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2001

TODAY's CASES:

Stone Soup

 ---- Original Message ----- 
  From: Liz
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 4:28 AM
  Subject: stone soup

 Also, have you ever heard of stone soup ? 
 Thank you,---LIZ 
  

Hi Liz,

"Stone soup" is a fable about a town that had forgotten how to share until they were shown how to make stone soup. Below are two versions of this fable. Because of the fable, many charitable organizations and food-co-operatives have taken the name "stone soup". There are several Inns with that name, and even a musical group. Several people have created actual "stone soup" recipes, and I'm sending you a few of those below, plus recipes for "Portugeuse Stone Soup" and "Italian Stone Soup", which may not be related to the fable at all.

Phaed

Stone Soup
A fable which was written down by Marcia Brown in 1947; 
the story itself is an old French (sometimes it is said that 
it is Russian) story, and is therefore not copyrighted. 

Three soldiers trudged down a road in a strange country. they were on 
their way home from the wars. Besides being tired, they were hungry. 
In fact, they had eaten nothing for two days. 

"How I would like a good dinner tonight," said the first. "And a bed 
to sleep in," added the second. "But that is impossible," said the third. 

On they marched, until suddenly, ahead of them, they saw the lights of 
a village. "Maybe we'll find a bite to eat and a bed to sleep in," 
they thought. 

Now the peasants of the place feared strangers. When they heard that three
soldiers were coming down the road, they talked among themselves. "Here 
come three soldiers," they said. "Soldiers are always hungry. But we have 
so little for ourselves." And they hurried to hide their food. They hid 
the barley in hay lofts, carrots under quilts, and buckets of milk down 
the wells. They hid all they had to eat. Then they waited. 

The soldiers stopped at the first house. "Good evening to you," they said.
"Could you spare a bit of food for three hungry soldiers?" "We have no 
food for ourselves," the residents lied. "It has been a poor harvest." 

The soldiers went to the next house. "Could you spare a bit of food?" 
they asked. "And do you have a corner where we could sleep for the night?"
"Oh, no," the man said. "We gave all we could spare to the soldiers who 
came before you." "And our beds are full," lied the woman. 

At each house, the response was the same -- no one had food or a place for 
the soldiers to stay. The peasants had very good reasons, like feeding the
sick and children. The villagers stood in the street and sighed. They 
looked as hungry as they could. 

The soldiers talked together. The first soldier called out, "Good people! 
We are three hungry soldiers in a strange land. We have asked you for food 
and you have no food. Well, we will have to make stone soup." The peasants
stared. 

The soldiers asked for a big iron pot, water to fill it, and a fire to heat
it. "And now, if you please, three round smooth stones." The soldiers 
dropped the stones into the pot. 

"Any soup needs salt and pepper," the first soldier said, so children ran 
to fetch salt and pepper. 

"Stones make good soup, but carrots would make it so much better," the 
second soldier added. One woman said, "Why, I think I have a carrot or 
two!" She ran to get the carrots. 

"A good stone soup should have some cabbage, but no use asking for what 
we don't have!" said the third soldier. Another woman said, "I think I 
can probably find some cabbage," and off she scurried. 

"If only we had a bit of beef and some potatoes, this soup would be fit 
for a rich man's table." The peasants thought it over, then ran to fetch 
what they had hidden in their cellars. A rich man's soup, and all from a 
few stones! It seemed like magic! 

The soldiers said, "If only we had a bit of barley and some milk, this 
soup would be fit for a king!" And so the peasants managed to retrieve 
some barley and milk. 

"The soup is ready," said the cooks, "and all will taste it, but first we 
need to set the tables." Tables and torches were set up in the square, and 
all sat down to eat. Some of the peasants said, "Such a great soup would 
be better with bread and cider," so they brought forth the last two items 
and the banquet was enjoyed by all. Never had there been such a feast. 
Never had the peasants tasted such delicious soup, and all made from 
stones! They ate and drank and danced well into the night. 

The soldiers asked again if there was a loft where they might sleep for 
the night. "Oh, no!" said the townsfolk. "You wise men must have the best 
beds in the village!" So one soldier spent the night in the priest's 
house, one in the baker's house, and one in the mayor's house. 

In the morning, the villagers gathered to say goodbye. "Many thanks to 
you," the people said, "for we shall never go hungry now that you have 
taught us how to make soup from stones!" 
-----------------
 Stone Soup II
 
 Ingredients:  
  water 
  1 stone 
  assorted contributions 
  
Once upon a time, somewhere in Eastern Europe, there was a great famine.
People jealously hoarded whatever food they could find, hiding it even 
from their friends and neighbors. One day a peddlar drove his wagon into 
a village, sold a few of his wares, and began asking questions as if he
planned to stay for the night. 
"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "Better 
keep moving on." 

