FCG: Piratical Recipes 09/12/06

Greetings Gangsters! Welcome to Camille, new member of our group! Mark your calendars for a week from today: Tuesday, September 19, 2006, is "National Talk Like a Pirate Day." Online (and probably in bookstores) you can find Pirate-to-English-to-Pirate dictionaries to assist you in celebrating this illustrious holiday. I actually read a book about pirates recently (David Cordingly's "Under the Black Flag," but I wouldn't really recommend it highly), and for those who have seen that Pirates of the Carribbean movie, there was really actually a pirate code. (I cannot vouch for the presence of the "parlez" portion of it, though.) An additional resource that discusses piracy and spice (briefly) is Jack Turner's "Spice, A History of Temptation" (though I don't really recommend it too highly either unfortunately). I actually do not have any specifically piratical recipes. I could have sent out a recipe for hardtack or salt cod, or grog (if I could find that), but I would rather experiment with things I (and hopefully you) would actually eat. While Spanish pieces of eight was the currency of choice for plundering, Pirates dealt in other currencies as well and would attack just about any ship that looked halfway prosperous and confiscate other goods, including, but not limited to, slaves, sugar, tobacco, rum, and spices. Spice, then will be the piratical connection for this recipe. :) It's a cake, but it's a little different. Plus, if you leave it unfrosted (I do), it's almost healthy, right? :) This recipe came from Jean Raye's book "A Piece of Cake" (which book I did enjoy and would recommend). As always, enjoy! -Devon

Pistachio Cake
3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (4oz)
1 cup all-purpose flour (don't you love a recipe that doesn't require special cake flour?)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom (no substitutions--this is a way cool spice so don't pass up your chance to use it)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla (another exotic spice, believe it or not)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) soft, unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 F and butter a 13x9x2" cake pan, then line bottom with wax paper. Butter paper and then dust the whole thing with flour (knock out excess). Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Be careful not to make pistachio butter, though. This is why pulsing is important, pulsing is our friend. Add the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt and pulse a couple times to mix. Beat your butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Alternately add pistachio flour mix and milk and vanilla (mix these together if you want) to the butter/egg mix, end with flour. Mix until just combined. Spread evenly in the cake pan and bake in middle position until tester comes clean, which is about 20 minutes. Cool on rack for about 10 minutes, then loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto rack. Remove paper and flip it back over onto a platter. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Very good stuff and a change from your typical chocolate or whatever. :)

SPECIAL BONUS SECTION!
English-to-Pirate Dictionary
hello=ahoy
hi=yo-ho-ho
my=me
friend=me bucko
sir=matey
madam=proud beauty
stranger=scurvy dog
where=whar
is=be
the=th'
you=ye
tell=be tellin'
know=be knowin'
old=barnacle-covered
nearby=broadside
restaurant=galley
pardon me=avast
excuse me=arrrrr
how far=how many leagues
left=port
right=starboard
bathroom=head
come here=heave to
chat or talk=have a gam
top=crow's nest
bottom=bilge
there=thar
the sea=Davey Jones' Locker
money or riches=booty
abandon=maroon