Pi Day

[badunnin]

So, what kind of pi(e) will you be having for pi day? Mine will be coconut cream. :D For those of you who aren't geeks like I am, Pi Day is March 14th (3/14) in honour of the number pi (3.14...)

[breadmama]

Ha! That's a good one. I never heard that - and I'm a teacher, too! I always thought March 4th was a funny day - each time I wrote it on the board, I'd laugh and try to get my 3rd graders to get the humor "March fourth -get it - March forth, troops!) :) Silly, but I still think that each year when 3/4 rolls around.

Now, thanks to you Bethany, I have a reason to have pie tomorrow! :)

Laurie :)

[little_bopeep]

Coconut cream sounds good, but I think I may make the banana bread pie that was posted recently.

[badunnin]

Originally posted by breadmama
Ha! That's a good one. I never heard that - and I'm a teacher, too! I always thought March 4th was a funny day - each time I wrote it on the board, I'd laugh and try to get my 3rd graders to get the humor "March fourth -get it - March forth, troops!) :) Silly, but I still think that each year when 3/4 rolls around.

Now, thanks to you Bethany, I have a reason to have pie tomorrow! :)

Laurie :)

Laurie - when I coached robotics I had a hard time getting my high schoolers to see it as funny that we wore mechanics coveralls to competitions. The team name was the "Quantum Mechanics" Very geeky indeed.


March forth troops! On to Pi Day!

[Peggy]

Oh my, another day to celebrate with food!!:p Pi day is 3/14 and we should make a pie. Matt has pointed out that 3/15 is the Ides of March and he's making a Caeser Salad. And 3/17 is St Patrick's Day which is a major food fest in my house. Anything special about 3/16 that I can cook up something for ??;)

Peggy

[Natasha]

Ah yes, Pi Day. I forgot about it coming up, and went and bought a nice apple pie last weekend, as a nice little reward after my race. So I think we're all "pied out" for now (or rather, the two of us really *shouldn't* be eating a whole pie every week, unfortunately!), so I'll live vicarously through you! :)

Peggy, I'm looking forward to my Irish Soda Bread on Wednesday. Yum!

Natasha

[Jazzmatazz49]

I just watched Alton Brown making a pie (his meringue looked pitiful!), and was looking for an excuse to make one. Thanks! I think I'll make a buttermilk pie. No meringue on that one, since I dissed AB's already.

[Middydd]

I didn't know it was Pi Day but was planning to make Key Lime Pie because they had Key Limes at the A&P.

I was stunned, I have never seen a Key Lime in a grocery store before, let alone a local one in Ontario.

I'm going to use the recipe from Joe's Stone Crab restaurant via the FoodTv site, unless someone has a better recipe. Calories and fat don't matter in this case, since this is a special treat.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_14029,00.html

[Middydd]

Originally posted by Peggy
Matt has pointed out that 3/15 is the Ides of March and he's making a Caeser Salad.

Peggy

Any reason to have a Bloody Caesar!! Thanks for the excuse.

[Chiffonade]

What deja vu! When we lived in SW CO, a math teacher requested that all students bring a pie for pi day. She gave extra credit to those who brought pies. You'd figure that every kid would bring a pie just for the extra credit, right? Out of 25, only seven brought pies!! How sad is that??

I sent DD with my apple pie with Cheddar Cheese pastry.

[ErinM]

Originally posted by Peggy
Anything special about 3/16 that I can cook up something for ??;)

Peggy

Well, Peggy, your question intrigued me so off I went. Here's what I found for March 16 from this site :

Black Press Day
Curlew Day
Freedom Of Information Day
Goddard Day
Lips Appreciation Day
President James Madison’s Birthday (4th President)
St. Urho's Day

Not sure what can be done with these...I'd have to put some more thought/research into it. Maybe James Madison's favorite foods?

There's also an intersting holiday coming up on the 19th...for Iran, it's their "National Day of Oil"

Here's the site I used: http://www.holidays.net/dailys.htm

[Beth]

Coconut sounds good to me, especially since I just got thinking about the coconut tiramisu I had at Disney World (apparently a dessert the Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge is known for). Not sure if I'm rested enough to make a pie yet, but we'll see.