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of 
making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron 
cauldron from his wagon, filled it with water, and built a fire under it.
Then, with great ceremony, he drew and ordinary looking stone from a 
velvet bag and dropped it into the water. 

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come to the
square or watched from their windows. As the peddler sniffed the "broth" 
and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their
skepticism. 

"Ahhh," the peddler said to himself rather loudly. "I do like a tasty 
stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage, that's hard to beat." 

A villager approached hesitantly, looked around, and pulled a small 
cabbage from under his coat. When he discreetly added it to the pot, 
the peddler beamed. "Excellent," he cried, "You know, I once had stone 
soup with cabbage and a little morsel of salt pork, and it was fit for 
a king." 

Then it was the village butcher who approached. He had a little piece of 
salt pork under his apron. And so it went, some potatoes, some onions.
Carrots, mushrooms, and so under. Until there finally was, indeed, a 
delicious meal for all. The villagers offered the peddler a great deal 
of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell and traveled on the 
next day. And from that time on, long after the famine had ended, the
villagers reminisced about the finest soup they'd ever had. 
--------------------------------------
  Stone Soup 
   
  You will Need:

  1 stone - cleaned and wrapped in foil
  1 cabbage
  2 onions
  1 pound stew beef
  4 carrots
  4 potatoes
  1 box frozen green beans
  1 teaspoon salt
  1/2 teaspoon pepper
  12 mushrooms
  1 tablespoon sage
   

  Step One - Brown the stew beef. Set aside.
  Step Two - Fill a large soup pot a little over half full with water. 
  Place it on a stove burner on medium heat. Add stone to the pot.
  Step Three - Chop the cabbage, onions, carrots, and potatoes. Put in 
  soup pot.
  Step Four - Add the rest of the ingredients, including the stew beef, 
  to the soup pot. Simmer 1 hour. Enjoy!
  Note - Textured vegetable protein can be substituted for the stew beef 
  for a vegetarian stone soup.
  ------------------------------------------
  Stone Soup 

  You will need:
  3-4 cans vegetable broth (or make your own) 
  6 red potatoes (cut in slices about 1/4-1/2 thick) 
  3 carrots (peeled and sliced) 
  1 zucchini (sliced) 
  1 summer squash (sliced) 
  1 onion (diced) 
  3 cloves garlic (mashed through a press) 
  1 stalk celery (sliced) 
  1/2 bell pepper (sliced/diced) 
  1 cup green beans (fresh is best but canned/frozen works) 
  1 large tomato (chopped up) 
  1/2 cup peas (again fresh is best but canned/frozen works) 
  1/2-1 cup corn (frozen works better than canned for some reason) 
  salt & pepper 
  small amount of butter or oil for sauteing the veggies 
  1 small CLEAN and STERILE stone 
  shredded parmesan cheese 
  have your child place a stone in a soup pot

  saute the garlic, onion, green pepper, celery and carrots until the 
  onion is tender
  add broth
  add potatoes and squashes 
  bring to a boil and add the remaining ingredients (if you are using 
  fresh veggies you can add them all at the same time.....canned/frozen 
  will turn mushy if added too soon though)
  cook over medium-low heat until veggies are tender.
  scoop out the stone.......serve the soup with parmesan cheese on top 
  -----------------------------------------------------------
  Stone  Soup

   Ingredients : 
   1 lg. pot
   6 c. water
   3 lg. carrots, diced
   4 stalks celery, diced
   1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
   1 lg. gray stone from yard (scrubbed clean)
   2 chopped onions
   6 beef bouillon cubes
   3 lg. potatoes, diced
   1 c. chopped cabbage
   1 1/2 tsp. salt
   Pepper to taste (optional)

   Preparation : 
     Go to the library and take out the book STONE SOUP by Marsha
   Brown.  Read the story before dinner.  Make the soup, then read the
   story again.  See if children remember the ingredients.  Scrub and
   chop all vegetables.  Put clean stone in pot.  Add all ingredients
   and cook for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.  See if your
   child doesn't agree if the soup isn't better when you remember the
   stone.  
   ----------------------------------
   Portuguese  Soup  (Stone  Soup)

   Ingredients : 
   1/4 c. olive oil
   2 onions, diced
   1 clove garlic, minced
   3 carrots, chopped
   3 potatoes, chopped
   1/2 cabbage, chopped
   2 qts. brown stock or rich beef broth
   1 1/2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage,
      sliced
   3 c. canned tomatoes
   2 c. cooked red kidney beans

