Pineapple Fruit Salad - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

If I had to choose a dessert to epitomise the sixties, this would be on the Top 3 list.  The fact that its served in a freaking pineapple just says so much about this dish.

LOOK AT ME I CAN AFFORD PINEAPPLES!!!

American Chocolate Pudding - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I give you Marguerite Patten's American Chocolate Pudding.  It has walnuts, it has cream, it is amazing.

Serve it to your friends, serve it to your enemies, serve it to your grandmother.  If you do, you will make friends and influence people when they realise you are brandishing an American Chocolate Pudding.

Pots Au Chocolat - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

First post for 2014, well only 5 months late.  But let me make it up to you with Chocolate!

Lobster Chowder - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

There is a distinct lack of seafood recipes on this blog.  The main reason is that I don't really do seafood, and the idea of it makes me turn a little green.

But, I know that the hundreds (HAHAHA) of emails and comments that I get on this blog each week do request that I do a few more seafood related posts.  So here is one... and as we're on a theme of soups and chowders today, this one is quite apt.

Speedy Orange Cake - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Index Card 5)

I have such good memories of this recipe.  It reminds me of that quintessentially English past time of High Tea or even being a young lad at the village Fete etc.

It is also pretty easy, as most of Marguerite Patten's recipes are.  If you don't like Orange, you can use Lemon rind instead.

Chocolate Layer Sponge Cake - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Index, Card 1)

Seems to be the most logical idea really, start at the first card rather than pick random cards.  Further efforts to digitise the Marguerite Patten Cookery Card Index.

I did cave in and buy some more cookery cards today, but I'll whitter on about that in my next post.

This is a really basic sponge recipe.  But it opens itself for modification and 'jazzing up'.  I have to admit, this is a slightly pointless recipe unless you have all the cards lying around.  The Victorian Sponge recipe, is pretty basic anyway, but I might jump ahead and scan in Card 31 and Card 2, just to give my efforts some validity.

Peanut Butter Soup - 1960s

This evening I came across a set of recipe cards that my Aunt has had for, quite literally, years.  They are nearly all 1967 published and in mint condition.

I am, sadly, very very happy and intend to bring you some of the finest recipes from this massive collection which is going to take up half of my desk, as I have nowhere else to put it.

So the first recipe that I am going to bring from this monster box of goodies is Peanut Butter Soup, and it is filed in the 'Picnics' section.

The cooking time for this strange dish is 15 minutes, it should take 15 minutes to prepare and for this you'll need a frying pan and saucepan.  The recipe makes enough for four people.

1oz/25g butter
1oz/25g flour
half a pint / 275 ml milk
a bay leaf
2 - 3 oz / 50 - 75g peanut butter
1 pint/ generous half litre of chicken stock
OR water and stock cubes
Seasoning

To garnish: croutons.

1. Heat the butter in the pan, then stir in the flour and cook for several minutes, stirring well.
2. Remove from heat, stir in the milk then bring to the boil and cook until smooth and thick, again stirring to keep the sauce smooth. Add the bay leaf.
3.Put the peanut butter into a basin gradually blend in a little of the warm sauce, then return to the pan, adding the stock and seasoning.
4. Meanwhile prepare the croutons for this dice bread and fry in hot butter until crisp and golden brown.

To Carry: Pour the soup into a warmed vacuum flask.  Put the croutons into a screw topped jar, Take cups or soup bowls.

To Vary: Many other home made or canned soups are ideal for a picnic and by mixing various canned soups you have interesting flavours.

Egg and Bacon Flan - 1960's

This is one for beginners.  It makes a really nice alternative breakfast or a quick fix for a baking urge.  making shortcrust pastry is pretty easy and it gets even easier when you buy pre-made, pre-rolled stuff.
So have a go at this classic recipe, it isn't a 'typical' sixties recipe as it still lives in today.  Flans are not exactly in fashion at the moment, but they're still pretty popular.


5 - 6 oz short crust pastry
4 - 6 oz bacon, diced.
3 to 4 eggs.
seasoning.

1. Line the flan tin with pastry and bake for about 10 minutes to set, but not cook, the pastry.
2. Fry the diced bacon until just crisp.
3. Add this to the well-beaten and seasoned eggs.
4. Pour the mixture into the flan case.
5. Set a further 25 minutes in a moderately hot oven.

Extra Rich Vanilla Fudge - 1960's

This isn't a vintage recipe exactly.  Making fudge isn't necessarily something that ONLY happened in the 1960's, but given the nights are long and the wind is cold I want to inspire you to make home-made sweets stuff.

I am also launching a another food blog dedicated to junk food, fast food and unhealthy fatty things, treats etc.  I will post up the URL somewhere obvious here on this blog when it becomes something worth visiting.  This recipe for Extra Rich Vanillia Fudge will be included on that blog at some point.

So, how do you make Extra Rich Vanilla Fudge?

1lb granulated sugar
half a pint of cream
2 oz butter
3 tablespoons water
half a pint of milk
1 - 2 teaspoons vanilla essence (or a vanilla pod).

1. Put all ingredients, including the vanilla eessence or the cut vanilla pod into a strong saucepan.  This is very important because of the high cream content.
2. Stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
3.Boil steadily, stirring quite frequently, until the mixture reaches the 'soft ball' stage.  This fudge is nicer if its a bit soft so do not let it exceed 238F (digital thermometer would be handy here, or just use your instinct).  Take out the pod, rinse under cold water and store in a jar of sugar.
4. Beat until slightly cloudy, pour into a well oiled or buttered tin.
5. Allow to set and cut in to squares.

Peanut Butter Toffee - 1960's

This is one of those 'I-would-love-to-try-this-recipe-if-I-had-a-metabolism-higher-than-Everest' recipes.  It is a complete treat, one of those things that you just have to try to say that you've done it.

Once you've made your Toffee, storing it might be an issue, so make sure you have plenty of wax paper or try individually wrapping them.  Personally I would let it set in a slab or try and pour it in to a slab mould of some sort.

1lb sugar, preferably Demerara
3oz peanut butter
1/3 pint of water
1 1/2 oz of butter
2 level teaspoons of golden syrup
1 teaspoon vinegar

1. Put all the ingredients into a strong saucepan and stir over a steady heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil and cook until the mixture reaches the 'hard crack' stage 290F.
3. Drop in teaspoonfuls on to a buttered or oiled tin and either allow to set as a slap or mark in to squares as the toffee becomes partially set.  Then cut or break when completely set.