R.F.D. #2 Logan
Utah
Mrs F. H. White
N.
Logan Utah 2 Box 17
March
26—1924
My dear Lovis.
I wonder if
you are at home to day or if you are out I thaugth mebe I run down this
afternoon to see you but when I stop and think how far it is to you it be awful
for me to go and not find you home, We recived your letter written I dont know
when because there were no date only you say you had not gotten up yet when you
wrote so I guess you was still in bed when you thaugth of us.
I am glad
you have the change to rest when you are tired, it is to bad you could not find
the stuff you wanted to match in your living room ha ha but I hope you know by
now what to do ha ha. Well now no more folishness, I hope you are well and
happy as a Larkie. We have sun shininie weather here to day the snow is
near by melted onece more I got my poor flowers sitting in the sun on the table
you know, and it seemes as the have or get a prettier color as soon as the sun
shines on them I am glad I have manage to save their lives over winter.
It was sure
a very sad affair about sister Phillips daugther in law I thaugth the Seamon
tragedy was awful but this is worst I sympatize deeply with Mrs Philips it must
be awful for her to have it to think about. I guess we will get the Chronicles
to day and mebe a letter from you telling us in wich direcktion of Berkeley City
1624 Lincoln
Well dear
Wisa it seemes as I am always planing on how much bother I can put you to, I
thaugth I would ask you when some time you go down on Shattuck to call in to a
store for me that is north of the Librarey wheere they had gray wool yarn that
was left theere by the red cross and from the war and was for sale and ask them
about the prise and if you plaese will let me know and if the have it I will
ask you to send me some that is if I can get it cheaper that way than I can
here at Fonesbecks this store is little more than the half a block north and it
is not a very big store, theere is one store closer to Library that carries
fancy work and fancy yarn but that is not the store i mean and mebe the have
yarn but if they have the charge just awful high for it and for every thing
else the carie it was in that store I had to pay 5c a piece for knitting
needles.
soo it was
Mrs Blithy that come with Mrs Arthur to see you well well I am surprised at Mrs
Arthur after all that talk, but O dear my dearest Lovis I dont mean to teach you to hate any
body but Oh dear me plaese do not be seen in Mrs Blithys company on the streets
i am afraid she is not known to have a very good name or reputation you
remember I suppose what you and I saw when you and I went to Oakland to see a
lady freind of yours and she was not at home I know Floyd would back me up in
this if he knew the circumstances.
we are all
able to be at work even if it dont amount to much, Abie is upp on the 10 acres
to day digging down fence posts and fixing upp the fence where the vire been
broken down during this winter, your Dad is poddering around as usual he does
not feel as weel now as he did there for a while he groan in his sleep last
nigth and kept me awake so my head to day feels as if it was in a big fog.
anything or every thing else is the same here as usual.
I will now
close with much love
from
your Mother and all.
Caroline
J. Peterson.
the mailman is by Maughs gate or else I would write more
gooday.
[Here is some
information about skorpors, and several recipes for them. One uses whole wheat
flour. Another is for a bread machine. Enjoy! ---CDS, 2010]
Skorpor
You may be familiar with today’s bread, though you may not realize it from the name. Ever had Melba toast, or zwieback? How about biscotti, or perhaps a
For most parts of the world, these twice-baked, dry breads were either the fare of sailors or other long-distance voyagers, or have come to be a food for invalids or children. But in wintery
Traditionally made with the abundant rye flour, skorpor today are generally made with wheat flour, and can be either sweet or savory, and flavored with any number of things, such as herbs, spices, dried fruit, or nuts. Spices from seeds are most traditional, like aniseed, fennel, or cardamom. They can be made as shown here (shaped into small rolls, split, and toasted) or they can be baked biscotti-style (baked in one large loaf, then cut into slices and toasted). Either way is equally authentic, but I think these look more homemade and charming.
Okay, these aren’t the fastest bread in the world, and they are just a wee bit fussy (what with all the soaking, the tripe-rising, the shaping, and the splitting). But I challenge you to find a better whole-grain cracker recipe. Challenge! I was a little afraid that I was adding too much flour (more than the original recipe called for), therefore ruining the promised lighter-than-air texture with a leaden dough. But, feeling that what I was looking at was just too wet and sticky, I went with my instinct, and added more flour. I was so pleased with the result!
