one day I will have time to actually read this blog

[telophase]

Librarians cook recipes from their favorite books: 36 Eggs. Currently doing a Harry Potter month, but paging back earlier will get you other books.

Comments

[ellen_fremedon]

They appear to think that mixing by hand means mixing directly with your fingers. Without a spoon or a whisk. They made a nine-pound pound cake that way.

[telophase]

One of the Metafilter comments said apparently some food historian told them that was what it meant.

I reserve judgement on that.

[movingfinger]

WTF no

[movingfinger]

I read it. I want to have a word with that food historian.

For one thing, you know what happens if you beat butter with your bare hand? It gets warm, it does not aerate.

JFC on toast sliced and buttered with a knife.

[ellen_fremedon]

I suspect the conversation went something like "Hey, does 'beat by hand' mean we use our hands?" "Um... yes?" "Great, thanks!"

[movingfinger]

And where did this thing come from where they slam the pan on the counter to get the air out of the batter? What? No wonder it looks like building material.

Are they literal-minded middle school students? Or is the cake an ironic tribute to Anne's liniment pound cake?

[telophase]

I have seen the instruction to tap a pan on a counter several times to get rid of big air bubbles in a number of different cake recipes. I don't think we can totally pin that one on them.

[laurashapiro]

OMG you have made my YEAR.