Uncle Phaedrus, Finder of Lost Recipes (2024)

----- Original Message ----- From: Patty To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com Sent: Friday, May 21, 2010 1:57 PMSubject: recipe requestI would love to get the recipe for the thumbprint cookies with icing that were made at the Rich's department store in Atlanta. They had several different colors of icing. I have seen a lot of thumbprint recipes but none from Rich's. thank you for your time.Patty

Hi Patty,

Sorry, no luck with this.

Phaed

----- Original Message ----- From: Donna To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 2:40 AMSubject: Help finding a recipeHello, I am looking for a cake my grandmother used to make. She called it a "Poor Boy Cake"for several reasons. You made it in the pan you baked it in. The ingredients were few and simple as far as I can remember: powdered chocolate (possibly like for chocolate milk), flour, eggs, sugar and I'm not sure if there's more. She said she learned to make it from possibly her mother or grandmother because she mentioned hard times such as the depression. It was a recipe for home and not a restaurant. I also remember she'd put powdered sugar over the top with a hand sifter when it was still warm. It was chocolaty and dark and the best cake I remember as a child (over 50 years ago). I did try the Way Back Machine website with no luck. No one in the family remembers the recipe or has it.I'm not even sure this recipe was ever written down. I say that because usually I can find things on the internet but this eludes me. Think it's possible to find ?? I thank you in advance.Donna 

Hi Donna,

Sorry, I had no success.

Phaed

Timm had this one.

This recipe has to be at least 50 years old.Timm in OregonPoor Boy Chocolate CakeIngredients:1-1/2 cups regular flour1 cup white sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons cocoa1 tablespoon white vinegar1 teaspoon vanilla extract5 tablespoons vegetable oil1 cup cold water (not iced)Powdered sugar for dustingInstructions:Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in flour sifter and sift into an ungreased 8 inch square or a 9 inch round baking pan or a 9 inch cast iron skillet. Poke three holes into the flour mixture. In the first hole, pour the vinegar. In the second hole, pour the vanilla. In the third hole, pour the oil. Then pour one cup of water into the pan and mix very well. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.------------------------------------Dear Phaed, THAT'S IT !!!!! Thank you sooooo much !!!! and thank the wonderful person who sent this in !! I had just about given up hope but then I'm sure you've heard that a million times. Besides, it's great to have proof that something like this can be done. People who know me began to think I was crazy ... lol again, my undying gratitude !! Donna

----- Original Message ----- From: Melissa To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 2:47 PMSubject: Picnic Salad Arrives in Bread BowlHello there!Sure hoping you can help me out. I have been looking for this recipe on & off for years. It is a round hollowed out bread bowl, stuffed with cubed ham, cubed cheddar, water chestnuts, pea pods and some other things I don't remember. The dressing had an asian flair. Sesame seed, and oil, sugar, soy, vinegar? You put the dressing on the salad stuffing then stuffed the bread, bundled it up in fridge to marinate overnight. I seem to remember it coming from Sunset Magazine from the early 80's and I found it in the Stanford bibliography archives!!www.sunset-magazine.stanford.edu/body_index.html "Picnic Salad Arrives in Bread Bowl" Record 3550 August 1981 Vol 167 Issue 2 Pages 116-117. (so close, so far away) There was another sandwich recipe that went with it, but I fell in love with the ham & cheese one. I have tried looking at the "California State Library" site, but I didn't search it well, cuz I got cornfused by it. I looked at www.ieonline.com too. Oh, Sunset Magazine itself wasn't very helpful. The archive lady (not really working at Sunset, but a call center I believe) said their archives only go back as far as 2004.....Grrrrrrr, waaaay frustrating! Hell, I even tried locating the back issue to purchase... You are my last hope Obie One. I will be completly amazed if you can find it for me! It was a great Summer time sandwich that I made for my parents a few times when I was a younger whipper snapper. Please help!!Thank you so much for your time on this!Melissa 

Hello Melissa,

Sorry, no luck. All I can do is post it on the site in hopes that a reader can help.

