Showing posts with label edwardian. Show all posts

Strawberry Eclairs / Boiled Icing (c.1909) ★★★★



This is a recipe I've had in my drafts for quite a while now, but just never got around to making.
It comes from The Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cook Book, published around 1909. This cookbook is a good example of an early publication from a magazine. These kinds of cookbooks, compiled by readers and tested by committees became quite popular. For example, in Canada in the 20th and 21st century you can find a lot of cookbooks from Chatelaine, a women's lifestyle magazine.

This recipe sounded like a fun and summery take on the traditional eclair. Here in Japan it's already averaging 25 degrees during the day, so it's perfect weather for such a treat.


Original Recipe:


Strawberry Eclairs
Boil together in a saucepan one cup of 
boiling water, one-fourth cup of butter 
and a speck of salt. As it begins to boil 
stir in one cup of sifted flour. Stir con-
stantly until the mixture leaves the sides 
of the pan and cleaves together in a ball.
When partly cool add four eggs, beating 
them in one at a time. Drop carefully
in long narrow strips, some distance
apart, on buttered tins, and bake in a 
moderate oven until well risen--about
thirty minutes. Leave the oven door 
open a few minutes before removing the
eclairs, to prevent their falling. When
they are cool split one side, fill with
sweetened strawberries or jam. Spread
with boiled icing colored with strawberry 
juice.--Annabel Lee.


Boiled Icing
Boil one cup of granulated sugar with
one-fourth cup of water, until the syrup
hairs when dropped from a spoon. Have
ready the beaten white of one egg. Pour
the syrup slowly upon the egg, stirring
constantly. Flavor the same as the cake
and spread on the cold cake, when the
icing is stiff enough not to run. Cut in
squares or slices.

Notes:

Because I have only a Japanese measuring cup, I adjusted the measurements.

The choux pastry:
For the water, I used 237ml.
For the butter, I used 57g.
For the flour, I used 125g.
I only added 3 eggs, to account for modern large sized eggs.
I baked at 180C in a convection oven for around 25-35 minutes, depending on size.

The icing:
For the sugar, 200g.
For the water, 60ml.




The Verdict:

Overall, not too bad.
The pastry itself is kind of bland and gross on its own. It is a tiny bit eggy in taste, which I dislike. They were also a bit soggy inside, since the recipe didn't say anything about letting out the steam. However, these work alright as a vessel for a filling and icing.
I used a combination of fresh strawberries and strawberry jam as a filling. It worked nicely. Just jam on its own it alright, but using fresh strawberries really makes a difference. The icing is lovely and marshamallowy. I am a big fan of boiled icing. However, my icing didn't get very pink (I used the juice of 4 medium strawberries). Also, there was a ton of icing left over, which was kind of wasteful.
So, these aren't my favorite dessert, but they have some nice aspects to them. They were pretty quick and easy to prepare, as well. I probably don't like these enough to make them again, but if I did love choux pastry, I would probably enjoy this dessert a lot more. It's mostly personal preference here, so I give this recipe four stars.

Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from The Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cook Book)

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
pinch of salt
1 cup flour, sifted
3 eggs
strawberries, or jam to fill

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 egg white
juice from strawberries, for color

1. In a saucepan, add the water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil and let the butter melt.
2. Add the sifted flour and stir until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and comes together in a ball. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If desired.
3. When the dough is partly cool, add the eggs, one at a time. When the dough is smooth, put it onto the prepared baking sheet in fairly narrow strips. I used a plastic bag with the corner cut off to pipe the filling on.
4. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size. They should be crisp and golden.
5. When done, cut them in half or poke a hole in them to let the steam escape. Return them to the oven for 15 minutes to cool (oven off). Then let them cool completely before filling and icing.
6. To make the icing, mix the sugar and water in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes or until it reaches 245 degrees. Add the strawberry juice. Have the egg white beaten to stiff peaks in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup, while beating the egg white. Beat until cool and fluffy.
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Lemon Cake (Finest ever.) (c.1905) ★★★★★




I am alive!
And living in Japan!

It has been quite the adventure so far, especially culinarily. Firstly, I eat kyuushoku, the same school lunch the students eat, every day at work. Kyuushoku is mostly so-so, sometimes awful, sometimes good, and every now and then delicious. The lunches are made by a nutritionist, but they are very high in calories (600-900) and often lack vegetables or much color other than beige. The meals always include rice or bread, whole milk, and some kind of soup. However, I am consuming more fish and seaweed than ever before in my life, which I guess is probably a good thing overall.

One neat thing I love about Japan is their obsession with local food. Each prefecture has its famous foods - mine happens to be famous for Japanese pears, which have become my new obsession.

I've felt bad for neglecting this blog. Mostly I have been too overwhelmed getting used to life in Japan and my first real job. Also, its difficult finding ingredients. A lot of things are difficult to find, especially if they're out of season (absolutely no berries in my grocery store right now!). On top of that, Japanese people don't really use ovens, so we had to purchase one, which is so small that it fits on a countertop!

My current kitchen set-up. That's my oven on the counter! The whole other side opposite the fridge and counter is a giant sink and a stovetop.

Anyway, enough about Japan! I finally feel good about posting a new recipe here! I picked something simple, with ingredients I basically already had on hand (although it took me a while to find cornstarch!).

