Wimbledon Cake - 1950's

Here is one for cake lovers who have just discovered that the milk has gone off.  It is from Farmhouse Fare, so its a bit short on description but it sounds awesome.



1lb flour
1/2 lb butter
1/2 lb sugar
1/2 lb currants
2 ozs chopped candied peel
1 teaspoonful mixed spice
1/2 pint sour milk
1 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoonful of syrup

1. Rub the butter into the flour then add sugar, currants, peel, and spice.
2. Warm the syrup and stir it into the milk, now add the soda and mix altogether.
3. Pour into a greased tin in a moderate oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Treacle Scones - 1930's

This comes from Farmhouse Fare, a book first published in 1935 and revised over the years.  I have the 1971 edition which contains lots of great recipes from over the years.  Some of these are older than the thirties, but for the sake of cataloging I am sticking to the date of first publication.
The ease of this dish would make a great little starter for beginners, or something quick to whip up at the last minute.  Again, with many of these recipes, timings are not exact and one has to use ones own instinct when it comes to how quickly they will take to cook.  This recipe also calls for a vintage ingredient, Cream of Tartar.  It is still available from supermarkets or online.  If you don't have it to hand, then white vinegar will be a good substitute.

8 oz Flour
1 oz sugar
1 oz treacle
1 oz margarine
1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda
Buttermilk or ordinary milk

1. Rub the margarine into the flour, add the sugar, cream of tartar and soda and mix to a rather soft dough with the treacle which has been been dissolved in half a cupful of buttermilk.

2. Turn out on to a lightly floured board, stamp quickly into rounds and bake in a fairly hot oven.

Ratafia Cream (1851)

I need to explain a few things with this recipe.  First of Ratafia is a type of liqueur or cordial flavoured with lemon peel, herbs in various amounts (nutmeg, cinnamon,clove, mint, rosemary, anise, etc.).  Thanks Wikipedia.


It is a classic recipe that appeared even in a 1789 cookery book entitled Cookery and Pastry by Mrs MacIver that you can access on Google books.  I have embedded the book below so you can see what other fantastic recipes exist.  It even has a search function!  This little drink would make excellent party appetisers or even a pudding course, depending on how thickly it turns out.




But this seems to be the non-alcoholic version.  By 1851 it had morphed into a concoction using Brandy and Ratafia, but if you don't have Ratafia to hand, then a good malt whiskey should do nicely.
The recipe calls for heating the mixture over boiling water, so in a similiar way that you would make a chocolate sauce with a bowl in a large saucepan.

1.  Gradually stir two glasses of Brandy in to a quart of cream.  Heat over boiling water stirring constantly, until hot but not boiling.
2.  Then gradually stir into 4 or 5 well-beaten egg yolks.  Return to the top of double-boiler and stir over hot water until thickened but do not allow to boil.
3. Flavour the taste with Ratafia or Noyeau (generic word for liqueur).  Add the strained juice of a lemon or a Seville orange can be stirred in as well before reheating.

Serve in glasses after chilling.

Green Pea Cakes - 1950's

This recipe might be a lot older than 1950s.  It sounds delicious, and is an old Scottish recipe.  It involves pushing pease through a sieve, so make sure its a metal one.

The recipe comes from a book called The Scottish Cookery Book, by Elizabeth Craig.  Nowhere does it say to make them in to patties.  Do you cook it all in one or in small bits? What shape?
Again a really nice recipe but let down by a badly written methodology.  I would recommend cooking them in patties, it'll help cook even all the way through.


2 cups cooked dried peas
1 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 well-beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 lb flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Rub peas while hot through a sieve.  Mix with the butter, salt pepper and eggs.
2. Beat well, stir in the flour sifted with baking powder.
3. Fry in rounds dropped from a jug into a frying pan containing enough hot fat to cover bottom of pan till bubbles form on top, then turn and fry on other side.  Serve with fried sausages for breakfast.

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.

Sea Kale with Melted Butter Sauce - 1930's

There is a recipe for this on the BBC website that one of the Master Chef programmes, but the principles don't appear to have changed much.  Despite its name it is not Sea Weed and shouldn't be muddled up with Sea Kelp.

