Hungarian Goulash

"Goulash: The name originates from the Hungarian gulyás. The gulya word means 'herd' in Hungarian, gulyás 'neat-herd'."

"Goulash [plural: goulashes] is a soup or stew of meat, noodles and vegetables [especially potatoes], seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is also a popular meal in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Scandinavia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the north-eastern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is one of Hungary's national dishes."

"Some cookbooks suggest using roux with flour to thicken the goulash, which produces a starchy texture and a blander taste. Others suggest using a vast amount of tomatoes for colour and taste. A small amount of tomatoes in the stock that is used, or a drop of tomato purée, may improve the taste and texture, but the original goulash is a paprika-based dish and the taste of tomatoes should not be discernible."

"Many Hungarian chefs consider tomatoes to be absolutely forbidden in goulash and they also feel that if they cook a stew instead of a soup, it should only be thickened by finely chopped potatoes, which must be simmered along with the meat."

From Good housekeeping's book of recipes and household discoveries: every recipe actually tested and approved*

Hungarian Goulash

1 dozen onions Paprika to make pink [about 3/4 teaspoonful]

3 teaspoonfuls salt 3 lbs stew meat [preferably beef] 1/2 cupful butter

"Chop the onions fine and cook them in the butter until they are well browned. Cut the meat in pieces but do not dry after washing, so that there will be enough moisture to make gravy. Add the salt and paprika. Put all in a casserole and cook very slowly for 2 and 1/2 or 3 hours."


Text Credit: Wikipedia
Recipe* Text Credit: Free Google eBooks
Image Credit: Photo Of Hungarian Gulyás By m-louis Wikimedia Commons

Doughnuts or Donuts Either Way It Spells Yum

Doughnut Etymology: "The earliest known recorded usage of the term dates to an 1808 short story describing a spread of "fire-cakes and dough-nuts." Washington Irving's reference to "doughnuts" in 1809 in his History of New York is more commonly cited as the first written recording of the term. Irving described "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat, and called doughnuts, or olykoeks."

"These "nuts" of fried dough might now be called doughnut holes. Doughnut is the more traditional spelling, and still dominates outside the US. At present, doughnut and the shortened form donut are both pervasive in American English. The first known printed use of donut was in Peck's Bad Boy and his Pa by George W. Peck, published in 1900, in which a character is quoted as saying, "Pa said he guessed he hadn't got much appetite, and he would just drink a cup of coffee and eat a donut."

"The donut spelling also showed up in a Los Angeles Times article dated August 10, 1929 in which Bailey Millard jokingly complains about the decline of spelling, and that he "can't swallow the 'wel-dun donut' nor the ever so 'gud bred'."

"The interchangeability of the two spellings can be found in a series of "National Donut Week" articles in The New York Times that covered the 1939 World's Fair. In four articles beginning October 9, two mention the donut spelling. Dunkin' Donuts, which was founded in 1948 under the name Open Kettle (Quincy, Massachusetts), is the oldest surviving company to use the donut variation, but the defunct Mayflower Donut Corporation is the first company to use that spelling, prior to World War II."

From Basic principles of domestic science: consisting of a course of seventy-two illustrated lessons

Doughnuts ~ I

1 cup sugar 2 and 1/2 tablespoons butter 3 eggs

1 cup milk 3 and 1/2 cups of flour [enough to roll] 5 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

"Cream the butter; add 1/2 of the sugar. Beat eggs until light, add milk, remaining sugar, and combine mixtures. Add the flour mixed and sifted with baking powder, salt and spices, then enough more flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll. Toss 1/3 of the mixture onto floured board, knead slightly, pat and roll out 1/4 inch thickness."

"Shape with a doughnut cutter dipped in flour. Fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. Brown the doughnuts on one side then turn and brown on the other. They should be turned only once unless turned immediately after rising to the top of the fat. Doughnuts should rise to the top almost immediately when put into smoking hot fat."

Doughnuts ~ II

5 cups of flour 1 teaspoon soda 3 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 cup cream 3 beaten eggs 1 cup sugar

"Mix and sift flour, soda, cream of tartar and seasonings. Beat the eggs and add the sugar and cream. Add to dry ingredients and mix with a knife. Add enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll. Pat roll and shape as in recipe I."


Text Credit: Wikipedia

Recipe Text Credit: Basic principles of domestic science: consisting of a course of seventy-two illustrated lessons

Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Soup's On! Recipes For Cream Of Celery and Cream Of Squash Soups

In the 21st century most people's lifestyles do not permit the time it takes to make homemade soups, but i've always admired people who have and do take the time to do so.

Years ago a friend introduced me to a family who lived in upstate NY. Their home was on about 10 acres of land and with the exception of meats, dairy and cider from a nearby mill, their pantry and fridge contained foods they had grown, prepared, and stored themselves.

Often i daydream of having a cabin in the wilderness with a wood stove and jars for canning and/or a huge freezer for storing foodstuffs that would have otherwise been store bought. In the event that this city gal ever does turn that daydream into reality i'm stocking up on soup recipes to have on hand.

From The New Cookery Book Of Recipes

Cream Of Celery Soup

1 cup diced celery 1 pint water

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pint white sauce

Cook the diced celery, for which one large bunch will furnish the required quantity, in the salted water, until tender. The quantity of celery and liquid should equal one pint. To this mixture add one pint of the white sauce, made as follows:

White Sauce

4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons butter

2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt

Rub together the butter and the flour, adding gradually the hot, but not scalding, milk. Cook this white sauce in a double boiler for 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt.

Cream Of Squash Soup

1 pint of mashed squash 1 qt of milk 1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon salt 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar [optional: whipped cream for garnish]

Put the squash, which may be freshly cooked or canned, with the milk, sugar and salt in a sauce pan and heat. Mix the butter and flour together and stir the hot liquid into it. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Place a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each individual serving.

Recipe Text Credit: google free eBooks

Image Credit: Decorative Squash photo by sookietex