30.3.08 Some "kitchen friends" and..Suprise

OK, I have been wery busy with my studies in recent weeks.


So, I haven`t posted anything new but I promise I`m coming to poting more cooking stuff in next week(I hope I will post in tomorrow if I just (again..)) have some time to do it.
But this is great begining of my postings. I have been cooking a lot of rcent times and also sometimes take some photos. But in this post you shall see my new (and not so new) kitchen companions.

That yellow one is lovely, miniature lemon tree which moved for sitting on our kitchens table about week before easter. It was such a love in first seeing,I like those yellow, bright colour of small, lemons.(Only "not-so-great" thing is that at they aren`t eatable sort of lemons..).


This is small "kotitonttu"(=Finnish "home elf" which lives usually in kitchen) which I find when I was grubbing one of kitchen cupboards. I was thinking "what? Who are you?" and this small "tonttu" just staring me for those little black, button eyes.. Well, I was thinking at he suits better to taking care of my "kitchen tree" than lurking from that cupboard. I named he "Yrjö" which is little "oldish" finnish mans name, but also means.. Vomit. But that elf is nice and not brings me any associations with..Vomit. Just Yrjö.




OK.. And this is my wery best( and oldest of those which I have mentioned in this post) kitchen friend, and also the wery best friend outside kitchen. Nelli. Shes lying on the flooor and looks..Hmm.. A bit bored? OK, she is N-O-T vegan, if she could decide she wants only eat meat and by products in every form avaible. But, sometimes I can fool her a bit-> She likes seitan! And hates oatporridge in every form(I love oat porridge with blueberry soup!) but thats another post...


And then the SUPRISE! This is not actually my "kitchen friend" but I like it a lot! MÄMMI! Again one of those strange finnish traditions. Mämmi is used to eat durin easter time, so I have been eating mämmi about 2 weeks now(and still have some in my fridge!). Mämmi is made from water, rye flour and powdered rye malt, seasoned with dark molasses, salt and dried, powdered Seville orange peel. The mixture is then allowed to go through a slow, natural sweetening process before being baked in an oven until set. Preparation takes many hours, and after baking the mämmi is stored chilled for 3 to 4 days before being ready to eat. Sometimes mild fermentation can occur during preparation.
Generally mämmi is eaten cold with either cream and sugar, vanilla sauce or vanilla ice-cream. It is also eaten spread on top of a slice of bread. I love to eat mämmi with Alpro`s vanilla soy milk! Heavenly afternoon snack! (and there is also my wery new, gorgeous VCtoW pictured in backround!!)

In this year I bought that organic mämmi with no added sugar. Its more better than those which have sugar added(but they aren`t bad!). I think mämmi is one of most devalued treats, but I think is the only idea why I shall "celebrite" easter(Is doesn`t have any religious mention for me, just eating mämmi and celebrating more like "spring is comin" feast).

But, because I haven`t post any recipe since my "Luumukiisseli"(another finnish tradition) I shall post recipe for preparing home made MÄMMI! (X-treme!!!)

FINNISH MÄMMI

Simple recipe
6 quarts (6 L)water
1 lb. (1 kg) rye malt
3 lbs (1.5 kg) rye flour
molasses to taste
1-2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. chopped orange rind

Mix 500 gm of malt with 1 litre of tepid water and put a thick layer of rye flour onto the surface. Cover, and leave it in a warm place for two hours. Sift the remaining malt and flour together. Uncover the pot, mix thoroughly and then add 1 litre of boiling water. Make another layer of malt/flour on the surface, cover the pot and again leave for an hour in a warm place. Repeat until all the ingredients are used. Finally add the salt and bigarade or orange zest and boil for 10 minutes, stirring well. Cool by whisking well and half fill moulds with the cooled mixture. Bake at 150°C (300F) for three hours.

OK. More is coming, keep forward: I have some easter candies, bakings,cookings which I`m coming to post.. Untill that keep on eating mämmi and enjoying your life!