   Preparation : 
      Warm olive oil in skillet and saute the next five ingredients
   until tender.  In a Dutch oven brown the sausage and saute for 10 to
   15 minutes.  Drain the excess fat from the sausage and add the
   sauteed vegetables, the brown stock (or rich beef broth), and the
   canned tomatoes to the brown sausage and simmer covered for 2 1/2
   hours.  Add the beans and simmer for 30 minutes more.  The flavor of
   the soup improves each time it is rewarmed. 
   ----------------------------------
   Italian Stone  Soup

   Ingredients : 
   4 fresh tomatoes
   1 lb. Italian sausage (bite size pieces)
   1 (14 oz.) can Italian tomato sauce
   7 c. beef stock
   1 c. chopped onion
   1 clove garlic, minced
   1 c. sliced carrots
   1 tsp. basil
   1 tsp. oregano
   2 c. sliced zucchini
   1 c. fresh mushrooms
   1 green pepper, diced
   1/4 c. chopped parsley
   1 1/2 c. sliced dill pickles
   2 c. frozen tortellini

   Preparation : 
      Combine first 9 ingredients in a large pot and simmer 
30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer an 
additional hour, adding more water as necessary to cook 
tortellini.  Of course, you must have a proper stone in 
the bottom of the pot to make it authentic Stone Soup.  
Makes 10 servings. 
  

Heavenly Hamburger

----- Original Message -----
From: Janet
To: phaedrus
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2001 10:24 PM
Subject: Re: Help!!??!!


> By the way, there is one other receipe I would love to locate.  
> It called for browned ground beef, eggs, cheese, mustard & butter.  
> You toasted sliced bread, buttered it lightly, dipped it in egg and 
> started layering it in a casserole dish with bread, then meet, then 
> cheese and so on.  I'm sure I'm leaving some things out, but you pop 
> it in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes and you wouldn't believe 
> how great it tasted and it was easy and inexpensive to make.  When you 
> have a chance, please see what you can turn up on this one.
>
> Thanks again for all your help.  You are a great resource!
>
> Take care, Janet

Hi Janet,

I'm always happy to be of help. The only recipe I could locate that seemed close to the one you describe is the one below. Could that be it? The only difference that I see right off is that it doesn't mention dipping the bread in the egg. If this isn't it, can you recall the name of the dish? I might be able to locate it that way.

Phaed

Heavenly  Hamburger

 Ingredients :
 8 slices of bread or buns
 Butter or margarine
 1/2 lb. ground beef
 1/4 c. onion, diced
 2 tbsp. celery, diced
 1 tbsp. prepared mustard
 1 c. shredded sharp cheese
 2 eggs, beaten
 1 c. milk

 Preparation :
    Spread 4 slices bread lightly buttered and arrange in bottom of 8
 inch square baking dish.  Toast lightly at 350 degrees about 15
 minutes.  While bread is toasting, brown meat with onions and
 celery.  Mix in mustard.  Spread meat over toasted bread.  Sprinkle
 with cheese.  Cover with remaining bread.  Combine eggs and milk,
 pour over bread.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.


Pickled Jalapenos

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: S. N. 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 9:02 AM
  Subject: Jalapeno Pickle recipes

  I am stumped!!

  I have been looking all over for a recipe for pickled jalepeno peppers. 

  I want just a basic recipe.

  Thank you for your help!!
  

Hi S.N.,

Here's a very basic recipe. There weren't many recipes for pickling jalapenos online. This is the best one.

Phaed

  Pickled Jalapenos
   
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
   --------  ------------  --------------------------------
      6       lb           Jalapeno
      5       c            Vinegar
      1       c            Water
      4       ts           Pickling salt
      2       tb           Sugar
      2                    Cloves garlic
   
     Wash peppers.  If small peppers are left whole, slash
     2-5 slits in each. Quarter large peppers.  Blanch in
     boiling water. Flatten small peppers. Fill half-pint
     or pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Combine and
     heat other ingredients to boiling and simmer 10
     minutes. Remove garlic. Pour hot pickling solution
     over peppers leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids.
     Use conventional boiling water canner processing.
     Process for 10 minutes at below 1000 feet, 15 minutes
     at 1001 to 6000 feet and 20 minutes above 6000 feet.
  

Cinnamon Scones

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: B56G
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 4:27 PM
  Subject: cinnamon scones

  could you help me find a good receipe for scones with just loads of 
  cinnamon in them.  I have found scones but they have other flavors 
  in them besides cinnamon.   I love these for breakfast and don't 
  have much money. 

