Showing posts with label 1860s. Show all posts

Lemon Biscuits (1861) ★★★★


Its funny, when I pick a recipe to make for this blog, I usually go by ingredients. Flour? Sugar? Butter? Eggs? Lemon? "This will be easy," I think to myself. And then I start the recipe. And read the instructions. And I end up thinking, "what the heck is going on here?!"

This recipe is weird. Why does it call for blending the butter with the flour, like a pastry? And after adding the eggs it looked so dry and crumbly, I was getting really worried. So I did a brief Google search and saw that some other people have tried this recipe without success....oh no.
But then I went back to my bowl and it had basically magically transformed into something that resembled a dough! Yay! I kneaded it a bit, dropped it onto a cookie sheet, put it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

 


Original Recipe:

LEMON BISCUITS.
1743—INGREDIENTS.—1-1/4 lb. of flour, 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar, 6 oz. of fresh butter, 4 eggs, 1 oz. of lemon-peel, 2 dessertspoonfuls of lemon-juice.
Mode.—Rub the flour into the butter; stir in the pounded sugar and very finely-minced lemon-peel, and when these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add the eggs, which should be previously well whisked, and the lemon-juice. Beat the mixture well for a minute or two, then drop it from a spoon on to a buttered tin, about 2 inches apart, as the cakes will spread when they get warm; place the tin in the oven, and bake the cakes of a pale brown from 15 to 20 minutes.
Time.—15 to 20 minutes. Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Seasonable at any time.

The Verdict:

Now, seeing as though we're looking at a British cookbook here, "biscuits" really means cookies. But there's no kind of leavening in the recipe at all. Mrs. Beeton states to drop the dough with a spoon, so I got some pretty lumpy cookies. Almost like coconut macaroons in look. They also didn't spread very much at all, despite what her recipe says.

These lemon biscuits are really quite beautiful. They bake up a very light color, and look like fluffy clouds. Taste-wise, they are just as delicate. The lemon flavour is light, but still present. I think I would personally prefer a touch more punch of lemon flavour, because the strongest flavour is just the sweetness from the sugar. Nevertheless, I would happily eat these cookies by choice, because they are good. I loved them best just out of them oven, when they're warm and soft and fluffy. Once they cool they become a bit dryer and denser.

Also! This makes a LOT of cookies! I got about 47 cookies. I would recommend halving the recipe, but I'm including the whole recipe below. Lastly, Mrs. Beeton's recipe calls for one ounce of "very finely-minced lemon-peel." I just assumed she meant lemon zest, but even zesting two lemons didn't weigh anything on my scale. I'm thinking she might have been referring to more of a candied peel. However, the lemon zest I used seemed to work just fine. And zesting requires no mincing!


Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from The Book of Household Management)

1 1/2 pounds  (20 ounces) FLOUR
6 ounces UNSALTED BUTTER
3/4 pound (12 ounces) SUGAR
4 EGGS, beaten
1 ounce LEMON PEEL, or the ZEST of two LEMONS
2 teaspoons LEMON JUICE

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rub the butter into the flour as if to make a pastry dough. It should resemble wet sand.
3. Add the sugar and lemon peel to the flour and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and lemon juice and stir together until it forms a sticky dough (I used my hands to make sure everything was completely incorporated - you don't want chunks of egg). If the dough is still crumbly and isn't coming together, let it sit for a bit, to absorb the eggs.
4. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-15 minutes (mine took 13).
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Bichof (1867) ★★★★★


A quick search for "bichof" turned up a definition in a French dictionary, translated as "a maceration of orange or lemon in wine." Another definition expands upon the first, specifying the inclusion of spices and use of either white or red wine. Also spelled Bishop, bishof, bichof, or bischof. Some form of bichof appears in several European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. What defines bichof from other mulled wines is the use of citrus.
Because it is a form of mulled wine, bichof is perfect to serve around Christmastime, and indeed this has been a traditional use for the recipe for some time.In fact, a similar version of this recipe, known as Smoking Bishop, appeared in the end of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This sort of wine with spices and citrus had many variations, and was often simply called "Bishop." Here is a recipe from Modern Cookery (1845) by Eliza Acton:

Eliza directly quoted this recipe from Apician Morsels; or, Tales of the Table, Kitchen, and Larder (1829):
According to Mrs. Beeton, port and claret were most often used for mulled wine, so this recipe calling for white wine is a bit of an odd one out. She also specifies no particular ingredients, but gives a ratio of 1 cup of water (with dissolved sugar and spices) per pint of wine. 