Original Recipe:


NO. 18. LEMON CAKE. (Finest ever.) Mrs.
Clara Moulton, Loura, Cal,--Take one good
cup sugar, one-half cup butter, three eggs,
(save the yolk of one,) one-half cup milk, two
cups of flour, one tablespoon baking powder,
jelly between layers, one cup cold water, one
cup sugar; the rind and juice of one large
lemon, one tablespoon corn starch, heaping
with the yolk of one egg and a little butter,
and a little water. Put in the corn starch and
yolk when it commences to boil and cool it
before spreading the layers.


The Verdict:

Delicious!
The cake was a bit dense, but very soft and a wonderful texture. There was a bit of a crunchy crust on top of the cake, but I actually kind of like the extra crunch thrown in there. The cake itself was a bit bland, but it wasn't bad. I think it could have benefitted from a bit of vanilla is all.
The curd was lovely and bright. I ended up adding waaaaay more cornstarch, partially due to it not thickening up and partially due to a huge mistake! But it turned out really great and the perfect consistency.
Overall, my whole family loved this cake! We ate it with fresh whipped cream, but its just fine on its own too.

Baking notes: I used cake margarine instead of butter because it was what I had on hand. Also, my measuring cup may be different from North American measurements and I used my weird little convection oven to bake.


Modernized Version:

(Adapted from the Los Angeles Times Cook Book No. 2)

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs (save one yolk)
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
juice and rind of one lemon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a cake pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and milk and mix until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake the cake. It took around an hour for me, but I have a weird oven.
4. Let the cake cool and prepare the filling.
5. In a saucepan, mix the water, sugar, and lemon juice and rind. Bring to a boil.
6. Add the butter, egg yolk, and cornstarch to the filling. Whisk well to combine.
7. When the filling has thickened, remove from heat and let it cool before filling the cake.
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Betty's Orange Candy (1905) ★★★



Another orange recipe! For some reason I am really loving orange right now. This recipe is so simple - only 2 ingredients!

Original Recipe:

Betty's Orange Candy Betty was Margaret's particular friend, so this was her favorite rule: 2 cups sugar. Juice of one orange. Boil till it hardens in water, and then pull it.

The Verdict:

It's okay. It mostly just tastes like sugar - the orange flavour is very subtle. Mr. Man and I decided on 3 stars, because it was edible but not that great overall. This recipe does get points for simplicity, though, although I recommend an extra pair of hands for the pulling.


Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from A Little Cook Book for a Little Girl)

2 cups SUGAR
Juice of 1 ORANGE
Optional: additional orange extract or flavouring

1. In a medium pot, mix the sugar and orange juice on medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, but once it starts boiling DO NOT STIR AGAIN.
2. Let the candy simmer until it reaches 270 degrees (when dropped in cold water is firm but pliable).
3. Have a greased area ready (I used a cookie sheet) and pour the candy onto it. Do not scrape the pot. Let it cool a bit and form a skin.
4. Use a spatula or pot scraper to fold the candy over itself, keeping it constantly moving. Once the candy is cool enough to handle, start pulling it. Make sure your hands are well-oiled to prevent the candy from sticking.
5. Use a stretching motion to pull the candy until it begins to hold its shape. Then start twisting the candy. Make a horseshoe shape and then twist the two halves together. Pull the candy into a long, even rope, and cut into pieces with kitchen shears or a buttered knife. Work quickly, because the candy will cool fast. Let it sit a bit and finish cooling before eating.

*Note: I suggest working half, or even a quarter of the candy at a time, because it does make a lot. You can keep the candy not in use in the oven at 200F.
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Chocolate Syrup/Refreshing Drinks for Summer (c.1909) ★★★

I was browsing historical cook books online and I came across this recipe for "Refreshing Drinks for Summer." Even though the first day of summer isn't officially for another month or so, it certainly feels like it's here already in Canada! This seemed like a simple yet tasty recipe for a nice warm-weather beverage.
The cookbook today's recipe comes from was written by Miss Parloa and Mrs. Hill as an advertisement for the Walter Baker Chocolate Company, which many of you might recognize as simply "Baker's chocolate", still widely used in baking today. The company has had remarkable longevity, having been established in Massachusetts 1764. Perhaps their advertising tactics worked!


Original Recipe:
Into a granite-ware saucepan put one ounce—three tablespoonfuls—of Walter Baker & Co.'s Soluble Chocolate, and gradually pour on it half a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time. Place on the fire, and stir until all the chocolate is dissolved. Now add one pint of granulated sugar, and stir until it begins to boil. Cook for three minutes longer, then strain and cool. When cool, add one tablespoonful of vanilla extract. Bottle, and keep in a cold place.
Put into a tumbler about two tablespoonfuls of broken ice, two tablespoonfuls of chocolate syrup, three tablespoonfuls of whipped cream, one gill of milk, and half a gill of soda-water from a syphon bottle, or Apollinaris water. Stir well before drinking. A tablespoonful of vanilla ice-cream is a desirable addition. It is a delicious drink, even if the soda or Apollinaris water and ice-cream be omitted. A plainer drink is made by combining the syrup, a gill and a half of milk, and the ice, shaking well.


