Welcome, gentle guests and Goldstone Imps one and all! Pray have a seat at yonder banqueting table, reclining beneath the gentle arbor. Feel the soft sea breezing blowing up from the shore to stir the thickly gathered blossoms, wafting their perfume to caress your face and sooth you after your long travels.
Monster and I are glad to see you!
And now . . . Oh, and now! Do you smell that heavenly aroma? The banquet is about to begin, and there are delights for all to enjoy.
First, you are offered a choice of soups. Your first selection is the classic favorite of old Parumvir:
Sondhold
Potato Soup
Presented by Chef Christa
This recipe, or at least a variation on it, is older than the kingdom of Parumvir itself. It was eaten the houses of lords and peasants alike back in the days before the North Country was united under a king. It is considered a classic and, humble though it may appear, is served at all the best banquets in Oriana.
6 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
6 cups of stock or milk and water mixed
1 tbsp butter
parsley
salt and pepper
(serves six)
Peel and dice the potatoes and chop the onions. Melt the butter and gently cook the onions and potatoes in a covered saucepan until soft but not colored. Add the liquid, adjust the seasoning to taste, sieve if wished and serve in bowls decorated with a little chopped parsley.
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But for those more daring among you, there is also offered:
Presented by Chef Abigail
It is claimed that the original variation on this soup was invented by the Fey Folk and prepared, not with curry powder, but with the ground-up petals of the Orgual Blossom. This flower grows on the slopes of Rudiobus Mountain and is famed for its healing properties (particularly of the common cold, though Faeries claim to never suffer from this malady). Whether or not the story is true, it must be agreed that this is a fine soup!
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large onion
2 medium leeks, washed well and chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 medium potatoes
1 tsp. curry powder, curry paste or chili powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces peeled, cooked shrimp, sliced if large
1 cup milk
Instructions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the onion and leeks and cook, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes (do not let the vegetables brown).
2. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, curry or chili powder, and salt and pepper. cover and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and milk and gently heat. Serve with crusty bread.
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Here is a soup popular among the seafaring folk of Parumvir, but it is so delectable, it has made its way up to the royal tables! I offer you:
Captain Sunan's Bean Soup
Presented by Chefs Hannah and Becky
This is a favorite soup of the Noorhitamin merchant ship captain, Sunan, but it is a well-known staple among all seafarers. The beans travel well, and the salted ham upon which sailors practically live softens up nicely in this broth. The royal chefs of Oriana were a bit daring to serve such humble fare to their royal family . . . but the soup was such a success upon first serving, that King Fidel requested many times over!
1 pound
navy beans (2 cups)
¼ medium
sized onion
½
cup of chopped celery
½
cup diced ham (or you may use a ham hock)
1 tablespoon
salt
In
a large pot, cover beans with very hot to boiling water. Let soak 1 hour.
Empty
beans into colander.
Fill
large pot with 6 cups of cold water and bring to boil.
Add
beans.
When
water returns to a boil, add onion, celery, ham and salt.
Reduce to a simmer, cover,
and cook for 2 hours or until beans are tender and soup is creamy.
Hannah is dressed for the banquet!
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And if a hot and heavy soup is not what you wish to begin your feast today, here is a fresh and sweet option you may choose instead:
Coronation
Soup
Presented by Chef Kristen
A favorite served at coronation and other important ceremonies in Southlands, this delightful strawberry soup has found a place of favor among the royals of the northern nations as well, even as far north as Parumvir! Princess Una is particularly fond of this soup, and requests it often.
3 C. fresh strawberries, sliced (frozen strawberries may also be used, but the flavor and color will not be as intense)
1/4 C. white sugar
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1/2 C. peach or apricot nectar
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Sour cream or plain yogurt (to serve with the soup)
Combine the strawberries, sugar, and mint in a food processor (or blender, if a food processor is unavailable) and pulse to roughly chop. Set processor/blender to "puree" and slowly pour in the nectar and balsamic vinegar; puree the soup until smooth. Pour into a glass bowl, cover, and chill for at least one hour. To serve, pour the soup into bowls and add a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.
