I need molasses, stat!
Nov 15th, 2007 by B.
I’m a fool for a bargain. It doesn’t even have to be something I need… I’m often heard making comments like “wow, did you see those diapers were half-price?!” or “Rossmann has blue hair dye on clearance for .79 cents a box… I should grab all of it in case I even decide to dye my hair blue”. This is also why we have 350 gr. of gourmet kitty snacks and no kitty. A good deal is like a rush of blood to my head; I lose the ability to think logically and whip out my ec card faster than Britney Spears flashes her pantyless (pantiless? panty-less?) cha-cha when a camera’s around.
This goes a long way toward explaining why I’m now the proud owner of 19 boxes of soon-to-be-expired Aunt Jemima ‘Buttermilk Complete’ pancake mix (.29 cents a box) and 69 packages of Act II ‘Salted Lightly’ microwave popcorn (.09 cents per packet). The popcorn has a shelf life of, well, forever, so I’m not concerned about it. But the pancake mix? Hmmm. I had to find a way to justify it so Jim wouldn’t immediately cry ‘bullshit’.
So I hit the internet looking for recipes requiring buttermilk pancake mix. As luck would have it Jim’s birthday is next week and his office has about a kazillion people in it… all of whom we’re expected to provide geburtstag goodies for. When I came across a recipe for something (tragically) called ‘shoofly coffee cake‘ requiring TWO (count ‘em… two!) CUPS of buttermilk pancake mix per batch, I felt vindicated. Coffee cake sounds sensible and dense and perfectly German to me, and the mix doesn’t even expire until the first week of December, so technically I wouldn’t be sending Jim in with damaged goods.
Trouble is, I need molasses. I’m not even sure what the hell molasses is. It’s it like syrup, right? Can I buy it here? If so, what’s it called? It’s the only thing standing between me & justification for at least a quarter of my boxes.
And if anyone knows a good recipe for buttermilk meatloaf or buttermilk potato chips, or even buttermilk brussel sprouts (I can only eat so many pancakes)… by all means… share
On this day..
- Douche Bahn. - 2007
Molasses is like a southern staple, along with sweet tea and fried food. The best is Grandma’s Molasses (that’s the brand name). I don’t even know how to describe the taste of molasses, it’s very different than anything else. It’s the consistency of honey, and sweet like honey but it’s got almost a slightly bitter taste like coffee leaves in your mouth. Weird I know, you just have to try it. It’s wonderful on bread or a biscuit.
19 boxes of pancake mix! LOL!
Yeah, molasses is really dark brown and syrupy. It’s what’s left when they refine sugar. There’s blackstrap molasses and “fancy” molasses which is the kind usually used for cooking. The German equivalent (not exactly the same but I use it interchangebly) is called “Zuckerrübensirup” and in my supermarket it’s in the aisle with the jam and honey. The Grafschafter company makes both a dark and light version (which is similar to cornstarch) but I don’t know if you can get that brand out your way. It used to come in yellow tubs but they have now changed to sort of triangular squeeze bottles. http://www.grafschafter.de/
Whoops, I meant the lighter version is similar to corn syrup, not cornstarch.
I’ll bet you could use the mix interchangeably with Bisquick - lots of recipes here: http://www.bisquick.com including something called “sausage cheese balls.”
Kat- The sad part is that I’m originally from the south… I should know this stuff!
Christina- Thanks! I’ll have to hit Edeka tomorrow morning and see if they have any. I sure hope so… I’ve got a lot of pancake miy to burn through.
Blythe- I didn’t even think about checking out Bisquick recipes, good idea. Surely there I can finds lots of ways to blow through pancake mix…
Sausage cheese balls ARE delicious, but Where is Jimmy Dean when you need “him.” I have two pounds still frozen here in Hamburg from … hum …. 2 years AGO this coming March. I refuse to eat it OR throw it out!
Yes, the molasses stuff IS in Dresden …. if not Edeka try Konsume. I believe I bought it there. Or possibly SB Halle! or …. the BIG ones, like at Elbe Park. AND it worked for whatever it was for. On pancakes? MUST be perhaps a REAL southerner. HA! Yikes.
Great! Edeka is where I buy mine, so you should have no problem.
Love sausage & cheese balls, so simple to make and so yummy!
19 Boxes!!! That sounds like something I would do
lol B.
This is just up the road a piece from where you were born.
They had their annual Syrup Festival last weekend.
http://www.depotmuseum.com/syrup.html
A couple of years ago a friend brought me back a can of cane syrup … mmmm doggies.
If you can’t find the other stuff, I’ve been told treacle is the Brit substitute that you can sometimes find in the better-stocked stores.
You and me are soulmates, definitely! I bought (during an Aldi American Week) 20 packets of Clam Chowder Soup powder. I miss Clam Chowder, but I can tell you that Aldi`s packet version is so NOT what I remember from home. (on the other hand, I wish I had stocked up on the tequila– they had the Sierra Gold at a VERY reasonable price, and it would have come in handy on a number of occasions).
Yeah molasses. Zuckerrübensirup is close enough for a recipe. But I still havent found soft brown sugar.
Hey geoffry,
Try a China-Laden/Asian Market for soft brown sugar. My wife found it hiding there.
Where did you find Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Pancake Mix?! I’ll take some off your hands. I love making some good ol American Pancakes.
I also haven’t found brown sugar and have to bring it in from the US. I’ll look next time I’m int he Asia-Markt
Molasses is called “Melasse” here, and you can buy it at natural food stores like Reformhaus. It’s not quite as tasty as “Grandma’s Molasses”, though.
I dont have any great recepies for you and yes, molassas is syrup. My friend that I am living with loves it so much (and we dont have it here in Norway) has people bring it to him from the US. I think its a little much for syrup, but good luck with the buttermilk!
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