Original Recipe:



The Verdict:

Because I'm impatient, I used the second method. I used 26 ounces of sparkling white grape juice, since I don't like alcohol. I figured it was a similar enough substitution. I also halved the amount of sugar and water. The end result was really tasty! It was very sweet, though, which I figured it would be. The sugar is really unnecessary with grape juice. With wine it might be different. It really did only take a few minutes to make, too. I would make this again, and I'll give this recipe five stars. Oh, and I only tried this cold, but I think it would be delicious warm as well. I may try that later.


Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from Hand-book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks)

26 ounces WHITE WINE or SPARKLING WHITE GRAPE JUICE
1/2 pound SUGAR*
1/2 pint WATER*
A pinch of CINNAMON
Juice of 1 LEMON
Juice of 1 ORANGE

* Omit if using juice.

1. Mix all together very well and serve hot or cold.
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Potatoes

The Potato Harvest by János Pentelei Molnár (1901)
August 19th is Potato Day! Potatoes have played  a huge role throughout history, especially in Ireland. I won't bore you with a long history lesson (you can look that up for yourselves on Wikipedia - seriously, does anybody NOT like reading those articles?!), but today I've got some unique potato recipes to share. Alas, I wasn't able to cook any this time!
Potatoes (1864)
(From A Poetical Cook-Book)
Leeks to the Welsh, to Dutchmen butter's dear;
Of Irish swains, potatoes is the cheer.
—GAY.
Wash them, but do not pare or cut them, unless they are very large. Fill a saucepan half full of potatoes of equal size (or make them so by dividing the larger ones), put to them as much cold water as will cover them about an inch; they are sooner boiled, and more savory than when drowned in water. Most boiled things are spoiled by having too little water; but potatoes are often spoiled by having too much; they must be merely covered, and a little allowed for waste in boiling, so that they may be just covered at the finish. Set them on a moderate fire till they boil; then take them off, and put them by the side of the fire to simmer slowly till they are soft enough to admit a fork. Place no dependence on the usual test of their skins cracking, which, if they are boiled fast, will happen to some potatoes when they are not half done, and the insides quite hard. Then pour the water off (if you let the potatoes remain in the water a moment after they are done enough, they will become waxy and watery), uncover the saucepan, and set it at such a distance from the fire as will secure it from burning; their superfluous moisture will evaporate, and the potatoes will be perfectly dry and mealy.

You may afterwards place a napkin, folded up to the size of the saucepan's diameter, over the potatoes, to keep them hot and mealy till wanted.

This method of managing potatoes is in every respect equal to steaming them, and they are dressed in half the time.
There is such an infinite variety of sorts and sizes of potatoes, it is impossible to say how long they will take doing: the best way is to try them with a fork. Moderate sized potatoes will generally be done enough in fifteen or twenty minutes.


The Potato Eaters by Vincent Van Gogh (1885)
Potato Apples (1896)
(From The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book)

2 cups hot riced potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
few grains cayenne
slight grating nutmeg
2 tablespoons thick cream
yolks 2 eggs

Mix ingredients in order given, and beat thoroughly. Shape in form of small apples, roll in flour, egg, and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and drain on brown paper. Insert a clove at both stem and blossom end of each apple.


Potato Harvesting at St.Annes in 1927
Potato Pears (1900)
(From My Pet Recipes, Tried and True)

6 or 8 large potatoes
butter
cream
pepper
salt
cloves
beaten egg

Boil potatoes, when well done mash thoroughly, adding a little butter, cream, pepper and salt. Mould into shape of pears, putting a clove into stem and brush over with beaten egg, and put into the oven to brown slightly.


'Digging and bagging potatoes', the Warrnambool potato harvest 1881 
Mock Fish Balls in Curry or Cream Sauce (1898)
(From The Golden Age Cook Book )

5 ounces of plain boiled potatoes
3 ounces of butter
1 slightly heaping tablespoonful of Groult's potato flour
2 eggs
onion juice
salt
pepper

Curry Sauce
1 heaping tablespoonful of butter
1 heaping teaspoonful of flour
1 even teaspoonful of curry powder
milk
1 tablespoonful of good Madeira

Put the potatoes through a patent vegetable strainer or mashed very fine. Add the butter and potato flour, the eggs slightly beaten and stirred in a little at a time, a few drops of onion juice and salt and pepper to taste. Have a saucepan of boiling salted water over the fire, dip a tablespoon in cold water and then into the mixture and take out in oblong balls as nicely and uniformly shaped as possible, and drop them carefully into the boiling water, which must not boil too violently as the mixture is tender and would cook to pieces. Put them in without crowding and let them cook three minutes, taking them out one after another as they are done. Put in a colander to drain while preparing the curry sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add to it the flour, curry powder, stir well and add milk until of the consistency of cream sauce. Put the balls into the sauce and let it come to a boil, remove from the fire, and add the Madeira. Serve on a platter, garnish with parsley and serve. The curry powder and wine may be omitted if not liked, and the balls served in plain cream sauce.

