VINTAGE RECIPES – The Household

[Welland Tribune September 15, 1905]

OLD FASHIONED HOE CAKE

This is the old-fashioned affair such as has been made by mountain guides and hunters these many, many years; Pour boiling water over one cup of cornmeal until it is well scalded and the batter thin enough to spread easily. Add half a teaspoon of salt, and spread the mixture by tablespoonfuls on a hot frying pan which has been well greased with a rind of fat pork. Cook until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other . But do not allow it to scorch. Failing a frying pan, a smooth flat stone heated and sprinkled with flour answers the same purpose.

Cream Puffs or Boston Cream Cakes

Bring a pint of water to a boil and melt in it a half pound of butter, then stir in three-quarters of a pound of flour. Stir steadily until the flour no longer sticks to the side of the saucepan; take from the fire set aside to cool. When cold, whip in one at a time, eight beaten eggs, Set in the ice for an hour, then drop by the spoonful upon buttered paper laid in the bottom of a baking pan. Bake in a quick oven, When light and brown, they are done. When cold, cut a slice in the side of each puff and fill with cream filling.

COOLING SALADS

Cabbage- Pour a little boiling water into a saucepan, add one and a half cups of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, three tablespoonfuls of cream, one teaspoonful of mustard. Mix well, adding salt and white pepper to taste. When the mixture comes to a boil stir in the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. Set away to cool. Shave one head of cabbage in small strips. Soak in cold water to make it crisp. Dry thoroughly and mix with the  dressing.

Cold Slaw- Shave a head of cabbage into small strips, soak in cold water to make it crisp, dry thoroughly and serve with this dressing: Mix one egg well beaten, one tablespoon of vinegar, two tablespoons of sour cream, butter the size of a walnut and half a teaspoon of mustard one tablespoon of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly and pour over the cabbage, mixing it well.

SOME DELICIOUS CAKE FILLINGS

Chocolate

Break the whites of two eggs into a bowl. Do not heat, but stir in gradually one pound of pulverized sugar; flavor with orange or vanilla extract, and add five squares of melted chocolate.

Almond

To white of one egg, stir in half a pound of confectioners’ sugar. Flavor with almond and spread over cake. This is suitable for fruit or any loaf cakes.

Ice Cream

Boil two cupfuls of sugar in cupful of water. When done, pour over beaten whites of three eggs. Beat till cool. Flavor with rose or orange.

Ice Cream Fruit

Make a filling as described above, add to it when cooked, two teacupfuls of chopped English walnuts, cocoanut, citron, dates and figs, Spread half inch thick between layers of cake.

Fig

Cook together a cupful of water and one of sugar; add a cupful of finely chopped figs, Cook to a paste, and when smooth spread on or between cake.

Caramel

Boil together two cupfuls of brown sugar, one of new milk, and lump of butter; when it breaks add two tablespoonfuls of thick cream. Remove from fire and beat well. Flavor with vanilla

Marshmallow

Boil two cupfuls of sugar and one of water; add one-fourth pound of marshmallow, stir till well melted. Remove from the fire and add the well beaten whites of two eggs. Beat hard till cool. Flavor with vanilla.

Lemon

Mix together two eggs, two cupfuls of sugar, the juice of two lemons and grated rind of one, one teacupful of cream or new milk, a limp of butter the size of an egg, and two  teaspoonfuls of corn starch. Boil in double boiler till thick. Spread when cool.

Pineapple

Boil two cupfuls of sugar and of water. When done beat in whites of two eggs, beat till cool and add two teacupfuls of grated pineapple.

Lemon and Walnut

Squeeze the juice of two large lemons over one pound of granulated sugar. When smooth spread over loaf cake, cut into squares, and place one or more English walnut kernels on each square, while soft.