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Or, if this warm sun is too much for you and you would prefer a salad over soup, you may be more inclined to sample:
Eanrin's
Medley
Presented by Chef Beka
The chef presenting this recipe declares: "This salad dish is concocted by Dame Imraldera in a desperate attempt to ensure Eanrin (who, like any cat with pride, scorns the thought of vegetables but salivates at the mere thought of tuna) gets his veggies into him. Smart girl!"
EANRIN'S MEDLEY
Lots of chopped-up vegetables (I used carrots and green peppers, but you can use pretty much anything, depending on personal taste)
One can of flaked tuna (or more, if you, like Eanrin, absolutely ADORE the stuff!)
Cooked pasta (macaroni, shells....again, personal preference)
Catalina dressing to taste
1. Cook the pasta. Leave it to cool a few minutes.
2. Combine pasta, veggies, tuna, and dressing in bowl. Mix. Can be served cold or hot. Enjoy!
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For a main course, we have a special treat at the banquet tonight:
Southlander Spicy Meat Pockets
Presented by Chef Jill
The chef presenting this recipe tells us an interesting history behind it: "Starflower often
prepared these simple yet tasty pocket meals for her father and baby sister,
using whatever game bird the Panther Master snared. She added more spice
to her father’s meat, but Fairbird prefers her meals less spicy."
Mix together in a medium
bowl:
2 tablespoons finely
chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed
red pepper (or more, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground
ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground
cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground
coriander
1 T. Greek yogurt
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Slice very thin: 1 lb.
boneless chicken breast s. Add to spice mixture until coated. Fry chicken in 2
T. olive oil until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, mix together:
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoons fresh
lemon juice
1 garlic clove,
minced
1 tablespoon tahini
(sesame seed paste)
And spread this mixture
into the pockets of:
4 (6-inch) pitas,
halved
Divide the chicken among
the pitas, and add:
1/2 cup chopped
cucumber
1/2 cup chopped
plum or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped red
onion
Spinach or lettuce leaves, as desired
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Another popular dish brought up from Southlands is this spicy entrée:
Dragon-Fired Ham and Shrimp
Presented by Chef Erica
This dish became popular in Southlands once the Southlanders began trading with Shippening. Southlands itself has limited ocean access, but merchants would trade mangoes and golden figs to Shippening fishermen for crates of shrimp, which were then carefully packed and brought back to Southlands. Mixed with the hearty Southlander spices, this one is a sensation at any banquet table!
- 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rice
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine (optional)
- 1 16 ounce can tomatoes
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cups frozen chopped green peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 6-ounce package cooked shrimp
- 6 ounces fully cooked ham
- Cook rice according to package directions. Stir in butter or margarine, if desired, then keep warm.
- Meanwhile, cut tomatoes. In a large saucepan stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, water, green pepper, thyme, Worecestershire sauce (if desired), hot pepper sauce, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile drain and set shrimp aside. Cut ham into 1/2 inch cubes. Stir shrimp and ham into tomato mixture. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or more until shrimp and ham are heated through. Serve over rice.
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Or, if the spices of Southlands are a little too much for your palate, you may prefer a more traditional Parumvir main course such as this one:
Prince Felix's Favorite Paella
Presented by Chef Jill
The chef presenting this dish says, "This delicately savory main course is
served at Oriana Palace at royal birthday celebrations or whenever the royal
chefs particularly wish to impress important guests from, say, Beauclair or
Shippening. Fresh seafood is readily available in the market stalls of Sondhold
City, and fine spices are imported from Aja and Dong Min in the Far East."
Heat in large
saucepan:
2 T. extra-virgin
olive oil
Add and cook until
soft:
2 medium onions,
chopped
Add:
2 cloves garlic,
minced
1 t. dried thyme
leaves
1 t. fennel seed
½ t. salt
½ t. freshly ground
pepper
2 pinches crumbled
saffron threads
Stir and cook for 30
seconds, then add:
2—14.5 oz. cans diced
tomatoes (for extra spice, use the kind with green chiles)
½ cup vegetable or
chicken broth
Bring to a simmer,
cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Increase heat to
medium, then stir in:
½ pound scallops
½ pound peeled raw
shrimp
2 cups raw spinach
(optional)
Cook, stirring
occasionally, for 4 minutes or until shrimp is pink and scallops are opaque.
Then stir in:
1 cup whole wheat
couscous
Cover, remove from
heat, and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork and enjoy!