Harvesting potatoes in Idaho's Boise Valley, circa 1920
Potato Sausages (1915)
(From Dr. Allinson's Cookery Book)

1 pint of mashed potato
2 eggs well beaten
1 breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs
2 ounces of butter (or Allinson nut-oil)
1/2 saltspoonful of nutmeg
pepper and salt

Mash the potatoes well with one of the eggs, add seasoning, form the mixture into sausages, roll them in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry them brown.
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Lemonade.--To Carry in the Pocket (1864) ★★


Original Recipe:
LEMONADE.--TO CARRY IN THE POCKET.--Loaf sugar 1[unclear] lb.; rub it down finely in a mortar, and add citric acid 1/2 oz.; (tartaric acid will do,) and lemon essence 1/2 oz., and continue the trituration until all is intimately mixed, and bottle for use. It is best to dry the powders as mentioned in the Persian Sherbet, next following.

A rounding table-spoon can be done up in a paper and carried conveniently in the pocket when persons are going into out-of-the-way places, and added to half pint of cold water, when all the beauties of a lemonade will stand before you waiting to be drank, not costing a penny a glass. This can be made sweeter or more sour, if desired. If any however should prefer an effervescing drink, they can follow the directions given in the next recipe.

The Verdict:
Unfortunately all my hopes for a cool new portable lemonade were dashed away with this one. Firstly, when I tried to dry out the powder, it turned into candy! I think maybe I had my oven too hot? Or maybe it should have been spread thinner? And when I stirred it up it tasted like sugar water. Even with lemon zest and juice (albeit not fresh) it still tasted mostly of sugar. I think this recipe has promise, though, so perhaps I'll try it out again. If I do I will decrease the amount of sugar by half, add lemon zest, and use only lemon oil instead of extract (that might have been a big problem...I ran out of oil). Anyway, I've written out the modern recipe as I tried it, so maybe someone else can have a go at it if they like.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Dr. Chase's Recipes)
1 1/2 pounds SUGAR
1/2 ounce CITRIC ACID
1/2 ounce LEMON OIL

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients. 
2. Spread the powder thinly on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake at the lowest oven setting for 10 minutes and let air dry for a few hours. If humidity is high, try using uncooked rice to absorb the moisture and sift everything when dry. 
3. Keep in a bottle or fold the powder up in paper historical-style. I folded mine according to this video...which is meant for drugs, but don't judge me, it works!
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Queen-Cakes (1861) ★★★★★

Here's an appropriately named British recipe. Perfect for the Diamond Jubilee!


Original Recipe:
QUEEN-CAKES.

1773. INGREDIENTS – 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful of cream, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, essence of lemon, or almonds to taste.

Mode.—Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour, add the sugar and currants, and mix the ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, mix them with the cream and flavouring, and stir these to the flour; add the carbonate of soda, beat the paste well for 10 minutes, put it into small buttered pans, and bake the cake from 1/4 to 1/2 hour.

Grated lemon-rind may be substituted for the lemon and almond flavouring, which will make the cakes equally nice.

Time. 1/4 to 1/2 hour.

Average cost, 1s. 9d.

Seasonable at any time.

The Verdict:
Yum! Seriously, yum. Mr. Man loved these too. I wasn't quite sure what "small buttered pans" were, so I cooked this up in my mini cheesecake molds and it made jumbo muffins! This cake is really bready like a muffin, with a nice fluffiness, even though I only beat the batter for like 3 minutes instead of 10. I think using a muffin pan would be a good idea, but I also wonder how these would turn out if baked smaller like cookies. The batter is really thick. I love currants, because they give this fresh burst of tartness, and it really goes well with the sweet, slightly lemon-y cake. I do think some lemon zest would have been delicious too....Don't know why I didn't add that!

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management)

1/2 pound UNSALTED BUTTER
1 pound FLOUR
1/2 pound SUGAR
1/2 pound CURRANTS
3 EGGS
1/2 cup CREAM or MILK
1/8 teaspoon LEMON OIL
1 rounded teaspoon BAKING SODA

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the flour until crumbly like wet sand. Fold in the sugar and currants. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and lemon oil. Add to the batter. Lastly, add the baking soda. Beat the batter for a few minutes, or until well combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 15 - 50 minutes, depending on the size. My jumbo muffins took about 35 minutes and I also made a tall round cake which took nearly 50. 
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