The Verdict:
Although this tasted fine, I was kind of disappointed. All this really is is homemade chocolate milk. I thought it would be more like a float, but with only 1/4 cup of soda water, the fizz is pretty much nonexistant. The chocolate syrup is good, but it's a fairly basic recipe to begin with. The amount of vanilla was a tiny bit too much, and I think if possible a vanilla bean boiled in there would have been much tastier than extract. If I were to make this again I would go fancier - forget the ice altogether, mix the milk and chocolate syrup with more soda water, and add the whipped cream and ice cream on top, perhaps with a drizzle of syrup. I give this recipe 3 stars, not because it tasted bad, but because was pretty average and tasted just like chocolate milk which could have been made without the ice, whipped cream, and soda water. Anyway, the rest of the syrup will make a yummy ice cream topping!


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes By Miss Parloa and Home Made Candy Recipes By Mrs. Janet McKenzie Hill)

Chocolate Syrup
1 ounce COCOA POWDER
1 cup BOILING WATER
2 cups SUGAR
1 tablespoon VANILLA EXTRACT

Refreshing Drinks for Summer
2 tablespoons BROKEN ICE
2 tablespoons CHOCOLATE SYRUP
3 tablespoons WHIPPED CREAM
1/2 cup MILK
1/4 cup SODA WATER
1 tablespoon VANILLA ICE CREAM (optional)

1. To make the chocolate syrup: boil 1 cup of water, dissolve the cocoa in it when boiling, add the sugar, simmer about 3 more minutes, remove from heat, and add vanilla extract. Let cool before using.
2. To make a refreshing drink: Essentially mix all ingredients together. See "The Verdict" for serving suggestions.
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Lamington Cake (1902) ★★★★★

Australia Day is today, January 26th, so I thought I would branch out a little bit and make something to commemorate Australia's history - The Original Lamington Cake Recipe!

I've never actually had Lamingtons before, which is kind of odd, because apparently they're really popular in Cleveland, Ohio. I lived about an hour outside Cleveland for 4 years, but I don't recall having Lamingtons.

As of now, the first mention of Lamingtons appears to be in a 1902 edition of the Queenslander, an Australian newspaper. The recipe appears early in January, so I wonder if it was meant to be a holiday treat, or perhaps, as some have speculated, a way to use up stale cake - cake left over from the holidays, maybe?
The base of the traditional story goes something like this: Lord Lamington, the Governor of Queensland from 1896 - 1901, needed to feed some guests. In an effort to please these guests, Lamington's chef dipped some sponge cake in chocolate icing and then coated it in shredded coconut. Naturally, there are many variations to the story. One says that this occurred during a hot summer day, another says the cake was an accident, with the coconut sprinkled on top in an attempt to make it more appetizing. It's also possible that the cake was named after a place, not a person. This was common among baked goods (Shrewsbury cake and Yorkshire pudding, for example). A third theory claims that the cake was created by an influential cooking teacher from Brisbane, Amy Schauer.

Like most dishes, it's impossible to know exact specifics, but it is likely that the recipe was circulating before the 1902 publication. These things are often around for a while before they get written down and/or published.



Original Recipe:

Lamington Cake (from a Subscriber).
The weight of two eggs in butter, sugar, and flour, two eggs, half-teaspoonful baking powder.
Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar and yolks of eggs, one by one, then the whites beaten stiff, lastly add gradually flour and baking powder. Bake in a moderate oven. When cold cut the cake like a sandwich and put the white mixture between, then cut into small pieces and cover on all sides with the chocolate mixture. Dip the cakes into grated cocoanut and put in a cool place.
The Mixture. - 2oz. butter, 6oz. icing sugar, beat to a cream, and divide equally in two basins, and to one half add one and a half teaspoonful cocoa (to be had in small tins) dissolved in three teaspoons boiling water. Beat well.

The Verdict:
Yum, yum, YUM! I can't believe I've never tried this before, these are delicious! This recipe is very rich though - the buttery taste is very strong. Which isn't really a surprise, considering the amount in the recipe. The cake was good on its own, which was a good sign for the final product. The only issue was that the icing recipe didn't make enough. Half of that was the perfect amount for filling the cakes (even though it didn't look like enough), but the other half wasn't near enough to coat all of the cakes. I also had to add extra water to loosen up both the filling and the icing. Overall, these were pretty easy to make, despite the dipping and coating taking some time. Because they were super tasty I give them five stars! I think Little Y loved them as well - she kept sneaking into the kitchen and grabbing them while I was dipping!


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Queenslander, Saturday January 4, 1902)

The weight of 2 eggs in BUTTER
The weight of 2 eggs in SUGAR
2 EGGS
The weight of 2 eggs in FLOUR
1/2 teaspoon BAKING POWDER

2 ounces UNSALTED BUTTER
6 ounces POWDERED SUGAR
1 1/2 teaspoons COCOA POWDER
3 teaspoons BOILING WATER

About 2 cups SHREDDED COCONUT

1. Weigh the two eggs to determine the amounts for sugar, butter, and flour. Mine were 4.20 ounces. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8x8 square pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one by one. Gently fold in the egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks.
3. Slowly stir in the flour and baking powder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean and the edges are golden brown.
4. Make the filling and coating by beating together the butter and powdered sugar. add water if needed. Divide the mixture in half. In one half add the cocoa powder, dissolved in the boiling water. Add more water to the chocolate coating if needed, to make it dippable.
5. Let the cake cool completely, then turn out and slice in half horizontally like a sandwich. Add the plain filling to the cake and put both pieces together. Cut into small pieces, dip in the chocolate coating, then roll in shredded coconut. Let the cakes set somewhere cool.


