My pug, Jelly, hates it when I travel. A couple of weeks ago, as my buddy Cas was wrapping up his stay with us, Jelly spotted me wheeling his carry-on bag out the door. She scrambled up (as best she could given her hip dysplasia) and hurried over, barking as if to say: “Whoa! Where the hell do you think YOU’RE going?!”. A false alarm and she was greatly relieved and downright excited to see me walk back through in.
This morning, as I was packing up for this Toronto business trip and last minute Montreal detour, she was looking worried. Akemi claims I’m simply seeing what I want to see – but I ask you: Is this not the look of an anxious pug?
Bubba, meanwhile, bewildered –
And Lulu accusatory –
Am I right?
So, an early blog entry today as I’ll be spending much of the day in flight. We touch down in T.O. at around 7:30 p.m. after which we’ll check in and then meet two of our former Toronto cohorts, Tara and Trevor, for drinks – and whatever gifts they’ll surprise us with.
Before flying out of Vancouver, Akemi and I did manage to test DP Cobbler’s recipe. The results –
I should have used a wider, shallower bowl. This one was too deep and resulted in the strawberries (our fruit of choice) sinking. Regardless of how it looked, it was pretty damn delicious – with vanilla ice cream of course. I gave it my own twist, adding white chocolate chips that mingled and melted in the batter, and sliced almonds for a nice little textural pop.
Next up = Mark’s great grandmother’s kifli recipe! What’s a kifli? Well, according to Mark, it’s a delicious pastry filled with jam (or walnut) – a traditional East European dessert. He offers the recipe with handy diagrams here: http://192.197.62.35/staff/mcsele/recipe.htm#Kifli
The recipe…
Mix together the following three ingredients and set aside. Ensure it does not clump.
1/4 CUP MILK (Warmed) 1 TBSP YEAST 1 tsp SUGAR
Using a pastry knife, Mix the following three ingredients in a bowl:
3 CUPS FLOUR 1/2 lb. BUTTER (1 CUP) Pinch of Salt
Add the following two dry ingredients to the above:
3-1/2 TBSP SUGAR 1/2 tsp BAKING POWDER
In a separate bowl, mix the following:
3 EGG YOLKS (SEPARATE FROM WHITES), Beaten
The add the yeast mixture from above (by now it has frothed) and add:
1/2 CUP SOUR CREAM 1/2 tsp VANILLA
Mix these ‘wet’ ingredients together with the dry ingredients. Should have the consistency of peanut butter cookie dough. Add flour if sticky. Knead well and let stand 2 hours in a warm place. To allow the dough to rise, we place the bowl with the dough (covered with a tea towel) onto the top rack of our oven and place a bowl of hot water on the lower rack. Leave the oven off and it will gently warm and allow the dough to rise.
Divide the dough into 5 equal sized balls. Sprinkle sugar on a board, put a dough ball on the board, and roll out into a circle about 12 inches across. Flip the dough over and put more sugar on the board. Cut like a pizza into wedges about 1-1/2 inches at widest. Put Lecvar plum jam on each wedge (about 1 tsp each) and roll in sugar. Bake on a cookie sheet at 325 F for 15 min until golden brown.
*
Hmmmmm. Seems a little more involved than previous entires. Who’s up for the challenge?!
Have a safe flight!
Be sure not to carry on any hockey sticks …they’re still banned on flights
I prefer to think of it as the batter rising through the fruit as opposed to the fruit sinking. I do use a long casserole dish, where the fruit can find isolated pockets right under the crust, but now I’m curious and going to try a smaller one. I’m always chasing that crispy crust and it looks like you nailed it. Sometimes the fruit (especially when using frozen) keeps giving off moisture and the crust takes forever to crisp up.
I’ve heard tell of people adding cream cheese when they use strawberries, but I’m not feeling that adventurous.
1. Sorry I haven’t been around in a couple/few days – very busy.
2. You are wrong. It’s amirite. As in: Joey needs to brush up on his internet memes, amirite?
3. That said, I think you’re spot on with the looks you’re getting. And just based on that alone, I have no idea why some guys out there want more than one wife at a time. Just imagine the looks they get when they’re up to something!
3. Have a good trip! Bring back chocolate! 😀
das
Have a great flight, Joe! Missed commenting on yesterday’s post but you know I certainly wish you guys the best wherever you are!
The dogs do indeed look concerned. Poor things.
Yeesh – I still didn’t get a chance to make that cobbler, but hope to by tomorrow night, so I’ll still post the results then. I’d love to make the kifli – it looks like a challenge, but it’s supposed to be rainy here Saturday so I might have some time then.
Puppies! Love puppy pictures. Bubba looks like: Whoa. You’re leaving AGAIN? Lulu looks like YOU!!!! YOU!!!!! Would need some Jelly video to gauge the anxiety level. There is a line of Homeward Bound where the dogs say, “Luggage? Why luggage?” Even with the infrequent number of times we go away, Maddie knows luggage as well.
Hope you have a safe trip and a fun trip.
Wish I could join you all on this cooking adventure, but I’d be the only one to eat it and I’ve already gained some of the weight back I’ve lost. If I had a bigger family to try it on perhaps. Patrick is too picky and Jeff is….well he’s just Jeff.
