Saturday, 21 December 2019

Recipes - Sufganiyot, Israel’s jelly donut

Sufganiyot, Israel’s jelly donut

Warm, fresh, light and yeasty. This donut is a well-rounded approach to baked goods.

By Miriam Kresh, From the Grapevine

https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/israeli-kitchen/recipes/sufganiyot-israels-jelly-donut

This recipe for jelly donuts is relatively easy to make, and a fun way to include children in cooking duties. (Photo: Maglara / Shutterstock)

YIELD: 20 DONUTS

PREP TIME : 2 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

Does anybody not like donuts? Israelis are just as fond of them as anyone else, and we specialize in jelly donuts. My kids learned to make a baking powder variety in grade school, under the teacher’s supervision, naturally. How proud they were to bring home a greasy little hand-made tidbit, and how they beamed when I bravely swallowed it down. Luckily, they don’t remember much about those childish attempts at doughnut making, because the real, delightfully light thing, filled with jam or caramel, is way beyond in sticky deliciousness.

Donuts aren’t really hard to make. It takes a little time, but the recipe is no more complicated than standard bread, and cutting the circles to fry is fun. Get the kids to do it. You’ll need a thin-stemmed funnel or pastry bag fitted with a No. 4 tip to fill them with your choice of jam. If you prefer lemon curd or some caramel sauce (dulce de leche) as filling, use that, by all means. Israeli bakeries use a cheap red jam to fill their doughnuts, but while a red jelly is visually attractive, just go ahead and use whichever flavor jelly you like best.

INGREDIENTS

2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup warm water or milk
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
4-5 cup flour
Strawberry or raspberry jelly
Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Using a large bowl, mix yeast into water or milk. Add sugar. Let the yeast dissolve over 10 minutes.

Melt the margarine or butter. Stir it into the yeast mixture.

Mix in the egg yolks and salt. Add flour by the cupful, mixing with a spoon at first, then kneading it gently by hand to obtain a soft dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1-1/2 hours at room temperature.

Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Using a biscuit cutter or glass 2 1/2” in diameter, cut circles out of it. Gather up any scraps, re-roll them, and cut as many circles as you can out of it. Let circles rise 1/2 hour.

Use a spatula to lift the dough circles off the work surface and slide them into the hot oil. Don’t crowd them. Deep fry the circles at 400° F (200° C) for about 3 minutes, turning once. Keep a sharp eye on the doughnuts; they will burn in a second if left in the hot oil too long.

Remove the fried donuts from the oil and set to drain on a baking tray covered with paper towels.

Use a wooden skewer, the thin end of a chopstick or a toothpick to poke a hole in one side of each doughnut. Pipe 2 teaspoons of jelly in, or as much as each donut will take. Roll each donut in powdered sugar.

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High carbon footprint families identified by sweets and restaurant food, not higher meat consumption

DECEMBER 20, 2019, by University of Sheffield

https://phys.org/news/2019-12-high-carbon-footprint-families-sweets.html

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Families with higher carbon footprints are likely to consume more confectionary, alcohol and restaurant food, according to a new study published in One Earth.

Considering the spectrum of traditional to urban lifestyles across Japan, researchers at the University of Sheffield and the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto, Japan, analysed the carbon footprints of the diets of 60,000 households across Japan's 47 regions. Using a life-cycle approach which details food supply chains around the country, they found that meat consumption was relatively constant per household—but carbon footprints were not.

The study shows that meat consumption could explain less than 10 per cent of the difference seen in carbon footprints between Japanese families. Instead, households with higher carbon footprints tended to consume more food from restaurants, as well as more vegetables and fish. However, it was the level of consumption of sweets and alcohol—two to three times higher than families with low carbon footprints—that really stood out.

Meat has earned a reputation as an environmentally damaging food, with beef production emitting 20 times more greenhouse gases than bean production for the same amount of protein.

However, the researchers caution against a one-size-fits-all policy after finding that the consumption of sweets, alcohol and restaurant food adds to families' footprints in a larger capacity than other items. Eating out was found to contribute on average 770 kg of greenhouse gases per year for those households with a higher footprint, whereas meat contributed just 280kg.

Associate Professor Keiichiro Kanemoto of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan—who led the research—said: "If we think of a carbon tax, it might be wiser to target sweets and alcohol if we want a progressive system.

"If we are serious about reducing our carbon footprints, then our diets must change. Our findings suggest that high carbon footprints are not only a problem for a small number of meat lovers in Japan. It might be better to target less nutritious foods that are excessively consumed in some populations."

Kanemoto does, however, recommend eating less meat to reduce a household's environmental impact. "Meat is a high carbon footprint food. Replacing red meat consumption with white meat and vegetables will lower a family's carbon footprint," he said.

Japan's population is one of the oldest in the world, a trend that many industrial countries are following. This suggests that successful policies for dietary change and energy efficiency in Japan could act as models for many countries in the coming decades. The Japanese also have a relatively healthy diet, which is frequently attributed to them having the world's longest lifespan by country.