-----

Sources

"Lamington." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamington>.

Olver, Lynne. "Lamingtons." The Food Timeline. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. <http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcakes.html>.

Stradley, Linda. "Lamington Cake - Lemmington Cake Lamington Cake Recipe - Lamington History." What's Cooking America. 2004. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. <http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Lamington.htm>.
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Pineapple Marshmallows (1911) ★

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!
You know, just a few days ago I realized that Thanksgiving here in Canada was only established as a national holiday in 1957! Of course it was celebrated much earlier, but not always on the same date or for even the same reason. I spent a lot of my childhood in the United States, so I still have this notion of Thanksgiving relating to pilgrims and such.
This recipe is from a 1911 cookbook printed in Chicago. Apparently this treat is a "good confection for Thanksgiving." Personally, I've never had marshmallows on Thanksgiving, let alone pineapple ones. Pineapple also seems like such a summer fruit to me, so it seems odd to have it in the mid-fall.
I looked EVERYWHERE for the gum arabic called for in this recipe, but I just couldn't find any. I did find some online, but I can't justify spending $8 plus shipping just to make some marshmallows. I decided to substitute xanthan gum, which is a similar product.

Original Recipe:



The Verdict:
Well first off, this recipe was a mess - literally. I wonder what the weight of xanthan gum is in comparison to gum arabic (or the absorbability) because 4 ounces was like a cup of xanthan gum and the 1 cup of juice just made it into a lumpy mess. I had to add about THREE cups of juice just to make it workable, since it's supposed to be heated. So I tried to use my hand mixer on it to smooth out the lumps, but it just made a huge single lump that clogged up my beaters. I couldn't see how else to mix in the egg whites except to use my hands, so I dumped the goop and the egg whites into a big bowl and mashed them all around. There were still big chunks of gum, though, which wouldn't blend in. I don't know if my food processor would've done any better? The stuff was sooo sticky.
When it had been in the fridge for over 12 hours, I took it out. It was really wet, but managed to hold its shape...until I tried to cut it into squares. Then I could see that it just wasn't working. The whole thing was a messy failure.
I tasted a bit, and it was okay. A little bit weird, but I did get a slight sense of marshmallow. I wouldn't eat it voluntarily, though. Mr. Man thought it looked like something from the insides of an animal and refused to go near it. Looking at it, it seems like the lumpy bits of xanthan gum were actually quite solid, but the rest of it was just unmixed egg whites. I think I would try this again with gum arabic and a food processor to make sure everything was well blended. The recipe does have promise, but it sure didn't work out this time.



Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Good Things to Eat, As Suggested By Rufus)

4 ounces GUM ARABIC
1 cup PINEAPPLE JUICE
1/2 pound POWDERED SUGAR
3 EGG WHITES
1 teaspoon VANILLA or ORANGE JUICE
CORNSTARCH, for dusting
POWDERED SUGAR, for dusting

1. Dust a square pan with cornstarch. Whip the egg whites with the vanilla until stiff.
2. In a medium saucepan, add the pineapple juice. Slowly stir in the gum arabic until well combined. Let stand until dissolved.
3. Add the powdered sugar to the saucepan and heat over low heat (or use a double boiler). Stir until white and thickened and a drop of the mixture forms a ball in cold water.
4. Whip in the stiff egg whites and turn out the dough into the prepared pan. Smooth out and let sit in the fridge for 12 hours. When firm, invert onto a cutting board dusted with powdered sugar and cornstarch and cut into squares. Roll in powdered sugar and cornstarch to prevent sticking.
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Honey Balls (1911) ★★★★★

This is a simple and rustic little candy recipe from an Australian cookbook.


Original Recipe:

The Verdict:
Mr.Man and I both liked this candy a lot! It had a really nice taste, from the honey I think. It was ridiculously easy too - I mean, three ingredients, come on! It was a little bit messy, but it only dirtied 2 dishes, a spoon, and a measuring cup, so that's okay. The candy was chewy when warm and hardened up when cool. So please, PLEASE do not bite these balls! Take it from me, it is not fun. These candies are for sucking on!

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Keeyuga Cookery Book, found in Possum Pie, Beetroot Beer And Lamingtons: Australian Family Recipes 1868-1950)

1/2 cup HONEY
1/2 cup BROWN SUGAR
1/4 cup UNSALTED BUTTER

1. Butter a plate or two, or use parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan, melt together the honey, sugar, and butter. Boil for a few minutes, until it sets on a buttered plate. Let the candy cool for a few minutes and either scoop out and roll into balls or drop small amounts on the buttered plates, let cool, and roll into balls when you won't burn your hands. They will stay pliable for a while.
3. Let the balls cool and harden before eating.

Note: I found this also made nice toffee (when warm anyway, not sure how it would be when cool) and could be a caramel sauce if cooked less.
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Banana Split (1907) ★★★★

 August 25th is Banana Split Day!
Okay, okay, so apparently Banana Split Day is also August 10th and June 8th. But we're going to celebrate it today with an old fashioned recipe.

