Danish Chocolate Christmas Cake (1970's)

According to Marguerite, this is a Danish speciality cake that is typically made at Christmas.  I like Christmas, and I love chocolate cake so if anyone feels like they want to make one and send it over to me, my email address is info@diningdevon.com - will be glad to receive one. Just a hint.

Danish Open Sandwiches (1970's)

The open sandwich has had a bit of a revival recently.  You can purchase open sandwiches to go in some upmarket shops, have a meal in a Scandi restaurant KuPP and you'll see open sandwiches on the menu.  But this is Marguerite Patten's take on this fancy fashionable party food idea.

Pheasants in Calvados (Apple Brandy) - 1970's

For the uninitiated, Calvados is an French Apple Brandy but ultimately any apple brandy will suffice for this recipe.  Make sure its a nice locally produced one, buy local where you can!

Canberra Christmas Cracker (1970's)

I dare you to make this.  I believe it is a cake, not entirely sure why its named after the capital of Australia? But either way, it sounds delicious!

Faggots (1970s)

Gosh it has been a while since I shared some classic recipes.  This is one of my favourites, although this version calls for minced liver? I am certain that beef mince would be a good replacement!

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!

Cream of Potato Soup - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

Potatos are a large portion of the British diet.  Yet essentially they are a really boring vegetable, tasteless and a pain to prepare.  Why do we like them so much? Because they accompany most dishes without obliterating the flavour, they make are softly spoken and don't offend anyone.  Which makes me realise that when they become the main focus of a meal, you have to make sure you put plenty of zing in to it.

Luckily for us, there are lots of cool potato recipes that do just this.  In this recipe, onions and seasoning provide the backbone of the flavour.

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.

Ham and Bean Supper Chowder - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

The temperature has dropped here in Exeter.  And now is the perfect time to start looking at Soup and Chowder recipes for an instant hot savory fix.

Nettle Soup - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Cards)

For someone that writes about food, has a general preoccupation with culinary matters and mixes with those who have brilliant gastronomic taste, I have very crude food tastes.  And the idea of Nettle Soup doesn't really do anything for me, despite the majority of people who I have spoken to over the years who have said how nice it is.

I encourage you to give it a go.  If it is nice, tell me and it might encourage me even more to go and pick some and see what happens!  Nettles are a free and abundant plant, but be careful you pick from a spot that you know has not been treated with weed killer.

Blackberry Chiffon Pie - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

A few notes with this recipe.  First off it needs gelatine, so make sure you inform any vegetarians who you might be offending.  Alternatively you could try using pectin, but the consistency might suffer if you do so it might need a bit of tweaking to make a vegetarian-friendly version.

It requires lots of Ginger Biscuits, so by default I am in love with this recipe already just by reading it!

Creamy Apricot Almond Fudge - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

The great thing about Christmas is presents.  Sometimes, however, it isn't that easy to fork out lots of money for presents especially when you know that the stuff you're buying them could be easily made yourself with all that spare time that you might or might not have.

Our friend Hannah makes fudge for people, normally different flavours in different wrappings, but all hand made.  It is a sweet idea (literally) that has given me a few ideas myself for Christmas presents.

Marguerite Patten is a great lover of sweets and nice things, as well as the staple 'Roast Beef' stuff she has many other books dedicated to sweets and making thereof.

Beef Bourguignonne (Fondue method) - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

Beef Bourguignon is one of those classic 'childhood' recipes, a staple classic that your mum shows you how to make before you disappear to university and ultimately fending for yourself.

It can be slow cooked, or like this recipe, it can be used in a Fondue.

This is a party piece, a classic sixties non-cheese fondue.  There is quite a bit of prep, but it'd be perfect for that authentic sixties/seventies feel to any themed occasion.

Honey Angel Cake (Christmas, Festive, Traditional) - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

Happiness Tree Cake; Christmas Pudding Cake - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Recipe Card)

I have included this one for its pure weirdness.  A Marshmallow covered Christmas Pudding and a Happiness Tree Cake...also covered in marshmallows.

Claret Punch and Mulled Ale - 1960's Marguerite Patten Recipe Card

Without a doubt the best part of Christmas is the excuse to have Mulled Anything.  Wine and Cider tend to be the traditional choices, but here is a fascinating little recipe for Mulled Ale!

Christmas Pudding 1960's - Marguerite Patten Recipe Card

Love it of loathe it, that time of year is bearing down on us.  It is about this time the foodies among us, start thinking about Christmas Pudding, which takes a lonnng time to make if you do it properly.

So I invite you to have a go at Marguerite Patten's version, and see if you can make one just like you used to have when you were a kid (hopefully a good thing).

Moist Chocolate Sandwich - 1960's (Marguerite Patten Card Index 6)

Moist Chocolate Sandwich.  Very much a variation on a theme, but a quite delicious theme.