Recipes of days gone by (ingredients, celery, cake, sugar)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

My fave cookbooks are the ones the Lutheran church I grew up in assembled out of collected recipes from congregants. Church basement potluck food, mmmmm.

yep, those old church cook books are the best. We are Lutheran but do not have one. Probably because we were not Lutheran growing up. I do have a selection of church cook books that are from our days of being Episcopalian and a few Methodist ones. In fact my go to cook books are one, from my son in law's aunts Methodist cookbook. They live in Texas and mine from our old Episcopalian cookbook also from Texas.

[17thAndK]

I somehow inherited a copy of the 1910 Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School cookbook. I love it, but it's value to me is in the depth of what it conveys about life in those times. No idea of transportation or actual refrigeration, no concept at all of a 350-degree oven. We sometimes forget how far we've come in quite a short time.

[Mike from back east]

I remember reading such recipes and decided to avoid them, i.e., what does a "slow oven" mean when baking something? The terminology of recipes has certainly changed in a hundred years.

Edit to add another old term I couldn't recall earlier: Scant. What the hell is a "scant" amount of anything?

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

...what does a "slow oven" mean when baking something?...

I set the oven on 300°F when I see the term "slow oven".

[writerwife]

This is a pretty interesting blog. Reenactment of 18th century French Cuisine. The woman is apparently an actor for historical purposes.. won plenty of awards. She will usually use authentic tools and preparation when able to. Some pretty gross dishes but some good ones too. It's just fun to peruse. I don't know what happened to her because she suddenly stopped posting some time ago but for anyone that is interested.. go back to the start and work your way through. It's quite fun for a cook or foodie. 18thC Cuisine

[Debsi]

Those with interest in this thread might also enjoy 18th century reenactor/cooking channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/jastownsendandson

They talk a fair amount about items which they sell in the family reenactor store, but the videos are well worth watching if you've ever wondered "what did an 18th century soldier eat" or "what does a boiled plum pudding look like?"

I'm what you might call an armchair reenactor.

[TerraDown]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I remember reading such recipes and decided to avoid them, i.e., what does a "slow oven" mean when baking something? The terminology of recipes has certainly changed in a hundred years.

Edit to add another old term I couldn't recall earlier: Scant. What the hell is a "scant" amount of anything?

'Scant, means a pinch.' LOL, I am actually old enough to know this term

[writerwife]

Originally Posted by TerraDown

'Scant, means a pinch.' LOL, I am actually old enough to know this term

Around these parts it also means.. level (at least in today's southern vernacular). A scant cup means.. make it level... don't heap it.
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[kinkytoes]

Here is some content from one of my old pamphlets:

"Be an Artist at the Gas Range" Successful Recipes by the Mystery Chef
Copyright 1936 by Longmans, Green and Co., publishers of "The Mystery Chef's Own Cookbook." On Sale at bookstores, $3.00
It says "Presented with the compliments of your Gas Company."

...
Tip 3 How to Make Sweet Cream Sour

To each cup of cream add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, or, for evaporated milk, one teaspoon of vinegar to each cup of milk. This tip is useful when you do not have sour cream, and require it for such recipes as Beef a la Stroganoff and other recipes calling for sour cream.
...

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise dressing
1 tablespoon of finely chopped olives
1 tablespoon of finely chopped pickles
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives (if desired)

To 1 cup of mayonnaise dressing (see page 60) add and mix in 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley, olives and pickles. One teaspoonful of finely chopped chives may be added, if desired.
...
The pamphlet also has recipes for food I've never had:
Sally Lunn
Raisin Pie
Steak and Kidney pie etc.

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by kinkytoes

...Steak and Kidney pie etc.

Steak and Kidney Pie is wonderful. However, I think you have to be exposed to kidneys at an early age to appreciate them. They have a very strong aroma (like a urinal), so they are an acquired taste. I absolutely love sautéed lamb kidneys.