Three places generally claim to have invented the banana split, all in the early twentieth century - Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts; and Wilmington, Ohio. However, we can date these three stories and it seems that a Dr. David Strickler in Pennsylvania was the likely inventor. Strickler was a young apprentice pharmacist who enjoyed concocting recipes at the pharmacy's soda fountain. One day in 1904 he invented the banana split and the dessert soon caught on with local college students.
A year or two after Strickler's invention, an ice cream entrepreneur named Stinson Thomas also came up with the idea of the banana split. In a magazine he was quoted as saying, "My trade here is always looking for something new and so, one day it occurred to me that I might prepare a popular fountain beverage with a banana. I sent my boy out to buy half a dozen bananas, and when he returned I cut off the ends of a banana, split it open, put a portion of ice cream on top and a spoonful of crushed strawberries. It certainly looked swell and I believed that the public would like it." Thomas's version used an unpeeled banana - although Thomas quickly realized that the ladies the dessert was so popular with preferred their bananas peeled.
Lastly, we have Ernest Hazard, a restaurant owner in Wilmington, Ohio. The city claims that in 1907 Hazard developed the banana split as a method of attracting college students during the winter months.
While it seems obvious that Strickler was the true inventor of the banana split, it is still possible that the same recipe was created at the same time in different places by different people. This situation is similar among many inventions.

The banana split as we know it today traditionally includes a split banana with one scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. The vanilla ice cream is topped with pineapple topping, the chocolate with chocolate syrup, and the strawberry with strawberry topping. The whole thing is then covered with whipped cream, nuts, and crowned with a maraschino cherry.
However, examining historical recipes, advertisements, and magazines shows that this may not have been the original banana split recipe. The recipe below from a 1907 newspaper advertisement only includes vanilla ice cream and excludes any syrupy toppings. Some similar recipes over the next few years do not specify an ice cream flavour or simply call for vanilla, but it still doesn't mean that the triple flavour split wasn't happening elsewhere.


Original Recipe:
Banana Split. A generous cone of vanilla ice cream, resting on a prime, ripe banana—split lengthwise. Topped with fresh, chopped nuts—and a rich red cherry, 10 Cents.
Don M. Munger & Co.
LOGAN HOUSE PHARMACY. 




The Verdict:
Well it's certainly nothing like the banana split we know today. Actually, this reminded me a bit of the Peter Pan Dessert I made a while ago. But at least this one has an appropriate amount of ice cream.I liked this split. It was nice and simple. I used chopped almonds and they were tasty; likewise, the cherry was a nice burst of sweetness and I wished there were more. It's not as fancy as a triple-scoop split with whipped cream and fruity sauces, but it's still a nice way to dress up some plain ice cream.


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Daily Courier, found at The Big Apple)

1 BANANA
1 large scoop VANILLA ICE CREAM
NUTS, chopped
1 CHERRY

1. Carefully peel the banana and split it lengthwise. Place it in a long dish.
2. Fill the split of the banana with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
3. Top with fresh, chopped nuts and a cherry. Serve.
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Corn Fritters (1912) ★★★★

Here's a way of getting some vegetables into your breakfast!


Original Recipe:
1 c. corn, cut off the cob
2 c. flour
pinch salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
enough water to make thick batter dough

 Mix all together and drop by spoonfuls into a pan half full of hot oil. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve with maple syrup.

The Verdict:
I was surprised to find that these were actually pretty good! With just water and flour, the dough was a little tough, but not so bad that it was gross. With the maple syrup these fritters could almost be dessert! Little Y liked hers so much that she used one to play the piano (okay, so maybe that's just strange). Mr. Man thought they were okay, but he tried them with mustard and said they were even better as a savory treat.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Farmer's Wife)

1 cup CORN
2 cups FLOUR
A pinch of SALT
1 tablespoon SUGAR
1 1/2 tablespoons BAKING POWDER
WATER
OIL

1. In a fry pan, heat the oil on medium-low heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Add the corn. Add in water, a little at a time, to make a thick dough.
3. Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, drop about a tablespoon of dough into the hot oil at a time. Fry until browned on both sides. Let the fritters drain on paper towels. Serve with maple syrup (or mustard!)
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Ching Ching (c.1909) ★

My parents-in-law were kind enough to purchase a new blender for us, after I broke our last one, so now I have more tools with which to make historical recipes! The easiest way to make shaved ice is with a blender; even our crappy old one could handle that.


Original Recipe:

 The Verdict:
Ohhh the burning! I used like 3 tiiiiiny drops of clove oil and it burned my throat! Also, this smelled like some kind of gross medicine. I couldn't even drink it. Maybe if it was watered down with 4 cups of shaved ice...

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cook Book)

SHAVED ICE
3 - 4 tablespoons SUGAR
1 LARGE ORANGE, juiced (~ 1/2 cup)
1 drop ESSENCE OF CLOVES
1 drop ESSENCE OF PEPPERMINT

1. Juice the orange. Stir in the sugar and essences.
2. Shave the ice in a blender. Put it into a glass and pour the orange juice mix over top.
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Cherry Pudding (c. 1900) ★★★★

Pudding (as in a boiled or steamed cake) is one of the quintessential Victorian desserts, and I see it often in old cookbooks. However, I haven't got a pudding mold so I've been passing up the recipes. BUT! Later pudding recipes can call for baking, as in this case, and with a bag of fresh cherries in my fridge, I was keen to try this simple recipe.
By the way, there was no date on this cookbook (and it was published anonymously). I did a Google search and found one website listing it as circa 1900, so I went with it. 



