VINTAGE RECIPES – The Household

[Welland Tribune September 1, 1905]

Pickles should never be kept in glazed ware, as the vinegar forms a poisonous compound with the glazing.

A cooking authority says that a few grains of salt sprinkled on coffee before the water is added will bring out and improve the flavor.

Before frying bacon soak it in water for three or four minutes. This will prevent the fat from running. And will make the bacon go farther.

Chocolate Icing—Boil one cup light brown sugar and about one-third of a cupful of sweet milk for five minutes. Add one or two small squares of chocolate, melted and stir all well together. Take off the stove and beat until the mixture begins to granulate. Spread on cake.

When working in the kitchen, protect your dress and apron by wearing a thin white oilcloth. To make it quite neat, bind it with braid and attach strings to the upper corners. This needs only to be washed off when soiled and can be discarded in a second if there is a ring at the doorbell.

Potato Cakes—Take three pints riced or mashed potatoes. Season with salt and mix with the yolks of two eggs. Have the whites beaten stiff and add them next, whipping them into the mixture. Now add a pinch of sugar and flour enough to make somewhat firm. Roll out and bake on a well-buttered griddle pan. Serve with jam or syrup.

Maple Cream—Break a pound of maple sugar into bits and put on the stove in a granite pan with a cup of milk. Bring to a boil, then add one tablespoonful butter. Cook until a little dropped in cold water becomes brittle; take off and stir briskly until it begins to granulate. Pour on a greased pan and mark into squares with a knife.

Sweet Potato Pone– Grate four large sweet potatoes, raw; mix with them a large spoonful of butter, a cup of molasses, a cup of sugar, pounded orange peel, the yolks of two eggs, a pinch of soda, a tablespoonful of powdered ginger, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, half teaspoonful cloves; add a little salt, put in deep pan, sprinkle sugar over the top and bake.

Caramel Pudding—Put a cup of sugar in a pan dry, and set on stove. Let melt and become slightly brown. Now pour on two cups sweet milk, and leave on stove until the hard taffy-like mass dissolves. And comes to boiling point again. Now stir in a tablespoonful of cornstarch dissolved in a little milk and mixed with two well-beaten eggs. Cook until done, stirring constantly, Serve hot or cold, with cream.

Ice Cream—A thin custard made of milk, eggs and cornstarch makes a very good ice cream, when well flavored and frozen, although many prefer just the pure sweet cream, boiled sweetened and flavored. The following makes a delicious frozen cream, which has the advantage of novelty; Beat an egg and add to it one cup of sugar ad one cup of strong coffee. Cook over boiling water until smooth, then let cool and flavor with vanilla. Now whip a pint of sweet cream sell and fold into the custard, freeze.

Coffee Cookies–Beat a half-cup of butter and a half-cup of lard to a cream; with a cup of brown sugar; add a cup of molasses, stirring in a pinch of baking soda dissolved in tablespoonful of hot water; beat hard, stir in a cup of strong coffee, a tablespoonful of ginger and teaspoonful of cinnamon.

Add enough flour to make a dough that can be rolled out, roll into a sheet three-quarters of an inch thick, cut out and bake for fifteen minutes.

Fruit Pudding No. 1

Into a pint of flour sifted with one and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder, rub a rounded teaspoonful of butter, add a level teaspoonful of salt, a half pint of milk, and raisins or currants—a generous cupful well dredged with flour. Or if you prefer, you may put in fresh fruit, such as berries or cherries. Put into a greased pail. Cover tightly, and stand in boiling water for one and a half hours.

Fruit Pudding No. 2

Make a batter of a large cup of flour, one-half cup of milk, a large lump of butter as big as a butternut and a little salt. Melt the butter and whip all to a smooth batter. Fill the deep part of a soup plate with the fruit—berries, cherries, peeled and sliced peaches, plums, apples, rhubarb or whatever fruit you desire—sprinkle thickly with sugar and pour over all the batter. Bake in a quick oven.