[slknight]

I think I'll have a pizza pi. :D

[breadmama]

I'm making Toll House cookies in pie plates, to serve wedges of "pi" at our Mother-Daughter book club. If they didn't know about pi yet, they'll learn today! :)

[badunnin]

Originally posted by Beth
Coconut sounds good to me, especially since I just got thinking about the coconut tiramisu I had at Disney World (apparently a dessert the Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge is known for). Not sure if I'm rested enough to make a pie yet, but we'll see.

Ok, I may be evil, but I love you Beth for sending me sourdough starter, so I found this for you...

Cocomisu (Coconut Tiramisu)
from Boma, Animal Kingdom Lodge

Yield: 15 servings

Syrup
8 oz Sugar
16 oz Water
10 oz Coconut Puree
8 oz Kahlua Liquor

30 pieces Ladyfingers
3 lb Mascarpone Cheese
1 lb Powder Sugar
8 Egg Yolks
7 sheets Gelatin
10 oz Coconut Puree
½ can Coco Lopez
1 qt Heavy Cream
1 cup Toasted Coconut

Make syrup by boiling water and sugar in a saucepot. Once it boils, remove from flame and transfer into another container. Mix with coconut puree and Kahlua.

Soak each ladyfinger while syrup is still warm and set aside on a sheet pan.

Soak gelatin leaves in cold water until soft. Remove excess water, then place gelatin in coconut puree in a small bowl. Place over a hot bath to dissolve the gelatin. Set aside.

In the mixer, whip mascarpone cheese with powder sugar. Add yolks, Coco Lopez and heavy cream. Whip until thick.

Temper some of this mixture in the gelatin and put it back with the rest of the filling.

Continue to whip until mixture has doubled. Be careful not to over whip and curdle the cheese.

Place soaked ladyfingers on the bottom of desired deep dish, about 4 inches deep. Ladle about an inch and a half of the filling.

Place another layer of ladyfingers, then ladle another layer of filling.

Smooth the top with a spatula, and then sprinkle the top with toasted coconut.

[Beth]

No, no, no! You are not evil! Hug and Kisses! I was going to look for that or write them later. I think it would be a fun variation, especially when the weather warms and we have a pool party. I will have to try it -- maybe looking at a CL tiramisu recipe to see about lightening it. Or maybe not -- I'm not likely to make it often... and looking at the recipe, I'm glad I didn't get back for a second taste! :)

[Beth]

Bump!

Gotta get all the hugs and kisses you can!!! ;)

[badunnin]

Originally posted by Beth
Bump!

Gotta get all the hugs and kisses you can!!! ;)

Mmmmmmwhaaa! Love you too!

And looking at this recipe, it may be something I need to make for spring. Hmmm. Having company from Wales next weekend....

[Peggy]

Great research, Erin!! Lips Appreciation Day??!!:D Hmmmmm.... I'll have to make note of that link for future reference.

Peggy

[Peggy]

Originally posted by Middydd
Any reason to have a Bloody Caesar!! Thanks for the excuse.

Do tell - What is in a Bloody Caesar ?

Peggy

[Middydd]

Clamato juice (a mixture of clam and tomato juice, sold in a few variations, Original, Extra Spicy and "The Works". The Works includes extra spices and horseradish.), vodka, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper, worcestershire sauce, glass rimmed with celery salt.

I think it might be the favourite mixed drink of Canadians. When I travel to visit family in the States I bring Clamato juice because I haven't seen "The Works" in American groceries.

http://www.mottsclamato.com/Classic.html

[hAndyman]

Peggy & Erin
St. Urho's Day - March 16 - honours a Finnish saint who rid Finland of grasshoppers and saved the Finnish wine industry from ruin, so the legend goes. I don't really know if Finland ever had a plague of grasshoppers or a wine industry, but who's to question a legend. Kinda like St. Patrick's Day, eh?
Anyways, here's a delicious and easy Finnish bread recipe, chock full of oatmeal, recently posted by OlgaD@Gail's that I will make again for St. Urho's Day. It's great for toast or sandwiches.

Finnish Oatmeal Bread (Kaurahiutaleleipa)

This bread has a distinct toasted oatmeal aroma and flavour when it is toasted. It is one of the simplest breads to make that you can find! Soft, tender and delicious.