(Can also reserve
spinach raw and serve the paella over it, as pictured)
Serves 4
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Here is a dish that has been popular in Parumvir for many long generations:
Lumé
Love Us!
(Faerie Hair Pasta with Tomato-Herb Sauce and
Crabmeat)
Presented by Chefs Hannah and Becky
The chef presenting this recipe tells us: "This romantic dish was first introduced in the time of the Smallman King and his bride. The crab is best fresh from the docks of present-day city, Sondhold, but it is rumored that it used to be served with a special fish caught only by the Mher-folk. How the ancient Parumvir King came by this delicacy is left for speculation . . . "
1/3 cup olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¾ cup chicken broth or dry white wine
1 ½ teaspoon dried
basil leaves (or fresh to taste)
½ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 ½ cups diced tomatoes
1 12-ounce package Faerie Hair (okay,
angel hair) pasta, uncooked
1 can (6 oz.) crabmeat, drained
(Fresh crab from the Sondhold seafood market
is always the best, but if not available, the canner usually has crabmeat
available.)
In large skillet, over medium heat, heat
oil. Add onion, cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
Add broth (or wine) and seasonings. Heat
to boiling; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice; return to boiling. Cook 5
minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package’s
directions; drain. Toss hot pasta with
sauce and crabmeat.
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To cleanse the palate before dessert, the chefs have concocted a particularly wonderful cheese course for today's guests! Indeed, you may find this delicacy dessert enough:
Beana’s Baked Brie
With Cranberry Sauce
Presented by Chefs Hannah and Becky
The chef presenting this recipe tells us: "This recipe is provided by Queen Varvare of Arpiar, this beautiful delicacy seems to hold some special meaning to the Queen and her honored knight, Beana. What they find so amusing is left for audiences to wonder. Legend says the dish has its beginnings in Southlands in the small cottage of Mousehand, where his daughter, Rosie, would lovingly prepare the brie from the milk of her goat. Although her goat would never stand for a milking, a fresh bucket of milk was left at the doorstep at the dawn of every morning. Cranberries were added sometime later in the kitchens of Arpiar."
Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells
Wedges of brie cheese
Cranberry sauce (your favorite recipe or the simple
one below)
Bake Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells according to
package instructions, or if you have your own homemade recipe for this, even
better!
Remove from oven after 20 minutes or until golden
brown. Remove “top” of shell and insert brie wedges. Replace the top and return shells to oven for
5 minutes. Cool. Spoon cranberry sauce over the top, and serve with your
favorite crackers or sourdough bread.
(If you have turnover pastry shells, insert brie
before you bake the shells.)
Cranberry Sauce
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium
saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for
10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour
sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate
until serving time.
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Because there is no better banqueting cheese than brie, you will find another brie option to tempt your palate as well:
Dompstead
Brie Pockets
Presented by Chef Kristen
This recipe was invented by a young lady of Dompstead Town, the daughter of a baker. Her mother wanted her to stay at home and learn her stitching as she should, but the girl, an intrepid lass by the name of Carmina, would slip away to her father's bakery and experiment with pastries. When she first pulled these from her father's oven, the old man recognized them for the delight they were and instantly sent the recipe on to his cousin . . . who happened to be an under-baker at Oriana! Within a month, Carmina was found a new position in Oriana itself, and many of the treats you eat today were prepared by her own hands!
1 large sheet of puff pastry dough
1 6-inch (approximately) round of brie cheese with the top layer (only) of rind removed
1/4 C. tart jam, such as strawberry-rhubarb or black cherry
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350*F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry sheet on the parchment-lined pan and center the brie on top. Spread the jam over the top of the brie and fold the edges of the puff pastry up, pinching them lightly to seal the brie inside. Brush the puff pastry with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a delicate golden brown, then allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.
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Here is another brie option--as seen below with a variety of other fantastic dishes--that will surely catch your eye!
Impish
Brie with Nutty Sauce
Presented by Chef Clara
I only wish I could share with you all the glorious recipes represented here . . . but Chef Clara is very particular about her trade secrets! Only Princess Una and Prince Felix's combined pleading moved her to share the amazing brie recipe seen below:
1/2 cup of pecans
3 tbs. of light brown sugar
3 tbs. of pure maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350, place cheese in oven and warm. Place nuts on clean bakig sheets and bake until toasted. Combine sugar and maple syrup in saucepan and bring to a boil. Drizzle the maple and sugar mixture over the pecans and brie. Serve with crackers or baguettes.
