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----- Original Message -----
From: John
To: phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 2:58 PM
Subject: barley water candy
Hi:
Can you find any recipes for barley water candy which was popular
in the late 1800's, early 1900s?
Thanks
John
Hi John,
Your seemingly simple request turned into quite an investigation.
Barley water is a popular "soft drink" in the British Isles, right
up there with Coke. It's easy to make at home, but it's sold bottled
like soda pop. See the first two recipes below. "Barley water candy",
more commonly called "barley candy" or "barley sugar", was orginally
made by taking barley-water, adding a lot of sugar, and then boiling it
down to a candy-like consistency. See the third recipe below.
However, barley candy or barley sugar is no longer made this way.
See the bottom two recipes. There's no barley in them now, they're
just sugar candies. They're very popular in the U.K. and in Canada
and Australia. In the U.S., the FDA said that since they didn't
contain barley, they couldn't be sold under that name. I suspect that
our lemon drops are very similar to lemon barley sugar.
In searching for "barley sugar", it was easy to take a wrong turn, because
there is also a "barley sugar" that is:
"a light-brown sugar which is made from white sugar that has been liquefied
by heating to 320° F, allowed to cool, and then mechanically crushed. "
So, if you want to make authetic barley water candy or "barley-sugar", use
the first "barley sugar" recipe below, the one with barley in it.
On a side note, barley-water has long been recommended for a number of medical
conditions and is still used for that purpose.
Phaed
-----------------------------------------------------------
To make barley-water, Smith said:
Take of pearl barley four ounces, put it in a large pipkin and
cover it with water; when the barley is thick and tender, put
in more water and boil it up again, and so do till it is of a
good thickness to drink; then put in a blade or two of mace,
or a stick of cinnamon; let it have a walm or two and strain it
out; squeese in the juice of two or three lemons, and a bit of
the peel, and sweeten it to your taste with fine sugar; let it
stand till it is cold, and then run it through a bag, and bottle
it up; it will keep three or four days.
---------------------------------------------------
Barley Water
An old-fashioned drink that was traditionally given to children.
2 ounces pearl barley
3 teaspoons sugar
Peel of 1/2 lemon 1 pint boiling water
Put barley in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring
to a boil and boil for about 3 minutes. Strain barley and put in
a jug with sugar, lemon peel and boiling water. Cover and let
stand until cold. Strain. Serve plain, or add lemon juice and sugar
to taste, or dilute half and half with milk, or serve over ice.
It is usually served in small tumblers.
Serves 2 to 4.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barley Sugar
This is an ancient sweet originally made from hot sugar syrup
and an extract of barley to colour it.
Barley - 250g (9 oz), hulled
Water - 5 litres (9 pints)
Sugar - 1 kg (21/4 lb), warmed
Method
Gently cook the barley in the water for 5 hours.
Strain the jelly-like liquid and return it to the pan. Add the sugar,
stir over a gentle heat until dissolved.
Boil the mixture until it just reaches the hard crack stage,
150 °C (300 °F). Pour the mixture over an oiled marble slab.
As soon as the mixture begins to cool, cut it into long strips and
twist them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barley Sugar
500 g glucose powder
150 ml water
1 tbsp honey
A good pinch of saffron powder
1/2 lemon, juice strained, rind thinly pared in one continuous strip
A small pinch of cream of tartar.
In a heavy saucepan, heat the glucose, honey, saffron powder and
water until the glucose has completely dissolved. Add the lemon
rind and the pinch of cream of tartar. Boil the syrup until it
reaches the Soft Ball Stage, more than 116 Celsius (240F) but remove
the lemon rind before it begins to go brown.
Continue to boil the syrup until it reaches the Hard Crack Stage,
more than 154 Celsius (310F). Keep testing with iced water and
don't over cook them as I did the first time. (They had a bitter
taste and I had to throw them out.) Stop the cooking by dipping
the base of the pan into cold water. Add the lemon juice without
stirring. Pour out the syrup in a thin layer on to a lightly oiled
metal baking tray. Leave the mixture to cool for a few minutes then
use a palette knife or spatula to fold the sides to the middle
without wrinkling the sheet of syrup. Oil some scissors and use
them to cut the mixture into strips. Twist the strips into corkscrew
shaped sticks while they are still warm. This is fun. If the mixture
cools too rapidly put the metal tray over a bowl of boiling water.
To store, wrap the barley sugar sticks individually in cellophane
or waxed paper.
----------------------
From an 1890 cookbook:
189. -- Barley Sugar.
