and
> crisp outside.
>
> Next time I'll give you advance notice. <g>

OMG! I would have *loved* that!!! It's a really long trip for me to get
to the Jewish bakery to buy Challah, so I don't have it very often. It
makes superb French toast. Good French bread can be had nearby.

I used to bake a really decent Challah, but I've not been baking any yeast
breads lately. (Damned Diet!) :-(

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Wednesday, 10(X)/01(I)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 5dys 4hrs 29mins
*******************************************
I like Florida. Everything is in the
eighties. The temperatures, the ages,

In article 7>,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

>
> The slices should be fried
> in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
> brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
> with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.

The most disgusting french toast I've ever eaten was at a B&B. The
bread (supermarket 'texas toast' bread) barely said hello to the egg
mixture, much less got cozy. Bleah!
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 05:44:50a, Melba's Jammin' told us...

> In article 7>,
> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>>
>> The slices should be fried
>> in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
>> brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
>> with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.
>
> The most disgusting french toast I've ever eaten was at a B&B. The
> bread (supermarket 'texas toast' bread) barely said hello to the egg
> mixture, much less got cozy. Bleah!

Yep, that's the kinda thing I run into, or worse. I've just quit ordering
it in restaurants. If I were in NYC, I'd order it in a flash.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 18hrs 8mins
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Mmmmmm, something smells good! It's
me.' * Cat

Janet wrote on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:01:03 -0500:

> You missed it, Wayne. We had French toast from left over home made
> Challah this morning before we left for Temple. It was
> soft inside and crisp outside.

> Next time I'll give you advance notice. <g>

Did we not have this French toast thread recently? I thought I had been
roundly condemned for liking it using ordinary bread, soaking that in
egg and a small amount of milk, using no sugar and cooking until golden
brown :-) My final sin is that I accompany it with ketchup and I have
not been converted to maple syrup etc. I do like real maple syrup on
pancakes.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:49:59 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>Typical French toast I seem to always encounter is flabby and soft, perhaps
>a bit eggy (which is fine), but the texture is disgusting.

Wayne,

I agree with your assessment of typical French toast. I had a lot of
trouble getting the right consistency along with the right degree of
"outside crisp" until I used Alton Brown's idea: after browning the
outside nicely, the toast is placed in an oven (about 350 deg) for a
few minutes until the inside is of the proper consistency.

Hmm... sometime I need to try French toast with very thin-sliced
bread; more "crisp" and less "inside"...

Best -- Terry
....who LOVES the results of the Maillard reaction; wife thinks I like
'burnt' foods...

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article 7>,
> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> The slices should be fried
>> in clarified unsalted butter until the exterior is *crisp* and golden
>> brown, and the interior is tender and custardy. Served relatively plain
>> with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.
>
> The most disgusting french toast I've ever eaten was at a B&B. The
> bread (supermarket 'texas toast' bread) barely said hello to the egg
> mixture, much less got cozy. Bleah!

Well, at least it got near the egg for ever so brief a time? I was once
served toast with maple syrup poured over it and called "French Toast".
No eggs, milk or pan required.
Ugh.

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 06:30:54a, James Silverton told us...

> Did we not have this French toast thread recently?

No doubt. There are many repeat topics here.

> I thought I had been
> roundly condemned for liking it using ordinary bread, soaking that in
> egg and a small amount of milk, using no sugar and cooking until golden
> brown :-) My final sin is that I accompany it with ketchup and I have
> not been converted to maple syrup etc. I do like real maple syrup on
> pancakes.
>

Like my grandmother used to tell me... There's no accounting for taste.
:-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 15hrs 35mins
*******************************************
Sacred cows make the best hamburger.
*******************************************

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:19:08a, Goomba told us...

>
> Well, at least it got near the egg for ever so brief a time? I was once
> served toast with maple syrup poured over it and called "French Toast".
> No eggs, milk or pan required.
> Ugh.
>

What made it "French Toast"? Serving it with syrup?

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 15hrs 33mins
*******************************************
Make it as simple as possible, but no
simpler.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:19:08a, Goomba told us...
>
>> Well, at least it got near the egg for ever so brief a time? I was once
>> served toast with maple syrup poured over it and called "French Toast".
>> No eggs, milk or pan required.
>> Ugh.
>>
>
> What made it "French Toast"? Serving it with syrup?
>
<shrug> I dunno.. I guess so? I didn't want to pursue the question
because it was made by an elderly person dear to me.

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:37:06a, Goomba told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:19:08a, Goomba told us...
>>
>>> Well, at least it got near the egg for ever so brief a time? I was once
>>> served toast with maple syrup poured over it and called "French Toast".
>>> No eggs, milk or pan required.
>>> Ugh.
>>>
>>
>> What made it "French Toast"? Serving it with syrup?
>>
> <shrug> I dunno.. I guess so? I didn't want to pursue the question
> because it was made by an elderly person dear to me.
>

Given her age, perhaps she simply forgot the step using the egg mixture.

A friend of mine, whose mother is 90 years old, often receives phone calls
from her asking her how to make this or that dish. These were dishes that
the mother orignally taught the daughter how to make. The mother has been
evaluated and has neither altzheimers nor dementia...she's just old.
Perhaps poor circulation to the brain?

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 15hrs 23mins
*******************************************
Speak the truth, but leave immediately
after. - Yugoslav Proverb

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> A friend of mine, whose mother is 90 years old, often receives phone calls
> from her asking her how to make this or that dish. These were dishes that
> the mother orignally taught the daughter how to make. The mother has been
> evaluated and has neither altzheimers nor dementia...she's just old.
> Perhaps poor circulation to the brain?
>



I have a coffee mug that shows a student running up to the front of the
class, saying "Mr. Osborn, may I be excused? My brain is full."

Maybe her mental recipe file is really full. Some things just aren't
worth the memory space.

gloria p

On Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:30:54 GMT, James Silverton wrote:

> Janet wrote on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:01:03 -0500:
>
>> You missed it, Wayne. We had French toast from left over home made
>> Challah this morning before we left for Temple. It was
>> soft inside and crisp outside.
>
>> Next time I'll give you advance notice. <g>
>
> Did we not have this French toast thread recently? I thought I had been
> roundly condemned for liking it using ordinary bread, soaking that in
> egg and a small amount of milk, using no sugar and cooking until golden
> brown :-) My final sin is that I accompany it with ketchup and I have
> not been converted to maple syrup etc. I do like real maple syrup on
> pancakes.

you're *still* eating it with ketchup? i must have sent the police to the
wrong address.

your pal,
blake

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 09:04:50a, Gloria P told us...

> I have a coffee mug that shows a student running up to the front of the
> class, saying "Mr. Osborn, may I be excused? My brain is full."
>
> Maybe her mental recipe file is really full. Some things just aren't
> worth the memory space.
>
> gloria p
>

Good point. Years ago I began following the philosophy that I would always
try to remember where or how to find the answer to something, not the
answer itself.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 14hrs 10mins
*******************************************
A cynic's work is never done.
*******************************************

On Thu 02 Oct 2008 09:11:33a, blake murphy told us...

>
> you're *still* eating it with ketchup? i must have sent the police to the
> wrong address.
>
> your pal,
> blake
>

Either that, or they didn't take along their catsup neutralizing equipment.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 14hrs 9mins
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The cow ate bluegrass and mooed indigo.
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