These skorpor end up as a fluffy, crumbly cracker, despite their rustic heartiness from the whole grain flour and the coarse bulgur wheat. The texture really is singular; I’ve never made such an ethereal yet robust bread. Since I left them plain, without any herb or spice addition for flavor, they would be ideal for matching with any cheese imaginable; but they would be just lovely with any various flavorings (add a little sugar, almond flour, and cinnamon to the dough!). I can easily see a bowl of vegetable stew, garnished with a couple of plain skorpor floating on top; or maybe top a few with a layer of grated cheese, broiled to a melty golden brown, served as the lid for your favorite French onion soup. The possibilities are simply endless, so it’s a good thing this recipe makes a lot, and - even better - skorpor last for ages! Skorpor ftw!
Makes 48 crackers
1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces bulgur (or cracked) wheat
1 tablespoon active-dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (105º to 115º F)
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) bread flour
11 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons shortening
1. Pour the boiling water over the bulgur wheat and stir to combine. Cover and set aside until soft, about 2 to 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the warm milk and honey together until the honey dissolves. Sprinkle the yeast over, and stir to dissolve. Let sit until foamy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the softened bulgur wheat, salt, bread flour, and half of the whole wheat flour. Mix with the dough hook at low or medium-low speed, adding the shortening in bits to incorporate. Add the remaining whole wheat flour while kneading the dough for about 6 to 8 minutes, until you have a fairly firm and elastic dough. You may not need all of the remaining flour. The dough should still look just a little wet, but not be sticky. (See note 5 below.)
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly-oiled bowl, and turn to coat all sides with the oil. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough, cover, and let rise again until doubled in size, another 45 to 60 minutes.
6. Punch the dough down again, cover, and let rise a third time until doubled in size.
7. After the third rise, punch down the dough again, and turn out onto a work surface. Unless your dough is sticky, you shouldn’t need any flour on the surface. Knead the dough gently two or three times, to make sure it is fully deflated. Roll the dough into a long rope, about 24 inches long. Divide the rope evenly into 24 pieces. Roll each piece under your hand into a round roll, then form into ovals by rolling them back and forth a few times. Place each oval onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until light brown and baked through. Remove to a rack to cool, about 30 to 45 minutes.
9. Using a fork, split the rolls in half horizontally. Do not use a knife, as they won’t crisp properly. Return the halves to the baking sheet (they don’t need to be spaced far apart), and toast at 400º F until they have browned lightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300º F and continue to bake until they are completely dried through, at least another 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.
Notes:
1. In step 9, I baked mine at 400º for 10 minutes, reduced the heat to 300º and baked another 20 minutes, then turned the oven off and left them there overnight. In the morning, they were just perfect.
2. I neglected to do so, but a touch of ground cardamom is not only very authentic in these crackers, but would also be quite delicious. Depending on your tolerance for it, you can use anywhere from a pinch to about 1/4 teaspoon. Other good options include fennel, cumin, cinnamon, thyme, or dill.
3. Stored in an airtight container, skorpor should last for several weeks, but are best within a week or two.
4. Though it might seem like overkill, the triple-rising procedure is necessary to achieve the proper light and crumbly texture. Sorry about all this.
5. Depending on what type of bulgur wheat you use (fine, coarse, etc.), and how much water it absorbs, you may end up using only a little or nearly all of the whole wheat flour in step 3. Either way is fine; just make sure your dough is at the proper hydration level (not too firm and dry, not too sticky and wet).
How to
Make Skorpa - Swedish Toast
A traditional Swedish Christmas treat, skorpa is made with the same double baking technique as biscotti; toasted in the oven after baking, and is similar to biscotti in looks, but has a different, chewier texture.
There are also as many variations to the basic recipe as there are Swedish families who make it.
