Author Topic: Heart of darkness spreading  (Read 13204 times)

Offline glain

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #75 on: December 18, 2004, 09:50:29 AM »
Yes, I am a donut expert (which, now that I think about it, is strange since I don't eat them all that often.)  Bear claws, anyone? 
*takes a bear claw because it reminds her of home* Thanks, St. Jo  ;D

I destest coffee, but adore the smell of it. I usually just get a hot chocolate at Starbucks, but then add at least three packets of sugar because it's so bitter. Here in Utah, coffee places are rare.

As for donuts, I'd rather have lemon-filled scones from this lovely place in the University of Washington district near the zoo.

I think I'm going to PPCon just to eat!  :D
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Offline Eral

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #76 on: December 18, 2004, 04:20:08 PM »
The cannolis I know are a sweet biscuit of light,flaky pastry filled with custard, often chocolate custard, and then sometimes dipped in chocolate. The pasta filled with ricotta cheese and spinach is cannoloni. Yes? 

St.Josephine: doughnut expert, training wheels on Italian food.  ;)

A bear claw is...?
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Offline St. Josephine

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #77 on: December 18, 2004, 05:58:00 PM »
The cannolis I know are a sweet biscuit of light,flaky pastry filled with custard, often chocolate custard, and then sometimes dipped in chocolate. The pasta filled with ricotta cheese and spinach is cannoloni. Yes? 

St.Josephine: doughnut expert, training wheels on Italian food.  ;)

A bear claw is...?

The cannolis I've grown up with, being of Italian heritage, are the hard, flaky pastry shell that you've described, dusted with powdered sugar and filled with a sweetened mixture of ricotta cheese and pistachios (if you're ever in Milwaukee, for some odd reason, try the ones at Sciortino's; they also have cookies to die for and the best bread in town. I had the sweet table at my wedding, including mini cannolis, from there.  Very, very good.)  Cannelloni are also filled with ricotta but it's mixed with ground beef, spinach, and spices.  Manicotti is stuffed with just the ricotta cheese, or a mixture of cheeses (another Milwaukee dining suggestion: for manicotti go to Palermo Villa, which also has incredible pizza.)  In Italian cooking, ricotta, being somewhat flavorless in and of itself, can be used for deserts as well as main courses.   :)

Bear claws are probably slightly different all over but the ones I've had are slightly rounded and have slits in one side to resemble the "claw".  The ones I've had are filled with an alomond paste and covered with glazed sugar and almonds.  I've also had ones with apple inside but I do believe that may have been illegally crossing over into apple fritter teritory.  ;D
« Last Edit: December 19, 2004, 11:08:43 AM by St. Josephine »
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Offline melora

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #78 on: December 18, 2004, 11:03:29 PM »
i am 100 % italian. the cannoli i know are like the ones st. josephine describes, although i have had them with candied fruit or chocolate bits added to the filling.  interesting that this topic came up as i am about to attempt my first batch of home made ravioli for this year's christmas dinner.  i am using my mother in laws recipe, which calls for ricotta filling, no meat, although i have had them filled with meat also.  there seems to be alot of variation in fillings used.  maybe it is regional.
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Offline St. Josephine

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #79 on: December 18, 2004, 11:19:19 PM »
interesting that this topic came up as i am about to attempt my first batch of home made ravioli for this year's christmas dinner.  i am using my mother in laws recipe, which calls for ricotta filling, no meat, although i have had them filled with meat also.

Let me know how it turns out.  I've never attempted ravioli.  I usually just cheat and do stuffed shells.  :P
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Despite his heartthrob status in real life, Orlando Bloom has consistently functioned as a node of negative energy onscreen, sucking the life force out of all who surround him. --Dana Stevens, Slate.com

Offline glain

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #80 on: December 19, 2004, 09:02:42 AM »
i am 100 % italian. the cannoli i know are like the ones st. josephine describes, although i have had them with candied fruit or chocolate bits added to the filling.  interesting that this topic came up as i am about to attempt my first batch of home made ravioli for this year's christmas dinner.  i am using my mother in laws recipe, which calls for ricotta filling, no meat, although i have had them filled with meat also.  there seems to be alot of variation in fillings used.  maybe it is regional.
Let me know as well, I love to cook and ricotta is one of my favorite ingredients to use.  I've never made homemade pasta, I think it would be great challange.  I'm deprived and go to Olive Garden for Italian food.
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Offline Veloxyll

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #81 on: December 19, 2004, 10:41:18 AM »
This thread has such a happy ending. :'( (He should be smiling, but there wasn't a smilie for that!)
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Offline neriana

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #82 on: December 19, 2004, 05:48:19 PM »
Let me know as well, I love to cook and ricotta is one of my favorite ingredients to use.  I've never made homemade pasta, I think it would be great challange.  I'm deprived and go to Olive Garden for Italian food.
Oh no! That is terrible deprivation, indeed! I like Olive Garden OK, but...

I don't make my own pasta, though I tell myself I will when I have my dream kitchen. I go the stuffed shells and lasagna route. And other store-bought pastas mixed with my own stuff. The best place I've ever had Italian, though, is Fresh Basil's in Manhattan. It's not even any more expensive than Olive Garden, but it's so much better, there's no comparison. Better than any other Italian place I've been to as well, and that's a lot, partially because my dad's nuts about Italian food.
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Offline Eral

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #83 on: December 19, 2004, 06:09:59 PM »
I shall ask my mother-in-law about cannoli with almond paste and ricotta. We buy our special occasion biscuits from Trivelli's in Sydney Rd (opposite Zorba's) and the last load was pretty much all custard. (SO good.)
Maybe it is a regional difference.(Veneto) Maybe it's a Melbourne/Milwaukee difference. Or maybe my mother-in-law doesn't like almond paste and ricotta, hence I am unaware of their existence. It is more likely that my spouse doesn't like them, hence we never get them. Only son.  ::)

I take back with sincere apologies my training wheel comment. I got excited that after 11 years on training wheels myself I knew something. ;D

Veloxyll, I'll let you know if there's a happy ending. That will be if I'm still drinking coffee at the Universita in another twenty years.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2004, 06:18:38 PM by Eral »
If you see anything mysterious or unusual, just enjoy it while you can.  - Michael Leunig.

Offline melora

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #84 on: December 19, 2004, 07:01:14 PM »
Ravioli Update:
my daughter assisted me and we made 50 ravioli and froze them for christmas dinner.  the "making" was uneventful, and the "look" like Nana's, but we havent tasted them yet.  i did make some cavatelli with the leftover dough (small, unstuffed noodles) and they tasted really good. so i am keeping my fingers crossed.  i am also buying some spaghetti as a back up, just in case the ravioli arent any good.
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Offline Eral

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #85 on: December 20, 2004, 04:19:30 AM »
The cannoli we eat are Maltese.
Because a certain son doesn't like the Italian ones.
If you see anything mysterious or unusual, just enjoy it while you can.  - Michael Leunig.

Offline Evaine Dian

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Re: Heart of darkness spreading
« Reply #86 on: December 20, 2004, 06:15:30 AM »
I've neither seen a Starbucks nor eaten a doughnut so far.
Evaine: 1.You are a woman of willpower. 2.This is unnatural.

There are countries where these things don't really exist, because there is no demand.


The best place I've ever had Italian, though, is Fresh Basil's in Manhattan.

The best place I've ever had Italian food is Italy   :D
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