Baked: Rosin Baked Potato Recipe?

Subject: Rosin Baked Potato Recipe?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Fradybunch (fradybunch at ellijay.com)
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 17:03:09 -0400
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Does anyone know of a recipe for Rosin Baked Potatoes, such as the ones served at Cracker Barrel? We love these and would like to recreate them if possible!!
From: TJ (garamala at halcyon.com)
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 21:19:35 -0800
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I don't even know what Cracker Barrel is, but the Joy of Cooking has detailed instructions. Not a recipe for the clumsy.
From: dweller at ramtops.demon.co.uk (Doug Weller)
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 21:09:51 +0100
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Cracker Barrels have Rosin Baked potatoes? Wow! Must stop at one when I go to the States this summer. I have fond memories of my grandfather making these for barbecue parties. Huge cast iron cauldron!
From: mikeh43 at mail.goodnet.com (Mike Henrichs)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 06:28:16 GMT
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TJ wrote:
> Joy of Cooking has detailed instructions. Not for the clumsy.

I have the new edition of "Joy.." and there is no mention of this in either the index or potato section(s) pgs 408-411. Would you be so kind and explain the name "rosin" and give a cooking recipe.
From: Fradybunch (fradybunch at ellijay.com)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 07:38:12 -0400
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I have the new edition of "Joy.." and there is no mention of this in either the index or potato section(s) pgs 408-411. Would you be so kind and explain the name "rosin" and give a cooking recipe.

I originally was the person who posted this request. My copy of JOY didn't have it either, but someone was so kind to copy it and send to me. Below is the recipe. Rosin or "resin" is a very thick , almost sap like substance, given off by certain trees, such as pine trees. Although I really wanted to try these potatoes, I can't imagine coming up with 10-25 lbs. of it!!

Place in a large iron kettle:

10 - 25 lbs. Resin

This sounds extravagant, but the resin may be used repeatedly. Heat resin to the boiling point. Carefully lower into it, on a large slotted wooden-handled spoon, one at a time:

Large baking potatoes: 1 per person

Allow them to remain in the simmering resin until they float to the top. Remove potatoes and place at once diagonally on foot-square sheets of heavy brown paper. Twist the ends of the paper and serve the potatoes in the wrapping. Have on hand plenty of:

Butter

and in large grinders:

Sea salt
Pepper
From: ncarey at harlequin.com (Nicholas Carey)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 17:02:28 GMT
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The new edition of _Joy of Cooking_ (1998) removed a lot of good stuff. Previous editions (I believe the newest prior to the new 1998 edition was 1973, with of course multiple printings since then.) I'm sorry to see the rosin-cooked potatoes bit the dust [along with recipes for bear and directions on how to skin a squirrel.]

In general, the earlier your edition of _Joy_, the more useful it is. Entropy is everywhere.

I have a reprint of the 1st edition of _Joy_ which is rather interesting to read, although it lacks much of the ... completeness ... characterizing the later editions.

> Below is the recipe. Rosin or "resin" is a very thick , almost sap
> like substance, given off by certain trees, such as pine trees.
> Although I really wanted to try these potatoes, I can't imagine
> coming up with 10-25 lbs. of it!!
>
> Place in a large iron kettle:
>
> 10 - 25 lbs. Resin
>
> This sounds extravagant, but the resin may be used repeatedly. Heat resin to
> the boiling point.
[remainder of excellent recipe elided]

rosin is [basically] solidified pine/evergreen sap.

bear in mind if you try this that pine rosin is extremely flammable.

Melting this is not unlike heating a kettle full of paraffin wax to the boiling point. A certain amount of care is required. If you exceed its flash temperature...well, you get the picture. Hope you've got insurance. ;-(
From: RNR (amira at teleport.com)
Date: Sun, 02 May 1999 15:16:49 -0500
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Mike Henrichs wrote:
>I have the new edition of "Joy.." and there is no mention of this in
>either the index or potato section(s) pgs 408-411. Would you be so kind
>and explain the name "rosin" and give a cooking recipe.

I'm interested too, the only rosin I know of was used on my violin bow and under my ballet slippers. Definitely not edible.

Regards,
Ranee
From: ncarey at harlequin.com (Nicholas Carey)
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 17:48:30 GMT
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RNR wrote:
> the only rosin I know of was used on my violin bow and
> under my ballet slippers. Definitely not edible.

nobody said it edible...but its not toxic. You cook the pototoes in hot rosin. Then pull them out, peel them, toss the peel and eat the potato.
From: aem (aemretd at worldnet.att.net.invalid)
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 11:13:56 -0700
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Nicholas Carey wrote:
> nobody said it edible...but its not toxic. You cook the pototoes
> in hot rosin. Then pull them out, peel them, toss the peel and
> eat the potato.

It's been a long time, but my recollection of the rosin baked potato at the little restaurant by the golf course on Catalina Island is that you could eat the peel. They wrapped the scrubbed potato in several layers of newspaper, then put it in a pot of rosin. Super hot. The idea was that the extreme hot produced a remarkably light and fluffy potato. They brought them to the table with some newspaper still wrapped around them, you peeled it open, and the skin had been protected from the rosin. But...my memory is not that clear....
From: dweller at ramtops.demon.co.uk (Doug Weller)
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 22:35:36 +0100
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aem said:
> It's been a long time, but my recollection of the rosin baked
> potato at the little restaurant by the golf course on Catalina
> Island is that you could eat the peel. They wrapped the scrubbed
> potato in several layers of newspaper, then put it in a pot of
> rosin. Super hot. The idea was that the extreme hot produced a
> remarkably light and fluffy potato. They brought them to the
> table with some newspaper still wrapped around them, you peeled
> it open, and the skin had been protected from the rosin.
> But...my memory is not that clear....

I'm sure that's what my granddad's baked potatoes were like.
From: hankgillette at bigfoot.com (Hank Gillette)
Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 21:41:34 -0700
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Doug Weller wrote:
>Cracker Barrels have Rosin Baked potatoes? Wow! Must stop at one when I go to
>the States this summer. I have fond memories of my grandfather making these
>for barbecue parties. Huge cast iron cauldron!

I haven't seen rosin baked potatoes on the Cracker Barrel menu for several years.
From: mikeh43 at mail.goodnet.com (Mike Henrichs)
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 19:27:31 GMT
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Ranee wrote:
> I'm interested too, the only rosin I know of was used on my violin bow and
> under my ballet slippers. Definitely not edible.

Some one wrote:
rosin is [basically] solidified pine/evergreen sap.

Yep, Ranee - its the same stuff. Same stuff circus people use for a better grip, remember that little dusty bag they always use?
From: Chops (lambchop at worldramp.net)
Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 03:34:51 GMT
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It is the same rosin. We used to have these for outdoor family gatherings. They are great! Cook the rosin until liquid. Drop whole potatoes into it and let them cook until they float to the top. Watch not to stir too much or you can tear the potatoes. When they float, take them out of the pot and immediately place in the middle of a few sheets of newspaper, torn in half. Twist the ends of the paper around the two ends of the potato and let cool. Cut the potato in half around the middle and eat the wonderfully soft interior.

Enjoy!
From: mrsbintx at aol.com (MrsB inTX)
Date: 24 May 1999 16:41:19 GMT
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The only place I ever had roisin-baked potatoes was many years ago at a Miami-area restaurant called "Black Ceasar's Forge."

I've always wondered where one gets a big, boiling pot of roisin -? And how one cleans the pot? Thanks, -