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La Befana by Keane at Barganews.com
La Befana by Keane at Barganews.com
There is something about the town of Barga, from which my family originates. It is a small, but lovely medieval walled city in Tuscany. It seems to be so tight-knit. The residents gather for so many events throughout the year. It is the true sense of community. I try to copy some of their traditions in my family, but I can never compare to the centuries old traditions the town celebrates as a community. At least I can witness it in the town newspaper and try to give my children a small taste of their heritage.

As you may know from my last couple of posts, we were celebrating Epiphany.  La Befana (we go with the tradition that she is a little old, lady, not a witch) came to visit during the night, leaving candy, cookies, and a small gift. I encourage you to go to Barga News and read the article on how they celebrated with La Befana and Befanotti. I can't do it justice. On the page, you will see many more wonderful photos by Keane and even sound clips from the music of the night. My 5 year goal is to go visit Barga and my extended family there. I hope to go during one of the special events I have spent years reading about online and through photos and posts from the Rigali families living there.



11:14 PM No Punti per la polizia grammatica
La Befana's Sailor Jerry Italian Rum Cake
La Befana's Weakness - Sailor Jerry Rum Cake
Buongiorno! Epiphany is quickly arriving, which is the 12th Day of Christmas and the end of the season. I am certain you are concerned how you can appease La Befana when she arrives at your house. Well, it turns out that La Befana once visited Hawaii on the Eve of Epiphany, drank some spiced rum in her eggnog, and got a tattoo from none other than Sailor Jerry!

Now she either wants another tattoo or she wants to mince words with him for giving her a tattoo when she was under the influence of his spiced golden rum. He has passed on, but she still searches for him. If you leave her an Italian Rum Cake made with Sailor Jerry's quintessential spiced rum, she's certain to show you great appreciation, as she seems to have a weakness for it (as do I)!
L'Epifania tutte le feste porta via!

La Befana's Sailor Jerry Rum Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

Crunchy goodness:
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Main Cake:
1 yellow or butter cake mix
1 3.4 oz package of instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup of whole milk OR 1/2 cup of vanilla cream soda pop
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of Sailor Jerry's Rum (it's perfectly spiced)

Sailor Jerry Syrup:
 1/2 cup butter
1 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of Sailor Jerry Rum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 10 inch Bundt pan by either grease and flour or my best trick is to first butter the pan and then spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix the ingredients for the crunchy goodness and put about 1/2 to 3/4 in the bottom of the Bundt pan.

Mix the cake ingredients together in a separate bowl. Be sure to only use one or the other of the milk or cream soda in the cake, not both. Pour the cake batter into the Bundt pan.Top with remaining Crunchy Goodness. 

Bake for 45-60 minutes, testing periodically with a toothpick until it comes out clean.
Allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes, poke holes with a skewer or fork on the top of the cake. Invert cake onto platter and prick the rest of the cake.

Meanwhile cook Sailor Jerry Syrup. Combine butter, sugar, and water in a pan on the stove or a large glass bowl in the microwave. Do NOT add the rum yet.  If on the stove, bring to a gentle boil and boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. If in microwave I cook in 30 second increments or less if it threatens to boil over. I stop and stir and start up again until it has boiled at least 4 minutes in the microwave.
Then remove the syrup and stir in rum.

Pour at least 1/2 the syrup into the Bundt pan and put cake carefully back into pan so as not to splatter yourself with the hot syrup. Then take the additional rum syrup and pour on top of the cake. Let sit for at least 10 minutes or until most of the rum has soaked into the cake. Then again invert the cake onto the same platter. Allow to fully cool and sit for at least 4 hours before serving for best flavor. It tastes even better the next day. 


10:11 AM No Punti per la polizia grammatica
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I'm up for adoption by any full-blooded Italian families (just kidding mamma). Otherwise, I am forced to accept the DNA claim that I am less than 2%, even though my genealogy claims I should be more!

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