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Speaker: Dancing with Dingoes, Part II

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  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to sally jones,

    Do you feed it with brandy? The cake, I mean?

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    When I was in NZ in October, perhaps the most delicious thing I ate was a proper lovely Neenish tart. But I could not find a decent tan square anywhere. Are these a thing of the past? Possibly only a regional treat (I only made it to Tauranga this trip). Suggestions please for when I return at Christmas. I'm desperate.

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    For tan square, as for cheese-n-onion sandwiches and other nearly-lost cultural artifacts, your best bet is the smaller regional towns. My best recent lunch stop was in Hawera - lots of the trad treats. I can't say that I recall tan square specifically, though, since I had a Neenish tart in accordance with the informal survey project I was then undertaking. My family found said project (and its custard square co-project) hilarious, although they did manage to stop laughing now and then to participate.

    Dear every bakery in NZ that puts buttercream in their Neenish tarts instead of gooey lemony goodness and/or instant pudding in their custard squares instead of custard: please don't kthx.

    The other side of things is that tan square is at least relatively straightforward to make for yourself and the ingredients are available even in exotic locales such as London (and Ithaca). Ditto on Neenish tart ingredients, I suppose, although there are more components and I generally end up deciding that I'd rather expend the effort on something with better payoff.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Tamsin6,

    I recently spotted a billboard offering bulk tan slice on special outside a bakery with a factory-type shop here in light-industrial Christchurch. As the tan slice name has always rather dampened my curiosity, I'm unable to vouch for the stuff.

    Amy:

    . . . cheese-n-onion sandwiches and other nearly-lost cultural artifacts

    Cheese & onion sandwiches seem to rule around here, every lunch bar has the bloody things. I bet they even have a gluten free version, which of course isn't the same as gluteus maximus free, i.e. no ham.

    The Rutles:

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    The Rutles:

    [Like]

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones, in reply to Tamsin6,

    But I could not find a decent tan square anywhere.

    Tamsin: Thank you for bringing tan squares to the thread discussion. We don't have them in Aussie. When I first moved to NZ from OZ one of the hardest adjustments I had to make was to the inferior baked goods. Much has changed since then but in the late 80s it was all tan squares and iced buns, butter cream Neenish and a pink and jam slice of unknown identity. In Sydney the Italian influence practically means custard cannolis on every street corner. Though being crass Australians we also had spunk buns - for cultural balance.

    As the tan slice name has always rather dampened my curiosity

    Joe: Tan slice? I suppose the name lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. The French wouldn't be caught dead eating one, dare say. On the other hand, at least you know what you're getting (in terms of colour). With a Neenish it seems it could be lemon or butter cream filling. With cake - and related treats - it is very important to know what you're getting. With a tan square, what you see is what you get. No punches pulled.
    Having said that, I've never eaten one.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    Although I have code-switched to "tan square" in deference to the existing conversation, it's always been "caramel cake" in my sub-dialect. This sounds substantially more delicious, although does require the insider knowledge that cake qua cake is not actually involved.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones, in reply to Amy Gale,

    Although I have code-switched to "tan square" in deference to the existing conversation, it's always been "caramel cake" in my sub-dialect. This sounds substantially more delicious, although does require the insider knowledge that cake qua cake is not actually involved.

    Oh no! I like "tan square". It's uniquely frank. Tan is such an understated - and probably, underrated - colour. I've met a hundred caramel cakes and caramel slices, but only the one tan square. I say, keep the Kiwiana! Plus it's much more descriptive.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,

    Jacqui: No brandy, sadly. Port. I know! it's probably the worst thing, but that's all we had. That or creme de menthe. The cake tastes good. Good to very good (if I do say so...). But next time I'll get the brandy.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to sally jones,

    I've never made a fruit cake, but feeding them is another thing altogether! Best thing I ever did was buy one of those really expensive Christmas cakes (reduced to a fraction of the pre-Christmas price straight after the festive week) and feed it brandy once a week for the whole year.

    I'm telling you, it wash delishush!

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,

    and feed it brandy once a week for the whole year.

    If only I were a Christmas cake!

    But seriously, that's some dedication to the cause. I've never heard of this 'feeding' process with the brandy. Might try it on the present batch for next year, if there's any left - unlikely. Though something tells me that drip feed approach could cost me a lot of brandy ;)

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to sally jones,

    Tan is such an understated - and probably, underrated - colour.

    And there was me thinking that chicks dig beige, but only because I once had a neighbour who had that slogan as a bumper sticker on his beige Ford Laser.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    He'd be a goer at the local RSA..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to sally jones,

    Doesn’t require much brandy at all, but only if you can resist the urge to sample it yourself after the feeding.

    You just dribble the liquor evenly over the cake – a teaspoonful or two – but not so much that it’s soggy. It soaks in, and lodges rather nicely in the fruit.

    (Actually, a common or garden fruit cake would come up wonderfully too.)

    ETA: Turn the cake upside down, though. They're often glazed.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Lol.

