Rhubarb Pudding (1887) ★★

12:00 AM 1880s , 19th century , 2 stars , cake , dessert , fruit , soy-free , united states , victorian 0 Comments

In North America, rhubarb is a sign of spring. I was a little late this year, but I always anticipate being able to buy it from the grocery store (one day I will have my own plant!). In America, rhubarb was so often used as a pie filling that it actually became known as "pie plant." This recipe is not for a pie, but it represents the use of rhubarb as a popular food and ingredient in desserts.



Original Recipe:


The Verdict:
Unfortunately this pudding wasn't very good. The cake was so bland and flavourless and it didn't even have sugar, so it didn't even taste sweet. The juices from the rhubarb also made the top a bit soggy. That said, with some modifications, this could be a good dessert. The cake needs sugar directly in it and perhaps some flavouring with a little vanilla or some spices. Lightly coating the rhubarb in some cornstarch might also help with the soggy top issue.


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Whitehouse Cookbook)

RHUBARB, chopped fine
SUGAR
CORNSTARCH
1 cup BUTTERMILK
2 EGGS
1/4 cup BUTTER, softened
1/2 teaspoon BAKING SODA
FLOUR
VANILLA or SPICES
CREAM

1. Mix together the rhubarb, a bit of cornstarch, and sugar to taste. Arrange in the bottom of a greased pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Add the butter. Add the baking soda and enough flour to make a cake-like batter (I used about 4 handfuls). Add vanilla or spices as desired. Whisk until well-combined and pour over the rhubarb.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan and then invert onto a plate. Serve topped with sugar and cream.

Peach Cup (1920) ★★★★

12:00 AM 1920s , 20th century , 4 stars , beverages , egg-free , fruit , gluten-free , interwar , soy-free , united states 0 Comments

This recipe represents a very deep-rooted tradition of making fruit syrups for refreshing summer beverages.



Original Recipe:

PEACH CUP 

Place one quart of peeled and sliced peaches in a saucepan and add 

One pound of sugar,  

One cup of water. 

Cook until the fruit is soft and then rub through a fine sieve and add juice of one lemon. 

To use: Place one-half cup of the peach mixture in a glass and add 

Two tablespoons of cream, 

One-half cup of crushed ice, 

and fill with carbonated water. 

A box of straws to use in serving these iced drinks makes them doubly attractive.

The Verdict:
Well firstly, I was surprised at how much peach flavour the syrup actually had, because I used frozen peaches. That said, while I did taste the peach, it could have been even stronger, so I would suggest at least using some fresh peaches if you make this.
The cream was a little bit of a strange addition for my modern tastes. The flavour did grow on me, but it seemed like 2 tablespoons was a bit too much. Also, the syrup was very sweet, so maybe a little under 1/2 cup would be a better amount, but of course it all depends on how much carbonated water is added. I think even just using the peach syrup with carbonated water would be a yummy drink all on its own. Overall, this recipe is really nice and is definitely worth 4 stars!


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book)

1 quart (4 cups) PEACHES, peeled and sliced
1 pound SUGAR
1 cup WATER
Juice of 1 LEMON
1-2 tablespoons CREAM
1/2 cup CRUSHED ICE
SODA WATER

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the peaches, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until the peaches are very soft.
2. Strain the liquid through a sieve and gently push on the cooked peaches to ensure you get as much syrup as you can. Add the lemon juice to the syrup and stir well. (Tip: I saved the cooked peaches and blended them up in a smoothie! No need to waste!)
3. To make a "Peach Cup" put 1/2 cup of the peach syrup (cooled) in a large glass. Add 1-2 tablespoons of cream, as desired. Add 1/2 cup crushed ice and top the glass up with carbonated water, to taste. Stir well to combine and enjoy!