Dr. Christian Reynolds from the Institute of Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield, one of the study's co-authors, said: "Due to wealth, culture, and farming practices, different regions in a country consume food differently. Japan alone has some prefectures with more than 10 million people and others with fewer than one million. These regional and income differences in food consumption are also found in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US.

"All countries are facing challenges in how to shift diets to be healthier and more sustainable. This evidence from Japan demonstrates that research can help us to identify what to focus on. The same patterns of dietary change in terms of sugar, alcohol and dining out need to be considered in the UK, Australia, the US and Europe."

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Maxine Waters says Trump will invite Putin to the White House if the Senate doesn't remove him

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maxine-waters-says-trump-will-invite-putin-to-the-white-house-if-the-senate-doesnt-remove-him

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., warned Friday that President Trump will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House if the Senate doesn’t remove him.

Waters made the remarks on Twitter after a contentious week in D.C.

“Revelation by former WH officials proves what we've known all along: Trump is #PutinsPuppet,” Waters tweeted. “Trump repeated Putin's talking point that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the ‘16 election. Mark my words. If the Senate doesn't remove him, Trump will invite Putin to the WH next yr.”

Waters, a frequent Trump critic, was apparently referring to a Washington Post article that cited multiple former White House officials who claimed on condition of anonymity that Trump seized on the theory that Ukraine, not Russia interfered in the 2016 election because Putin suggested it to him.

One aide told The Post Trump said he believed Ukraine interfered because “Putin told me.”

Waters was one of the more than 200 Democrats and one Independent who voted to impeach the president on Wednesday on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress charges.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet sent the impeachment articles to the Senate where a trial would take place and is considering withholding them until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agrees to bring in witnesses the Democrats want to hear from.

Waters has been calling for Trump’s impeachment since 2017.

California shop owner fatally shoots masked robbers, 3rd suspect on the run

https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-smoke-shop-robbers-killed-suspect-fled

A California smoke shop owner fatally shot two armed robbers in ski masks when they tried to rob his store Friday night, police said.

A third suspect is on the run after he fled from the Smoke N Vape Smoke Shop near the intersection of Blackstone and Cambridge avenues in Fresno.

Police Lt. Tim Tietjen said the three armed men, dressed in dark clothing and ski masks, entered the shop around 9:30 p.m. and demanded money from the clerk.

The store owner, who was outside, re-entered the shop and confronted the robbers as they were trying to leave, the Fresno Bee reported.

Tietjen said the owner pulled out his own gun and multiple shots were then fired.

“As we understand, there might’ve been an exchange of gunfire,” he added.

Police said two of the suspected robbers were hit by bullets and were taken to the Community Regional Medical Center where they later died.

A third suspect fled the scene on foot and remains loose. A description of the suspect was not immediately available.

Tietjen said there were no other injuries and that the store owner is not expected to face any charges.

'Snow-globing' is the awful new holiday dating trend

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/snow-globing-christmas-dating-trend

“Snow-globing” is the latest dating trend to look out for this winter — and it happens when the magic of Christmas makes a relationship seem more serious than it is.

We’ve all heard of “cuffing season,” where you find some to snuggle up with over the colder months, only to dump them when summer and your social life return. In contrast, “snow-globing” refers to a much shorter period of time, covering Christmas and New Year.

You better watch out — you better not cry if you find yourself the victim of "snow-globing," the latest terrible dating trend to make headlines this Christmas season. (iStock)

It typically happens when you meet someone just before the festive season kicks off and your dates tend to include cozy Christmas markets and ice skating. That’s not to mention the work Christmas party, and any New Year’s celebrations planned.

Plus if they end up getting you a present, it can end send the wrong signals if it’s just a fling.

During the early stages of a relationship, the magic of Christmastime can trick people into thinking the romance is much more serious than it is. (iStock)

The magic of Christmastime during the early stages of a relationship can trick people into thinking it’s much more serious than it is.

And when everyone goes back to work and everyday life resumes, suddenly the relationship — which looked like it was heading for something serious — suddenly disappears.

Turns out you’ve just been “snow-globed,” according to Cosmopolitan.

Couples therapist Gary Brown told Cosmo why people do it – and how to spot the signs: “One may be that they simply don't want to be alone, or they don't want to be seen as being single during the holidays.”

"Feeling embarrassed about not being in a relationship can be so painful, that people will make romantic gestures as a sort of 'short fix' so that they don't have to feel the pain of loneliness,” he explained.

And if you weren’t sure whether your date was just “going through the motions” with you, Brown had some words of advice on how to spot a real relationship.

“If you notice beforehand that they are talking about you with their friends, family, and co-workers, then that may be a sign that they're truly interested,” he claimed.

Millions Of Voices Cry Out..

https://babylonbee.com/news/millions-of-voices-cry-out-in-terror-after-waking-up-and-realizing-trump-is-still-president

Millions Of Voices Cry Out In Terror As Liberals Wake Up And Realize Trump Is Still President

December 19th, 2019

U.S.—An echo was heard across the land this morning from sea to shining sea as progressives woke up after celebrating Impeachment Day and learned that Trump is still the president.