  Thank you 

Hi,

Most of the recipes that I found were for apple & cinnamon or oatmeal & cinnamon or raisins & cinnamon. The four below are the only ones I found for just cinnamon scones. The bottom one seems to have the most cinnamon. Hope one of these is good for you.

Phaed

  Cinnamon Scones 

  Makes 16-18 scones

  Self raising flour - 200 g (7 oz)
  Salt - 1/2 tsp
  Cinnamon - 1 tsp
  Butter - 50 g (2 oz)
  Caster sugar - 25 g (1 oz)
  Milk - 125 ml (4 fl oz), plus extra for brushing

  METHOD

  Sift the flour, salt and cinnamon into a bowl. Rub in the butter finely. 
  Add the sugar. Add the milk all at once. Mix to a soft, but not sticky, 
  dough with a knife.

  Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead quickly until smooth. Roll 
  out to about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thickness. Cut into 16 to 18 rounds with a 
  4 to 5 cm (11/2 - 2 inch) fluted cutter.

  Transfer to a greased baking tray. Brush the tops with milk. Bake 
  towards the top of a hot oven 230 °C / 450 °F / Gas 8 for 7 to 10 
  minutes or until well risen and golden.

  Cool on a wire rack. Serve fresh with butter or whipped double cream or
  clotted cream and jam. 
  ---------------------------------------------------
  Cinnamon Scones 
    
  Ingredients: 
  2 cups all-purpose flour 
  2 teaspoons baking powder 
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  1/2 teaspoon salt 
  1/2 cup butter or margarine 
  1 egg, separated 
  3 tablespoons honey 
  1/3 cup buttermilk 
  1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together flour, 
  baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture 
  is the consistency of coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk 
  (reserving the white) with honey and buttermilk until blended. Add the
  buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring lightly only until 
  dough clings together. Using floured hands, lightly shape dough into a
  flattened ball. Roll or pat out on a floured board or pastry cloth to a 
  circle about 1/2-inch thick and 8 1/2 inches in diameter. Using a floured
  knife, cut 8 or 12 equal wedges. Place them slightly apart on a greased 
  or non-stick baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg white slightly to a
  froth. In another bowl, blend 1 tablespoon suger and sinnamon. Brush 
  scones lightly with egg white, then sprinkle them with the cinnamon and 
  suger mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. 
  Serve warm. Makes 8 to 12 scones. 
  -----------------------------
  Cinnamon Scones 

  Makes 12 scones 
    3  cups all-purpose flour  
    1/3  cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar  
    1  tablespoon baking powder  
    1/2  teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon  
    1/2  teaspoon salt  
    1/2  cup (1 stick) butter or margarine  
    3/4  cup currants or raisins  
    1  cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping or heavy cream  
    2  eggs  
Preheat oven to 450°F.  
In large bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. With pastry blender or two knives, 
cut in butter or margarine until mixture is size of fine crumbs. 
Stir in currants.  
In small bowl, with wire whisk, beat 1 cup cream and eggs. Stir into 
flour mixture until dough forms. On floured surface, with floured hands, 
divide dough in half. Press each half into 6-inch circle. Cut each circle 
into 6 pie-shaped wedges. On baking sheet, arrange wedges. Brush with 
remaining 1 tablespoon cream, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon 
sugar mixed with remaining 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon.  
Bake 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with additional butter or 
margarine or cool on wire rack.  
  ------------------------------
  Cinnamon Scones 

  8 ozs self-rising Flour
  1 1/2 oz margarine
  2 oz caster sugar or soft brown sugar
  1 tbsp cinnamon
  1 8th cup milk
  a squeeze of lemon juice
  (few chopped dates, apricots, sultanas - anything that comes to hand)

  Rub fat into flour, stir in sugar, cinnamon and fruit (if any).
  Add a squeeze of lemon juice to milk to sour it (makes scones rise
  better) and stir in to make dough. Place dough on floured board
  and flatten to about 1/2 inch with hand. Cut into rounds with
  scone cutter. Bake at gas mark 7 for 15 mins.

  Just as delicious if allowed to get a few days old, toasted and
  coated thickly with butter.
 

Caster Sugar

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: B56G
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 8:35 AM
  Subject: Re: cinnamon scones

  The cinnamon scone recipe you sent calls for this: 

    Caster sugar – 25 g (1 oz) 

  Can you tell me what this is??   Never heard of this sugar.   
  Thanks so much for your help.   This is great. 

Hi,

Caster sugar is a finely granulated sugar called "superfine" over here. It's called "castor" or "caster" sugar in Britain. But you can use regular granulated sugar instead with no problem. The only difference is that superfine dissolves faster.

Phaed

""


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