Put some sugar in a pan with water and place it on the fire to boil;
when it is at the feather add a little lemon juice and continue boiling
to the caramel; when done add a few drops of essence of lemon. Pour it
on a marble slab previously oiled, cut into strips. When nearly cold take
the strips in your fingers and twist them, and when quite cold put them
into tin boxes and keep them closed down. The reason that barley sugar
is so named is that it was originally made with a decoction of barley.
190. -- Barley Sugar Drops.
These are made in the same manner as the preceding. You pour the sugar
while hot into impressions made in dried icing sugar.
----- Original Message -----
From: Shirley
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 12:45 AM
Subject: donuts (Peanut sticks)
Can you help me find the recipe for peanut stick donuts. They were
at all donut shops up in the New York area years ago and since
have vanished. They are a cake type stick donut, rolled in crushed
peanuts. Very tasty but can't find any where.
Thank you so much
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
Were they chocolate? I can't find anything as "peanut sticks" or "peanut
stick doughnuts", but I did find the recipe below - chocolate doughnuts
covered with ground peanuts. If that's not it, give me a better description
and I'll look some more.
Phaed
For a peanut sticks recipe, see: Other Donut Recipes
Chocolate Glazed Peanut Doughnuts
Recipe from Chocolatier, October 1991
Article "Dazzling Designer Doughnuts"
Chocolate Glazed Peanut Doughnuts
Yield: Approximately 14 doughnuts and 14
doughnut holes
Difficulty: X
Preparation: 1-1/2 hours plus chilling,
resting, frying and cooling times
Peanut doughnuts:
3-1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), divided
1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying
Chocolate glaze:
18 ounces Swiss dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chopped peanuts, for garnish
Make the doughnuts:
1. In a food processor fitted with the metal
chopping blade, combine 1/2 cup of the four
with the peanuts. Process for 20 to 30
seconds, until coarsely chopped.
2. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, stir
together the remaining 3 cups of flour,
chopped peanut mixture, sugar, baking powder
and salt, until thoroughly blended.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the
milk, egg, oil and vanilla, until blended.
Make a well in the center of the flour
mixture and pour the milk mixture into it.
Using a rubber spatula, stir until the
mixture forms a soft, moist dough. Dust a
work surface with flour. Scrape the dough
onto the work surface and lightly sprinkle
the top of the dough with flour. Gather the
dough into a ball and knead it gently 5 or 6
times, until smooth (do not overhandle).
4. Dust a large baking sheet with flour.
Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Dust
your hands with flour and pat the dough into
a circle that is about 11 inches in diameter
and about 1/2-inch thick. Cover the dough
with plastic wrap and place the baking sheet
with the dough on it in the freezer for 15 to
20 minutes, or until firm.
5. Using a floured 2-3/4 inch round cookie
cutter, cut 12 rounds from the circle of
dough. With a floured 1-inch round cookie
cutter, cut a hole from the center of each
doughnut. Using a floured pancake spatula,
transfer the doughnuts and the doughnut holes
to a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
6. Gather the scraps of dough together, wrap
in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15
minutes. Pat the scraps into a circle
1/2-inch thick and make more doughnuts as
above. Cover the doughnuts and refrigerate
for up to 6 hours, until you are ready to fry
them. Let the chilled doughnuts stand at
room temperature for 15 minutes before
frying.
Fry the doughnuts:
7. Pour enough oil in a deep fat fryer or
10-inch, high-sided skillet to come up to a
depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 375oF.
Dip a pancake spatula in the hot oil and use
it to transfer the doughnuts from the baking
sheet to the hot oil. This will prevent them
from losing their shape. Three at a time,
fry the doughnuts for 1 minute on each side,
or until golden brown. Using a slotted
spoon, remove the doughnuts from the hot oil
and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
Set the doughnuts on a wire rack to cool.
Six at a time, fry the doughnut holes in the
same manner.
Make the chocolate glaze:
8. In the top of a double boiler over hot,
not simmering water, melt 8 ounces of the
chocolate. Gradually add the remaining 10
ounces of chocolate, stirring frequently
until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.
9. In a small saucepan, combine the water,
sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat,
stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar
dissolves completely. Do not let the mixture
boil. Remove pan from the heat.
10. Pour the sugar syrup into a medium bowl.
Whisk the melted chocolate into the sugar
syrup, until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Keep the glaze warm by setting the bowl over
a pot of warm water. (The water must touch
the bottom of the bowl.) Tilt the bowl on
the edge of the pot to create a deep pool of
glaze for dipping.
