Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 93

Austin American-Statesman food Thursday, December 4, 1 980 J1 Say cheese Jumbled jargon Having trouble translating CCD and EPOP? Refunding is easier with a Page K1. More food, K1-8. What's more perfect for holiday snacks than Cheddar cheese? Opal Washington provides some recipes. PageJ11. Hanukkah cakes Potato latkes a traditional part of Jewish festival By KITTY CRIDER American-Statesman Staff Potato latkes are as traditional to Hanukkah as fruitcake is to Christmas.

Often called "Jewish hashbrowns," potato latkes land on the table frequently during Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish celebration of lights which began Tuesday evening. Some families such as the Larsons hold latke parties during Hanukkah season, flipping the pancake-like servings of potatoes by the dozen. "I'll probably grate 35-50 pounds of potatoes during the season," said Cheryl Larson, who relies heavily on her food processor for such occasions. She serves the latkes with sour cream or applesauce as the main course for the parties, accompanied by salad. "Hanukkah is a happy time," commented Larson, and each of her children gets to vite friends for a night of latkes.

Why latkes? "I have no idea," confessed Rabbi Joseph Garon-Wolfe of Agudas Achim Synagogue. "There's no symbolism to latkes." They are simply a Hanukkah tradition, like the top-like dreidl game. Many Austinites had their first bites of potato latkes during the 1980 Aquafest when the synagogue ladies fried 5,000 for the masses to munch. "I fried for a month, recalled Larson, whose neighbors began to wonder what she was doing when the aroma of fried potatoes and onions filled the air night after night. The excess went into the freezer to be served with roasts for family dinners.

Latkes are good with meats and served year round at the Larsons, but in abundance during Hanukkah. Vita Thompson, left, serves traditional meal i Take a bite of history at Renaissance dinner Potato latkes 2 cups grated raw potatoes, measured after draining 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon salt 1 heaping tablespoon matzo meal or flour Pinch of baking powder 1 onion, grated Combine all Ingredients and mix well. Drop mixture by tablespoons into a skillet with about an inch of hot oil. For thin pancakes, flatten with spoon. Fry on both sides until brown.

Serve with sour. cream or applesauce. Cheryl Larson, Austin The avocado jackpot Slid Ploto Jtn Ooughacly for madrigal dinner. 5 ounces currants 3 ounces candied lemon peel, chopped 3 ounces candied orange peel, chopped 12 ounces bread crumbs 4 ounces brown sugar 1 pinch nutmeg 1 pinch mace 1 lemon rind, grated 1 orange rind, grated 1 pound beef suet, chopped 6 whole eggs, beaten 10 ounces molasses 4 ounces brandy Sprinkle the raisins and currants with the flour, blending well to coat raisins entirely. Mix bread crumbs, sugar and spices.

Add chopped suet and work all ingredients until smooth. Stir in eggs, molasses and Add fruits and blend all ingredients well. Place mixture in a 3-quart buttered pudding mold to within about ths of its capacity. Cover mold with three layers of foil and tie securely with a string. Steam for about 3k hours or boil gently in enough water to reach the top of the mold for about 8 hours.

Add more boiling water as it evaporates. The mold should not be submerged. Let pudding cool and rest for 2 days. Steam again for 2 hours or boil for 44. Let stand for 10 minutes or more and unmold.

Just before serving, flame with warm brandy. To store the pudding, simply rewrap in foil. When ready to use, reheat in hot water bath. Serves 12. Texas Union Dining Services Hard sauce 1 cup butter 1 cup confectioners sugar cup brandy 1 pinch nutmeg Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Gradually stir in the brandy. Add the nutmeg and chill until firm. Spoon over the warm pudding. Texas Union Dining Services Braised quail Lighfly brown 10 carrots and 10 onions, roughly chopped, in Vk pounds butter. Add bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, 4 bay leaves.

Add 25 quail, lightly salted, and braise for 20 minutes. Add some freshly cracked pepper. Quail should be tender after about 20 minutes. Remove to heated platter. Serves 12.

Texas Union Dining By KITTY CRIDER American-Statesman staff The University of Texas time machine will take close to 900 local merrymakers back to Tudor England this weekend to celebrate UT's first madrigal dinner at the Texas Union ballroom. The first of the three performances begins tonight with a processional and progresses through wassail, quaile, roast sirloin of beefe, Olde England green beans with mushrooms, honey-glazed carrots, cranberry-orange sauce, brown bread and flaming plum pudding with hard sauce. To add authenticity to the evening, the servers and performers the madrigals, instrumentalists, dancers and royal tumblers will wear reproduction Renaissance garments, made by the students, costumes so accurate that there are no pockets for the fellas to put their car keys in. "We started talking about a madrigal dinner concert and researching it a couple of years ago," related Judy McCann, program director fof the Texas Union whose theater committee and staff are presenting the program. They've compared notes with other universities which annually host madrigal dinners, and the Union food service has done several kitchen run-throughs to work out the menu and any serving problems.

"We are concerned with how the food will look as weH as how it will taste," commented Jim Taylor, Texas Union food service director. For practical appeal, they've substituted rounds of beef for boars' heads. They've trimmed the traditional English pudding down to a single steaming and given it a more cake-like texture for ease in serving. (The plum pudding could more accurately be called raisin pudding since raisins used to make the dish were called plums during the Renaissance. Early puddings contained more meat than fruit but as fruit became more available, it replaced much of the meat.) "We plan to have a host for each table to light the candles, cut and slice the plum pudding," added Taylor, who has shared his recipes.

