Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: June 3rd, 2021. Take a look at the Holidays below and let me know which one you most want to celebrate and why.
Applesauce Cake Day is a time to enjoy an old and often forgotten goodie. This is a truly delicious day. I hate to admit it but I don’t think I have ever had a Applesauce Cake. Before you ask I don’t think Charlie or David have had a slice of Applesauce Cake.
It doesn’t take much to enjoy Applesauce Cake Day just eat a piece of Applesauce Cake. The only problem is finding a Applesauce Cake. If you’re lucky, a bakery or a restaurant will pick up on this day, and offer this Cake as a special today. Otherwise, you may have to make an Applesauce Cake from scratch. Which is something Charlie can do in Homeschool Cooking Class this morning.
Applesauce Cake
Original recipe yields 12 servings Ingredient Checklist
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup chilled applesauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Step 1 Cream butter or margarine with sugar. Add applesauce; beat well. Stir in flour, soda, and spices. Add nuts and raisins.
- Step 2 Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until done. Serve warm.
This Holiday is always observed on June 4
If you have a cat then you need to hut your cat because today is Hug Your Cat Day. Go ahead and give your cat a big, furry hug. Unfortunately I don’t have a Cat even thought I tried to talk David and Charlie into getting a Kitten.
Cat lovers can really get into this day and if you’re a Cat lover, you can really appreciate the warm, cozy feeling you get when you curl up on a couch or chair, and hug your Cat.
The only problem is, your Cat will most likely only allow a brief hug before sauntering away. If your Cat is a true hugger, count your blessings.
Dog lovers…sorry, but hugging your Dog will not suffice. If you are going to be “into” this day, you simply must hug a Cat…your Cat.
If you don’t have a cat then you can correct this today because the month of June is “Adopt a Cat Month”. Looks like its time for David and Charlie to let me have a Kitten.
Today is National Cheese Day. From breakfast to late night snack, this is a day to enjoy ample amounts of a wide variety of Cheeses. What is your favorite Cheese? Why? I like American or Cheddar and Smoked Cheese.
People around the world love Cheeses. and Americans consume on average of around 31 pounds of Cheese a year. We get to choose among a huge variety of flavors and textures.
Cheese is produced from pressed curds of Milk and it has been a staple of our diets since ancient times, dating back as far back as 10,000 years ago. By the time of the Roman Empire, Cheese had become widespread.
Depending upon who is counting, there is between 800 to 1,400 varieties of Cheese to choose from, classified by taste and texture.. Unfortunately, many varieties of Cheese are little known and hard to find.
Even so, there is no shortage of varieties of Cheese in the market. The flavor and texture of Cheeses are influenced by temperature, aging process, and spices.
Did You Know? Cheese can be made from the Milk of Cows, Goats, Sheep and even Buffalo.
It is a pleasure to celebrate National Cheese Day and to eat lots of Cheeses. From Grilled Cheese Sandwiches to Cheese Soup and Cheesecake, from American Cheese to Brie, there’s no shortage of Cheese varieties and recipes. Holding a Cheese Tasting party, is a great way to celebrate National Cheese Day. Ps. Don’t forget to pair the Cheeses with Wines.
The Cheesy Challenge: Eat Cheese today at every meal, and with every snack. Most importantly, try a variety of Cheese that you’ve never tasted before.
Related Days: National Cheese Lover’s Day
Homemade Cheddar Cheese:
Equipment:
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Long knife (curd knife; does not need to be sharp)
- Cheesecloth
- Cheese wax
- Cheese press
Ingredients:
- 2 gallons cow or goat milk (do not use UHT/UP milk)
- 1/8 tsp. calcium chloride diluted in 1/4 cup water (optional)
- Mesophilic culture (choose one):
- 1 packet direct-set mesophilic culture
- 1/8 tsp. bulk mesophilic culture
- Rennet, dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water (choose one):
- 1/2 tsp. liquid animal rennet or
- 1/4 tsp. double-strength liquid rennet or
- 1/4 tablet vegetable rennet
- 2 Tbsp. sea salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the milk to 85°F, stirring frequently.
- As the milk is heating, add the calcium chloride, if using.
- When the milk gets to 85°F, add culture, stir in with an up-and-down motion, cover, and ferment for 1 hour. (Note: It does not have to stay at 85. If it naturally drops in temperature, that is OK.)
- Stir to homogenize the milk, and slowly fold in the diluted rennet. Using an up-and-down motion with your spoon will ensure that the rennet works its way through all the milk, so you can get the highest possible yield.
- Remove from heat source and allow the cheese to set for 1 hour, or until the whey begins to separate from the curd. You should see a layer of mostly clear whey floating on top of the curd, and the curd should be pulling away from the sides of the pot.
- Using the knife, carefully cut the curds into ¼-inch cubes and allow to set for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
- Over the next 30 minutes, slowly heat the curds to 100°F, stirring frequently. As you stir, the curds will shrink.
- Once the curds are at 100°F, maintain the temperature and continue stirring for the next 30 minutes. If the curds get too hot, remove from heat.
- After 30 minutes, stop stirring and allow the curds to settle to the bottom of the pot. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Pour the curds into a colander. Place the colander and curds back into the cheese pot and allow to drain for 15 minutes.
- Remove the colander from the pot and turn the curds out onto a cutting board. You should have a semi-solid mass that looks like jelly. Pour the whey out of the pot, cut the mass into five slices, and place back into the pot. Cover.
- Fill a sink or basin with 102°F water and place the pot and curds into it. Keeping the temperature of the curds right around 100°F, turn the slices every 15 minutes for the next 2 hours. This is the cheddaring process and will give your cheese its unique flavor and deliciousness.
- After 2 hours, the curds will be shiny and very firm. Remove them from the pot and cut into ½-inch cubes. Place back in the pot, cover, and place in the sink filled with 102°F water.
- In 10 minutes, stir gently with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Repeat twice more.
- Remove the pot from the sink and add salt. Stir gently once more.
- Line the cheese press with a piece of cheesecloth and carefully place the curds into the press. Wrap the cloth around the cheese andpress at 10 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cheese from the press, unwrap, and flip the cheese. Re-wrap using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, and press at 40 pounds of pressure for 12 hours.
- Remove the cheese from the press, unwrap, and flip the cheese. Re-wrap using a fresh piece of cheesecloth, and press at 50 pounds of pressure for 24 hours.
- Remove the cheese from the press and air-dry for 2 to 3 days, until smooth and dry to the touch.
- Wax the cheese and age at 55° to 60°F for at least 60 days. (Click here for practical methods for aging cheese.)
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
National Doughnut Day always the first Friday in June