Apple Fladen (Hungarian) (1919) ★★★★

12:00 AM 1910s , 20th century , 4 stars , dessert , hungary , interwar , pastry , snacks , The International Jewish Cook Book , united states 0 Comments

A slightly altered recipe for Apple Fladen in the Oct. 22 1934 Spokesman-Review

I had a bunch of egg yolks left over from making my foam torte, and I found this recipe while searching for a way to use them up. I searched around for a bit, but couldn't find any references to "Apple Fladen" aside from this recipe itself. All I found was that "fladen" means "cakes" in German. I tried looking for variants of "Hungarian apple cake/pie/squares" and found that there is a Hungarian dessert known as Almas Pite which is very similar to this recipe. Hungary is actually a big exporter of apples, and almas pite is often made during the Christmas holidays.
One intriguing thing I did find was this recipe for apple fladen, which was printed in the Spokesman-Review in 1934 in response to a reader's query: "Recipe for a different apple dessert?" The Spokesman-Review is printed out of Washington, USA. The recipe printed is nearly a direct quote of the The International Jewish Cook Book recipe. It made me wonder why the author of the recipe column decided to feature this recipe (and without credit, too!). Obviously they had access to The International Jewish Cook Book, because the recipe is almost word-for-word. It was not necessarily the 1919 book either - The International Jewish Cook Book was popular for many years.


Original Recipe:


The Verdict:
I made two minor substitutions in this recipe: I used dark raisins instead of golden, and chopped up some whole almonds myself instead of using powdered almonds.
These are pretty much apple pie bars. However, there is a LOT of apple filling, so these are best eaten with a fork. The filling is nice, but the granny smith apples I used were VERY tart. If I made this again, I would probably use a mixture of sweet and sour apples. Also, I think I slightly undercooked the pastry, but it was still nice (yum, yum, sour cream pastry!) and the egg white made the top very brown and beautiful.
I baked mine on a cookie sheet, which was fine, but a 9x13 casserole dish would probably also work well.
Overall, 4 stars. Mr. Man and Little Y liked them, but they "weren't a favourite." Mr. Man really liked the pastry, and Little Y seemed to prefer the filling.


Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The International Jewish Cook Book)

1/2 pound UNSALTED BUTTER
1 pound FLOUR
4 tablespoons POWDERED SUGAR
A dash of SALT
4 EGG YOLKS
1/2 cup SOUR CREAM
2 pounds SOUR APPLES, peeled and minced
1/2 cup GOLDEN RAISINS
SUGAR, to taste (I used 3 tablespoons)
CINNAMON, to taste (I used 1 tablespoon)
4 tablespoons BREAD CRUMBS
1 EGG WHITE
2 tablespoons POWDERED ALMONDS

1. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the flour, powdered sugar, and butter, using your hands, a pastry cutter, or a food processor. When well blended, add the egg yolks and sour cream. Knead together until the dough forms a ball and doesn't stick to your fingers. Wrap it up and let it sit in the fridge for half an hour.
2. In a large bowl. mix together the minced apples, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out half of the dough into a rectangle and lay it in a greased 9x13 pan or on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Trim the edges with a knife if necessary.
4. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs onto the bottom layer of the pastry. Add the apple filling. Roll out the second half of the pastry and place it on top of the apple filling. Trim if necessary.
5. Brush the top of the pastry with an egg white. Sprinkle on the almonds. Bake for about 25 - 35 minutes.

Blog Updates

6:55 PM 0 Comments

No recipes today, sorry!
However, I did want to note that I made some updates to the Resources page. I re-organized the list of digitized cookbooks by country and date. I also added a lot of new cookbooks, especially from Australia. I will be adding some more American ones in the next few days as well. We are certainly lucky to have such a wide range of digitized cookbooks available online! There are so many...I am thinking I may have to re-organize again. Perhaps separate pages for each country? I'm not sure yet. But for now, enjoy this very long list!

Foam Torte (1919) ★★★★★

7:00 AM 1910s , 20th century , 5 stars , cake , dairy-free , dessert , fruit , gluten-free , interwar , soy-free 1 Comments

So I had bought a bunch of strawberries which were about to become inedible. Naturally I looked for a way to use them up and I found this recipe by searching Feeding America. Reading the recipe, I thought this was similar to the Australian/New Zealand pavlova, and I think it definitely turned out that way.



