Posted on 07/04/2014 12:43:46 PM PDT by greeneyes
Would you believe ..... the Trombetta bread turned out just terrible. I’m fairly shocked about it. There are two recipes on the page with the one I made being “less sweet, dryer” and I think the other one is what I’m used to making so maybe that’s part of the issue, plus I substituted Stevia for half the sugar. It’s dry and tastes flourey or like there’s too much baking powder in it (I rechecked & had followed the directions correctly). I cook a lot so utter failures don’t happen that often - this one is going to the chickens. I’ll try the other recipe (”rich, dark” is the description - more oil & sugar in it) and not do the Stevia substitution - I’ll just have to eat small pieces infrequently (boy, is that going to be tough!).
I'm sorry. I've never cooked with Stevia(is the name brand you used truvia?). Today my Aunt gave me some banana bread. She said it was dense, and good..It tasted bad to me, with a terrible aftertaste. I think she's using splenda instead of sugar.
Anyway, here is the recipe I use...only I add some mace, and allspice, too, oh, and pecans, instead of walnuts because in TX pecans are used the most in baking.
In the comments, there are some change-ups listed..half applesauce, half oil..less sugar, etc.
Thanks for the recipe. I’m allergic to aspartame ... got aspartame poisoning last year & had nasty side effects. Splenda gives me heart palpitations so that’s a no go. There’s nothing like good old sugar for baking - taste, texture, etc. Stevia has a bit of a bitter edge/after taste to it in baking, or so it seems to me.
Eventful afternoon - got a pretty good double cut on one knuckle and a lump/sore spot on my head ... none of it from baking! All I have the energy to make for dinner is a tomato sandwich - lucky me .... I have one ripe tomato on the vine. :-)
Sorry - didn’t answer your question .... no, it’s not Truvia. I’ve been using el cheapo ‘Great Value’ brand from Walmart.
Good Grief, I'm thinking you should've stayed in bed with a good book today..sounds like one of those days.
Just don't tell me you were on an eight foot ladder chasing a runaway trombetta or cucuzza vine when it happened...
BTW, I don't even know what splenda is. Is it aspartame?
Hope you have a better day tomorrow..
I was using a pole trimmer & cutting some high, fairly big tree limbs. I did about 100 yards of clearing fence line this afternoon so I don't have to dodge branches with the tractor smoke stack any more when bush hogging. I'll do the last 30-40 yards tomorrow morning before the sun hits that part of the field. Hopefully, no mishaps!
I am in awe. Unless the limb is less than 3 inches across, I am useless with a pole trimmer...I think I gave up after doing about fifteen feet with a pole trimmer to make it sunnier for my cattle panels with (of course) Tromboncinos, and cucuzzi.
Where, pray tell, are you growing those beautiful blue berries? I have tried for years here in Missouri.
East Tennessee, within sight of the Smokies.
DONE .... for the day and physically as well. Got waaay too hot, but got to a good point to stop on the fence clearing. I counted the 10-ft sections I’ve done .... 57! That’s 190 yards. Wow - surprised myself. The last 10 sections or so had vines with thorns growing in/on the fence and up into the trees. There was also some poison ivy as well.
5 Trombettas left to use up. My SIL made a squash casserole with one of hers - pretty bland since Trombettas don’t have much taste. We discussed ways to flavor it up & I think the next batch will be delish (the 1st batch wasn’t bad). Tomorrow I think will be the 2nd try at Trombetta bread .... right now, I don’t think I cold hold a spoon if I tried! :-)
Love those serendipitous accidents. Ugh. I hope you don’t mean your condensate line overflows (inside). BTDT & that’s not fun.
You know the saying "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger."
Of course, I don't think poison ivy is in that category. I found an empty bucket my neighbor left on my doorstep with a note:
"If you have any extra tomatoes or squash, I could use some".. I gave her a 23" cucuzza, and some tomatoes. My tomatoes are slowing down in this blazing TX sun, and something has been biting my cucuzzi squashes. Today I covered them with knee high panty hose..I wonder if that will protect them, or suffocate them. I did a twist tie loosely at the top. I also fetilized everything today, picked SVB eggs off the Trombettas, and injected BTK into the T vines. I did a lot of injections..If any borers I make it into the vines, they should die of a tummy ache. I read the BTK is only good for four days after injection into the vine. Don't know if that's true of not.
Unlike you I took a four hour nap this afternoon when the temps got into the nineties. I am still eating that ratatouille I made the other day with my squash and tomatoes.
