Below are some good things to eat from our epicurean
cherub.... sweets for the sweet and curry for you devils!

c = cup = 236 ml.
t = teaspoon
T= tablespoon

350 degrees F. = 177 degrees C.

PENE'S HONEY CAKE

2 3/4 c. flour (try to keep it in the bowl and not in your hair)
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. each nutmeg, cream of tartar and baking soda
1/2 t. ground cardamon seeds
1/4 t. salt

Put all the above ingedients into a large mixing bowl and sift or stir well, mixing them.

2/3 c. butter
3 T. dark brown sugar
1 T. white sugar

Melt the butter and then add the sugars and stir. Pour into flour mixture. Do not stir yet.

3 eggs beaten until very fluffy and frothy
1 1/2 c. honey
3/4 c. sour cream or whipping cream or whole milk

Add the honey and milk in, beating them into the eggs, then add the butter and sugar mixture to this. You can do all this in a blender, if you have one. Mix well. Pour this mixture into the flour mix and beat until all the liquid is absorbed and mixed into the flour. Pour the final mix into a buttered and floured cakepan that is at least 2 inches deep. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Let the cake cool, then cut it into squares and put in a tightly closed container. It will keep for weeks - but it won't last that long. It's better if you let it 'age' for a day or so. The cake is not very thick. It doesn't rise much. Good for snacking on while penning apochryphal and pseudopigraphical texts.

YAZ'S EGYPTIAN RESURRECTION CAKE

Over a low flame melt 4 squares or ounces of semisweet chocolate with 1/2 cup of strong coffee, stirring until the chocolate is melted and teh mixture is smooth. Cream 1/2 cup of butter with 1 cup sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and stir in 2 eggs, lightly beaten, and the melted chocolate/coffee mix.

Sift together 1 3/4 cups sifted flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Stir the sifted dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternately with 1/2 cup of milk. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and turn the batter into two greased and floured 8 inch layer cake pans. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Turn the layers onto racks to cool or let them cool in the pans if you have no racks. Put them together with whipped cream sweetened to taste (or Cool Whip equivalent) sprinkled with cinnamon. Cut into serving sized portions. Excellent with coffee or jasmine tea for dessert, after a hard day of hanging upside down at the office.

KAWKABEL'S MUTABLE
BROWN RICE PILAFF

Wash 2 cups brown rice well and put it in a heavy pot with 4 cups consomme and salt to taste. (You can cut the consomme with not more than 1 cup of water, if you want.) Add a piece of fresh ginger-root the size of a walnut. Bring the consomme to a boil, stir the rice once, and cover the pot tightly. Simmer the rice over very low heat for about 45 minutes, until it is just tender and the liquid is absorbed. Turn the rice into a serving dish and sprinkle it with finely minced scallions -- or chopped green peppers if you don't like onions. You can also add a cup of any cubed and braised meat (no goats, please !) or fish to it to make something more substantial of it. Kawkabel likes to throw in some butter-browned sliced mushrooms, too.

If you don't eat beef or beef products, substitute consomme for either vegetable broth, pork broth or chicken broth. You can also use 2 packages of any preferred flavor of Top Ramen, Maruchan noodle soups or equivalent (with 4 cups of water) and set the noodles aside for something else, if you're poor. Experiment!

SAMAEL'S HELLACIOUS DEVIL CURRY

The Basics

1 medium red onion chopped finely
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 c. peanut oil (you can also use clarified butter - ghee)
2 c. chopped boneless chicken breasts
4 large peeled and chopped potatoes (bite-sized chunks)
Half a red cabbage - chopped/shredded
2 large or 3 medium carrots - minced or finely chopped.
2 1/2 c. coconut milk
1 T. thick coconut cream
Salt to taste
2 t. lemon juice (or tamarind juice)

The Curry Mash (Mixture)

1 T. ground coriander
Pinch of mustard powder (or 1 t. ground mustard seed - less hot)
1 t. ground cumin seed
1 t. ground tumeric
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground tiny green chillies (red = "medium-hot")
1 stalk fresh lemongrass cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 t. shrimp paste (optional)

Use a mortar and pestle and pound the curry mash together until it turns into a paste. Fry onions & garlic in peanut oil or ghee. Add curry mash and chicken pieces. Stir-fry for 5 minutes. (The fumes from the curry might be a little strong, so turn on your stove fan or open a window. I'm not kidding!!) Add coconut milk. Let the lot gently simmer uncovered for 45 minutes or until gravy begins to thicken and the chicken is tender. Add tablespoon of (thick) coconut cream, salt and lemon juice/tamarind.

Stir the cauldron and let curry stand for 10 minutes. Serve on plates of saffron or boiled rice. Have some pickles, thin-sliced cucumber and tomatoes on the side. Keep a small bowl of sugar handy in case its too hot. Apply to your tongue.

Serves 4 to 6 angels with cast-iron guts.

**You can also slow-cook this in a crock-pot and just put all the ingredients into it. Turn on High for approx. 4 hours, then to Low for the last 2 hours. Guaranteed to make your eyes water and your nose run. Heh-heh-heh....aahhhh.

AZ'S STICKY DATE PUDDING

1/2 c. butter (at room temperature) cut into 8 pieces
1-1/4 c. chopped pitted dates
1 t. baking soda
1/4 c. granulated (castor) sugar
2 eggs
1-1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla
1-3/4 t. baking powder

Caramel Sauce

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 T. packed brown sugar (extra)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Making the Puddings:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a muffin pan and set aside. Place the dates in a saucepan and cover with water, about 1-1/2 cups. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add the baking soda (the mixture will foam) and set aside. In a bowl, cream the cut up butter, sugar and eggs, adding the eggs one at a time. Gently mix in the flour, salt and vanilla. Slowly stir in the baking power and 1/4 cup of the liquid from cooking the dates until the cake mixture resembles thick pancake batter. Drain off remainder of the cooking liquid and discard. Stir in the dates. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked in the center. Allow to cool before serving.

Caramel Sauce:

Combine the butter, whipping cream, brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer and cook for 3 minutes.

Serving suggestions:

Put pudding in serving bowl and drizzle caramel sauce over it. You can either pour cream over it or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Comforting after having all the sins of the world dumped on you.

Bon Appetit!!