Like hundreds of other Kossacks, since I can’t make it to DC, I’m attending an Inauguration Party in my hometown (Cincinnati). It’s been a loooooong time since I felt like celebrating a new president. This year is a gleeful exception-- I’m skipping work for a few hours to meet with friends, watch TV speeches and festivities, and just generally whoop it up.
We’re doing our thing between 11AM & 3PM on Tuesday. In the evening there’s another gathering at a local coffee shop, to watch the reruns. Both events will be on the simple side, as far as fare is concerned, because we all want to concentrate on Obama-mania and the historic events of the day. Punch & soup are promised for the first round. Other libations at night.
I love to bake, so I’m preparing a traditional Slavic nut roll, Poteca, decorated in a non-traditional fashion with a red, white & blue icing-version of Obama’s Horizon campaign symbol. Recipe follows below the fold.
I chose Poteca for my homage to Obama because (a) it is delicious (b) one large roll makes tasting-size slices for at least 20-30 people (b) its snail shape creates an excellent base for the Obama Horizon emblem.
Here’s the recipe, courtesy of my tattered Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1960s:
First, make a small recipe of sweet roll dough:
1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg dry yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm milk (scald, then cool)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 soft shortening or butter
3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups allpurpose flour
In small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Measure flour. Mix lukewarm milk, shortening, egg, sugar, salt in large bowl. Stir in yeast. Add half the flour. Mix with spoon until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to handle easily. Turn onto lightly floured board or cloth. Knead until smooth (5 minutes). Place in greased bowl. Turn to bring greased side to top. Cover with cloth. Let rise in a warm place (85-degrees) until double: about 1-1/2 hr. If kitchen is cold, place bowl on rack over a large pan of hot water, cover completely with a towel. Punch down. Let rise again until nearly double (30 minutes).
While dough rises, prepare walnut filling:
finely grind (do not chop) enough walnuts to fill 2 cups
(I use an old-fashioned meat grinder for this)
Mix the following ingredients in a bowl:
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon flavoring
When blended, stir in nuts to make a thick but spreadable paste
Once dough has risen for the second time, place the dough on a large, flour-covered cloth and roll out into a paper-thin oblong, approximately 30" x 20". (I fasten the cloth to the table, when possible, so it doesn’t make wrinkles while rolling that pierce the thin dough. I also measure the dimensions with a yardstick- because "thin" is very important. It should be nearly translucent.) Using a spatula, spread walnut filling over the dough, right up to the edges. (I drop blobs of the filling at various points on the dough and blend them together, so I’m sure the entire sheet of dough will be covered.) From the wide side of the oblong, pick up the edge of the cloth and let the dough roll up like a jelly roll. Seal well by pinching the edges. Place on a greased baking sheet in a snail shape, tucking the ‘tail’ under. Let rise until almost double, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 325-degrees F. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Lift carefully onto a rack to cool.
For icing – I go the very simple route: sifted confectioner’s sugar in a bowl, with a few drops of vanilla and a spoonful of warm milk – adding more liquid if needed. Add colors if desired. (At Christmas time I put pecan halves, candied cherries cut like poinsettias, and citron for decoration, but Obama’s Poteca will get the full Horizon Emblem treatment. I downloaded a stencil from the website at YesWeCarve These stencils were made for carving pumpkins, but I think they’ll be a good guide for icing, too.
For this momentous celebration, what will YOU serve?
But first, take the poll!