The key to making raisins tasty in something like a bread pudding is to fully rehydrate them using your favorite brandy, bourbon, or other whisky. I find that 5-10 days does the trick. Then fold them in just prior to baking.
That does sound like it has possibilities...But I think one of my objections is that even hydrated with delicious booze, the contrast in textures between a soft custard, or a soft bread, or even a soft stew and the exterior chew of a raisin before you reach the mellowed interior just doesn't sit well on my tongue.
BRAVA!! Raisins are altogether nasty, without any redeeming social or culinary value. And many thanks for clearing up the pronunciation of scone, which I encountered on a recent trip to Australia.
Conversely, I'm a huge celery fan...Use it raw in everything from chicken salad to salsa, and as a vital component of chicken soup. Way to go, Julia.
My son-in-law Isaac Henrion, born and raised in Oxford UK, left his doctoral program in AI to start a bagel baking business in Durham, NC. His intention at the outset was to make only "traditional" NY-style bagels. He held out as long as he could, but finally submitted to popular demand and began offering cinnamon-raisin bagels. They are the least popular of all his bagels, but those who love them would protest loudly if he stopped making them. His most popular? "Everything" bagels. He also offers plain, sesame seed, poppy seed, onion, and salt and pepper--he uses Maldon Salt for those, being a Brit with very good taste.
Good for him for holding out! But the clamoring client is always right if you're to stay in business. I would feel so much more relaxed if the AI community decided baking was a more rewarding occupation.
Wonderful! A proper recipe for scones! The English particularly will put eggs in the mix. A propos, the 'skonn' pronunciation is the correct one; the word 'scone' comes from the Scots Gaelic, 'sgonn' (which I believe means a little head, though as I don't have the Gaelic, I can't swear to it). Depressingly, a number of Scots are now starting to pronounce it 'skoan', because they've heard it on the telly, and assume that that must be correct. Re raisins in them, my Granny (who travelled once to London, her only foray south of the Border - she was not impressed!) sometimes put them in hers, but this may simply have been her idea, not any sort of tradition. At school dinners, we used to get stewed raisins with rice pudding. I love raisins and sultanas, but not keen on currants.
The key to making raisins tasty in something like a bread pudding is to fully rehydrate them using your favorite brandy, bourbon, or other whisky. I find that 5-10 days does the trick. Then fold them in just prior to baking.
That does sound like it has possibilities...But I think one of my objections is that even hydrated with delicious booze, the contrast in textures between a soft custard, or a soft bread, or even a soft stew and the exterior chew of a raisin before you reach the mellowed interior just doesn't sit well on my tongue.
I completely agree with your raisin aversion. Hurrah, someone finally on my side!
Solidarity! The numbers in the 'anti' camp are building!
BRAVA!! Raisins are altogether nasty, without any redeeming social or culinary value. And many thanks for clearing up the pronunciation of scone, which I encountered on a recent trip to Australia.
Conversely, I'm a huge celery fan...Use it raw in everything from chicken salad to salsa, and as a vital component of chicken soup. Way to go, Julia.
Grapes are so delicious why would you want to reduce them to a wrinkled knot?
My son-in-law Isaac Henrion, born and raised in Oxford UK, left his doctoral program in AI to start a bagel baking business in Durham, NC. His intention at the outset was to make only "traditional" NY-style bagels. He held out as long as he could, but finally submitted to popular demand and began offering cinnamon-raisin bagels. They are the least popular of all his bagels, but those who love them would protest loudly if he stopped making them. His most popular? "Everything" bagels. He also offers plain, sesame seed, poppy seed, onion, and salt and pepper--he uses Maldon Salt for those, being a Brit with very good taste.
Good for him for holding out! But the clamoring client is always right if you're to stay in business. I would feel so much more relaxed if the AI community decided baking was a more rewarding occupation.
100% raisins are evil, and even more so in biscuits/cookies.
Celery, on the other hand, <3 (although this definitely was an adulthood discovery).
Haha! The anti-raisin faction is catching up the anti-celery faction!
Wonderful! A proper recipe for scones! The English particularly will put eggs in the mix. A propos, the 'skonn' pronunciation is the correct one; the word 'scone' comes from the Scots Gaelic, 'sgonn' (which I believe means a little head, though as I don't have the Gaelic, I can't swear to it). Depressingly, a number of Scots are now starting to pronounce it 'skoan', because they've heard it on the telly, and assume that that must be correct. Re raisins in them, my Granny (who travelled once to London, her only foray south of the Border - she was not impressed!) sometimes put them in hers, but this may simply have been her idea, not any sort of tradition. At school dinners, we used to get stewed raisins with rice pudding. I love raisins and sultanas, but not keen on currants.
Thank you for your pronunciation guidance! There will probably still be disagreement - as there will be regarding m disparagement of raisins...
It would be a dull world if we all liked/disliked the same things!