Retro Recipe Challenge#4: 1918 Fall Favorites

My father-in-law continues his sorting and cleaning, and some months ago I was given a copy of the Rumford Complete Cook Book, published in 1918, that had been his grandmother's.



This book is sufficiently old that baking instructions take the form of 'bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes'. As my mother-in-law and I were discussing, this was a time when 1. you usually knew what you were doing, and B. there was much less variety in cooking and baking: if you needed to make or bake a pie, there really weren't too many ways of doing it.

One of the pure joys of this cookbook are the hand-written recipes, added by Matt's great-grandmother.



They're scattered throughout the book, and despite not being a drinker, I'm tempted to make the blackberry wine!



Laura Rebecca has issued another Retro Recipe Challenge, and I was more than happy to accept. This time, it was Fall foods.

While the theme can be interpreted many ways by many people, for me...it's hot soups or stews, warm bread, and fresh from the oven, 'heavier', desserts.

So, I give you Irish Stew, Baked Brown Bread, and Dark Gingerbread.

First, dinner.



The Irish Stew


Chunks of 'beef suitable for stewing', sliced onions and carrots are simmered in hot water, about an hour. At this point, chunks of peeled potatoes are added, as well as salt and pepper. Cook, still at a simmer, till potatoes are done.

The only way I could convince Matt to try this? No flour in the stew. He hates gravy, so traditional (ie, the way my Grammy made it!) Irish stew just makes his stomach turn.

But this he could, and did, eat. Nothing fancy about it. It's a manly food, very much proclaiming it's meat-and-potato-ness. But, on a cool day, absolutely perfect.


Brown Bread


Whole wheat (graham) and white flour, sifted with salt and baking soda, then mixed with sugar and butter(sour)milk, and baked in a slow oven. Much sweeter than expected, moist but dense, almost like a savory poundcake.

And an honest-to-goodness Gingerbread.


Another simple recipe. Shortening is heated 'till sizzling', and poured into molasses, add an egg and some milk, then flour, salt, baking powder (recommended? Rumford, of course!), and ground ginger.
All poured into a 'shallow' pan, and baked in a hot oven.

Very molasses-y! Dense and moist. With a full cup of molasses, it's the strongest flavor.

So, there you go. A full Fall Favorites Retro Meal!








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Tagged with: Food & Drink + Retro Recipe Challenge + Cookbooks + Baking + Stew + Gingerbread + Bread + Irish + Potatoes + Beef + Dessert + Retro