Sea Kale isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but it goes really nicely with melted butter much the same way that melted butter goes with toast.  This dish would be perfect as an a partner with meat or even just on its own as a nutricious vegetarian meal.  Replace the butter with dairy free butter for a vegan alternative.

Quarter of a pound of Butter
1 oz flour
Half a teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and White Pepper
Three quarters of a pint of water

1. Wash and rinse the sea kale thoroughly to remove the grit.  Cut away any brown or discolored parts.
2. Tie the heads up into small bundles with tape and put them into a basin of cold water until wanted.
3. Have a saucepan of boiling salted water, sufficient to cover the Sea Kale well, and put two table spoonfuls of vinegar into the water.
4. Put in the Sea Kale, and boil until it is quite tender-this will take about 20 minutes.  Lift out the bundles into a strainer, drain well, and remove the tapes.
5. Lay the Sea Kale in a hot vegetable dish and pour the following sauce over.

The Sauce

1/4 lb butter
1 oz, flour
1/2 teaspoonful Lemon Juice
Salt and White Pepper
1/4 pint water.

1. Melt half the butter in a saucepan, add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. until quite smooth.
2. Add bit by bit, three quarters of a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time.
3. Cook the sauce for a few minutes then add lemon juice.
4. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.  Finally, add the remainder of the butter in small pieces.  Pour the sauce over the Sea Kale and serve.

Marguerite Patten's Mushroom Fingers - 1970's

This is essentially Mushroom on Toast.  So, Fungi Bruschetta for the posh amongst us.

8 oz. mushroom
Third of a pint of milk
1 oz flour
1 oz butter
Seasoning
Dash of Worcester Sauce
Little parsley chopped
4 slices of buttered toast

1. Wash and chop mushroom caps and stalks coarsely.
2. Simmer in the milk until tender.
3. Blend flour and butter together and work into mushroom mixture gradually.
4. Cook gently for some little time until smooth.
5. Season well, add sauce and parsley.
6. Spread on toast and divide into fingers.

Herb Omlettes - 1980's

Here is one to teach your kids.

4 - 5 Fresh Free Range Eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp of chopped fresh parsley, chervil and chives
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

1. Beat the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl until whites and yolks are combined.
2. Melt the butter in a suitable pan until it starts browning and bubbling
3. Pour in the eggs and stir them with the flat end of a fork igorously.
4. Lift the edge of the eggs tilting the edge of the pan at the same time so uncooked egg runs to the edges.
5. Sprinkle over the herbs, fold over the omlette, serve.

Chocolate Tangerine Cake - 1960's

Here is some perfect sixties party food, and its chocolaty too :) There are two elements to the recipe, the cake and the icing.

2 heaped tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons hot water
8 oz. self-raising flour
8 oz. luxury margarine
10 oz. caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk

For the icing

3 dessert spoons tangerine juice
grated rind of two to three tangerines
8 oz icing sugar
3 oz luxury margarine




1. Sieve the cocoa and mix smoothly with the water.  Let it cool.
2. Sieve the flour then cream the margarine and sugar thoroughly together.
3. Beat the eggs in separately one at a time, adding a little sieved flour with each egg after the first.
4. Fold in the remaining flour and the milk.  Divide equally between two sandwich tins, (8 x 1.5 inches) lined with greaseproof paper and brushed inside with melted margarine.
5. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes in a moderate oven on the middle shelf.
6. When cold, cut open and sandwich all the layers together with the tangerine icing attaching the first layer to an 8 inch cake board with a little icing before beginning to fill.
7. Ice all over and mark a pattern in the icing.  Decorate how you will, rosettes, oranges and lemons etc.

Icing

1. Sieve the icing sugar, beat margarine until creamy.
2. Add icing sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the rest of the icing sugar and rest of the ingredients and beat thoroughly until smooth and ready to spread on cake.

