Source: Summer Cookery by Aunt Kate, presented by the People’s Journal (1938) Another from Aunt Kate - I find her peppy tone and terrible recipe ideas strangely comforting in this time of chaos. Also, I can’t make anything actually nice, like a cake, because I’d have to eat the whole thing on my own. Recipe: Take... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Jellied Surprise Salad (1938)
Source: Summer Cookery by Aunt Kate, presented by the People’s Journal (1938) I bought this little book a couple of weeks ago on a trip to Aberdour. It came from one of the strangest vintage shops I’ve ever been in and mostly I bought it because it was by ‘Aunt Kate’, also it cost 50p.... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Wafers (1776)
Source: The Professed Cook; or, The Modern Art of Cookery, Pastry, and Confectionary, made Plain and Easy by B. Clermont (1776) Another work-related recipe… Wafers were eaten as far back at the late Medieval period at the end of a meal and were thought to settle the stomach. Into the eighteenth century, they became part... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Parmasan Cheese Ice Cream (1819)
Source: The Complete Confectioner; or, the Whole Art of Confectionary Made Easy by Frederick Nutt (1819) I actually made this a few weeks ago, but I’m only getting around to writing it up now...One of the things I want to do at work this year is make some period-appropriate food in the historic house. Unfortunately,... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Rowanberry Wine (1956) Part I
Source: Home Made Wines, Syrups and Cordials, edited by F. W. Beech (1956) I managed to reclaim my wine-making kit from my parents’ house last weekend, having not had it for over a year. This obviously means that I’m keen to bring on the wine-making. The rather battered paperback that this recipe comes from belonged to... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Baked Avocado Pears (1967)
Source: Swaziland’s Favourite Recipes (1967) This recipe book came to me from the charity shops of Stockbridge via a rather nice man, and it really is a gem. There is quite a lot out there in terms of research about the impact of imported recipes and foodstuffs on the eating habits of the British public, but... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Bath Water Cakes (Eighteenth Century)
Source: Christiana Awdry’s Household Book, edited by Margaret Jensen (1995) Although this little book was published in 1995, it comprises of extracts from a privately-owned household book from the eighteenth century, containing both recipes and various cures for ailments. Interestingly, it is written in four different hands, suggesting it was passed down between family members... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Ginger-Bread Cakes (1774)
Source: The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (1774) Available free through Google Books here It’s been a really long time since I last posted and for that I’m sorry – life has been a bit all over the place this year, but things have settled down in the last couple... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Macarons Au Chocolate (1956)
Source: The Constance Spry Cookery Book, Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume (1956) My mother and I had a massive argument about what macaroons were – I said they were coconut pyramids with a glace cherry on top and she said they were almond based chewy biscuits which you baked on rice paper – not unlike... Continue Reading →
Historic Recipe: Chocolate Souffle (1954)
Source: The Art of Home Cooking, Stork Margarine Cookery Service (1954) I found this gem on my parents’ cookbook shelf – it’s so gloriously 1950s, from the cartoon illustrations to the over-tinted photographs. It also has a number of recipes that contain gelatine. Obviously I decided to try one. But before we get on to that, what... Continue Reading →