Be certain to sample as well the rest of Chef Clara's amazing feast: Honey- Glazed Salmon with Parmasian Potatoes, Shrimp Cream soup, Grapefruit- Strawberry salad with Pansys, Brie cheese with a mapel syrup and brown sugar pecan glaze, and last, but not least, "Appelbald" pie!
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A variety of sweets are presented at this feast, for the royals of Parumvir are known world-wide for their inclination for sweets! First we have:
Adrilawen
Chocolate Drop
Flatbread
Presented by Chef Molly
There is a story about a farmer boy whose pig ran away into Goldstone Wood. When the boy gave chase, he became lost for days and nights on end. He thought at last that he would starve to death . . . but then he smelled a delightful aroma! Pursuing it, he came upon a beautiful maiden--so beautiful that she must have been a Faerie, despite the freckles on her nose--and she was cooking flatbread over a low fire. She said her name was "Adrilawen," and she shared her meal with the farm boy. In his hunger, he ate so much that upon finishing he fell immediately into a deep slumber. When he woke, his pig was snoozing beside him, and he lay in the backyard of his mother's home.
1¼ cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons salad oil
Sift together dry ingredients. Combine egg, milk, and salad oil; add to dry ingredients. Bake on hot griddle. Makes about 12 dollar (Adrilawen’s copper coin) sized flatbread.
You can put chocolate drops (chocolate chips), nuts, blueberry…anything you want on it. Syrup and butter and whipped cream are also really good!
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Or perhaps you've traveled from Beauclair and long for a taste of home? In that case, you may prefer:
Beauclair
Apple Cobbler
Presented by Chef Tara
The orchards of Beauclair are the finest to be had in all the Western Continent. And a particularly sweet and tart variety of apple known as Miel-Crisps are the favorite all! Young maidens known as "apple girls" carry bushels of them to market and sing a song of summertime and sweetness as they sell their wares. King Grosveneur makes a point to send several bushels of Miel-Crisps to King Fidel every year as a token of his esteem.
4 cups sliced apples-arranged in a baking dish.
Mix-1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 cup pecans and sprinkle over apples.
Mix together: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 egg, 1/2 cup condensed milk, 1/3 cup butter and pour over the top.
Bake at 325 for 55 minutes.
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Some of you will notice a particularly colorful little entry sitting in the midst of all the rest of these wonderful desserts. This is the well-loved:
Faerie Bread
Presented by Chef SaraLyn
Some might call it superstition, but Princess Una's wise old Nurse knows that Faerie Bread is a must at every feast! For Queen Nidawi and her shining little impish subjects are mad for this Faerie Bread. If they should show up unexpectedly (and always invisible) at a banquet and not find their favorite treat . . . oh, what havoc they will wreck! So take a slice if you dare, but don't be surprised if you look down at your plate and find your Faerie Bread has been nibbled when you weren't looking.
1 pkg of white cake mix ( i used no name brand)
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 325F for nonstick pans and 350F for shiny metal pans
Next you grease pans and line bottom with wax paper or dust with flour.
Then in a large bowl, blend cake mix, water,eggs and oil with an electric
mixer at low speed for 30 seconds until moistened. beat at medium speed for
2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl once.
After that you get 4 or 5 smaller bowls (one for each color) and divide the batter evenly into them,
then dye each small bowl of cake batter a different color
Next you scoop a spoonful of each color into your pans so that you
have lots of different color's in each one, then you bake them for 25-30 minutes (30-35 if your baking a cake instead of small loaves)
bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, then cool them on a rack for about ten minutes.
Chef SaraLyn presents her treats!
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There are so many wonderful desserts to choose from, but this one will always stand out:
Southlander Peach
and Milden Blackberry Cheesecake
Presented by Chef Rohan
With fruit imported from both Southlands and Milden, this is not an easy cheesecake to come by. But it certainly makes an eye-catching and delectable addition to any feast! I know the mayor of Sondhold is particularly partial to this one, and always makes certain he gets a slice before it disappears.
