Italian anise cake a hit with family, friends for ages
Cooking and baking remain ways to connect with those AnnMarie Scinicariello loves most.
Using recipes from family members 无毛视频� such as Italian Anise Cake 无毛视频� brings back memories of good times and great food. That recipe came from her mother, Angie Bongiovi, and had been passed down through the family of her mother无毛视频檚 maid of honor, or 无毛视频渃omata无毛视频� in Italian. It was a big deal in the family.
无毛视频淚 remember eating this cake on the weekends,无毛视频� said Scinicariello, who lives in Dickson City with her husband, Joe. 无毛视频淢y mother was always baking, especially on the weekends. In case you got company, you had to have something ready, which happened a lot then.无毛视频�
While Scinicariello didn无毛视频檛 need to cook while living at home, when she started her own family 无毛视频� which includes three children, Vicki, Tina and Henry Minello 无毛视频� Scinicariello began to learn her mother无毛视频檚 recipes. This included the one for Italian Anise Cake 无毛视频� sometimes known as Chumbalone, Chombolini or Ciambella, depending on the region of Italy it came from 无毛视频� which has been a hit with family and friends for as long as she can remember.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a very versatile cake,无毛视频� Scinicariello said. 无毛视频淚t doesn无毛视频檛 have to be a special time of year to eat it. You can eat it for breakfast. My brother made me laugh the other day. We were talking about the cake and he said, 无毛视频楾he best part is after a couple days when it gets hard or a little dry, you put it in the toaster. It makes delicious toast.无毛视频� You can really do a lot with it.无毛视频�
This cake is just as delicious as it is cherished, and that无毛视频檚 why the cake earned Scinicariello a $50 gift card to Riccardo无毛视频檚 Market, 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore.
Scinicariello described the recipe as super simple, noting that cooks can prepare it in one bowl. Since Scinicariello is diabetic, she never adds an icing to the cake, but she said it doesn无毛视频檛 really need any more sweetness.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 really light,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淣one of the flavors are overpowering, and it无毛视频檚 not too sweet. It无毛视频檚 just a really nice, light cake.无毛视频�
Local Flavor couldn无毛视频檛 agree more. The cake无毛视频檚 moist, fluffy texture paired perfectly with the tastes of signature anise and cool, tart lemon.
It came as no surprise since Scinicariello is a master in the kitchen. She typically does all the holiday cooking and also creates homemade raviolis and gnocchi as well as eggplant Parmesan and braciole. On the baking side, she makes banana breads and lots of different kinds of pies, cakes and cookies, including Italian specialities such as anise or pepper cookies and pizzelles.
As her children grew up, she made up cookbooks for them filled with their favorite recipes. To date, she无毛视频檚 crafted more than 100 cookbooks and given them away to friends and family.
无毛视频淚 really enjoy cooking,无毛视频� she said, pointing out how she now she loves to make dishes for her five grandchildren. 无毛视频淎fter all, cooking is in my blood.无毛视频�
When Scinicariello was a child, her father died and her family moved in with her grandfather, 无毛视频淧op Cardone,无毛视频� who always made homemade spaghetti for special occasions as well as polenta and influenced Scinicariello无毛视频檚 interest in cooking. Scinicariello无毛视频檚 mother, meanwhile, was a baker for Roosevelt Junior High School for 24 years and made cookies, cakes, brownies and more for the students.
And Scinicariello无毛视频檚 brother, Joe, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and makes everything from wedding cakes and Italian cannoli to pies, cookies and more.
无毛视频淚 get all my good tips from him,无毛视频� Scinicariello said, laughing.
Scinicariello无毛视频檚 husband emigrated from Italy to the United States at 15 and started to work at a bakery, and she said he still makes the most delicious homemade bread she无毛视频檚 ever had. The two often cook and bake together.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 part of that Italian upbringing,无毛视频� she said.
Today, Scinicariello has more time to dedicate to being in the kitchen. Prior to retirement, Scinicariello was a hairdresser and salon owner for 33 years who also made dinners for her family. While she always made time to do it, it无毛视频檚 a favorite pastime now. For the last 12 years, Scinicariello has chaired the sweet treats stand at the Dickson City Days annual summer picnic.
无毛视频淚 truly enjoy baking and cooking. It无毛视频檚 not a chore if you enjoy it,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 relaxing to me.无毛视频�
Contact the writer: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT on Twitter
Annmarie Scinicariello无毛视频檚 Italian Anise Cake
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
5 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 ounces anise flavor
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon anise seeds
In a bowl, mix all ingredients well. Spray two 9-inch tube pans. Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes until golden on top. Let cool and remove from pan.