@Joe:
Safe travels to you and Akemi! And good luck on the Toronto and Montreal trips; I’m hoping you return home with some good news! I’m sure that Lulu, Bubba, and Jelly will be greeting you enthusiastically when you all come home. Be thankful that they’re not 50lbs and bowling you over, below the belt, like my dog Lucy.
I just got back from Detroit myself and I’m a little wrung out from the trip. Still I have to make two cheesecakes for the church picnic on Saturday, and given the cooling time, I’ll have to bake them tonight. Then I have to bake another one on Sunday night because my son David promised a cheesecake to his boyscout patrol for their beach party on Tuesday…no rest for the jetlagged or something like that.
@DP:
Ohhh…cream cheese and strawberries in a Cobbler. I like it! 😀
I didn’t get a chance to try the Cobbler (travel and picnic preparations are getting in the way), maybe next week. It sounds delicious though.
Not enough patience for baking here, Joe, so I’ll pass on this one. Wait, I’ve passed on all the recipes so far! Life here is busy, to say to least.
Today, this place looks like Ferenginar. It’s been raining non-stop since last night with this tropical storm, but it hasn’t been as bad as predicted. Don’t know if it’ll get worse tonight, and my only concern is that we’re totally surrounded by huge trees, but so far, just a lot of rain.
Hope you have a blast in Toronto! 🙂
Have a safe fright !
Flight !!!
Hey Joe
How long you in town for? Love to meet you face to face and have a coffee.
Elminster
I’ll have to save DP’s Cobbler for later. I’m on a diet thanks to JeffW’s cheesecake. The Cobbler looks great! Can’t wait to try it.
You gonna stop by and see your mama? Have a good trip.
Safe travels… hope your Mom is feeling better…
K
Hi Joe,
Those are definitely baleful looks from Jelly. My beagle does the same thing when she senses packing going on. The general sentiment of her expression waivers between “How could you do this to me?” and “Life, as I know it, is over.” Talk about guilt….
And speaking of my dog…she’s having surgery tomorrow for a torn ACL, so if you could send some of your special doggy mojo her way, I know Lily would appreciate it!
Have a good trip!
Stella
Ah, you rolll them up, kind of like a croissant before you bake them.
The link is very helpful. I will give them a try this weekend. But half a recipe!
I had a helluva week at work, but I’m off tomorrow to see my orthopedic surgeon and my GP to see how my broken collar bone is healing and to discuss my post concussion headaches. Yeah, I know. I need to not work so hard. Easier said than done. But I’m finally going to get that cobbler made: mixed berries! And vanilla ice cream!
Have a great trip, Joe! Safe travels.
Akemi is wrong. Dogs absolutely know when you’re leaving, and very quickly work out if they’re not coming with you. When we had a King Charles he would get very excited at the prospect of going out, but his attitude would change rather quickly once he figured out that he wasn’t coming with us.
Dogs know. They just do.
😆 I <3 Akemi!
🙂
das
My dog is exactly the same. When the case comes out he becomes anxious, then starts following me around everywhere. Then, when we leave him at mum’s, he starts barking at us! My last westie used to bite people shoes when they started to leave. It was okay to come in, but leave – no way!
Have a good trip!
One of Elway’s seizure “triggers” was any family member leaving with a suitcase. The first seizure he ever had (probably the worst) was when my daughter and her then-husband went to NYC. It took me 2 or 3 trips to really put two and two together, though, because he wasn’t a dog to show any outward signs of separation anxiety. We got to the point of packing in secret and putting suitcases in the car while he slept at night. 🙂
I haven’t made the cobbler yet but it’s on my list. I gave it my own twist, adding white chocolate chips that mingled and melted in the batter, and sliced almonds for a nice little textural pop. Great idea adding the white chocolate chips! Does that make you a “Sweet Genius”?
I love the dog pictures and yes, I believe that pets can tell when we are leaving. Sometimes it’s amazing what they can discern from the environment. My cat can tell when I’m going to give him medicine. He disappears like a passing breeze. I have to wait him out.
Happy trails and safe travels!
Dogs absolutely know when you’re leaving. My Brandi gets a very concerned and sad look on her face and gets under foot more than usual when I’m getting ready to leave. Almost as if she thinks if she trips me, I’ll have to stay home.
Have a safe trip Joe. Oh, and a safe fright. =)
6 Juin ? des nouvelles de vos multiples projets ?
I totally agree with you about the facial expressions on your furkids. I’ve seen those same expressions on my furbabies faces!
Oh, those are definitely worried puppy faces, know the look well, usually pressed up to window as we leave. Deni–one of our border collies began seizing in January, triggers so far are full moon (every darn time) and drop in barometric pressure, which lately has been every few days here in VA. Really bad seizure yesterday as tropical storm approached. Travel to NYC in July–will put suitcase in trunk at night, thanks for suggestion! Stella–good luck with dog’s ACL surgery. Joe & DP–picked strawberries yesterday in pouring rain, husb. asking for cobbler so will try DP’s this weekend, thanks.
Can see why you’re going to Toronto Joe, seems quite a few people are saying Vancouver is on life support for new TV stuff at the moment.
What do you think of this as an aid to script writing? http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/holy-final-draft-amazon-studios-launches-amazon-storyteller-computer-program-transforms-scripts-into-storyboards/
@DeniseMc: I feel for you, dealing with a seizing dog is scary and upsetting. Even using two anti-seizure medications religiously, certain things would trigger cluster seizures. Can’t avoid the full moon! I wish you and your pup well, hang in there!