Raiding the larder of ideas.

What one family eats, plans to eat, dreams of eating. Plus, other food and kitchen-related stuff from the home of steak-and-potatoes, pie and fresh green beans from the garden.

Saturday, March 26, 2022

My Heretofore Unwritten Rule

I learned from my mom, The Bat, who learned from her aunt (essentially her foster mother) that, when cooking or baking for a special occasion (holidays, birthdays, Tuesdays, etc.) one should always make enough for the surprise visitor. This rule is also useful if, like me, you have a little problem with depth perception and balance… 

Even though the cookie sheet hit the floor, and one of the little pie pans was upended on it, splashing meringue and lemon filling all over the rug and on the wall beside the oven, I had (up until that moment) foolishly made a double batch of both filling and meringue, thinking I could also offer a few mini-pavlovas to be filled with some of the extra lemon curd, just in case. 

But the case was, instead, one of reassuring myself that the pan and the best of its contents had not actually hit the floor to pick up cat hairs and whatever, refilling the crust with some of that extra curd, splooping on some meringue (and pretending I had not emitted a good, old-fashioned, monosyllabic word carried down from the days before the Saxons altered the way people spoke, in the British Isles), and popping the semi-restored unit into the oven to turn it golden brown.  

The operation was messy, but the patient seems to have survived. Plus, my fitness tracker says I got a serious cardio workout…


I have no idea how well the crust held up through the process though, under all that fluff. 

Maybe we'll find out tomorrow. Maybe we won't notice or care, because lemon meringue pie obliterates many bad thoughts, even if ends up more of a lemon meringue trifle. 

Besides, the big one, so far, is neat and pretty! Cross your fingers it stays that way until dinner tomorrow.



So now my unwritten rule has been written: "Excess" will also be called a safety net. And there's still a bit of lemon curd in the fridge. Because reasons.


Monday, March 21, 2022

Vintage Cookbook: Good Things to Eat (part 1 of 5, beginning–pg 44)

 As part of my ongoing project of digitizing my vintage/antique cookbooks so I can consult them for recipes without worrying about more spills hitting the pages, I've scanned and cleaned (sort of) the pages of this little gem: 


Good Things to Eat, compiled and published by The Domestic Science Class, Peoria (Illinois) Women's Club. My copy of this book was much abused before it joined my library. There is no title page, no copyright information (and so, no date I can use to tell you precisely how old the book is). The best I can do is hazard a guess or two, based on the condition of the book itself, and of the items tucked amid its pages. 

Begin with the condition of the book: it's a two-ring-binder which, when I first picked it up, was already almost literally hanging together by a thread (I think I counted about eight remaining on the back, while the front cover was completely detached). By the time I opened it to study the contents, the least bit of handling caused the last threads to surrender. 

The pages, too, have seen better days (although I've seen worse). Many of what once seem to have been dark blue ink printed on light blue paper are splotched, foxed, and all are badly yellowed, as were the newspaper clipping and the instruction sheet between the pages of the canning section. I chose to convert most of the book's pages to basic black and white images for maximum clarity. Also, here are the extra pieces:

I like my chocolate cake very dark brown…


here's the back of the
cake article, 

in two parts.



Sure-Jell. We've been
depending on it…

…FOREVER

These would indicate my copy of the book is at least 85 years old, and quite possibly older.

Back to the book itself, and something about the way I'm posting it:

At the end of each chapter, the authors included two leaves of blank pages for "MY OWN RECIPES",  a few of which the original owner did take advantage of. The rest, being blank, I deemed non-essential for these posts. I have not disposed of the actual pages, but ask that you use your imagination as you scroll through here: where you come across a single pic, understand it was originally accompanied by more, so the pagination is not as completely befouled as it first appears. 

I do hope to preserve the original, in all its remaining pieces, so I've put the front and back covers into the outer pockets of a pair of acid-free 7"x9" binders, and tucked the pages inside, in acid-free sleeves of a corresponding size.







Storing the spine will be an issue for another day, when I can play in Pop's workshop (or ask him to engineer something for me). 

But most of all, I can now peruse the pages without worrying about more corners crumbling in my hot little hands, and I hope you'll enjoy doing the same, here.