    Bastes bottom with basic brandy. Brandishes beauty beaming.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    I love the little regional differences in ANZ names of things...we called tan square caramel square - it was topped with the goo made from a tin of condensed milk simmered slowly for a looong time; chocolate sprinkles, and special baked cake crumbs (never did learn how to produce those.) It took my mother quite some time to produce, and then the whole large baking tin-full would be devoured by her 6 voracious offspring as soon as it cooled....

    Neenish tarts? Always the innards were lemony-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • dyan campbell,

    "tan square" in deference to the existing conversation, it's always been "caramel cake"

    No, no, "tan square" has a lovely ring to it... I made "Brown Walnut Cake from hundreds of recipes in my NZ Colonial Cookery because the name was so descriptive, so simple. It's brown, walnut and cake. The whole name just makes sense. The recipe uses no sugar - but a whole lot of treacle and lots and lots of walnuts. It's incredibly delicious, though in deference to modern times, I use much less butter.

    Cheese 'n onion sandwich? It's many things.... I used to quite like the cheese and onion sandwiches served by the White Lady, after a gig at the Gluepot, decades ago. They used to serve them in little paper bags, and they were so greasy that you'd hold them out, away from your body on the diagonal and the grease would stream out one corner... when it slowed to a trickle it meant the sandwich had drained enough and the molten cheese and giant chunks of onion had cooled to a relatively safe temperature. They were not fine cuisine, but to distance runners who had not eaten for 4 or 5 hours they were quite wonderful. Plus they were pretty much the only thing you could buy in Auckland in the middle of the night, after a gig back then.

    And for all of you wanting cake, Christmas cake, or cake with booze... here is the best Christmas cake story... A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote.

    Islander! Your fictional character, the small boy Simon - I always wanted to send him to spend a day or two making cakes with these fictional characters, Buddy, Buddy's Cousin, Queenie the dog and Haha Jones the Indian.

    Once you get fictional characters who take up space in your mind being introduced to other fictional characters... well, Islander you did a fine job creating them. Simon does not quite haunt me, but he is in a pantheon of fictional characters I almost believe in - against common sense, in a way that would probably qualify me as a bit crazy... Simon, my dear child, I'd like you to meet Buddy and his dog Queenie...

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 595 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    "Simon, my dear child, I'd lkike you to meet Buddy and his dog Queenie"...

    dyan, that is such an invitation! And I think he'd like his friend (cousin Sookie?) just as much. (And, Haha Jones..)

    I've only read the 'classic' Truman Capote, so this short story was a most delightful surprise. It leaves as much unsaid as said. It glides past horrors. It doesnt heroise.
    It involves you-the-reader by the short&curlies -in a kind way of course- and realises/releases you as another kite-

    And whoa! Any cake that involves that many pecans...

    I especially loved Capote's conceit of sending off brillant cakes to unmet (though not random) folk.
    Maybe we could do this?

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    O, and also, many fictional characters colonise my mind (and not just my own...)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6,

    Islander, I love the little regional differences too - perhaps tan square is a South Island name - I remember being very surprised by finding a version with chocolate chips - my favourite bit is the (much less sweet than the topping of goo) crunchy cake crumb part sprinkled on the top. I always assumed they were the same stuff as the base the goo was spread on.
    Dyan - my Nan used to make the most awesome walnut cake. She had a walnut tree in her garden and had to find some way to use them all up - preferably with as much lovely golden syrup (rather than all treacle) as possible.

    I don't remember cheese and onion sandwiches, but being originally from Southland, I have a soft spot for cheese rolls...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_roll

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Okay, I don’t bake, and I’m not a big cake person really – but the ones I loved when I was a child were my mum’s date loaf, and her marble cake. Absolutely couldn’t beat them. And I am a sucker for a custard square. But pastries? Oh my sweet goddess. The Mt Eden bakery, years ago, used to sell these things called beestings and they were custardy, cakey fabulous. Also, I am rather partial to a mille feuille, and I really like eclairs. The Eden On Eiffel does these things called Religieuses which are profiteroles with chocolate custard in them. And you can’t go past an almond croissant from Wild Wheat OR the Mt Eden bakery. I must reiterate that I haven’t eaten any of those things for a number of years……….

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    I do love old NZ cookbooks. Plainspoken names. Watercolors of jellies. Disturbing foodstuffs. All of it.

    One of my occasionally-repulsive specimens is a post-war Aunt Daisy cookbook. In a world where all the butter is going to the UK, afghans apparently have to be made with cod fat.

    There were only a couple of million NZers. Would it REALLY have made such a difference to let them all have as much butter as they wanted before shipping the rest off? After all, there was apparently plenty of cod fat to send if they needed more lipids.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Amy Gale,

    Watercolors of jellies.

    Not NZ, but classic jelly porn (SFW).

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    More jelly. This one is lushus.

    From my retro box collection, containing original contents. Yes, I do have a collection of boxes containing ancient jelly crystals, among other things. So?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

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