Original Recipe:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 cup cherries, pitted
1 egg

Cream together the butter and sugar and add the egg then beat well. Sift the flour and baking powder and add alternately with the milk. Blend well, flour the cherries and stir in. Pour batter into a baking dish and bake in moderate oven (350F) for 30 mins. Serve with plain or whipped cream.

The Verdict:
This pudding was okay on its own, but I think with a little something extra (ice cream, whipped cream, cherry sauce, etc.) it would be really nice. The cake itself was quite bland too, so it would benefit from some vanilla and/or spice. Mr. Man dubbed it "awesome", even on its own. Overall, it was good though, considering I scarfed down my piece so quickly that I burnt my tongue. The lack of sugar was actually almost refreshing. A tart cherry sauce (ooh, or a brandied cherry sauce!) would be my preference. Actually, puddings were often served with sauces anyway, so it would be fitting.



Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking)

The original recipe is easy to follow. My suggestions are to grease the baking dish before adding the batter, to mix some vanilla in to the batter, and to place a few halved cherries on top of the batter before baking.
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Picnic Lunch (c. 1905) ★★★★





Summer is the perfect time for picnics, so I thought I would share this bill of fare for a picnic lunch from a circa 1905 California cookbook. I also decided to include some lemonade with our picnic. It isn't listed in this menu, but it was included in another picnic menu from the same cookbook. Also, I didn't make the salad dressing because I just used mayonnaise.
Overall, it seems like picnic food hasn't changed much over the years!












Original Recipes: 
The Verdict:
Veal Loaf: It was good, but I overdid the celery salt just a bit. It's very strong stuff, so you only need a pinch. Other than that it was yummy.

Cheese Sandwiches: Well...it's just mustard and cheese in bread, so....yeah, it was good.

Olive Sandwiches: Mr. Man really liked these, but our olives had apparently gone off, so he threw it out. He said otherwise the sandwich would have been delicious.

Potato Salad: Mr. Man LOVED this. But he loves anything with cayenne, so I wasn't surprised. He practically licked the bowl clean.

Wafers: At first I thought these were super weird and didn't really like them, but the more I ate the better they tasted. They cooked up with domes in the centers and were really spongy like mini pancakes. I am assuming you are supposed to eat these with jam, since the menu says to bring along some jelly. They taste very buttery and are alright on their own, but really delicious with jam.

Overall, a lovely picnic and all the recipes were edible!










Modernized Recipes:
(Adapted from The Times Cook Book, No. 2 )

Veal Loaf
1 1/2 pounds GROUND VEAL or BEEF
1/4 pound BUTTER, softened
1/4 cup CRACKERS, crushed, or BREAD CRUMBS
1/4 cup MILK
1 EGG
SALT
PEPPER
SAGE
THYME
CELERY SALT
BUTTER

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together ground veal (or beef; I used ground beef), butter, crackers/bread crumbs, milk, egg, and spices to taste.
3. Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place in the middle of the lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake the loaf for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with some butter which has been melted with a little water.

Cheese Sandwiches
BREAD
BUTTER, softened
SWISS CHEESE
MUSTARD

1. Butter slices of bread. Fill sandwiches with cheese and mustard.





Olive Sandwiches
BREAD
LETTUCE
OLIVES
MAYONNAISE or SALAD DRESSING

1. Dice olives and mix them with enough mayonnaise to spread on the number of sandwiches you want. I think I used about 5 olives and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise for 1 sandwich.
2. Spread the mixture on crisp lettuce leaves and place between two slices of bread.

Potato Salad
12 medium POTATOES
3 tablespoons PARSLEY, minced
3 tablespoons CELERY, minced
2 tablespoons ONION, minced
SALT
CAYENNE PEPPER
3 HARD BOILED EGGS, diced
1/2 pint MAYONNAISE or SALAD DRESSING

1. Peel and dice 12 medium potatoes. Boil until tender.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.

Salad Dressing
2 EGG YOLKS
1 tablespoon BUTTER, softened
4 tablespoons VINEGAR
1 teaspoon SALT
1 teaspoon SUGAR
1 teaspoon MUSTARD
1/2 cup CREAM

1. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks and the butter. Mix in the vinegar, salt, sugar, and mustard. 
2. Put boiling water in a larger bowl or pot and float the smaller bowl with the dressing in the boiling water. Whisk until it thickens.
3. When the dressing has thickened, take it off the heat and let it cool. Mix in the cream.

Wafers
1 cup UNSALTED BUTTER, softened
1 cup SUGAR
2/3 cup BUTTERMILK
1 teaspoon BAKING SODA
2 EGGS
1/2 teaspoon SALT
FLOUR
JAM, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Mix in the buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, and salt.
3. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. I think I used 2 cups, or maybe less.
4. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 7 - 10 minutes, or until firm and golden around the edges. Serve with jam if desired.
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Iced Tea with Mint (1904) ★★★★★

Here's another simple Edwardian Era recipe. For those who are interested, Vintage Recipes has a great page about tea time etiquette. 
It's been gloomy and rainy the past few days, so unfortunately I haven't been able to take any great photos. I've got a bunch of more interesting recipes I'm dying to make!
By the way - on Saturday I broke 60k total page views! Woo!