English plum pudding 12 ounces seeded raisins 5 ounces seedless raisins IVj cups flour Record harvest bringing A i rsi- i i -J Mnutd, neryi Larson ana uavia, enjoy Cheese latkes 'A pound dry cottage cheese 6 eggs, separated 4 tablespoons matzo meal teaspoon salt from the trees that were hit by frost two years ago." In addition, the maturation of 3,000 to 5,000 new trees and excellent crop-setting weather has contributed to the high supply and lower prices this year. The California avocado's origin centers in Mexico, where in ancient times, the Aztecs thought of it as an aphrodisiac. The Spanish explorer Cortez is said to have introduced the avocado to the world of trade in 1519. Today, California supplies more than 80 percent of the avocados available in the U.S. market and Florida, 11.3 percent of the total.

A small supply comes from the Dominican Republic. The Hass avocado, the pebbly, dark-skinned variety, represents the major supply (250 million pounds) and is harvested starting in March through October. Its smooth-skinned cousin, the Fuerte, and siiny-skinned Bacons, Zutanos and Reeds appear earlier in the fall and winter. if '1, 4. Su Photo S'jy 1 1 i i fvrv gening reaay lor lawe parties.

Rub cottage cheese through sieve. Stir egg yolks into cheese. Add meal and salt. Mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cheese mixture.

Drop from a tablespoon onto a hot buttered skillet. Fry on both sides until lightly browned. Serve hot with applesauce or fresh fruit. From "Love and Knish" prices down The avocado, as many lovers of this fruit are delighted to note, is a nutritionally dense package, low in calories (139 for an average size) and sodium. The avocado is rich in vitamins potassium, magnesium, iron and phosphorous.

The small amount of protein in avocado gives it a nutritional boost, too. Fat content varies with the size and variety, but averages around 12.5 grams. California law requires that oil content must reach at least 8 percent before harvesting to insure a high quality fruit and superior nutlike flavor. But fat content need not be a deterrent in the enjoyment of this outstanding fruit. Because avocado is a fruit, fat content is cholesterol-free and highly digestible.

Its high Vitamin content is a nutritional plus. The oil also is used for its moisturizing properties in shampoos, conditioners, cleansers and other cosmetic products. As with any See Avocados, J5 More gift goodies, J17 Instant Russian tea 2 ounces instant tea powder 9 ounce ar orange instant breakfast drink powder cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves Combine all ingredients and store in covered container. For a cup or mug, pour boiling water over 2 teaspoons mixture. Pecan honey butter cup honey 1 cup softened butter Vj cup chopped pecans Slowly beat the honey into the butter until well blended.

Stir in chopped pecans. Pack in gift containers and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving on biscuits, waffles or breads. Mg if rtli Santa could don an apron to fill the gift bag with goodies ByROSEOOSTI Los Angeles Times Service "I haven't tasted an avocado in a year. At those prices, who could?" said a colleague the other day.

He will now. "Those prices," which diad jumped up to $1.29 for one avocado until recently, are plummeting now and eventually should stabilize at 39 cents to 49 cents throughout the year, thanks to a record harvest, the largest in avocado history. The 370-million-pound bonanza is 164 percent larger than last year's supply and 50 percent higher than that of two years ago. Why the sudden windfall? According to Ralph Pinkerton president of the California Avocado Commission, made up of growers from seven California counties, the avocado jackpot is attributed to sev-. eral factors.

"This year, everything's gone right," said Pinkerton. "Besides being an 'on year, we've goUen increased supplies i.f 'V, tvx s-jV f-N By KITTYCRIDER American-Statesman Staff When your shopping list is getting longer but your wallet lighter, pop into the pantry for some creative gifts. No plastic purchases, these gifts from the kitchen are sure to please because there is no need to worry about size, color or duplication. But do match the gift to the lifestyle and diet of the recipient. Go gra-nola for the fitness buff, instant hot chocolate or Russian tea for the career gal, spicy nuts for the football fan.

A loaf of homemade bread will impress the on-the-go guy, a casserole for the freezer will wow the working mom and sweet treats, packaged individually, are perfect for the single citizen, young or old. Spiced pecans cup butter or margarine 2 cups pecan halves IV cups granulated sugar 1 tablespoon groundcloves 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon nutmeg Melt butter or margarine in small skillet and add pecans. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Drain on absorbent paper. Combine sugar spices in plastic bag.

Add warm pecans and shake to coat thoroughly. Cool pecans and store in airtight containers. Will keep several weeks in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer. Natural holiday snack Mix equal parts of broken or chopped nuts, dried coconut flakes, dried apricots, raisins and carob bits. Toss together and store In airtight containers.

Instant hot chocolate 8 quart box powdered milk 0 ounce larCoffeemate 1 pound box Nestle'sQulk Vj to 1 cup powdered sugar Combine all ingredients and store until needed in sealed container. As needed, place 13 cup mix into each mug and add hot water. Makes about 50 cups hot chocolate. Gifts from your kitchen can go a long way toward filling out your list of presents. But do try to match the lifestyle of the recipient to the gift Vw it'Tflrrltf cflli nfi nrt ft rrT iff inrfu inf IU0 'ln'rllt', ,0 jWLiiifjiii.