Episode 41: Protein, Plums & Pig’s Tails

It’s the last week of August, and Stefin is sending her kids off to their new London school. She reports that hot lunch is on the menu for her two, as it the seemingly worldwide phenomenon of “snack” (with some restrictions her son may struggle with). Andrea has her own thoughts on feeding children every time they turn around, and is hopeful her daughter is done packing a treat now that she’s off to middle school.

Meantime, Andrea is rendering leaf lard for her world-famous pie crusts. This all-day process left her house smelling like a pork BBQ, but did ensure her dog stayed close by (and was rewarded for his patience). Stefin and Andrea remember a famous scene in Little House in the Big Woods in which Pa butchers a pig and Mary and Laura snack on the tail, proving that “snack culture” may not be as new as it seems.

Moving on to a review of the Banana Blueberry Cake from Episode 40: Andrea scaled down the recipe and baked hers in an 8×8 pan. Upholder Stefin followed the recipe and baked hers in the 9×13, but would skip the parchment paper next time, as this only caused frustration. Both hosts agreed the blueberries were a thoughtful addition and enjoyed this moist and delicious snack cake.

However! The cream-cheese frosting caused issues for both of them — for Andrea, who forgot to buy cream cheese and substituted sour cream, and for Stefin, who is having a hard time finding block-style cream cheese in the UK and had to substitute a whipped “soft cheese” with questionable results.

Listeners: Does block-style cream cheese exist in Great Britain? If not, what should Stefin use?

Next, the duo introduce a Summer Plum Crostata, and Andrea informs us that an (Italian) crostata and (French) galette are essentially the same dessert — a free-form pie. Whatever you call it, it’s a great way to use delicious late-summer plums, and a nice way to ease into pie making for those who are still a little hesitant. Andrea is lucky enough to have a friend with a plum tree, and Stefin is happy that British plums are in season and scrumptious.

Finally, the hosts ponder the popularity of protein-packed sweets and snacks and share some favorite store-bought and homemade treats.


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