VINTAGE RECIPES

[Welland Telegraph October 26, 1900]

HOUSEHOLD

Corn Bread

One pint of yellow Indian meal, one pint of flour, three ounces of sugar, two ounces of butter, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of baking soda, one pint of milk, two eggs and one half teaspoonful of salt. Sift the flour with the cream of tartar and salt into a bowl, dissolve the baking soda in a little boiling water, and stir it into the milk. Stir butter and sugar to a cream, add gradually the eggs, next alternately the flour and milk, with the dissolved soda. Pour the mixture into a square, well-buttered tin pan and bake in a hot oven. The batter should be one inch thick in the pan. When done, cut the bread into squares. The preparation may be baked in gem pans; it will produce sixteen corn gems.

Mushroom Catsup

Do not wash or skin the mushrooms, but carefully remove and decayed, dirty or worm-eaten portions. Cut one half inch from the end of the  stalks, then break the rest into small pieces; put them into an earthen jar and strew three quarters of a pound of salt amongst two gallons of mushrooms, scattering the larger portions on top. Let them remain all night, and the next day stir them gently with a wooden spoon; repeat three times a day for two days. At the end of that time put jar into cool oven for one half hour; strain liquid which flows from them through coarse cloth; boil one quarter of an hour. Do not squeeze mushrooms. To every quart of liquid add one quarter ounce of Jamaica ginger and black pepper and one drachm of mace. Boil again till quantity is reduced one half. Pour it out, let stand till cool; put into perfectly dry bottles, being careful not to disturb the sediment which settled to the bottom. Seal corks and keep in a cool dry place. This recipe has been used most successfully for years by one of the most famous chefs in America. If the details are faithfully adhered to, the result will be highly satisfactory.

Preserving Cider

The cider from clean sound fruit should be strained through a fine strainer (haircloth is good) into clean barrels (preferably fresh liquor casks). If it is desired to retain the cider in sweet condition, add at once 11/2 ounces of salicylic acid to forty gallons of cider. Cork up tightly and no fermentation will take place.

If the cider is desired a little sharp, the adding of the acid may be delayed a few days, or until the desired flavor is reached. The salicylic acod may then be added, which will stop the fermentation in less than half an hour. The bung should then be tightly inserted. This is the recipe used by a good housekeeper, who is thoroughly satisfied with the results.

Home-Made Vinegar

To every 10 gallons of cider add one gallon of fresh-fallen soft water boiling hot. Also toast a large thick slice of bread; soak thoroughly in good fresh yeast and put into the barrel. Then add a liberal amount of “mother of vinegar”; the more the better. Set at the back of the kitchen stove or any place where the temperature is warm. Keep the bunghole  open, with a piece of cheese cloth tacked over to keep out flies, dust, etc. Don’t expect good vinegar in less than five to six months, and if not satisfactory in that time, I would advise putting in a few pounds of good brown sugar, or coarse molasses will do, to give more body.

Pan-Broiled Chickens

Brush cleaned spring chickens inside and out with melted butter; dust with salt and pepper; lay in dripping pan, adding a little hot water; bake in hot oven till crispy brown, basting often with melted butter; when done slip paper frills over the leg joints, garnish with lemon slices, fried parsley and julienne potatoes. Wash and shake dry a bunch of parsley; then plunge into deep, hot fat for a second; drain and garnish. Serve a little with each portion of chicken. Cooked in this manner the chicken does not have a fleshy flavor.

Marmalade Diamonds

Cream one cupful of butter and two and a half cupfuls granulated sugar;then add beaten yolks of five eggs and beat thoroughly; then add one cupful sweet milk, then work in four cupfuls flour, one teaspoonful lemon juice, one even teaspoonful soda sifted in flour; then fold in the stiffly beaten whites; bake in shallow pans; when cool cut into diamonds; spread half with lemon marmalade; put other halves on top; cover with boiled icing. Any fruit marmalade can be used instead of lemon. These are dainty for teas or any social function.

Baked Beans With Tomato Sauce

Pick over and wash one quart of pea beans; cover with cold water and soak over night. In the morning drain and put the beans in a large stew pan, cover with cold water and simmer until tender; drain them and put in a bean pot; mix two teaspoonfuls of salt, one-half teaspoonful of pepper, one half teaspoonful of dry mustard, and one-quarter of a cupful of molasses; add one cupful of hot water, ad pour over the beans; add hot-water sufficient to cover; score the rind on one-quarter of a pound of salt pork, which should be simmered until nearly tender; push it down in the beans; put in a slow oven and cook until the beans are a brown color all through.adding mor water from time to time as may be necessary; this will take five or six hours; put in a stew pan one can of tomatoes and one small sliced onion, and cook for half an hour; press through a sieve; when the beans are ready drain off most of the liquid and the strained tomatoes; cook two hours longer.