11. Gently drop a doughnut onto the surface
of the glaze. Using a fork, turn the
doughnut over so that it is fully coated in
chocolate. Lift the doughnut out of the
glaze, scraping off the excess glaze onto the
bowl's edge. Place the doughnut onto a wire
rack set over a baking sheet, and carefully
remove the fork. Sprinkle the doughnut with
chopped peanuts before the glaze sets.
12. Coat the remaining doughnuts and the
doughnut holes in the same manner. sprinkle
the doughnuts with chopped peanuts, if
desired, before the glaze sets. Refrigerate
the doughnuts for 5 minutes to harden the
glaze. Store the doughnuts in an airtight
container at room temperature. The doughnuts
should be served the same day they are
prepared.
----- Original Message -----
From: Shirley
To: phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: donuts (Peanut sticks)
Thanks so much for answering. No, these are not the ones I speak of.
The ones I had were not chocolate. They were a cake type donut with
what seemed to be a glaze like a glazed donut (white) and they were
rolled in crushed peanuts. They were about 6' long like a log and
1 1/2-2" thick. In Syracuse several donut shops always had them.
I remember Empire Donut Shop and Harrison Bakery, but can't think of
the other donut shop names.
I really appreciate your time and effort. I am craving for them again.
LOL
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
Well, this is one of those times when I have to admit defeat. I searched
extra hard because these sound really good, but there's just not a recipe
for them online that I can find. I think they're called "peanut sticks".
While I was searching, I came across the below recipe that caught my eye because
I like exotic recipes. I thought I'd share it with you.
Phaed
For a peanut sticks recipe, see: Other Donut Recipes
Chien Doi (Chinese Doughnuts)
This you must try. If you've found your way here, you need to stock up
on a few calories and there is no better place to get them.
6 ozs brown sugar
6 fl ozs hot water
1 lb rice flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 ozs grated coconut (unsweetened)
2 ozs crushed roasted peanuts (crush between two sheets of greaseproof
paper with a rolling pin)
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 ozs cup toasted sesame seeds
Oil for deep frying
Dissolve the brown sugar in hot water, add the sherry and allow to cool.
Stir enough liquid into the sifted flour and baking powder to make a
stiff dough (do not knead).
Shape into a roll, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cut the roll into 1/2" slices
and flatten them to around 2" in diameter.
Combine the coconut, peanuts and caster sugar and place a tablespoon of
the filling in the middle of each slice. Bring the edge of each slice
together and roll in your hands to form a ball. Put the sesame seeds on
to a flat plate and roll each ball in them. Deep fry in the oil for 4-5
minutes until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Serve warm or room temperature.
----- Original Message -----
From: Sharon
To: phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 1:35 AM
Subject: ISO~
> Hi Uncle Phaedrus~
>
> I've spent quite a bit of time searching and have not found a clear
> recipe for making Louisiana hot sauce from my little hot red peppers
> that are ready to be processed. It involves only the peppers, vinegar
> and salt, but I'm not sure how to proceed. (Seeds in or out? Peppers
> fresh or dried? Hot or cold vinegar? When to blend? How and how long to
> keep? Refrigerated or not...etc.) My favorite Brands are Crystal,
> first, then Tabasco, which I know are both "secret" recipes.
>
> I would appreciate any help with this.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Sharon
>
Hi Sharon,
Hmmmmm. Well, I appreciate good hot sauce myself. We grew a garden full
of various kinds of peppers a couple of years ago, and I did a bit of
research at that time. The first hot sauce of this type to be sold
commercially was Tabasco. The product called "Louisiana Hot Sauce"
has become almost as well known, but people tend to get it confused
with Tabasco. Crystal hot sauce is spreading all over the country now ,
but for years it was really difficult to find outside of Louisiana.
Tabasco Sauce is made with Tabasco peppers that are aged in wooden barrels
for three years. Tabasco peppers are a variety of cayenne, but not all
cayennes are tabasco peppers. Louisiana hot sauce and Crystal hot sauce
are made with cayennes, but not Tabasco cayennes. Other than that, the
differences are that Crystal is a bit milder and both Louisiana and
Crystal are slightly less vinegary tasting than Tabasco. There's no
recipe for Crystal to be found, but there are a few copy-cat recipes
for Tabasco below.
In answer to your questions, here's what we think:
Use fresh peppers to make your sauce. Dried peppers will not ferment.
If you take the seeds out, you'll also remove much of the heat. The seeds
are the hottest part. Do remove the stems.
As for heating the vinegar, two of the recipes below call for simmering
the peppers & vinegar after mixing.