·
Crust:
·
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
·
1/4 cup melted butter
Bake
for 10 minutes at 350, set aside to cool.
·
·
Cake:
·
2 Tbsp. butter
·
4 medium sized peaches, peeled, stoned and cut into 1/2" chunks
·
2 pints of fresh blackberries, washed (cook with 2 tbs sugar and a 1 tbs of water
for topping)
·
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
·
3 pkgs. softened (room temperature) cream cheese
·
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
·
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
·
1 cup granulated sugar (maybe a little less)
· 4 large eggs
Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a large
sauté pan
When the butter is hot...add the
peach chunks and cook until hot...add the brown sugar and cook until the sugar
is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from heat.
Remove half of the peaches and all
the sauce, purée until smooth.
Place the cream cheese (it is very
important that the cream cheese is at room temperature), vanilla, lemon juice
and sugar into a large bowl and mix well until the cream cheese is smooth.
Add the eggs and beat until the eggs
are incorporated and a creamy consistency is achieved (do not over beat...this
will cause the cake to be tough).
Set aside 2.5 – 3 cups of
the mixture.
Add the puréed peaches to the remaining
batter and mix just until fully incorporated.
Fold in the remaining chunks of
peaches (once again...do not over mix this...you want some of the pieces to be
whole).
Pour the batter into the pan with
the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Add the rest of the mixture and
smooth.
Tap the cake on a counter top to
remove any air bubbles in the cake.
Wrap the cake pan in foil and place
the cake into a large roasting pan with about ½” of water and then into a
preheated 450° oven. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 250° and bake for 2
hours or until the cake is completely set.
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A fetching dessert for those with an eye for glitter . . .
Hymlumé's Garden
Sugar-Berry Tart
Presented by Chef Anne Elisabeth
Named for the sugary sparkle glazing each and every berry seen here, this is a time-consuming dessert, but so worth the effort!
Tart shell:
1 c. flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter (room temperature)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. ice water
Filling:
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese (soft)
1/3 c. sour cream or yogurt
2 Tbsp. sugar
Toping:
egg white
sugar
variety of berries.
Prepare berries first: Using a small paint brush, brush individual berries with a very thin layer of egg white (too much, at the sparkle won't work). Twirling the berry on a toothpick, sprinkle sugar over the berry until it is coated. Set to dry for three hours or overnight. (This is a nice project to do with a friend-chef. This chef did it by herself and spent over FOUR HOURS at it!)
Tart and Filling: Combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Combine egg yolk and water; stir into flour until dough forms a ball. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of a 9 inch tart or pie pan. Prick bottom and sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until light brown. Cool and set aside. Beat filling ingredients until fluffy. Spread over bottom of cooled shell. Top with sugared berries!
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And if Prince Felix catches you indecisive over the desserts, he will urge you to try this particular treat:
Presented by Chef Rebekah
When Felix was a very little boy, he refused at first to try this dessert, believing the yellow centers looked suspicious. His sister Una, thinking her brother very silly, would tease him and tell him they tasted of all sorts of terrible things--bee's knees, earthworms, fish guts, whatever horrible ingredients her imagination could invent. But one day their father overheard Una's teasing. He told his son that a brave man was willing to sample anything once. Determined to be brave, Felix took a large bite . . . and thus discovered his favorite of all sweet treats! (And he promptly chased down Una and put a spider in her hair to pay her back for her teasing.)
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 300F.
In large bowl beat the ingredients until stiff and forms peaks.
Use a spoon to spread into bowls on parchment paper. Bake for 35-45 mins or until dry all the way through.
For Lemon filling:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp butter or margarine
lemon juice to preferred taste
In a saucepan, mix sugar, flour, cornstarch, water, and dash of salt. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbling. Reduce heat and stir 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir 1 cup of the filling into eggs then return to pan. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat after 2 mins. Stir in butter or margarine and lemon. Add to bowls and refridgerate until cool. Leave in refridge until time to serve or it will melt.
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A new favorite with the Oriana Palace is this delicate little treat:
Gleamdren's Tea Dainties
Presented by Chef Kristen
They are really far too sweet to be served along with tea . . . but Lady Gleamdren was never known for her practicality, so why should a treat named in her honor be practical either? And these do look ever-so fetching when laid out at the table, pink and white and ladylike, just as Lady Gleamdren (if she is more than a legend, of course) must be!
