Saturday, December 03, 2011

I’LL PRE-EMPT BEFORE YOU LEAP TO CONCLUSIONS!





























































I've just realised I've not written a word in here since August! I'll have to do some "pre-empting" of my own towards myself with harsh reprimands for my slackness! I do apologise...but I'm probably apologising to an invisible, absent audience because I guess I've lost all my readers! I've just rapped myself across the knuckles in punishment! And I leave you with this promise...I will attend to my blogging more frequently in the future! I've missed it, and I've missed you!

My mind often works in mysteriously weird ways! By “often” I mean it probably goes into odd mode every second second. A thought is triggered without warning or choice; usually by something obscure, inconspicuous (it doesn’t discriminate). Something grabs my attention and sets my faculties, senses, consciousness, brain, noddle, grey matter (I’ve lots of that stuff now that my hair has changed colour to match my “organ of thought”) into overdrive. My brain snaffles the fodder tossed its way. Without a backward glance, it scampers off into sometimes previously unexplored territory. Mindful that not always will a sensible outcome ensue, the potential is ever present. With that probability in mind, curiosity becomes a powerful motivator.

The word “pre-empt” instigated this current train of activity. Out of the blue, arriving without an invitation, let alone a knock on the door, the word appropriated my thoughts. I consulted my trusty, ever-present Oxford Dictionary. My Oxford wordsmith has been a trustworthy, ever-present presence in my life since my high school shenanigans. These days it’s well-worn, battered, bruised and slightly torn, showing as much wear and tear as its owner. The description of my love for it maybe concise, but my adoration has never waned. It shares desk space with my equally-loved and utilised Roget’s Thesaurus. “Thessie” (please excuse my lisp) is of similar age and appearance. Actually, “Thessie” is slightly more tattered and torn, but she still does her job admirably.

After my lengthy patter, the point I’m trying to make is how can one “pre-empt” something or someone (although many do try and frequently succeed, which is unfortunate and very annoying) when there is no such word as “empt”?

Stop! Hold the horses; shut the gates; lock the doors – don’t even dare attempt to pre-empt what I’m going to say next! “Emption” is a word, but - horror upon horror - it doesn’t appear in the Oxford Dictionary; not in my edition, anyway! It is in the Thesaurus, however.

“Emption” means – purchase; buying; purchasing; shopping; procuring; investing etc., etc., et al. All of which appear to have little to do with “pre-empt”. It does proves, though, that my Oxford Dictionary and my Roget’s Thesaurus are akin to that old song written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, made popular by Frank Sinatra; “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage – you can’t have one without the other”.

If I’m being pre-emptive, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it! Maybe I’m being presumptuous! It’s possible to have one without the other – love and marriage that is; not my dictionary and “Thessie”!

I’m being cheesy…I know!


Tim Tam Cheesecake: Process 250g Tim Tams to fine crumbs; add 80g melted butter; blend to combine; press into spring-form pan; chill 30mins. Dissolve 3tsp gelatine in 1/4c boiling water; cool. Beat 375g cream cheese, 1/2c caster sugar and 1tsp vanilla until smooth; beat in 1c thickened cream. Stir gelatine and 200g grated white chocolate into cream cheese. Chop 100g Tim Tams; stir into mixture; pour over base; cover; chill to set.

Ricotta Cheesecake: Preheat oven 190C; place rack in centre. Spray 9-inch spring-form pan; sprinkle with flour to lightly coat sides and base. On med-speed, combine 454g ricotta, 1tsp salt, 3tbs sugar, 1tbs plain flour and 3 room-temp egg yolks for 2mins; don’t over-beat. In another bowl, at high speed whisk egg whites, approx 1-1/2mins until stiff peaks form; using spatula, gently fold through cheese mixture until blended; pour into pan; give a good tap on bench to level. Place in centre of oven rack; bake 35-40mins or until just set and doesn’t jiggle; midway into baking, turn pan to browns evenly; remove from oven; cool completely before refrigerating. Top with fresh fruit of choice.

Ginger Cheesecake: Process 250g gingernuts until fine; add 75g melted butter; mix well; press into 20x30cm slice pan; chill. Beat 500g cream cheese, 1/2c honey and 2tbs caster sugar until fluffy; beat in juice and zest of small lemon; add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating between additions; fold in 1/4c finely-chopped crystallized ginger; fold in 125ml whipped cream. Spread over base; bake in preheated 170C oven, 25mins or until just set; turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven with door ajar; cool; chill at least 4 hours. Decorate with chopped crystallized ginger and whipped cream if the mood suits!

16 comments:

  1. I'll vote for the ricotta cheese cake, post-emptively of course..

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  2. "I prefer the third one" he said gingerly.

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  3. Hey, is it really 8:22pm in Queensland? What day? What year?

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  4. Glad to see you're up to the task again. I should probably write you a detention slip but I haven't been much better.
    I'm not familiar with 'ginger nuts' but me thinks it's a 'states deal'. The recipe looks good though and nothing I should be pounding down. But you keep writing and I'll keep reading. Deal?

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  5. Not being pre-emptive, Cosmo...it's 3.08pm here in Queensland as I write this, but I can't give you an answer to the time it will be when you read this!

    I think it's Sunday, but I'm not sure of the year! I think I've missed a few years...they've disappeared into the cosmos almost before I had time to expend some time with them; and they did so not very harmoniously, either!

    How nice it is to see you both...and what a coincidence that after all this time both of you appear almost simultaneously...no doubt spontaneously!

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  6. Hi Cliff...it's always a pleasure to see you. :)

    "Gingernuts" are biscuits/cookies, Cliff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_biscuit

    Gingernut Recipe: 250g butter 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) soft brown sugar
    250mls (1 cup) golden syrup
    3 tsps ground ginger
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
    1 tbs boiling water
    450g (3 cups) plain flour, sifted

    Add above ingredients to your shopping list
    Method

    Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

    Combine butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, ginger and cinnamon in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until well combined. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until almost to boiling point and then remove from the heat.

    Pour the butter mixture into a large bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

    Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water and then stir into the butter mixture. Add the plain flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

    Use a teaspoon to spoon the mixture onto the lined baking trays to form rounds about 3cm in diameter. Leave plenty of room for each to spread.

    Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until a medium golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on the trays. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Store in an airtight container.

    Happy munching!

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  7. Lee,
    Delighted to see you still "kicking" words around the blog-world!
    I'll have the Ginger White Cheese-cake to honor Hermain Caine if you please.
    As for blogging; I've taken the lazy man's approach and do a short status post everyday on facebook. Other than that I'm busy revisiting and revising the plenitude of past blog essays for a course I'm finishing up in Creative non-fiction.

    Merry Christmas and lets be better about visiting in the New Year. :)
    rel

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  8. Wonderful to see you, Rel. I'll invite you to be a friend on my Facebook...it'll be good to keep in touch more often.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, as well.

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  9. Hi Lee,
    I couldn't find you on FB; there are a few Lee George there from Australia but none I recognize .
    Any way here's my addy for FB:

    http://facebook.com/blarock

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  10. http://www.facebook.com/people/Lee-George/739703263

    Try the above, Rel.

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  11. Lee, I think I've located your FB page. I sent you a friend request as well as a message.
    Bob LaRock

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  12. Right...I think I've just found you, too, Rel...do you have a pic of Dean Martin as your profile pic?

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  13. No request message has come through yet, Rel.

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  14. I've left a comment on your FB, Rel...nice to see you in another light, so to speak! ;)

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  15. Mmmm, Yummy cheese cake.

    Janice~

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  16. Hey! Thanks for visiting, Janice! :)

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