Without further ado, let us begin.


as always, click any image to embiggen it, and, if you like what you see, please share


Inside front cover, explaining the loose-leaf format

English Walnut Toffy (part 1)

English Walnut Toffy (part 2)


I left this first BREAD page untouched (more or less), other than to boost contrast for legibility and ramp back the yellowing a little. Just in case you wondered what these pages look like in real life.


p 7: BREAD
Apple Pancakes; 
Mother Sibley's Griddle Cakes;
Aunt Polly's Sour Milk Griddle Cakes;
Raw Potato Pancakes; 
Parker House Johnny Cake

p 8: BREAD
Old Fashioned Buckwheat Cakes;
Johnny Cakes for Breakfast;
Waffles; Sour Cream Waffles;
Crisp Waffles

p 9: BREAD
Sunshine Toast; 
Baking Powder Biscuits; 
Cheese Biscuits; Sunday Hot Bread;
Sally Lunn Bread

p 10: BREAD
Orange Bread;
Grape Nut Bread; Corn Bread (1);
Corn Bread (2); Graham, Bran Bread

p 11: BREAD
Bran Bread; Steamed Brown Bread;
Boston Brown Bread Steamed;
Baked Brown Bread; 
Rolls and Coffee Cake

p 12: BREAD
Ice Box Rolls; Denver Rolls;
Biscuits; "Kneadless" Ice Box Dough

p 13: BREAD
Corn Flake Nut Bread;
Cocoa Bread;
Raised Nut Rolls;
Rolls (1)


p 14: BREAD
Rolls (2); Butterscotch Rolls;
Nut Bread (1); Nut Bread (2)


p 15: BREAD
Nut Bread (3); 
Nut Tea Ring; Peanut Bread;
Dainty Breakfast Muffins

p 16: BREAD
Bacon Muffins; 
Four Minute Date Muffins;
Cocoa Muffins; Graham Gems;
Bran Muffins; Blueberry Muffins






MY OWN RECIPES




p 21: CAKES
Orange Cake; Orange Icing;
Delicious Cake; Lightning Cake;
Sunshine Cake (1)

p 22: CAKES
Sunshine Cake (2); 
Feather Cake; 
Sour Cream Cake; 
Whipped Cream Cake;
Caramel Cake


p 23: CAKES
Sunshine Layer Cake; Filling;
Macaroon Cake; Frosting;
Caramel Cake; Caramel Flavoring;
Coconut Cake

p 24: CAKES
Golden Angel Food Cake;
Swansdown Delicious Cake;
White Cake; Angel Food Cake

p 25: CAKES
Washington Pie; Cream Filling;
Pond Lily Cake; Filling;
Sponge Cake (1)

p 26: CAKES
Mock Angel Food Cake;
Sponge Cake (2);
Never-Fail Sponge Cake;
Yellow Frosting;
Graham Cracker Cake 

p 27: CAKES
Prune Cake; Prune Cake Filling;
Apple Sauce Cake;
Whole Wheat Apple Sauce Cake;
Fudge Cake

p 28: CAKES
Devil's Food (1);
Feather Chocolate Cake;
Scotch Chocolate Cake;
Delicious Chocolate Cake;
Devil's Food Cake (2)

P 29: CAKES
French Chocolate Cake;
Chocolate Nougat Cake; Boiled Icing;
Eggless Devil's Food;
Devil's Food Cake (3)

p 30: CAKES
Cocoa Cake;
One Egg Chocolate Loaf Cake;
Chocolate Mocha Cake;
Date Nut Cake; Icing

p 31: CAKES
Date Loaf; Delicious Date Cake;
New England Eggless Cake;
Eggless Butterless Spice Cake;
Mashed Potato Cake

p 32: CAKES
Hot Mashed Potato Cake;
Spice Cake; Ginger Bread (1);
Ginger Bread (2); Fruit Cake (1)


p 33: CAKES
Fruit Cake (2);
Eggless, Butterless, Milkless Fruit Cake;
Peanut Bar Cake; Nut Cake


Sounds joyless, too…
 
 
p 34: CAKES
Silver Nut Cake;
Nut Cake

MY OWN RECIPES
Swans down cake

p 39: CANDY
Candied Grape Fruit Peel;
Burnt Almonds; Creamy Fudge;
Fudge (1); Fudge (2)

p 40: CANDY
Never-Fail Fudge;
Divinity Fudge;
Peanut Butter Fudge;
Mexican Caramels;
Opera Caramels


p 41: CANDY
Divinity Candy;
Salt Water Taffy
MY OWN RECIPES 
Grape Juice



For the rest of the pages to this cookbook, you can scroll down through the next few posts, or you can click to find part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and the conclusion (part 5) here.

