Silent Sunday
Silent Sunday
Category: Baking
Polish Poppy Seed Rolls – Makowiec
Southwestern Pennsylvania is famous for baking poppyseed and nut rolls for the holidays
Refrigerator case at the Polish Deli in Pittsburgh’s Strip District Friday afternoon
Here’s another recipe for Polish Poppyseed Roll
In the video/ slideshow Marlene “bakes” Hungarian Nut Rolls with her sisters eight years ago. She bakes it for real every year. It’s delicious. I found the words “beigli – a traditional Hungarian pastry roll filled with walnuts” and Kolache 
Here’s a post I did on Povitica -a Croatian Bread that looks similar
Peach Cookies Practice Run
These fancy peach cookies, which are more like a full scale dessert item, were created by Rebecca. She’s going to be in her friend’s wedding and she’ll be baking six dozen peach cookies for the big day.
I met Rebecca while I was taking a Sunflower Granny Square Crochet Class, taught by Sarah at Yarns by Design in Oakmont. Rebecca brought a dozen of these peach cookies to share with the Knitters and crocheters. A trial baking run. The verdict was unanimous-excellent job, Rebecca! Delicious.
There are many steps to making these. Baking, hollowing out center to make room for cream. Peach Schnapps is involved. Big sparkly sugar, pastry cream, maraschino cherry for the center. She’ll add a tiny green stem and leaf to the ones she makes for the wedding.
Babka or Paska for Easter
This loaf was purchased at Weiland's Market in Clintonville Ohio Babka or Paksa. That's what's on the Reinecker's Bakery label.
Babka
“the Polish and Belarusian noun babka and the Belarusian,Ukrainian, Macedonian, Bulgarian and Russian baba means “grandmother” or “old woman”, and as applied to the pastry probably refer to its shape, a tall cylinder, sometimes with corrugations resembling a skirt’s pleats.[1] “
or Paska.
“Paska breads are a traditional element in the easter holidays of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Romania, Moldova, Georgia and parts of Bulgaria”
“Paska is made with milk, butter, eggs, sugar, except in Romania, where the recipe most commonly includes sweet cream, cottage cheese and/or sour cream with eggs, sugar, raisins and rum. An egg and water mixture is used as a glaze.”
I can tell you that it tasted delicious. It is said to have a Brioche-like quality and there is a richness due to those moist golden raisins and the bread has just a hit of sweetness. Add a little butter. Mmmmm.
Here is a recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker for Paska Easter Bread and it has FIVE egg yolks.
Here is a recipe for Polish Babka Easter Bread from King Arthur’s Flour with three whole eggs.
Traditional King Cake for Mardi Gras
“The King Cake tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870.” Wikipedia
This King Cake created at the Party Cake Shop in Brookline on the Boulevard where I got the Paczki last Thursday.
Here is a Traditional New Orleans King Cake Recipe made with yeast .- a brioche like dough https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/traditional-new-orleans-king-cake/
Cupcake Amongst the Roses
The pink blush roses in the canning jars, sat on the kitchen counter this morning. We spent the night due to the blowing snow and unplowed roads. We were having coffee and muffins, scrambled eggs at the farmhouse in Crestline.
There were cupcakes, baked by EB Cakes leftover from Saturday night’s anniversary party.
Baking Sweet Potatoes in Cast Iron Skillet
Baking sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet makes them extra delicious. These I cut in half as they were so big. A 400 degree oven. An hour or ’til fork inserted tells you otherwise.
The apples were added later. They were on my Wordless Wednesday this week and yes, that’s Irish butter in the center of each Granny Smith Half. No other seasoning.
Hungarian Nut Roll
Hungarian Nut Roll. A Pittsburgh Christmas tradition.
Hungarian Nut Roll video -Pittsburgh
Post from five years ago 2013
Today Jaclyn and her sister Shannon baked nut rolls together, carrying on family tradition.
Their mother, Theresa, passed last February. (2013) This post is to remember Theresa, those who knew and loved her and to send hugs to Jaclyn and Shannon as they are missing their mom, especially at Christmas time.
Theresa was one of the four sisters in this slideshow (baking the pizelles) showing the three sisters making nutroll in Pittsburgh- Linda, Georgeann and Theresa, while the fourth sister Marlene communicated via SKYPE in Virginia.
You might remember the previous post of the 15 greased nut roll pans where the retro recipe card is photographed in case you want to make them.
Marlene and I share grandchildren and her daughter Erika is married to my son Mark.
One of my favorite photos from long ago, taken by unknown photographer. Theresa, their mother Marion, Bride Linda, Marlene and Georgeann
https://rutheh.com/2013/03/01/a-mother-grandmother-sister-aunt-and-friend-remembering-theresa/
Aftermath of Christmas Cookie Baking
When I saw MESSY was the WordPress Daily Prompt for today, I had to respond.
From the archives
Aftermath of Christmas Cookie Decorating in Ohio. The colored sugar is green mixed with red.
Granny Smiths
Yes, it’s winter. Seriously cold winter.
What better time to bake apples?
I used my sister’s method and added a few tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar in the bottom which I later spooned onto the apples’ core opening. Nothing else. No cinnamon or raisins or butter or sugar. Granny Smiths snd Balsamic vinegar.
I used an apple shaped Glasbake Vintage baking dish (a gift from Molly) and baked them at 350F for an hour.
The kitchen was warm from the oven and the whole house smelled delicious. Looks like an electric element but it’s gas.
