Tarta de Santiago
(St. James Almond Cake)
July 25: Feast Day of St. James the Greater
A miniature version of Our Lady of the Pillar is displayed in the chapel of Islander’s brother’s house. Members of his religious community brought back the replica from Saragossa, Spain, where their founder, Father William Joseph Chaminade, was exiled during the French Revolution. There he was inspired by Mary with a mission to bring faith and hope back to France and to the world.
Centuries earlier, St. James was also inspired by Our Blessed Mother to do the same and share the gospels and love of her son, Jesus Christ, with the Spaniards and the world. In an apparition to Sant Iago, as he was called in Spain, she presented him with a pillar as a promise to help him with his mission. St. James built a chapel in Saragossa in her honor. Shortly thereafter, he was martyred and his remains are believed to be enshrined at the cathedral in another Spanish town, Compostela.
Santiago de Compostela is the third most frequently visited Christian pilgrimage site after Rome and Jerusalem. Several eateries in the area sell a Spanish almond cake, called Tarta de Santiago, associated with the country’s patron saint. We baked and decorated one for his feast day and also featured his cross in the center of the cake. Taste the tradition and make Tarta de Santiago for the Feast Day of St. James.
Recipe
(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 ½ cup flour
- ½ cup water
- 2 ½ cups almond flour/meal
- 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
- powdered sugar
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until smooth. Add the butter, flour and water. Mix until well blended. Add the almond flour/meal.
Stir in the grated lemon rind. Pour the batter into a greased, 10-inch round cake pan. Spread evenly for a smooth top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack over another baking pan to catch the crumbs and powdered sugar. Print and cut out a graphic of the St. James cross. Center it on top of the cake.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the cake using a sieve. Carefully remove the paper cutout with tweezers.
Brush off any stray powdered sugar or crumbs. Present the cake on a platter or board. Slice into wedges and serve.
Notes
Coney Island and
Chicago Hot Dogs
Coney Island-Style Hot Dog
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Plain Hot Dog
July 20: National Hot Dog Day
From baseball stadiums and street cart vendors to casual restaurants and backyard barbecues, a simple sausage tucked into a sliced bun known as the “hot dog” is an All-American fast food favorite. Highlander likes to dress up his dog but Islander prefers hers plain. But we thought the latter would be a boring blog post, so Highlander suggested sharing two regional recipes from our food memories. The first version is a Coney Island-style hot dog (despite the name, it is not from New York but from Michigan, and the toppings are referred to as “sauce” instead of as “chili”). The second version is a Chicago-style hot dog (these were proudly prepared all over the suburbs—we lived in Northwestern Illinois for more than five years—and certainly at the White Sox and Cubs baseball games that Highlander attended). For National Hot Dog Day, try either of these two hot dog delicacies!
Coney Island-Style Hot Dog
(Adapted from Kraft Foods)
For the “sauce”
- Hot dogs (beef and pork), grilled
- Hot dog buns, steamed
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- yellow mustard
Directions
Grill the hot dogs and keep them warm. Chop the onion, reserving some for the garnish. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, make the “sauce” (chili topping). Brown the ground beef and the onions, draining any liquids. Pour in the tomato sauce. Add the chili powder. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce.
Assemble the Coney Dogs by placing the hot dogs in the buns. Top with the chili beef mixture. Squirt mustard over it. Garnish with the reserved chopped onions. Serve immediately.
Chicago-Style Hot Dog
(Recipe based on Wikipedia)
Ingredients
- Hot dogs (all-beef), boiled or steamed
- Hot dog buns, poppy seed
- Yellow mustard
- Chopped white onions
- Sweet pickle relish
- Dill pickle spear
- Tomato slices
- Capsicum/Chile de Arbol/sport pepper
- Celery salt, dash
- NO KETCHUP!!!
Directions
Cook the hot dog and place in a poppy seed bun. Squirt mustard over the hot dog. Add the chopped onions and sweet pickle relish. Stick a dill pickle spear alongside the hot dog. Place the tomato slices on top. Tuck a pepper on the other side. Sprinkle with a dash of celery salt. Do not add ketchup.
Notes
A Delicious Domain:
July 13: Highlander and Islander’s Wedding Anniversary
Tapaidh leat and mahalo nui loa. Thank you (in Scots Gaelic and Hawaiian) to Islander’s brother, Kahuna, for giving our blog its own domain name to commemorate our 15th wedding anniversary in 2011! HI Cookery can still be accessed via https://hicookery.wordpress.com but it will take readers to http://www.hicookery.com or http://hicookery.com.
We also want to thank those who are new subscribers as well as those who have faithfully followed us as we, Highlander and Islander, gradually build our blog and “cook the calendar” with ethnic and eclectic recipes. Your support, prayers, patience and encouragement have made this hobby a worthwhile and delicious endeavor!
HI COOKERY 