It's WHATEVER Time or Who is Esmeralda and Why Does She Visit Lilydale?

Welcome back to The Whatevers. I hope you have enjoyed the stories and recipes so far. Let's take a look at the goings on at Lilydale, NY.

Who Was Esmeralda and Why Did She Visit Lilydale?

 I remember the first time I saw Esmeralda pull up in her brightly colored wagon. She was so different from all the others who came to visit at Lilydale. It was like all the colors in the world just got brighter and brighter, like the colors exploded and sparkled.

She pulled up in back of the hotel kitchen and when Mama saw her pull in she got a terrible expression on her face. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and ran out the back door right to the wagon. The minute Esmeralda saw my Mama she fell from the truck and into Mama’s arms. It was such a curios sight because I never saw Mama act like that before.

They were hugging and crying at the same time. I thought Mama was happy but she kept looking around the yard to see if others had seen the new arrival. She was tense and nervous as she quietly spoke to this strange woman.  Esmeralda opened the small door to the covered wagon and out jumped two young girls, dressed in the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen in my life. Nothing compared to the simple dresses I wore everyday. They even had headdresses on that matched their dresses.

At the same time Papa came around to the back of the hotel and he too had this very strange look on his face when he saw the new arrivals. He quickly ran over to Esmeralda and grabbed her in a big bear hug but I could see he was also nervous. He quickly went to the horses and moved the wagon behind the barn where no one ever wandered while Mama ushered Esmeralda and her two daughters into the kitchen. They were speaking a language I had never heard before even though I heard both of my parents speak in different languages, Mama often spoke German while Papa spoke Italian and French.

Analetta and Rosella hid behind Esmeralda as they moved into the kitchen. They were as curious to see me as I was  to see them. Finally Mama brought them over and introduced us to each other. I would soon discover that Esmeralda was my Papa’s sister who many years ago had run off with a Gypsy Prince. She was never allowed to come back home but somehow Mama and Papa stayed in touch.

When the Gypsy Prince died suddenly Esmeralda started off hoping to find this place called Lilydale. She knew that Mama and Papa had finally moved to this strange place. Little did I know the extent of the entire goings on at Lilydale but I was soon to find out the real truth.

It was decided that Esmeralda would help Mama in the hotel kitchen but there was no room for them to stay. It wasn’t really a problem because the small wagon really was where they preferred to sleep; it was the only home they had ever known.

It was getting close to the hotel dinnertime and Esmeralda pitched right in to help Mama make her famous meat pies. Mama called them Bierocks but I called them delicious! All the young ones were sent to bed while Mama and Papa caught all the news with Esmeralda. I wish I could have stayed and listen because I could tell this story wasn’t over and that it really had just started!

Here's the RECIPE:

BIEROCKS/RUNZA {10-12}

Frozen bread dough or 16 ounces hot roll mix

1-1/2 lb. ground beef

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups cabbage, shredded

2 cups onions, chopped

1 shredded carrot {optional}

3 minced garlic cloves

OPTIONAL:

1 teaspoon caraway seed

1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubes or 1/2 lb swiss cheese, grated or 1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Brown ground beef, onion  and minced garlic in skillet.

DO NOT DRAIN!

Add shredded cabbage & carrots, salt and pepper to meat and onions and cover. Stirring occasionally.

While cabbage and meat mixture is cooking, follow the recipe steps 1 - 4 on the Hot Roll mix. Don't form into shapes.

When dough is ready, pull off small balls of dough and roll out.

Place meat mixture into middle of the dough.

Fold the dough around the meat mixture.

Place on baking sheet and cook at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Here are links to the other creative stories about The Whatevers. Please stop by and see what these fabulous artists have created.

• Catherine Matthews Scanlon
• Cuchy Sanchez
• Nathalie Kalbach  
• Vickie Chrisman

If you would like to play along it's not to late to join in. Here are all the details that you need to know.

Here is how it works ~

• Vicki, Cat, Cuchy (Carmen), Nathalie and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos with Whatevers whom we will give a story.
• Every month – if possible always on the 15th –  each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along for us with the same photo.
• If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you to download and show us your version of The Whatevers. The photo will be posted at the end of our blogposts- not on Facebook!
• There is no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the length or the form of the story- it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the artform you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an artjournal page – WHATEVER
• Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us and show us your story.
• These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!
• If you want to participate we’ll have a linky list for each Whatever Post.
• You can also join our The Whatevers -Facebook Page

HERE IS THE PHOTO FOR THIS MONTH'S WHATEVERS:

Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me. I'm looking forward to next month's Whatevers. 

The Whatever's #6

I am determined...DETERMINED to get caught up before The Whatevers #8 is revealed this Friday 2/15! Here is my take on Photo #6.

I started with a background I created using various stencils from The Crafter's Workshop and various spray inks & mists. The original post can be found here.

Here's the story to go with my page:

"Early Saturday morning we left Hatteras and boarded the ferry to go over to Ocracoke Island. The Hatteras Ferry is free and takes 40 minutes to get to Ocracoke. We always go at this time to buy fresh figs so Grandma can make fig preserve for the winter months.

While visiting we always go to the FIG FAIR. Another day of fun, sweet treats and salty air. We spend the night at Cousin Emma's house. It is always loud and noisy with her six children there. Before heading back home we stop at a bakery named WHEN PIGS FLY. Three friends of Grandma own it and we have lunch while they catch up. My Favorite treat is the Fig Cake. It is yummy!"



I have included the recipe for the Fig Cake...which really is a delicacy from Ocracoke Island. Figs are the only fruit that can grown on the island. Ocracoke is home to 12 varieties of figs. The history of fig tress on Ocracoke dates back at least to the 1700s. Ocracokers have long relied on fig trees as their primary source of fruit.

Ocracoke Island Fig Cake with Buttermilk Glaze



-- For the Fig Cake --

Vegetable shortening, for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan

3 large eggs

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

½ cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

Hot water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped preserved figs or fig jam

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

-- For the Buttermilk Glaze --

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) butter

1½ tsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking soda

            1 tsp vanilla extract

         
Instructions

◦                       To make the cake:
Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the eggs well until light yellow and smooth. Add 1½ cups sugar and the oil and continue beating well to make a thick, smooth batter. In small bowl, combine 2 cups flour with the nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt and stir, using a fork, to mix well. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to blend well. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to blend well. Add ½ cup buttermilk and mix well.


◦                       Dissolve 1 teaspoon baking soda in a little hot water. Add the remaining flour along with the dissolved baking soda and 1 teaspoon vanilla into the buttermilk mixture and stir to mix everything into a fairly smooth batter. Gently stir in the figs and nuts, mixing just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.


◦                       Quickly scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cake is handsomely brown and firm on top, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. While the cake bakes, prepare the buttermilk glaze and set aside until the cake is done.


◦                       To make the glaze:
In a medium-size saucepan, combine ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup sugar, the butter, cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove at once from the heat, stir well and let cool to room temperature. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and set aside until the cake is done.


When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for about 15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan gently, running a table knife around the sides of the pan, and then gently turn it out onto the wire rack. Turn the cake top side up and carefully place it on a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon the buttermilk glaze over the warm cake, and let cool completely.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source of Recipe
From "Southern Cakes" by Nancie McDermott

Links to more recipes for this dense cake that closely resembles the southern Jam Cake.

http://arlingtonplacespace.us/group/nova-fig-aficionados/forum/topics/ocracoke-fig-cake-recipe

http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/38432

http://www.annabellesofocracoke.com/figs/

Well I'm off to have another day filled with lots of creative mischief. Now only one more Whatevers before Fri. :)