Vintage Cookbook: Good Things to Eat (part 2 of 5, pp 45–91)

 You have arrived at the second part of five, of the digital copy of Good Things to Eat, a cookbook compiled and published by the Domestic Science Class, Peoria Women's Club. Part one can be found here, part three at this link, four is here, and the conclusion (5) is here. Enjoy!


as is always the case, you can click any image to embiggen it. if you like what you see here, please feel free to share.


p 45: CANNING
Directions for Canning Fruit;
Syrup for Spiced Fruit;
to Can Green Beans;
Podded Vegetables (Cold Pack);
Root Vegetables

p 46: CANNING
To Can Corn;
Corn (Cold Pack);
Vegetable Greens (Cold Pack);
Canned Tomatoes;
Vegetables for Soup



MY OWN RECIPES

p 51: CHEESE
Cheese Balls;
Hot Cheese Tibits;
Cheese Fondu;
Cheese and Nut Loaf;
Cheese Dreams


p 52: CHEESE
Cheese, Apples and Carrots;
Cheese Souffle;
Spanish Cheese Dreams;
Lemon Cheese

MY OWN RECIPES




p 57: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Quick Coffee Cake (1);
Fine Coffee Cake;
Bund Kuchen;
Quick Coffee Cake (2)

p 58: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Coffee Cake; Cocoa Kisses;
Date Sticks;
Date Cup Cakes;
Oatmeal Cookies (1)

p 59: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Oatmeal Cookies (2);
Oatmeal Hermits;
Chocolate Cookies (1);
Chocolate Cookies (2);
Indians

p 60: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Fudge Cookies;
Orange Drop Cookies;
Fruit Cookies;
English Drop Cookies;
Ginger Cookies;
Lace Cookies

p 61: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Cinnamon Stars;
Butterscotch Squares;
Walnut Wafers;
Ginger Cookies without Ginger;
Rocks

p 62: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Corn Flake Kisses;
Sweet Cream Cookies;
Macaroons; Fruit Cookies;
Fruit Balls


p 63: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
Animal Cookies;
Caramel Cookies;
Ice Box Cookies;
Potato Doughnuts;
Cream Doughnuts


p 64: COFFEE CAKE – COOKIES
DOUGHNUTS
"Donuts"; Doughnuts


MY OWN RECIPES

p 69: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Apricot Whip;
Apricot and Pineapple Tapioca;
Pineapple Cocktail;
Baked Pineapple;
Pineapple Sponge


p 70: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Sweet Butter Dessert;
Strawberry Baskets;
Raisin Puffs; Escalloped Apples;
Spiced Lemon Jelly

p 71: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Strawberry Jello Whip;
Favorite Fruit Salad Dressing;
Fruit Cream;
Food for the Gods (1);
Food For the Gods (2)


p 72: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Baked Chocolate Custard;
Caramel Custard;
Food for the Gods (3);
Uncooked Marshmallow Loaf


p 73: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Graham Cracker Pudding;
Heavenly Delight;
Swiss Rice;
Bran Upside-Down Apple Cake


p 74: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Marshmallow Dessert;
Maple Dessert Supreme;
Chocolate Ice Box Cake;
Date Sponge

p 75: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Ice Box Cake; Macaroon Souffle;
Date Souffle;
Blitz Torte; Custard;
Meringue Shells



p 76: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Almond Tart; Krummel Tarta;
Date Torte; Short Cake (1);
Strawberry Short Cake;
Short Cake or Cottage Pudding


p 77: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Short Cake (2);
Mar-Brit-Tort; Shom Torton;
Peach Ice Cream (1)


p 78: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
Peach Ice Cream (2);
Black or Red Raspberry Ice Cream;
Lemon Ice Cream;
Chocolate Ice Cream;
Pineapple Ice

p 79: DESSERTS – FROZEN DESSERTS
"Three Ice" with Cream;
Strawberry Mousse;
Maple Mousse (1);
Maple Mousse (2);
Lemon Milk Sherbet;
Mint Sherbet





MY OWN RECIPES

p 83: DIET
Calorie values, etc

p 84: DIET



p 85: DIET
Reducing Menus

p 86: DIET
Menus

p 87: DIET
Menus

p 88: DIET
Menus



p 89: DIET
Menus

p 90: DIET
Jellied Chicken with Asparagus;
Ripe Olive Hors D'Oeuvres;
Lamb Chops, Park Avenue;
Potato Chips with Roquefort;
Peach Marshmallow;
Chinese Chicken

MY OWN RECIPES

For the next section of this book, scroll down…