Refrigerate while aging? Most of the recipes do not call for this, but see
below. It seems to me that refrigeration would slow down the fermentation
process, but by all means, take the safest route.
There are more recipes and tips at these two sites:
https://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/hotsauce_idx.html
https://www.gardenguides.com/articles/hotsauce.htm
Phaed
------------------------------
Cayenne Hot Sauce:
Recipe:
2 lbs finely chopped cayenne or tabasco chiles
3 cups distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
In a medium, non-reactive (not aluminum - use enameled or
porcelain or stainless steel, or corning ware) saucepan,
combine the chiles and vinegar and heat to just below boiling.
Add the salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender.
Pour into a container and allow to sit for at least three weeks. (
Commercial Louisiana hot sauces are aged for 4 months to three years)
Original Tabasco sauce was aged in white oak barrels. We recommend you
do it in a covered container in the refrigerator for safety, although
most pepper sauces, including the local pepper sauce that we put on
lack-eyed peas, is not refrigerated while aging. The vinegar should
retard any bacterial growth, but the choice is yours. Finally, strain
it and pour it into sterilized bottles. Refrigerate after opening.
---------------
Orange Rocket Hot Sauce
1 lb Tabasco chiles, chopped [or other hot pepper variety]
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
You can use chiles other than Tabasco for a different-tasting sauce.
Note: The recipe for true Tabasco brand hot sauce is a long-guarded
secret. In addition, the Tabasco folks make a hot pepper "mash" and
let this ferment long before the peppers are used in their secret recipe.
This process is what gives Tabasco brand pepper sauce its unique flavor.
This recipe does not attempt to replicate that sauce. Instead, this is a
standard Louisiana hot sauce recipe. If desired, you can add some garlic
powder and/or onion powder to flavor the sauce somewhat.
Ground white pepper added is also a nice touch.
Directions:
Combine the chiles and the vinegar and heat. Stir in the salt and simmer for
5 minutes. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
Add more vinegar if the sauce needs thinning.
Allow to steep for a couple of weeks before using.
[Note: Store in a dark place, or in light-resistent bottles as the sauce
will discolor otherwise. The bottles can be processed in a boiling-water
bath for extra safety and for longer storage.]
-----------------------------------------------
Tabasco type hot sauce
The amount of salt and vinegar will vary according to the amount of chiles,
and the amount of chiles I use is generally what I have on hand. But, I'll
take a stab at being a little more specific: I usually use 1.5 pint canning
jars...the freezer type with the tapered "a bit wider at the top than
bottom" mouth. Each jar should hold about a pound of chopped chiles, so if I
had a pound of chiles on hand, I'd take a few out to allow for some space
between the chiles and the jar top. BTW -- that includes seeds, I just wash
'em, cut the stem out, and throw 'em whole into a food processor. If you
want, you can clean out the seeds, in which case you might get the whole
pound of chiles into a single 1.5 pint jar (if you packed 'em a bit). I
measure the coarse salt by my fingertips and thumb...as in, whatever I can
pick up with 'em. Two fingertips full on the bottom of the jar, one between
each layer of chiles (each layer being about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick) and two
or three on top. All totaled, I'd guess it amounts to 4 to 5 teaspoons per
pound of chiles. BTW -- I suggested individual discretion as to how long to
leave the chiles to ferment in the salt. For me, that's usually 5 or 6 days.
Longer might mellow out the flavor, but I can't get over the worry about
mold or other spoilage...so I don't let it sit for too long. When it's time
to add the vinegar, I had however much it takes to cover the chiles by about
1/4 inch...don't have a clue as to how much that'd be.
----- Original Message -----
From: elizabeth
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 1:10 PM
Got a good question for you...can you use dry lock (paint normally
used for masonery, cement, basement walls, etc.) on outdoor wood trim.
My trim around the garage door seems to have water running on it, it
faces the wind and rain, and the door is now rusting in a corner with
the wood in the same place damp...If I can't use dry lock do they make
another paint for just such a situation.thanks...
Hi Elizabeth,
From what I can determine, Dry Lock is for use on concrete & plaster only.
What you want is a wood sealer. There are many of these available. If your
trim is unpainted, then you can use the same sealer that is used for wooden
decks. If your trim is to be painted, then you want one that is a combination
sealer/basecoat. Just look for or ask for a wood sealer or a wood sealer basecoat.
Several of these products are advertised online. Here are some pages for this
type of product:
https://www.decoart.com/0001/WOODSEAL.HTM
https://www.rymarindustries.com/suggest.html
https://www.solvingconcreteproblems.com/residential.htm
Phaed
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