One of my Trombetta plants isn’t looking so great - quite a few leaves (more towards the bottom) going yellow & it ‘wilts’ in the heat, perks back up when the temps are cooler. The other one is still nice and green & the cucuzza plant is doing great - lots of flowers now (almost all male). We’re supposed to be near 100 the next two or three days so I’m sure that will be very hard on all the plants.
No more fence clearing until it cools down .... have a few sections to go to be totally finished with that project. I’ll definitely be staying in - good time to work on some recipes. That cucuzza cream pie has caught my eye ....... :-)
Well, you better post a pic if you make that one.
On the yellow leaves..no aphids, or fungus? over watering. I always think fertilizer will cure yellow leaves, but I think some leaves just get old and tired, but I would sure be down there on my hands and knees looking for tiny brown SVB eggs, or stinkbugs with their disease carrying sucky mouth parts..
My newest trombetta I planted is about eight inches high. I have it under one of those little "food tent" net things from the dollar store..Keeps bugs off of it, but pretty soon the plant is going to be too tall to be under there.
It’s been a busy ten days at my place.
#3 Son, DiL, and #1 Grandson were down from Ft. Drum all of last week. I’d forgotten how busy little people can be. #1 Daughter is in from MCAS Iwakuni.
We’ve been out on the river twice, two nights at the racetrack, retrieved Nanner from the tractor doc, bought a horse trailer with living quarters, and threw a whopping big 4th of July party.
I did get the last of my taters out last week, but don’t think I’ve set foot in the garden for the last three days.
I picked a handful of ripe tomatoes last week. They didn’t even make it to the house. We ate em right there. I should check to see if there are any more ready.
My 2nd loaf of Trombetta bread turned out just delicious ... yay!!! I compared your “Mom’s” recipe to mine and they are very similar - differences were a tsp more cinnamon in Mom’s, a half cup more sugar & more vanilla. Other than that, the ingredients were the same. I did not add nuts (and/or raisins). The baking instructions were 50-60 min at 350 ... I had to go an extra 15 min over the 60 (did it in 5 min increments) before I got a clean cake tester. Surprisingly, the outside (top, sides, bottom) were not overdone.
I think my yellowing/wilting Trombetta is a little better. No bugs/SVBs that I can see and I think instead of too much water, it was too little. I have to haul my water to the garden so the plants get a specific amount of water. For the squash, I had built up dirt around them when they were small, reinforced with bricks to keep the water from running off. I’m sure the roots are way out into the 6x6 square & I was still watering inside the bricks - silly me. Over the weekend, I soaked the whole 6 x 6 and everything looked a lot perkier & happier. There seem to be a few less yellow leaves on that one Trombetta, too. Looking out the window now, it’s so hot everything is wilting - if it all perks up after the direct sunlight is gone, I’ll be happy.
I'm so glad yours came out perfect and delicious this go round.
I have a gas oven with 3 baking thermometers in it. The thermostat on it has been "off" since I got it new about nine months ago. I have to bake everything longer than recipes state even with adjusting the thermostat to match the actual oven temp. Even though I hate poking a hole in stuff to test, I do now, or try to remember to write the extended bake time down on the recipe.
BTW, I just came in from picking more SVB eggs off the Trombettas. I would think those moth's butts would be tired by now from laying eggs. I keep wondering if I get rid of most of the eggs will I have NO BORERS next year? What is the hatch rate on those eggs? Does every one I miss turn into a plant killing maggot?
I am glad you are giving your plants the extra water, and hope that solves the yellowing wilting problem. I am watering my garden twice a day..I need a giant shadecloth over my backyard.
You get so much done. You either have way more energy than most people or are a more organized time manager.
Nah, I was on vacation all week. It’s easy to get stuff done when you’re not stuck at the salt mine. LOL
If there was a website called Trombetta Travails or The Cucuzza Chronicles, I could be a Premier Member. Anyway, the temps here have been in the low to mid nineties which aren’t bad, but with no clouds my Trombettas are doing the wilt thing, too. Yesterday, I put a canopy I devised from wood 2” by 1/4” by 8’, and put designer’s voile over that.
The Trombettas like it so far. So, I will see if it stops the afternoon leaf wilt today.
Meanwhile, the kneehigh hose over the cucuzzi seems to be keeping the bitey bugs off them. I have no idea what is taking nips out of them when I’m not looking, and I’m looking a lot.
I always thought that would was called lathe strips, but I think at Home depot it’s called trellis strips, Anyway, I like it because you can wet it, and it’s very flexible. I also bend it into upside down U shapes, perpendicular to each other, and put it over my tomatoes to hold them up.
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