Original Recipe:

The Verdict:
I'm not a tea drinker, so I let Mr. Man taste test this. He really liked it, but said it definitely needed a little sugar.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Food and Cookery for the Sick and Convalescent)

TEA
ICE
1 slice LEMON
2-3 leaves FRESH MINT, bruised

1. Put the mint in the bottom of a teacup and bruise it by gentle rubbing it with the back of a spoon. In the same cup, make your tea, but use only half the usual amount of water. Crush the ice in a blender.
2. If you don't mind the ice mostly melted, you can mix it right in to the tea. If you want more of a granita or slushie style drink, let the tea cool before pouring it over the crushed ice.
3. Serve with lemon and sugar.
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Russian Tea (1904) ★★★★★

In 2007 I participated in a summer youth program at Upper Canada Village. As part of the program, I was required to pick a subject to research through my hands-on activities and the village's archives. At the end of the program, I had to give a short presentation on my topic. I chose to research something quintessentially Victorian - afternoon tea. Here is what I presented:

A Brief History of Tea in the Western World
Tea was introducted into England in 1657 through the popularity it had in France and Holland. Tea didn't reach Canada until 1715, according to the records of the Hudson Bay Company.

Before tea became ingrained into English society, it was considered a sin by the Clergy because it came from a heathen country. It concerned doctors, who thought the drink would make people ill, and it was hated by brewers because they were afraid it would replace ale - which it ultimately did. In the 1840s, tea became more popular than ale, the previous national drink of England. It seems funny that tea, first considered bad for one's health, came to be considered a "cure-all". In the Victorian age, the call for abstinance from alcohol also increased the popularity of tea, and therefore, according to Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, tea was considered "the cup that cheers but not inebriates".

At first it was only men who partook in the consumption of tea, however, in 1717 a teahouse for women only was opened. In the 1600s and 1700s, tea consumption was limited to the upper class because of its extremely high price. By 1846 tea became more readily consumed because of the lowered prices due to the Free Trade agreement. Before then, pioneers often resorted to using leaves, roots, and berries of plants as a substitute for tea.

Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, is considered the "creator" of the tradition of afternoon tea. She invited friends for an afternoon meal which consisted of small cakes, sandwiches, sweets, and tea. This practice became popular with her friends and eventually tea became an elaborate occassion that could sometimes be considered a whole meal.

In the 1860s, afternoon tea was necessary due to Queen Victoria's movement of supper time from 3 or 4 pm to 7:30 pm. An afternoon snack sustained the people until supper time. Queen Victoria also helped to popularize the consumtion of tea, as one of the first things she did when she was queen was drink a cup of tea.

Proper Teatime Etiquette and Customs 
As the popularity of tea increased, a social etiquette grew up around it. For example, if you wished to host an "at home" tea, you must not owe any social calls. And when the tea was over, you owed a call to everyone who attended. This is where the practice of leaving calling cards was useful - so that hostesses could remember who they needed to visit.

The clothes one wore to tea were also dictated by a strict etiquette. An ordinary woman, who would not own many dresses, could simply wear an afternoon tea frock. However, a woman of society had to choose between a carriage dress (if going by horse and carriage), a morning dress, a walking dress, or a visiting dress (if going on foot).

A successful tea was served sometime between three and five in the afternoon and consisted of three courses: brewed tea, small crustless sandwiches, and tarts or sweets. The only cutlery that was used were teaspoons, dessert forks and knives, and serving pieces. Tea was served in the dining room as a buffet or the drawing room on small tables. Teatime conversation was kept polite and trivial in nature. Politics, religion, and gossip were not discussed.

Gentlemen were not absent at tea and they were obliged to assist the ladies by passing around refreshments. Teatime was also a time for ladies to show off their musical talent, and often the hostess provided a musical recital.

Types of Afternoon Tea 
Tea can be divided into four categories: At Home, Five O'Clock Tea, High Tea, or Kettledrum.

An at home tea was held on a specific day of the week or month and the hostess gave up the entire afternoon to entertaining. According to Mrs. Beeton's Every-Day Cookery and Housekeeping Book, at an At Home in the summer one could expect to dine on salmon sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, salad sandwiches, bread and butter, madeira cake, sponge cake, small almond cakes, petits fours, small fancy cakes, strawberries and cream, tea, coffee, lemonade, and claret cup. In the winter one could expect sardine sandwiches, chicken and ham sandwiches, foie gras sandwiches, bread and butter, pound cake, sponge cake, macaroons, ratafias, petits fours, fancy biscuits, tea, coffe, and wine.

Five O'Clock Tea was simply a light snack before supper. Food was simple as well, consisting of dry biscuits, fancy bread and butter sandwiches, and occassionally some cake or fresh fruit. In the winter a pot of bouillon often replaced the tea.

High Teas were tea-dinners that originated from the British working class and were popular among Ontario's working class as well. High tea began as a cup of tea with the leftovers from the main midday meal but evolved to become a formal and elaborate supper. High tea was characterized by the various selections of meat dishes and wine was the main drink with coffee and tea offered on a sideboard. A Toronto cookbook offers these menus for high teas: tea, coffee, chocolate biscuits, oyster sandwiches, chicken salad, cold tongue, cake and preserves, ice cream and cake later in the evening or tea, coffee, chocolate, escalloped; or another menu: fried oysters, muffins, sliced turkey and ham, cold biscuits, sardines and sliced lemons, thin slices of bread rolled, sliced pressed meats, cake in variety. High teas were also later than other teas, taking place between 6 and 8 pm.