Original Recipe: 


The Verdict:
Very delicious! I love the texture of the meringue - the crust dissolves on your tongue and the inside is chewy like a marshmallow. The strawberries provided a nice tang and freshness which was necessary to cut the very sweet meringue. I think with bananas only this would be too sweet. I'm not sure if the recipe was meant to be this way, but my foam torte turned out like...well, a tart's crust. I wish I had added more strawberries for filling, though, as the sides were pretty high. I also think that my springform pan was a tiny bit too big. I would have preferred a slightly smaller and thicker crust, especially on the bottom. Like a deep-dish pizza, kind of.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The International Jewish Cookbook)

4 EGG WHITES
1 tablespoon VINEGAR
1 cup SUGAR
1 teaspoon VANILLA
SLICED FRUIT, such as strawberries, peaches (with cream), or bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Then slowly add the vinegar by drops, while beating. Add half the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Add the rest of the sugar and the vanilla and beat until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks.
3. Add the egg whites to the prepared pan (reserving some for decorating if desired) and spread with a spoon, making sure to line the sides of the pan to create a crust. Use the reserved egg whites to decorate the top of the torte. Bake for about 45 minutes. When done, let it cool in the oven without opening the door.
4. When cooled, add the sliced fruit to the top of the torte and serve.

Mint Julep (1917) ★★★★★

6:01 PM 1910s , 20th century , 5 stars , Better Meals for Less Money , beverages , dairy-free , egg-free , gluten-free , holiday , soy-free , united states , WWI 0 Comments

Today, Mint juleps are very closely associated with the Kentucky Derby, which runs on the first Saturday in May. This year, 2013, the event falls on May 4th.

As with nearly any recipe, it is difficult to pin an exact date when the mint julep was created. Currently, the first known mention of the drink is in the 1803 book Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States of America by John Davis. The reference appears in a passage called "Story of Dick the Negro" and states, "This young chap, Sir, (here Dick winked his left eye,) was a trimmer. The first thing he did on getting out of bed was to call for a Julep;* and I honestly date my own love of whiskey, from mixing and tasting my young master's Juleps." The footnote reads, "A dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken  by Virginians of a morning."  In Kentucky, silver julep cups were being awarded as fair prizes as early as 1816.

The origins of the term "julep" can be traced to a Middle Eastern beverage of rose petals muddled in water, called a "gulab" or "julab." "Julep" is a French translation. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the earliest use of the word as around 1400, when it was used to describe a syrup used to administer medicine. This method of improving the flavour of water eventually made its way to the Americas, and apparently evolved along the way. One theory is that the mint julep was created in order to mask the flavour of poorly made whiskey - similar to the original use of a medicinal julep.

Naturally, such a popular beverage did not arise without argument. The main issue is whether to crush the mint or not. This debate dates back to the earliest incarnations of the drink in the nineteenth century. Furthermore, there is a bit of a rivalry between Kentucky and Virginia, as to who can claim ownership of the beverage.

LIFE, May 1937

The association of the drink with the Kentucky Derby began in 1875, with the inception of the racetrack. It was first advertised as the official Derby drink at Churchill Downs in 1938. An 1937 edition of LIFE magazine included details of Julian P. Van Winkles' "mint julep party" held during that years Kentucky Derby. Apparently the Van Winkle recipe for mint juleps used only 17 year old bourbon. The recipe LIFE provided was: "put sugar and bruised mint at the bottom of the silver cup, pack in finely-cracked ice to induce proper frosting, stick mint sprigs in after two ounces of Bourbon have been poured." Today hundreds of thousands of juleps are served at the Derby and collectible cups have been soldd since 1938.

