100th birthday

Today would have been my granny's 100th birthday.

She was born 1 April, 1911 and passed away in September six years ago. I still miss her. She was such a big part of my life. You can read about her here.

Last night we had a little family dinner in her honour. My mom, sister, sister in law and daughter cooked up a Russian dinner: a big bowl of borscht (cabbage based not beet), we made varenyky (perogies), and for dessert pyrahi. 

Pyrahi are probably my favourite dessert. When strawberries and raspberries were in season, Granny and I would spend almost every week-end in her garden picking berries and then making pyrahi. Strawberry were my favourite.

I have so many memories of being out with granny in her garden. I can still picture her in her straw hat with the funny rubber worm on the rim, her old green sweatshirt, old blue addidas running shoes and her little wooden stool (which now sits next to my bed holding my current bedtime reads). She would tie an ice cream pail around her waist and pick until it was full. Her pail would always fill much faster than mine would; probably because I ate more than I saved.

We would pick a bright red tomato or two before going in for lunch. We would have amazing tomato sandwiches with toasted bread with butter and a big glob of mayonnaise and pile on very thick slices of sun warmed tomato...salt...pepper...I can still taste them.

After lunch she would pull out her glass rolling pin with the screwtop lid on the side and start the batch of pyrahi. I loved watching her make pyrahi...mostly because I knew what the afternoon snack would be. Her hands would move so fast rolling little balls of dough and rolling out circles. The strawberries and/or raspberries would be simmering on the stove making the kitchen smell amazing. She would place a dollop of berries in the centre of a round of dough and quickly spin and pinch all the way around until she had made a perfect little purse...she would let me make one or two and she would smile when each time I found it nearly impossible to make a neat little purse shape. I usually just helped rolling the balls.

I would wait patiently for them to come out of the oven...then granny would pour melted butter over the top and we would eat...yes, melted butter. My granny ate more butter than anybody I have ever met. I don't think she cooked anything with less than a half cup of butter; which is probably why all her food tasted SO good. (These days I skip the melted butter as these are just as delicious on their own).

Granny once tried to have her recipe published but the cookbook it was supposed to be in never materialized. Today on her 100th birthday, I thought I would publish it for her. They are a little finicky to make...but so yummy to eat...and so full of memories for me.

Granny's Pyrahi

Dough:

In a medium bowl mix together:

3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

add 1/4 cup butter

work butter into flour mixture with your fingers (like working a crumble); I have also used cold butter and cut it in fine - like pastry - both work.

In a small bowl whisk 2 eggs and add 1 1/2 cups cream.

Add cream and egg mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine. Form into a soft ball.

Filling:

Various fillings can be used. Granny preferred strawberry and raspberry. She also made pyrahi with hamburger and onions...but you can use your imagination...peaches, blueberries, blackberries...you get the idea.

Granny always used fresh berries and cooked them on the stovetop with a little tapioca (you can also use corn starch) and sugar if needed. Of course it was all done to taste and I unfortunately haven't made them enough to figure out the exact amounts needed. I would suggest about six cups of chopped strawberries before cooking (if you have leftovers it makes an excellent topping for blintze or pancakes). I used about a tablespoon of corn starch as a thickener.

It is best to make the filling first and let cool while you make the dough. Also preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Divide dough into 36 sections and roll each section into a ball.

With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a round...

or if you have troubles...like I do...a roundish shape is fine. You want them to be as thin as you can get them...but they still need to hold the filling without splitting open...which does happen sometimes. They take a bit of practice.

Place about a tablespoon of filling in the centre of the dough, bring the sides up and pinch into a purse shape, leaving a little air hole on top for steam to escape...

and place on a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until they are starting to turn golden brown on the tips and the bottom.

These are good warm out of the oven and just as good the next day. I only make them about once every few years, but, after this week I think I should make them more often. I want to be able to make them perfectly like granny did; maybe by the time I am a grandmother I will.

Enjoy!

Happy 100th Birthday Granny!

Genoise with strawberry cream

The Canadian Living Cookbook edited by Carol Ferguson in 1987 was my first cookbook. (I now own well over 300). As you can see this book is well used...

For many years, this was the only cookbook I owned and I used it to teach myself how to cook. I still use it often. I have a few of the recipes memorized and some of the recipes in this book have found a permanent position in my cooking repertoire.

One of my favourite cake recipes is the Genoise. I love it. It is very versatile, light, moist, delicious and easy. Although, you really have to have an electric mixer for this.

You start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F and by greasing two 9" round cake pans. Grease pans, cut two rounds of parchment to fit in bottoms and then grease and flour parchment and pans.

The recipe from the book is:

6  large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

"Eggs should be at warm room temperature (or put them in bowl of warm water for a few minutes). Rinse mixer bowl in hot water and wipe dry. Beat eggs with sugar at high speed for about 10 minutes

or until thick, very pale yellow in colour, or batter falls in ribbons when beaters are lifted from bowl. Beat in Vanilla."

In a seperate bowl "sift flour with baking powder. Sift one-third of flour mixture over egg mixture"

This is what the ribbon stage looks like

 "using a rubber spatula, fold until uniformly blended. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Add butter; fold until thoroughly blended in."

I have done this and it works. I have also used the mixer on its lowest speed to mix in the flour and butter. I have found that this works a little better. As long as the mixer is on the lowest speed and you allow it to whisk only until the flour and then the butter is JUST mixed in - do not overmix! I find that this deflates the batter less than the folding does and it is faster and easier. Your choice. "Pour into prepared cake pans.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F (160 degrees C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Loosen edges; turn cakes out onto rack, remove paper and cool."

This cake can easily be made into a chocolate cake by replacing half of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder...also very good.

There are so many things you can do with this cake...one of our favourites is to replace the vanilla with orange juice and add the zest of one or two oranges (depending on size) Mixing the zest in by hand as it tends to stick to the mixer's whisk. When the cake is cooled, spread orange curd between layers and ice with a mixture combining half orange curd and half whipping cream...yum. Lemons can be used instead of the orange.

We love meringue buttercream and I often make it for birthdays, but, when I am pressed for time or dollars I usually resort to using whipped cream. It is easy, cheap and so good. Making a Chantilly Cream (cream whipped with vanilla and sugar) is the standard of course but I like to mix it up a bit. Maple syrup is a really good substitute for the vanilla and sugar as is a good quality jam.

Today I used strawberry...

In the summer I highly recommend making your own (it really is easy). But if you don't have your own use any really good quality store bought jam. I love Bonne Maman. It is imported from France (I know...millions of food miles...) but I have yet to find a more local brand that is as good.

While the cakes were still warm I spread a thin layer of jam between the layers.

When cool I whipped cream with a few spoonfuls of strawberry jam and iced the cake. The jam gives the cake a subtle strawberry flavour and the cream a delicate pink colour.

 cut, serve and yum!

Happy Monday!