OLD-FASHIONED VINEGAR ROLLS

My sister's partner got up Easter morning and made these delicious and unusual cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  She said her momma used to make them when she was a little girl up in Oklahoma (I love her even if she is an Okie).  She knew I liked sweet and tart combinations so she wanted to make them for me since she'd recently found the recipe.  (She'd already gotten up and made the teen blueberry muffins...my sister-in-law is a work horse!)  She wasn't wrong in thinking I'd like these.  They are delicious...but different!.  She warned me of two things:

1.  Don't inhale before you bite into one (vinegar fumes)
2.  Follow with a big glass of cold milk

Again, right on target!  The taste of vinegar is not strong...the sugar and cinnamon really cut it, but the fumes are certainly there.  At first I thought she was talking about a yeast dinner roll (savory, not sweet)...but, it's a sweet roll... It's an oddly delectable mixture!

She printed off the recipe from food.com.  Someone posted it in 2007 and said "This was an answer to a recipe request in the Star-Telegram sometime in the early 90's.  The recipe was in the Parade Magazine published in 1961. <where Lana bets her Mom got it>  The article said the recipe dated from 1880.  I thought some of you might be collectors of old historic recipes."

So, here's the recipe as she prepared it:

OLD-FASHIONED VINEGAR ROLLS

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided

METHOD:

1.  Combine vinegar, water, 1 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut in shortening, stir in milk with fork until soft dough forms.
3.  Roll out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.  Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over surface of rectangle.  Dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
4.  Roll up, starting at longer side.  Cut crosswise into slices 1 1/4 inches thick. (About 8 rolls)
5.  Place slices, cut side up, close together in deep baking dish.  Dot with remaining butter.
6.  Pour hot vinegar mixture over all.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve hot with heavy cream (we just had a glass of cold milk because that's the way Lana remembered it).

When I served myself a roll I decided to flip it upside down...kind of like an upside down muffin...because all the good juice was soaked into the bottom.  Then I spooned some more mixture over the roll from the pan.  Lana came in right about then and said that's how she did it too.  Great minds :-)

I love a new recipe that is really unusual.  If you like sweet/tart things...you will love this and should give it a try!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!