High off their impeachment victory, liberals went to bed safe and secure in the knowledge that Trump was defeated, his evil vanquished from the land at last. But when they woke up, they realized that Trump was still the president of the country.

"I thought impeachment would instantly erase Trump from existence," said Pane Wyndough, a Portland antifa organizer. "Apparently, that's not how it works. Not only were the Founding Fathers racists, but they also planned the impeachment process specifically so that Trump would stay in office. They are complicit in his hate."

"It was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror," said Bill Pachinski, a farmer in Iowa. "I woke up to get started on a day's work. The rooster crowed. And then I heard a horrifying screeching sound creeping over the land, growing in volume. It started on the East Coast and slowly spread toward the West, with the loudest cries coming from New York and California."

The voices were suddenly silenced as Trump blew them all up with the Space Force's Death Star. While this does seem to be an impeachable offense, there's no one left to impeach him -- a true 4D chess masterstroke.

US Politics - Letter to My Rep To Expunge Impeachment Vote in 2021

I just sent this letter to my Congressional Representative, Jim Banks (IN-4). If you're a conservative, or your representative is a conservative, or the person you want to vote for next year to oust a sitting liberal is a conservative, perhaps you might want to send them a letter like this....

Dear Congressman Banks,

I have a couple of hypothetical questions for you, regarding the 2021 Congressional session. They are hypothetical in that the 2020 election has not yet occurred, and that they require 1) you to be reelected, 2) the House to turn to a strong Conservative majority, 3) the Senate retain and hopefully strengthen a strong Conservative majority, and 4) that Conservatives retain their backbone which they (somewhat surprisingly) demonstrated during the bogus impeachment vote last week.

Would you be willing to co-sponsor, or indeed draft and sponsor, a House Resolution which will reverse and expunge the illegal and stupid Impeachment vote of Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Jerome "I look like I swallowed a midget whole" Nadler, and then pass that along to the Senate for a majority vote? It is the only way that the Legislative Branch regain ANY honor and trust after its abysmal, illogical, and blatantly unjust actions.

Would you be willing to co-sponsor, or indeed draft and sponsor, a House Resolution which will censure and expel Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Jerome Nadler, and others in the Democrat hierarchy within the House, for abuse of power, violation of the Constitution and their oath to preserve/protect/defend same, their blatant attempt to commit legislative Sedition and, yes, Treason, their overt lies, their covert actions to suppress justice and due process, and their shameless destruction of the Institution of the Legislative Branch for pure political, personal, and punitive purposes? And to have them expelled from your company with a loss of all pensions and benefits? I wish I could add a good tar and feathering, but there’s probably a law against that…

If you are willing to commit to this, and to pass this request on to your colleagues, I think you and they will win the House back, in a landslide. You'll certainly increase my support in you (which is already pretty strong, despite our occasional legislative disagreements).

Please reply with actual answers, instead of the boilerplate and canned responses that are (sadly) part and parcel of many political responses. I would appreciate you just saying what you mean and meaning what you say, without the flowery pomposity endemic to Capitol Hill.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Happy New Year, and a hearty Huevos Rancheros!

Doc Farmer
Fort Wayne

USA will no longer trade with Wakanda

U.S. Government Removes Fictional Nation of ‘Wakanda’ from List of Trade Partners

Marvel Entertainment/YouTube

2:10

The United States Department of Agriculture has removed “Wakanda” from its list of trade partners after a social media user called out the bizarre mistake on Wednesday.

The error was first spotted by Francis Tseng, who tweeted screenshots on Wednesday morning. Wakanda is the fictional home of Black Panther, a Marvel Universe hero who is also the hidden isolationist country’s monarch. Being a creation of Stan Lee, however, Wakanda has little to offer our country in trade. Still, it was temporarily listed in the Agricultural Tariff Tracker on the official USDA website.

According to a statement by USDA spokesperson Mike Illenberg, the mistake was due to using Wakanda as a test but neglecting to remove it before publishing the report:

Over the past few weeks, the Foreign Agricultural Service staff who maintain the Tariff Tracker have been using test files to ensure that the system is running properly. The Wakanda information should have been removed after testing and has now been taken down.

Tseng seems to approve of the USDA decision to de-list the imaginary technological Utopia from which Marvel’s Black Panther emerged. “FWIW,” he quipped, “the US would no doubt try to liberalize Wakanda’s markets and flood it with cheap subsidized corn.”

And with tongue firmly in cheek, the USDA made their own follow-up announcement on Twitter. “While we removed the Kingdom of Wakanda from our list of US free trade partners,” they said, “our relationship will always be strong. #WakandaForever”

Some were unwilling to laugh along with the USDA, however. The department’s replies are filled with criticism for incompetence. “Go do your job,” one user wrote, linking to an April 2019 story in which black farmers were allegedly sold bad seed to push them out of business.

Unfortunately, it seems King T’Challa will need to look toward other nations — perhaps Atlantis or Lemuria — for agricultural trade.