Phaed

Cheryl had it!

Picnic Salad Arrives in a Bread Bowl Sunset August, 1981pp 116-117 Making the Bread Bowls:You'll need 2 oblong sourdough loaves (1 lb. each) or 1 round sourdough loaf (24 oz) or 3 sourdough baguettes (8 oz. each) or 6 unsliced sourdough sandwich rolls.Slice off the top portion (1/2 to 3/4-inch down) of the bread to form a lid. Pull out center bread to form a bowl with about 3/8-inch-thick walls. Reserve soft bread for another use. Sesame-Ham SaladIn a frying pan, combine 6 tablespoons salad oil and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds. Cook over medium-low heat until seeds are golden, about 2 to 4 minutes. Cool. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 3 tablespoons wine vinegar; 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced; 1/3 cup sliced green onion. Combine 1/2 pound sliced cooked ham, cut into julienne strips; 1 can (about 8 ounces) water chestnuts, thinly sliced; 1/4 pound Chinese pea pods, cut into 1-inch lengths; 1 cup sliced celery; and 1/3 pound thinly sliced mushrooms. Reserve 1-2 tablespoons dressing for bread lid; mix rest with ham mixture. Adding the salad mixture:Spoon salad mixture into bread bowl. Drizzle reserved salad dressing over cut side of lid and place on top of salad. Wrap well and chill up to 4 hours before serving. To serve, cut long loaves into serving-size lengths and round loaves into wedges. Makes 6 servings. 

---- Original Message ----- From: Linda To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 3:18 PMSubject: another mystery recipe help please!?Hello Phaed,You were most kind and efficient finding a beloved recipe which I had lost for a dark, easy Christmas cake....I wonder if you could locate a salad recipe?? This was in a 1977 or 1978 issue of I think either Woman's Day or Good Housekeeping magazine. The article was about the Von Trapp (the singers and whom the Sound of Music is about) who then lived in the USA. There was a picnic salad perhaps called a Layered Salad??? It had Gruyere cheese, sliced green olives, green onions, shredded lettuce. I cannot recall the salad dressing or rest of the ingredients...you prepared everything except the lettuce and put in the bottom of the salad bowl covering with the salad dressing then added the lettuce on top so that it would not become soggy while transporting it.Again...I would be so grateful if you could find this recipe...everyone just loved it!!!!Thank you...with a smile...Linda

Hi Linda,

Sorry, no luck with this one.

Phaed

----- Original Message ----- From: AmyTo: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.comSent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 10:23 AMSubject: Trout>I ate a dish at a chain restaurant called "The Claddagh" in the U.S. They> have since discontinued it off of their menu. It was called "Trout St.> Claren"s". It was trout, capers, pine nuts I believe, and sun-dried> tomatoes. Have you ever heard of it? Also, they had a flourless chocolate> cake that used guinness that was amazing. If you have their recipe for one> or both I'd appreciate it.>> Thanks,> Amy 

Hi Amy,

Sorry, I cannot find a recipe for either of these from The Claddagh Irish Pub.

I did find the below trout recipe, which has similar ingredients.

Phaed

Pan-seared trout with lemon butter sauceFour (8 to 10 ounce) trout filets, skin on (or whole trout from the supermarket)Olive oilSaltPepper1 tablespoon minced shallots1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butterJuice from two lemons1 tablespoon capers2 tablespoons fresh Roma tomatoes, diced2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped2 tablespoons toasted pine nutsSeason trout with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When oil is hot, add filets skin side down. Cook 4 minutes and turn. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan, cover and keep warm.Add two tablespoon butter to the pan. Add shallots and saute. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. Continue cooking the sauce until it is thick enough to coat a spoon.Reduce heat to low. Gradually add remaining butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking after each addition. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.To serve, place a piece of trout on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the sauce over fish and garnish with capers, diced tomatoes, chives and toasted pine nuts. Serve with potatoes or rice and your favorite vegetable.Servings: 4