Friday, January 23, 2009

Do you believe in fairies?

Ok, then how about fairy bread? No, this topic isn't about baking wee cakes in order to appease the little folk, and it's not about catching a bunch of the little critters and baking them up with flour, egg and sugar. Rather, it's my cultural lesson of the day.

With the kids in an international school, the food items brought to class parties and other events can prove to be an interesting.. and usually very yummy... adventure. Last year, one of the kids in Honor's preK had an Australian parent. They would often bring in this amazing little snack called fairy bread. It's a neat snack, and I had never heard of it or seen it before. Have you?! Here's how to make it:

WHITE bread is best. We tried it today with a very light wheat (because we never have white bread) and it was ok, not as good though. Do not toast it.

Spread with margarine or butter, whatever you like best.

Sprinkle very generously - I guess I should just say, completely coat it with, sprinkles. The little, bitty, pastel round bits are best. Use a large plate to catch and reuse the extra.

Cut diagonally - do not slice or cut into squares - I've been told that if the pieces aren't triangular, like fairy wings, they will NOT taste right.

Stack on a pretty plate (they won't stick if you use enough of the sprinkles)

Place on table. Call kids to table from distance. Stand back or you will be trampled.

It is probably healthier than cookies or cakes ... maybe... rather than a sugary cookie or cake, covered in frosting and sprinkles, it's bread and butter (I know, with massive amounts of sprinkles - so don't quote me on the health benefits!). At a party, kids can really put this treat away. For an at home snack, I found that 1-wing each (2 pieces of bread for 4 people) was enough. Probably the equivalent of 2 average cookies. I really appreciate a snack that I can easily prepare in large or small quantities.

So simple, so pretty, and kids LOVE it. (me too)

Thank you Australia :-)

10 comments:

Nicole said...

Very fun idea!

Tanya said...

Its a kiwi thing too and we call the sprinkles 'hundreds and thousands'.
Come up here, O dusty feet!
Here is fairy bread to eat.
Here in my retiring room,
Children, you may dine
On the golden smell of broom
And the shade of pine;
And when you have eaten well,
Fairy stories hear and tell.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Someone always makes some for the NZ table at International Day. I didnt check to see if they were on the Aussie table too although they probably were!!

Anonymous said...

I love that idea! I`ve seen it done before, but with flavored sprinkles that my Dutch friend brought in little boxes. She had chocolate ones and strawberry and vanilla. They were heavenly.

I know what we`re having for an after-school snack on Monday! :) We`re studying colors, so how perfect is that?

Mama Seoul said...

Great poem to say with it as well!

Connie said...

Yes, it is a great poem.. Thanks Tanya!

And I think it would be fun to try with flavored sprinkles. I made one bread with pastels, and one with leftover Halloween sprinkles. A little goth, but why not?

Simple Answer said...

Yum. But no good white bread here. Really good bread here - just not white sandwich bread.

Connie said...

Simple Answer - I generally can't stand white bread (just replied to a friend in email on a completely different subject, about how I hate how it sticks to the roof of your mouth - ick!) But it does have its place - under the sprinkles and butter!

Diane Mandy said...

What a great idea!

Veronica said...

A couple of aussie variations - use a cookie cutter to cut shapes (after buttering the bread) or use chocolate-hazlenut spread (Nutella) instead of butter - you have to develop alternatives for variation!
We call them 100's & 1000's also.
Yesterday was Australia Day, so there was fairy bread for the littlies at the street cricket match - see http://smouldering-mushroom.blogspot.com/

rachaelgking said...

I've heard of it, but never knew exactly what it was. That sounds scrumptious...