Kettledrums were the Victorian version of a cocktail party. It was an elaborate five o'clock tea at which was served fancy sandwiches, small cakes, ices, and fruit along with tea and coffee. The word "kettledrum" most likely comes from kettle - for the vessel in which tea is prepared - and drum - an old synonym for a large evening party.

Within a village, tea would be consumed in many places, including farmhouses and the pastor's house. The pastor's wife would entertain women from the church's congress. Upper class ladies had both the time and funds to dedicate to tea. Although tea required a lot of time and money, farm wives or those living a rural lifestyle could sometimes spare a moment for a cup of tea with a visitor between chores or a sit down tea on Sunday, when no work was done anyway.

For a more detailed insight into tea, check out The Little Tea Book, a 1903 publication compiled by Arthur Gray. And now, as a reward for reading all of that, here is a 1904 recipe for Russian Tea!

Original Recipe:



The Verdict: 
It's tea with lemon. It's good. Mr. Man even said he might put lemon in his tea from now on (he made earl grey and really liked the lemon with it).

Modernized Recipe: 

No need for a modernized recipe here.
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Apple Sugar (1902) ★★★★★

Note: hard crack stage is usually for making things such as brittle and lollipops and equates to 300-310ºF (149-154ºC).

Original Recipe:
APPLE SUGAR. (Germany.)
Boil 1 pint of the juice of cooked apples, or as much cider with 2 pounds of sugar, until it cracks when dropped in cold water. Take out in spoonfuls, twist into sticks, dust with sugar as above, for use.

 The Verdict:
Mr. Man REALLY likes these. They have only the faintest apple taste - the taste actually reminds me more of horehound. I love that just three ingredients can make a fun candy like this! It took me a few tries to get the technique right; you really have to find the balance between the candy being too hot and too cold. Also, newsflash: 2 pounds is a LOT of sugar...Subsequently this makes a butt-ton of candy. Like, waaay too much. If you make this, please scale down the recipe. It was pretty much impossible to twist all the candy into sticks before it hardened too much. I think this would be really fun to make with Little Y once she's older. Playing with the candy is really fun. Five stars for this one!

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from With a Saucepan over the Sea)

2 cups APPLE CIDER
2 lbs SUGAR
POWDERED SUGAR

1. In a medium pot, boil the apple cider with the sugar over medium heat until it cracks when dropped in cold water. This took a little over an hour for me. Be careful not to burn the sugar by heating it too hot. In the end stages, stirring is essential.
2. Set out a plate or cookie sheet with powdered sugar for dusting. When the candy has cooled enough that you can touch it, but is not too hard that you can't shape it, drop spoonfuls into the powdered sugar. Roll into sticks and twist. When you twist there should be some resistance, otherwise it will break. Coat with powdered sugar and set aside to cool and harden.
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Chocolate Cake (1911) ★★★

After the less than thrilling results of my first chocolate cake, I decided to try my hand at a slightly more modern recipe. This recipe comes from Good Things To Eat, As Suggested By Rufus; A Collection Of Practical Recipes For Preparing Meats, Game, Fowl, Fish, Puddings, Pastries, Etc. by Rufus Estes, who was actually an African American cook. To learn more about his extraordinary rise from slave to chef, read this article. This recipe seemed as straight forward and seeing as Rufus was a respected chef, I trusted this cake to be delicious.

CHOCOLATE CAKE --Cook one cup of sugar, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of grated chocolate and the beaten yolk of one egg together until smooth. When done add a teaspoon of vanilla and cool. Beat one-half cup of butter to a cream, add one cup of sugar slowly, and beat smooth. Add two beaten eggs, one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour in which two-thirds teaspoon of soda has been sifted and when well beaten add the cool chocolate mixture. Bake in four layers and put together with a white boiled icing.




The Verdict:
This cake didn't look too great coming out of the oven (might have been because I overcooked it a bit) but I was surprised by the taste. I was slightly concerned about the small amount of chocolate, and indeed this cake has a very light chocolate taste. However, despite the lack of chocolateness, this cake is really good! It is very light and moist and has a pleasant taste. It is not too sweet. If you want to up the chocolate, I think a chocolate frosting would be delicious. The recipe calls for white boiled icing, which I didn't bother with, but I imagine that would be tasty too. I would make this again.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Good Things to Eat, As Suggested By Rufus)

2 cups SUGAR
1 cup MILK
1/2 cup chopped BAKING CHOCOLATE
1 EGG YOLK
1 teaspoon VANILLA
1/2 cup BUTTER, room temperature
2 EGGS
2 cups FLOUR
2/3 teaspoon BAKING SODA

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two round pans or a 9x13 baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan, cook 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of milk, the chocolate, and the egg yolk until thoroughly combined and smooth. Remove from heat to let cool and add the vanilla.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and slowly add the sugar and beat until smooth.
4. To the butter and sugar add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of milk and combine.
5. Add the flour and baking soda to the butter mixture. Stir to combine and add the chocolate.
6. Pour into prepared pans and bake ~30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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