4 egg whites
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
raspberry flavoring
white chocolate drops
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Butter and flour a baking sheet.
In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. Add a drop or two of raspberry flavoring. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing, and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip. Nestle a white chocolate drop in the center of each meringue.
Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.
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These delectable treats are a recent addition to the Parumvir dessert table, another southern delight.
Rose Red's Pillow Pastries
Presented by Chef Ameri
Here is a lovely dessert popular at the Eldest's House. When young Prince Leo was sent to the country for his summer holiday, he would beg the cook at Hill House to make Pillow Pastries for him. Then he would tuck a bunch into his pockets and carry them up the mountain, sharing them with his best friend, Rose Red. She had never eaten anything so delicious! She liked them so much, Prince Leo started to call them "Rose Red's Pillow Pastries" in her honor.
Dough:
One forth pound unsalted butter A.K.A. 1 stick
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup white flour mixed
4 eggs - beaten in individual bowl's
Directions:
Combine water, milk, salt, and sugar in a large saucepan. On high heat bring to quick boil. Add butter, stir till fully melted then add flour stirring vigorously till it forms into soft dough (don't worry if it's crumbly it's just suppose to be moistened) Remove pan from heat and reduce heat to medium. Eggs ready, return saucepan to burner and mix in eggs one at a time then remove from heat and let cool.
Next roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 2 ft by 1 ft rectangle (can be done with hands). Cut width into three equal parts and length wise in half. Then put on wax paper and stack on top of each other. Put in freezer over night or till it's frozen.
Filling: (Suggest get dough out to thaw wile making this)
4 or 5 strawberries (or your choice fruit) chopped
2 spoonfuls of your choice jelly (I used strawberry)
1 tsp sugar
dash of salt
1/4 cup cream cheese, warm
Directions:
Combine jelly, sugar, and salt. Then fold in fruit.
Assemble:
Set dough on a cookie sheet and poke with fork. Cut each square into fore smaller squares. (These form the top and bottom half's). Spread cream cheese on one half being careful around the edges. Then add a small dab of filling. Top with second half, pinching the sides to seal, forming the "pillow".
Cooking:
Preheat oven to 400'F (sorry I can't find the right symbol)
cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool then top with powdered sugar and or icing. ENJOY!
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Another eye-catching treat to tempt the eye is this rich Parumvir dessert:
Faerie Surprise Cake
This recipe was a favorite of Princess Una's mother, and was served every year for her birthday! Even though the queen has long been dead, Una makes certain that her favorite cake is baked again every year in honor of her mother's birthday.
Take a French vanilla cake mix, make it according to the directions on the box, and bake in two round pans. Let the cake cool.
Frosting.
Boil & thicken 1 cup of milk & 1/4 cup of flour. Let cool.
Mix 1 cup of white sugar & 1 cup of softened butter. Not melted.
Add the flour/milk mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and beat.
Turn cooled cake from pan and set on a plate. Put frosting around the edges about an inch from the sides, but leave the center open. Smear 1/4-1/2 of strawberry jam on the center. Place second cake on top, then frost with remaining frosting. Sliced fresh strawberries would be awesome on top, if people liked them.
Felix prefers a chocolate version of this cake himself, with raspberry jam at the center! Una finds this "untraditional," but the Oriana chefs are happy to cater to the young prince's whims.
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This particular style of cake comes from Beauclair and is named for Beauclair's most famous historical princess, the beautiful Ayis. Thus it is known as:
Ayis's Bower Cake
Presented by Chef Kristen
This cake, with its elegant scrollwork, was designed and featured specifically for Princess Ayis's wedding day . . . and soon thereafter became all the rage! Every lady of certain birth insisted upon a cake of similar style, elegant pearlescent piping and verdant coloring. Perhaps Princess Una even asked for a cake of this style for her wedding feast?
Alas, I cannot share this recipe with you, for it is a closely guarded secret among the Beauclair patisserie chefs . . .
Evil Minerva is determined to discover the recipe for herself . . .
And so our feast comes to its end, dear guests! Thank you for attending, and I do hope you enjoyed this feast for the eyes!
Any of these recipes you might try yourself now?
