When I read about John's mooncake/pancake challenge I really contemplated if I should do it or not. I was sure about doing a terrible job if I had to do the traditional Chinese mooncake, but Canadian pancake sounded much easier to me.
I'm not sure if the challenge is still on, or have anyone ever entered other than John, who probably would be pretty pleased with the first prize and extend his stay on CLM with his Canadian caramel pancake that even his wife didn't approve of to be called a worthy try or give it a bite.
I thought, as I finished with everything on a Sunday afternoon, I would not let the captain of the sinking ship called “Mooncake” go under by himself. So I went to the store and bought the ingredients for my own Hungarian pancake and in 45 minutes it was done and ready to eat. Unfortunately, there was no one around to taste or judge it for me.
I thought I'd ask a neighbour of mine to evaluate my chef-d'oeuvre. My next door neighbour is a single Chinese woman, but we don't really say a lot other than a 'hi' here and there to each other. I think she really doesn't like me (July Chen might be right about me being a left over here in Canada), so I decided not even bother and ask her.
The other neighbours who came into my mind were an old couple, but when I mentioned to them I put a little bit of rum extract in it they refused to taste it. Although, I saw a sparkle in the old man's eyes when I mentioned the word 'rum'. But it was very short lived when his eyes met his wife's scolding glances, and his hopes for a wild night vanished from his mind as fast as the sparkle disappeared from his begging eyes.
Sometimes, I really debate in myself which is better, if I live by myself or with a female general who tells me what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
But let's get back to the pancake business in hand. I guess, you have to be satisfied with my own evaluation of the cake which is of course, it's very delicious and I have to give it 5 out of 5 stars, just because I want to beat John's 4 star Canadian pancake and I'll give you 5 reason why this is a 5 star pancake.
1. Mine is a Hungarian pancake. I'm not sure how familiar you are with European history and if even heard about Attila the Hun who more than 1600 years ago discovered how to preserve meat with saddles without a fridge for his barbaric, brave warriors when they raided the entire Europe. Hungarian gastronomy has a longer history than Canadian gastronomy could ever have.
2. As you can see in the photo my pancake disguises itself way better with it's dark spots to be called a “moon”-cake than John's Canadian pancake.
3. Mine has layers of vanilla and chocolate filling against John's one caramel filling.
4. It has rum in it which is never a bad thing for some people.
5. I've tasted it and I'm still alive. I'm not sure though how John's dog Hombre and cat Coffee are feeling after they tasted his pancake. He is really quiet about that.
Now, if you all excuse me I need to retire because my stomach is full and I'm getting to feel the effect of the rum.
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I call foul. I call foul. I call foul! (swear)
Imi, I can't believe this of you. :o;)
Bad enough that you have snuck in this entry at the very last second, trying to got the votes of all those naive Chinese women who think you are some kind of saint quickly before they have a chance to really consider the merit of your Mooncake. At least I can be confident that JulyChen won't fall for your skullduggery. (envy)
But added to that, you've photo shopped your first picture to try to make it look somehow like the colour of the moon, even though your second natural picture reveals it is not that colour at all. This is the infamous Glamour Shot. I'm pretty sure that Paul Fox will have something to say about that. Right Paul, I'm sure I've got your vote. (handshake)
I'm surprised you didn't add a fart joke to your entry to get Barry's vote. (rofl)
And let me add that Hombre and Coffee both go search in the kitchen every chance they get for any hint of some more of my delectable Mooncake. They are constantly looking up at me with their big, pleading eyes, urging me to make another Mooncake for them. Believe it, it's all they think about. (wasntme)
Okay Anonymous and Imi, the gloves are off now. May the best Mooncake win!
Well, as you you have a lovely wife who cook for you, but Imi has not had yet, I vote for Imi's pancake. This will please so many women after he upgrade to be a gold member. (rofl)
You do this pancakes, it needs to fermentation it?
I hope it is saltiness.
I don't really need Barry's vote as we all know a man with a spoon, a fork, a knife and a microwave in his kitchen is not really eligible to vote in any gastronomy contest.
Let's take a look at your pictures though John! In your first photo I see a mushroom not a pancake. And I know there are some really poisonous once out there that have the ability to kill humans not even to mention innocent pets.
As an animal lover myself, I'm really concerned about the well being of Hombre and Coffee. I'm afraid I need some proofs of their welfare.
You saw in kidnapping cases where people hold up a newspaper to prove their own welfares. I need you to prove me Hombre and Coffee are alright by taking a picture of them as they sit up and holding today's newspapers with their forelegs at the same time.
Anything else less than that, I wouldn't believe you they're alive.
In your second photo I see a really questionable material in colour coming out of your pancake. Are you sure it was caramel that you put in there as a filling?
John, Anonymous, if the gloves are off then bring it on! Take your best shots!
No, it doesnt need fermentation. It needs a little bit of salt though. My mother taught me how to do it when I was around 13 years old. It's very easy to make and you can put any kind of filling you want in it.
My favorite filling is grinded walnut cooked in milk with sugar and of course rum or brandy extract.
I spread this filling first on top of my first pancake and I spread apricot jam on the second layer of pancake. I repeat this process until I covered all my pancakes.
Sometimes my mother made 100s of very thin Layer of pancakes and built it very high with different kind of sweet fillings.
Here in the pictures I used only 15-20 pancakes that's why it looks a little bit flat.
@Imi5922
"we all know a man with a spoon, a fork, a knife and a microwave in his kitchen is not really eligible to vote in any gastronomy contest."
You are so right, Imi.
I have lived in my current house for eight years - I cannot remember EVER turning on my stove to cook something. Even when I remodelled my kitchen two years ago and installed a nice new stove, it's never been used. It's there for decoration only.
If something can't be either eaten fresh or cooked in a microwave, it's not worth bothering about, in my view.
As for mooncakes, I vote for Imi's one because at least it looked like a moon! (giggle)
Best wishes also to Annie (Prana) also for introducing this topic to the blogs, plus also for her efforts in continuing to study English, which is getting better all the time. Well done, Annie! (y)
Rum, I know its.
China's production of sugar cane liquor.
Its quite high alcohol concentration,
When making a cake, and occasionally, I will use, rum.
Chocolate, vanilla, doing pancake the stuffing, this a good idea.
My mother occasionally doing pancakes.
She uses Chinese shallots.
Her to do pancakes, only a thin layer of pancakes.
Thank you for sharing.
Don't worry about Hombre and Coffee, they continue to ask me daily for some more of my delicious mooncake. You'd be better off to go check yourself in at the nearest hospital and get treatment for that rash you are surely developing from eating that neon pancake of yours.