Posted in Family Scrapbook
I recall with much fondness the two years I did Home Economics in school. Our first cooking lesson was how to make hot cocoa (or was it English tea?) and cucumber (or was it sardine?) sandwiches. The next lesson was “Rock Buns”. My mom, although a fantastic cook, was not a baker. One reason was my dad didn't care to buy an oven for the house. A waste of electricity, he said. That might seem strange to an average American mind, but we mostly steamed our food and desserts then. Oh, I was excited when I finally got to learn how to bake cookies in school! I couldn't wait to share my delicious baked goodies and other ethic dishes (I recall: onde onde, Indian curry, mee siaim) with my family each week after the Home Ec. class. And after raving about cookies and baking for the longest, my dear papa succumbed and bought us our first little oven when I was around 15. That began my journey into cake and cookie baking. I still remember my first highly burnt disaster...The ironic thing is I now mostly steam my food and desserts; sometimes I even steam my bread. But I still love to bake on special occasions.And one very special occasion is coming soon! My mom and sister are visiting me for almost three whole weeks come May. My single sister, who was NEVER a baker, and who lives with my widowed non-baking mom, requested the following childhood favorites:
And she specially requested “no healthy ingredients, please.” I guess that means no whole wheat flour. The last time she was here, 2 years ago, I baked eggless cookies not because eggs are unhealthy (they sure are, especially when they are free-range and organic), but my son was and still is allergic to them. I had also used whole wheat flour and virgin coconut oil. Rock buns? I had not made that in a couple or more decades, LOL. But what do you do when you need information fast? Google, of course, and look what I found! Yeah! The recipe looks so familiar. And I recall not using cups to measure my ingredients but ounces. Hmm...I think I'll modify it just a bit: like butter instead of margarine (actually I remember using rich, yummy New Zealand butter for my rock buns) and I wonder if my sister will notice if I use half whole wheat. Maybe I'll let that pass. I'll get King Authur's unbleached all-purpose white flour, I guess. And I could use that same sack for the butter cake and marble cake. Now, who will volunteer and buy me some brandy or rum. I don't feel comfortable going to Publix getting some hard liquor. They know me too well there. Maybe if I disguised myself or something. Or I'll ask my dh to do the honors. Man, I still remember my grandmother's wonderful rum/brandy-flavored butter cakes. I can smell them now – full of buttery goodness. Each little cake was topped with her signature cherry. Granny passed away in 1989. Sigh, I'm feeling nostalgic now.
(For some reason, I cannot "unbold" the font without retyping everything. It sure hurts my eye rereading what I had written. So, if you have read till here, you are great, LOL).
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