Wednesday 23 September 2009

Nom Nom Nom in The Peg: Nothings

Last week there was a delightful article and video in the Winnipeg Free Press Online Edition concerning "nothings," which are light, airy cookies similar to puff pastry. At one time in Winnipeg's vibrant Jewish community, production of these cookies was a competitive sport among Moms. Doughy, leaden, burned or collapsed nothings marked their mortified bakers as failures. The article and video concern a belated attempt to learn how to make this traditional Winnipeg favourite by a daughter whose Mom is a champion baker of nothings.

Nothings are unique, temperamental, perhaps even a bit magical, according to this daughter:

They have only four ingredients -- flour, oil, sugar, and eggs -- and you could whip up a batch of them in 10 minutes, or at least my mother could. They have no leavening agent -- no baking powder, no baking soda, no yeast -- and yet they'd blow up in the oven like golden beach balls. And they are the only dessert I've ever seen that you bake by putting in the oven and turning it off. Then you leave them to cool "until tomorrow," according to my mother, who at 86 still makes them every week.

The article and video illustrate the daughter's frustrating struggle with nothings. The video is absolutely hilarious and very Winnipeg in its sense of humour. Check them both out here.

4 comments:

Rue said...

Can't wait until I have a moment to check this out - I love the name "nothings."

My dad's grandmother made something called "rubber necks" and all the ladies in the family have since tried to replicate her recipe...with only mild success.

Renee said...

Debra thank you for the love that you have given me and my family.

I like here how you put Winnipeg humour, that is a true type of humour.

Love Renee xoxo

Dancing With Fey said...

Those look yummy.

By the way, I nominated you for a blog award. Take a look at my blog to see what it is.

mxtodis123 said...

They look good...and something I could make. I used to be a real big cookie baker at holiday time. Every year I made about 96 dozen of all different kinds to give as gifts. But that was long, long ago. Lol!! Thanks for the wonderful comments at my blog. I am so totally new at this. My thing has always been Yahoo groups.