![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/triffle.jpg\")
The
\n quid pro quo for having a herd of friendly foreign in-laws in exotic
\n climes from Flushing, Queens to Jipijapa are long, unfortunately timed
\n visits from selfsame in-laws, particularly the traditionally gnarly mother-in-law.<\/p>\n
So it was with some trepidation that we have been anticipating
\n the arrival today of Norma Yvonne’s outlandish aunt Delfina, morbidly
\n obese
\n brother Gualberto and her wizened, widowed mother, Annie. Our dear mom-in-law
\n is here for the better part of a month, the others just came along from
\n New York to drop her off. This is a cultural trait of Latinos, we have
\n noted. When any family member is leaving on a trip, or coming back from
\n one, the entire troupe of 27 troupe down to the airport in a rolling bon
\n voyage, or welcome home, as the case may be.<\/p>\n
At any rate, due to our only partially undeserved reputation
\n with our in-laws as an accomplished chef, we were expected to produce
\n an exotic
\n epicurean repast for tonight despite our current crushing schedule down
\n at the academic salt mines.<\/p>\n
Within the constraints of time, budget and ingredients,
\n we kept it simple: Matza ball soup (for that exotic, ethnic Yid touch)
\n Pollo a
\n la Brasa (Broasted Chicken), Arroz a la Jardinero, fresh local sweet
\n corn,
\n and
\n tomato,
\n cuke
\n and onion slice salad.<\/p>\n
But the tour de force, by popular request, was trifle.
\n Trifle. is a category of dessert, rather than a single dish. The version
\n we learned
\n from our mother combines a base of pound cake, layers of fresh fruit,
\n Bird (British) dessert pudding, marmalade, canned cling peaches in heavy
\n syrup and whipped cream.<\/p>\n
The cool thing about Trifle. is that it is kind of
\n the smorgasbord of fancy desserts. You can throw in whatever marmalades
\n or preserves you
\n have in the refrigerator, and whatever fresh fruits are available and
\n in season. In this version we used fresh strawberries, mandarin orange
\n slices, and a banana.<\/p>\n
The other adjustment we made in this version was in
\n the pudding layer. Usually we use two envelopes of Bird’s, a quaint
\n and traditional British
\n pudding which brings to mind Brigadier Pudding and treacle and is oddly
\n available in most major American markets, but today we found ourself down
\n to the very last packet. At the local Star market, we searched in vain
\n for the magic powder, which when mixed with two cups of milk and a bit
\n of sugar turns into a pasty pudding that holds the whole Trifle. together
\n like tapioca holds together whatever those little white globules are.<\/p>\n
They had already made, ready-to-eat Bird’s Pudding,
\n a new format we had never seen, at $5.99 for a small packet, but as
\n it was unrefrigerated
\n and who-knows-how-long stored and shipped from the mother country we
\n passed. They had a Bird Trifle. Preparation Kit, at $7.99, which included
\n mixes for the cake, the pudding, a sort of translucent gelatin layer
\n unlike anything in Mom’s version, and a white, whipped cream-like "topping".
\n We recoiled and retreated.<\/p>\n
In lieu of a Bird’s refill, we noted that the directions
\n on a package of Jello Flan were EXACTLY the same as for a packet of
\n Birds – mix with
\n two cups of milk and a bit of sugar, heat to a full boil, stirring constantly,
\n and then chill. We were cooking for a Latin audience, so maybe the Flan
\n substitution would fly. Should we just go with the single packet of
\n Birds, prepare a packet of each and apply them as separate layers, or
\n throw them in together and how for a fortuitous blending of tastes and
\n consistencies? We threw caution to the wind, and threw them both into
\n a pot with 4 cups of milk, and crossed our fingers.<\/p>\n
Seems to have worked find for tonight, but we can’t
\n hide behind trifles for the better part of a month…<\/p>\n
for a full photo review<\/a> of the process, SEE HERE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The quid pro quo for having a herd of friendly foreign in-laws in exotic climes from Flushing, Queens to Jipijapa are long, unfortunately timed visits from selfsame in-laws, particularly the traditionally gnarly mother-in-law. So it was with some trepidation that … Continue reading