Time Tested Treats for Your Valentine
Valentine's Day is only seven days away.
Traditionally this day is associated with Love. And what better way to manifest Love than in handcrafted candy, cookies, and other sweets?
When I came across "Our Cookbook" in the museum, the decision to publish a few Victorian era recipes was easy.
Back in the day, taking photos of your food wasn't really a thing. So we thought it would be wonderful to invite you to whip up one of the recipes below, snap a digital photo and send it to us to add to this blog post! You can send it via FB messenger @plainsmanmusem, or by regular email at plainsmanmuseum@gmail.com. If you don't do digital, bring the whole dessert in, we'll photograph it. (We even offer a dessert eating service!)
The following collection of vintage recipes is from a cookbook compiled by the First Division of the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Congregational Church, Aurora, NE.
Back Row: Mrs. Chas Sears, Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. Adelaide Putnam, Mrs. Ellie Johnson, Mrs. Wildish, Mrs. W.E. Reber, Mrs. Amber Harquest, Mrs. Elva Aukerman, Mrs. E.L. Kemper, Mrs. Boykendall, Mrs. C.S. Hull
2nd Row from back: Birdie Darling, Mrs. Agnes (Waddell) Stewart, Mrs. Ed Mighell, Mrs. W.C. Wentz, Mrs. Frank Johnson, Mrs. Anna Hastings, Mrs. Edna Earle Houser, Mrs. Al (A.O.) Hartquest,
3rd Row from back: Mrs. Elsie (R.A.) Chidester, Mrs. Nettie Farrow, Mrs. M.S. Isaman, Mrs. John Shean, Mrs. Angie (A.B.) Coon, Mrs. Phil Burt, Mrs. Kimball, Mrs. Belva Glover, Mrs. J.M. Howard,
4th Row from back: Mrs. Gulliver, Mrs. Spafford, Mrs. (Robt.) Belle Waddle, Mrs. A.E. Ricker, Mrs. Vic Swanson, Mrs. W.H. Gallop, Mrs. Elarton.
Front Row: Mrs. Margaret Miller, Mrs. Harvey Cole, Mila Newton, Mrs. Andrew Grosshans, Mrs. Coats, Celia Hanawald Cass.
Lemon Jelly Filling for cake
Mrs. M.J. Cass
One coffee cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs, 2 lemons. Beat all together and boil till it begins to thicken. Be careful not to burn.
Cream Puffs
Mrs. Elsie Chidester
Puff paste: Boil together 1 cup water and 1-2 cup butter. While boiling add 1 cup flour. Stir smooth and cool, then add 3 eggs, not beaten. Stir again until smooth and drop on baker's sheet (not greased) and bake in moderate oven about 30 minutes.
Filling: Into 1 cup boiling milk stir the following: 1 egg beaten with 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon corn starch (or flour), and butter the size of an egg. Cook until thick, and flavor. If a half cup of whipped cream is added it is much improved.
When cold, open puffs and fill with filling also cold.
White Layer Cake
Mrs. Nettie Farrow
One cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup sweet milk, 3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, whites of 6 eggs, put in last; 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Raspberry Pudding
Mrs. Andrew Grosshans
Boil 3-4 lb raspberries in 1 qt. water. From this take for pudding 1 cup of the juice; add 1 egg, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1-2 cup butter, 1 scant teaspoon soda. Put a few of the raspberries on top of the pudding and bake in a moderate oven.
Sauce: Three cups of juice, 1 tablespoon butter, 1-2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons corn starch.
Mountain Snow
Mrs. Anna Hastings
One pkg. gelatine, juice of 3 lemons, 1 1-2 cups sugar. Dissolve gelatine in 2 pts of hot water, and add sugar and lemon juice. Set to cool. When cool add the whites of 3 eggs (before beating) and beat the whole substance 30 min.
When thick add 10 cents worth of blanched almonds, ground fine, and set in a cold place.
Cream Candy
Edna Earle Houser
Four cups sugar, 2 cups water, 3-4 cup vinegar, 1 cup rich milk, butter size of an egg, pinch of soda, 2 teaspoons vanilla. Boil without stirring, cool sufficiently to handle, then work till white and creamy.
Lemon Pie
Mrs. C.S. Hull
Juice and grated rind of 1 small lemon, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, put over fire, when it boils add yolk of 2 eggs well beaten, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon cold water. Line a pie tin with paste, prick with fork, and bake; then put in your lemon butter. Whip the whites of the eggs to stiff froth with 2 tablespoons sugar, spread over top, and brown in oven.
Sugar Cookies
Mrs. Margaret Miller
Two cups sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sour cream, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon soda, 1 teaspoon lemon. Flour to make soft dough. Raisins or currants may be added.
Sponge Cake
Mrs. W.E. Reber
Two cups flour (before sifting), 2 cups sugar, 6 eggs, 6 tablespoons cold water, 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder. Beat the yolks, add the sugar and beat well, then add the water. Sift the baking powder into the flour. Put in half the flour, then 1-2 of the beaten whites, the other half of the flour, all of the whites. Bake in a biscuit pan and break when cold. Splendid and cheap.
Spanish Bunn (cake)
Mrs. Agnes Waddell Stewart
One-half cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup New Orleans molasses, 1 cup boiling water. Boil these ingredients together and let cool; add 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, 1 teaspoon soda, 2 1-2 cups flour, 2 well beaten eggs. May also add 1 cup currants.
Bake 30 minutes and use a soft icing.