While mint juleps are traditionally alcoholic, this recipe is safe for the whole family! It may not be authentic, but it hits the spot when you can't or don't drink alcohol. It is possible that this unusual 1917 recipe was a result of the prohibition movement. Temperance, or abstinence from drinking alcohol, had gained momentum during the nineteenth century, and  by the early twentieth century laws were being passed which prohibited the sale of alcohol, partially in order to save resources for World War One. The Eighteenth Amendment in the United States took effect in 1920 and prohibited the sale, transport, and production of alcohol. (Fun fact: here in Ontario we can only buy alcohol from LCBO [Liquor Control Board of Ontario] stores, a remnant method of control in the post-prohibition era.)

LIFE, August 1941

For those wishing to imbibe in the traditional version, here is an early printing of the recipe, from 1845. It was published in Eliza Acton's Modern Cookery for Private Families in Britain:

Mint Julep, An American Receipt.

Strip the tender leaves of mint into a tumbler, and add to them as much wine brandy, or any other spirit, as you wish to take. Put some pounded ice into a second tumbler; pour this on the mint and brandy, and continue to pour the mixture from one tumbler to the other until the whole is sufficently impregnated with the flavour of the mint, which is extracted by the particles of the ice coming into brisk contact when changed from one vessle to the other. Now place the glass in a larger one, containing pounded ice: on taking it out of which it will be covered with frost-work.' Obs.--We apprehend that this preparation is, like most other iced American beverages, to be imbibed through a reed: the recei, which was contributed by an American gentleman, is somewhat vague.

Alternatively, you could try Henry Watterson's recipe: "Pluck the mint gently from its bed, just as the dew of the evening is about to form upon it. Select the choicer sprigs only, but do not rinse them. Prepare the simple syrup and measure out a half-tumbler of whiskey. Pour the whiskey into a well-frosted silver cup, throw the other ingredients away and drink the whiskey."



Original Recipe:

25.—MINT JULEP (Ginger Ale)

Boil sugar and water ten minutes, and cool; add strained lemon juice, mint leaves bruised, and ginger ale; half fill glasses with crushed ice, add julep, and garnish with a sprig of mint.



The Verdict:
This drink basically tastes like sweet, lemony mint tea. I enjoyed it. The ginger ale wasn't really tasteable, but it gave a nice fizz. It was definitely refreshing. The drink alone is quite sweet, so it definitely needs the ice (or even just water if need be) to dilute it a bit. While it was definitely a delicious recipe, I'm not sure it actually resembles a real mint julep at all.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Better Meals for Less Money)

3/4 cup SUGAR
1 cup WATER
Juice of 3 LEMONS, strained
4 sprigs MINT, plus more for garnishing
1 pint (2 cups) GINGER ALE
CRUSHED ICE

1. In a small saucepan, boil the sugar and water for 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Add the lemon juice to the cooled sugar syrup. Add the mint leaves, and gently bruise them by pressing on them with the back of a spoon (or use a muddler). Add the ginger ale.*
3. Fill glasses with crushed ice, add the julep, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

* Although the recipe didn't mention this, I strained the syrup before adding the ginger ale. I used frozen mint leaves (a mistake, I might add), so they were all shriveled and nasty and I didn't want them in my cup.

Also note, I've read a recipe in which the mint leaves are muddled in hot water, in order to bring out the flavour. It might be worth it to add them to the hot syrup to mimic this method.




-----
Sources

Davis, John. Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States of America during 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, and 1802. Bristol: R. Edwards, 1803. Print.

Egerton, John. Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History. North Carolina: University of North Carolina, 1993. Print.

Four Roses. "This Is a Lucky Year for Julep Lovers!" LIFE 25 Aug. 1941: 34. Google Books. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://books.google.ca/books?id=ZE0EAAAAMBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s>.

"Life Goes to a Party." LIFE 24 May 1937: 90-92. Google Books. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://books.google.ca/books?id=1kQEAAAAMBAJ&dq>.

"Mint Julep." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_julep>.

Nickell, Joe. The Kentucky Mint Julep. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky, 2003. Print.

Olver, Lynne. "Mint Julep." The Food Timeline. N.p., 2000. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodbeverages.html>.