Things You'll Need:
·
1-1/2 cup sugar
·
3/4 cup butter or
shortening
·
2 eggs, beaten
·
1/2 cup cream (not
whipping or heavy cream)
·
1-1/2 tsp almond
extract OR 1 3-1/2 oz. package slivered almonds, 2 Tblsp. reserved
·
1 cup sour cream
·
4-1/2 cups flour
·
3 tsp. baking powder
·
3/4 tsp. salt
·
1 tsp. ground cardamom
·
9 x 13 baking pan, foil.
· Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the
beaten eggs, cream and almond extract. Fold in the sour cream. Sift together the dry
ingredients; flour, baking powder, cardamon and salt. Fold the wet ingredients
into the dry. Pour the batter into a foil lined 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread the
mixture with a spatula, as it will be thick. Sprinkle the top with additional
slivered almonds and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Remove from
the oven and cool.
When the skorpa has cooled completely, slice the large skorpa into three equal size strips. Use the foil to remove the skorpa from the pan. To make slicking easier, wrap and freeze. When the skorpa is frozen, remove and unwrap. Slice each strip into 1/3 inch wide slices. Place on a cookie sheet and toast in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes; turn and toast on the other side for 15 minutes. Watch for over browning or burning. You're looking to lightly toast and dry the skorpa, not brown them. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with strong coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy. If there are any left, store in an airtight container.
When the skorpa has cooled completely, slice the large skorpa into three equal size strips. Use the foil to remove the skorpa from the pan. To make slicking easier, wrap and freeze. When the skorpa is frozen, remove and unwrap. Slice each strip into 1/3 inch wide slices. Place on a cookie sheet and toast in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes; turn and toast on the other side for 15 minutes. Watch for over browning or burning. You're looking to lightly toast and dry the skorpa, not brown them. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with strong coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy. If there are any left, store in an airtight container.
4 cups Milk
2 Tblsp yeast
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs - beaten lightly
1 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
13 cups of white (unbleached) flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp ground cardamom
With the new yeasts these days - follow the instructions on the package. And add accordingly. Heat the milk until just lukewarm. Add all liquid ingredients. Add 3 cups of four and beat until smooth - beat in sugar, salt and cardamom. Mix in the rest of the flour as per regular bread instructions. And follow your regular bread making method. Bake in loaf pans as per standard bread recipes. When done remove from pan and let cool until the next day.
Slice all the loaves into finger size rectangles. Place rectangle pieces of bread on cookie sheets and put in oven at very low temperature 170' to 200'. The rusks must toast and dry all the way through each piece. This may take 2 or 3 hours. Better yet at the end of about 2 hours or so - turn the oven off and leave them in the oven for a few more hours. Perfect for dunking' into hot cocoa or fresh brewed coffee.
Swedish Skorpor
One recipe is for the bread machine, one that follows is the original method. This is a favorite and best if you have the cardamom in the pod and grind it. It brings out the flavor more. Have a cup of coffee or hot tea and dip these, wonderful. They are so good, no one cares if you ‘dip’.
1-cup milk
6 tablespoons soft butter
½-cup sugar
3 teaspoon ground cardamom
½-teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 ¾-cup bread flour
2-teaspoon dry yeast
Mix ingredients according to your bread machine directions. Use dough cycle only. When done make into two balls. Put in two 5X9 in. greased pans. Let rise until double (1 to 2 hrs.) Bake in 350 oven for 30 min. Remove from pan and cool. Cut in ¾ inch slices, then cut each slice again. Put cut pieces on cookie sheet in a 225 oven until dry. Turn several times to dry even. Takes about 45 min.to 1 hour.
When done turn oven off and just let them remain in oven for a while.
WITHOUT BREAD MACHINE
Scald milk and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast and 1 TLBS sugar in lukewarm milk. Add 1 ½ cup regular flour and beat until smooth. Beat in remaining sugar and soft butter and egg. Mix remaining flour and cardamom and salt. Add to first mixture and mix well. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until double, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Punch down and again let rise until double, about 1 hour. Cut dough into 2 pieces, shape and put in greased loaf pans. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 30 to 35 minutes. Cool and cut in slices then cut slices again. Arrange slices in single layer on cooky sheets. Bake at 225, turning often to dry, 45 min. to 1 hour. Test to see if dry all the way through.
No comments:
Post a Comment