1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups warm water
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
3 to 4 cups white flour

Combine the yeast, salt, and water in a bowl, stirring until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the oats and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes, or until it is very sticky when stirred. Slowly add enough flour, stirring all the while, to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Be sure to add flour until the dough is no longer sticky, for the dough softens while it rises. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn over to grease the top, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (from 1 to 3 hours). Shape into 2 round loaves, place on a buttered baking sheet, and ***** all over with a fork. Let rise again until doubled.
Bake in a moderately hot oven (375 F) for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter while hot and cool, covered lightly with clean towels, on racks.
Makes 2 loaves.

Olga's Note: I used 3/4 TABLESPOON of bread machine yeast for this recipe and it only took 1 hour to rise and 1 hour formed into round loaves. I only needed 3 cups of unbleached white flour. A very nice and tasty bread.
From The Finnish Cookbook B. Ojakangas

Andy's notes: I add the salt to the yeast/water/oats mixture after the 30 minutes soaking. I also add a Tbs of soft butter and about 2 tsp gluten. I baked in convection oven at 375° between 25 and 30 minutes. I sprinkle flour over the loaves when formed and starting their second rise, and omit the butter brushed on the hot cooked loaves - very attractive!

Cheers! Andy
PS: while typing this my wife came in wondering where the rest of that delicious oatmeal bread I made a couple days ago was - all gone :(

[Beth]

Well, then I guess a grasshopper pie would be appropriate too -- if a bit much on sweets so close to Pi Day. :D

[AzAnne]

Been craving chocolate and pie... so I made a chocolate mousse pie.
Didn't have a receipe so I winged it :o won't know until tonight how it turns out

[hAndyman]

Good one, Beth!:D How about some real chocolate-covered grasshoppers on top!
Cheers! Andy, chewing it over, and over again:D

[Peggy]

Andy,

Thanks for the information and the recipe! Who ever knew there were so many important potentially food-centered celebrations so close together in March ?!;)

Peggy

[Peggy]

Middydd,

Thanks for educating me on what sounds like a very interesting drink! May just have to experiment with Clamato juice and try making a Bloody Caesar.:p

Peggy

[emily]

Ah, yes, I've become well acquainted with Caesar's living in Vancouver. Just as Middy described. If you like Bloody Mary's then you'll love a Caesar - at least I do :)

As for pi, well, I am going out for dinner tonight, so perhaps I'll have to celebrate :p

Emily

[pilgrim719]

Originally posted by slknight
I think I'll have a pizza pi. :D

Since pizza was already on the menu for tonight, I guess I unintentionally celebrated Pi Day. Yay! :) For dessert I had a big chocolate chip cookie, which is pie-shaped, but I guess doesn't really count. It was tasty, though (love those Harry & David cookies)!

Kari

[MISSINDI]

Didn't know Pi Day was yesterday -- never was good in school math anyway. Now all things MONEY math -- that's a different story! Anyway, I digress! I just happened to have made Lemon Meringue Pie yesterday (saw recipe I liked) to bring into the office, so I'm saved!! :D

Now, about 3/16, I happen to have a White House cookbook on the shelf next to the computer. Some history: he was the 4th President, from 1809-1817, born in Virginia. There are two recipes in the book from Dolly Madison - Beef Collops and Frying Herbs. Happy to type 'em in if you want 'em.

More importantly, this seems perfect:
James Madison, called "The Father of the Constitution" married the widow, Dolly Payne Todd, in October 1794 at a beautiful Virginia plantation named Harewood, situated in then Jefferson County, Virginia, now part of West Virginia. Harewood was the home of President Washington's nephew. It was both a beautiful and historic location for a wedding. The estate had once belonged to Washington's older brother, Samuel. The then-Congressman Madison and his bride were married before an elaborate mantle that Lafayette had gifted the plantation with. No doubt Harewood Plantation Pound Cake was served at the wedding feast, for it was the most popular cake of the day. This is the authentic recipe that has been handed down from Harewood Plantation.

Plantation Pound Cake
1 lb butter
1/2 t lemon extract
1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg
10 eggs, separated
1 lb confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 lb all purpose flour, sifted (4 cups)
1 T French brandy

Cream the butter with the extract and nutmeg until butter is as soft as thick cream. Beat egg yolks until thick. Mix alternately into the creamed butter the sugar, flour and egg yolks and mix together thoroughly. Mix in the brandy. Gentle fold in the well beaten egg whites until blended. Grease and dust with flour a 10 inch tubed pan or two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Pour in the batter and bake at 300 about 1 hour 45 minutes or until cake tests done.

Have fun with it!