Comments on: Beignets and Luqam: Thoughts from Cathy Kaufman http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html A Historian's Take on Food and Food Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:28:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael Warshauer http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25891 Michael Warshauer Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:56:19 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25891 Cathy, in reality, I don't obsess over precise mesurements. In fact, I'm addicted to off the cuff improvisations. Thanks for the recipe. Kyri; I love the word backgrounds. Have any more? Saludos, Mike Cathy, in reality, I don’t obsess over precise mesurements. In fact, I’m addicted to off the cuff improvisations.

Thanks for the recipe.

Kyri; I love the word backgrounds. Have any more?

Saludos,
Mike

]]> By: Kyri Claflin http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25871 Kyri Claflin Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:36:55 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25871 Speaking of pets de nonne, just for you entertainment, in my reading of French cookbooks through the centuries I discovered that recipes for pets de nonne (nun's farts) weren't called that until the 19th century. Before that they were called pets de putain (whore's farts). I think the change was likely due to Careme, who went on a crusade to clean up French culinary language, including making culs d'artichauts into fonds d'artichauts, cul being a French word for ass (not the animal). That's enough trivia for now. Speaking of pets de nonne, just for you entertainment, in my reading of French cookbooks through the centuries I discovered that recipes for pets de nonne (nun’s farts) weren’t called that until the 19th century. Before that they were called pets de putain (whore’s farts). I think the change was likely due to Careme, who went on a crusade to clean up French culinary language, including making culs d’artichauts into fonds d’artichauts, cul being a French word for ass (not the animal). That’s enough trivia for now.

]]> By: Cathy Kaufman http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25866 Cathy Kaufman Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:16:26 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25866 Michael, you are absolutely right to question the two different measurement systems. In my meager defense, I wasn't that concerned about the precise adaptation, as I was giving the recipe to some anonymous professional cooks at the IACP conference in New Orleans to execute to support a program that I did with Ken Albala (you should have seen the olla podrida that came out of the kitchen for his part of the talk!). Knowing that flour and liquid can always be adjusted as needed (and figuring that (1) flour in NOLA is going to be different from the flour I used in NYC and (2) NOLA cooks can make better beignets than I can), I didn't obsess too much on the exact measurements, and simply wanted to make sure the yeast was in the ballpark. The beignets that were served were fabulous, thanks to the NOLA cooks (and I don't know how closely--or not-- they followed the recipe.) Michael, you are absolutely right to question the two different measurement systems. In my meager defense, I wasn’t that concerned about the precise adaptation, as I was giving the recipe to some anonymous professional cooks at the IACP conference in New Orleans to execute to support a program that I did with Ken Albala (you should have seen the olla podrida that came out of the kitchen for his part of the talk!). Knowing that flour and liquid can always be adjusted as needed (and figuring that (1) flour in NOLA is going to be different from the flour I used in NYC and (2) NOLA cooks can make better beignets than I can), I didn’t obsess too much on the exact measurements, and simply wanted to make sure the yeast was in the ballpark.

The beignets that were served were fabulous, thanks to the NOLA cooks (and I don’t know how closely–or not– they followed the recipe.)

]]> By: Ji-Young Park http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25861 Ji-Young Park Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:04:45 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25861 On a related note a recipe for Algerian sfenj that Farid and I wrote for Gourmet magazine http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orange-Scented-Beignets-241509 . On a related note a recipe for Algerian sfenj that Farid and I wrote for Gourmet magazine

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orange-Scented-Beignets-241509 .

]]> By: Cajun Chef Ryan http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25860 Cajun Chef Ryan Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:07:50 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25860 Food and it's place in history and the history of food are always fascinating topics, and beignets, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Ash Wednesday are no exception to a long tradition and past beyond the borders of the Gulf Coast region. Thank you so much for tracing back the origins of what so many of us from New Orleans still love and enjoy today, Cafe au Lait and beignets, Mardi Gras...Laissez les bonne temps roule , "Let the good times roll" Regards, CCR =:~) Food and it’s place in history and the history of food are always fascinating topics, and beignets, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Ash Wednesday are no exception to a long tradition and past beyond the borders of the Gulf Coast region.
Thank you so much for tracing back the origins of what so many of us from New Orleans still love and enjoy today, Cafe au Lait and beignets, Mardi Gras…Laissez les bonne temps roule , “Let the good times roll”

Regards,

CCR =:~)

]]> By: Michael Warshauer http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25857 Michael Warshauer Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:04:09 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25857 I went to my copy of American Cookery, and was having a difficult time locating the recipe for Rice Calas. But then, after looking under the subchapter on doughnuts, I found it listed as "Fried Rice Cakes", but with baking powder as the leavening! That won't do. in my opinion. Now I'm puzzled as to where I got the yeasted version. Possibly it was included in the earlier hardbound edition. I'm looking at the more recent paperback edition now. Saludos, Mike I went to my copy of American Cookery, and was having a difficult time locating the recipe for Rice Calas. But then, after looking under the subchapter on doughnuts, I found it listed as “Fried Rice Cakes”, but with baking powder as the leavening!

That won’t do. in my opinion. Now I’m puzzled as to where I got the yeasted version. Possibly it was included in the earlier hardbound edition. I’m looking at the more recent paperback edition now.

Saludos,
Mike

]]> By: Michael Warshauer http://www.rachellaudan.com/2009/07/beignets-and-luqam-thoughts-from-cathy-kaufman.html/comment-page-1#comment-25856 Michael Warshauer Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:51:36 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=1685#comment-25856 The Beignet recipe looks good, but leaves me slightly lacking in confidence, as it mixes both English and Metric measures. But it should work. Meanwhile, let's not neglect Rice Calas. I have several times in the past made these Hot Rice Calas, which are distantly related to beignets, and pretty simple. Medium grain rice is cooked well to a soft texture. It's allowed to cool, and it's inoculated with a little yeast. It then reposes overnight. In the morning, sugar, salt, egg, and spice, such as grated nutmeg are added to make a thick batter or heavy dough. This is scooped up into little balls or oblongs, dropped into hot fat and fried. They are drained on paper towelling. Powdered sugar is dusted on before serving. These are very good as part of a Creole brunch. There's a recipe, with measurements, in James Beard's American Cookery, which is where first found it, The Beignet recipe looks good, but leaves me slightly lacking in confidence, as it mixes both English and Metric measures. But it should work.

Meanwhile, let’s not neglect Rice Calas.
I have several times in the past made these Hot Rice Calas, which are distantly related to beignets, and pretty simple.

Medium grain rice is cooked well to a soft texture. It’s allowed to cool, and it’s inoculated with a little yeast. It then reposes overnight.

In the morning, sugar, salt, egg, and spice, such as grated nutmeg are added to make a thick batter or heavy dough. This is scooped up into little balls or oblongs, dropped into hot fat and fried. They are drained on paper towelling. Powdered sugar is dusted on before serving.

These are very good as part of a Creole brunch. There’s a recipe, with measurements, in James Beard’s American Cookery, which is where first found it,

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