Keith Floyd's Sauce for Cold Meat - 1980's

So its going to be New Years Day, and for some of us there is going to be MORE cold meat and turkey after some more big meals.  Keith Floyd has this wonderful recipe from Floyd on Britain and Ireland.  This makes 2 pints (1 litre).

3 lemons
1.5 ounce (40g) salt
1 ounce (25g) allspice
1 ounce (25g) mustard seed
1 ounce (25g) of white pepper
1 ounce (25g) grated horseradish 
half on ounce (15g) each mace, cayenne pepper and cloves
2 pints (1 litre) vinegar

1. Slice lemons, remove the pips and rub salt into the slices.

2. Mix the allspice , mustard seed, pepper, horseradish, mace, cayenne and cloves.

3. Put the lemons slices in layers in a jar and sprinkle the mixed spices between each layers

4. Pour over the vinegar at boiling point.

5.  Set aside for 24 hours, squeeze, strain and bottle.
Visit Keith's website http://www.floydonline.co.uk/ for more recipes and buy some books.

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Marrow Chutney - 1950's

A chutney recipe from Farmhouse Fare.

4 lbs marrow
1/2 lb pickling onions
6 cloves
1.5 lbs of loaf sugar
half ounce of tumeric
9 chillies
1.5 ounces ground ginger
1.5 ounces mustard
2 pints vinegar
Salt.

1. Cut the marrow into small squares (half inch or so)

2. Lay on a dish and shake some salt over it leaving it overnight.

3. Drain it, then boil the other ingredients for 10 minutes

4. Now add the marrow and boil for half an hour, or until tender and put into jars.

For more information about making Chutney visit allotment.org.uk

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Chestnut Jam - 1950's

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Here is another entry from Farmhouse Fare, and one that I am quite keen to try out.  This might be even better with mixed nuts, hazelnuts and even peanuts?
2lbs of sweet chestnuts
1.5lbs of loaf sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
half a pint of water to make syrup
1. Cut a cross in the chestnuts then boil chestnuts until ready.  This should take between 20 minutes and half an hour
2. Peel and skin them then crush them through a wire sieve.
3. Make a syrup with the water, sugar and the vanilla essence.
4. When it is ready, put in the crushed chestnuts and cook gently until faily stiff.  Put in hot glass jars and cover. ru
If you want to cheat just use syrup from Tate & Lyle with added vanilla essence.  Also have a look at this interesting article about foraging for sweet chestnuts.

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Chocolate Iced Cherry Cake

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This is a traditional classic, Chocolate Cherry cake.  No frills, nothing too fancy and a fifties/sixties classic.

4 oz. whipped fat (margarine or butter?)
4 oz. castor sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 oz. Self Raising Flour
4 tablespoons of Milk
quarter of a teaspoon of salt
6 oz. mixed dried fruit
2 oz. glace cherries (cut in half)
1 oz. finely cut angelica
1 oz. chopped walnuts

Decoration
8 oz. icing sugar
glace cherries
walnuts
Egg Whites

1.  Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix for 1 minute and turn in to a greased 7 inch cake tin.

2. Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour

To decorate

Beat together the egg whites and icing sugar until it stands up in peaks.  Spread over cake, decorate with walnuts and cherries.

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Raspberry Cheese

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This odd little recipe will serve six to eight people.

8 oz. grated Cheddar Cheese
1 lb. Raspberries (keep a few for garnishing)
3 oz. Castor Sugar
1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice
mint sprigs (for garnish)
wafers (for garnish)

Whisk grated cheese, sugar, raspberries and lemon juice together and divide between individual dishes.  Chill the dishes then Garnish with the remaining raspberries, a mint sprig and wafer.  If you have an electric blender, then you can use this to mix all the ingredients.

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Cheese and Orange Salad

Here is a recipe in two parts.  First part is for the salad, second part is the dressing.  As its a French dressing you could get away with a shop bought alternative.  This would be perfect for a sixties themed party.

8 oz. cubed cheddar cheese
2 oranges
2 medium sized onions
4 half inch slices of bread
fat for frying
watercress

French Dressing

6 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of orange juice
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
grated rind of 1 orange
salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Place cheese in a mixing bowl.  Remove rind and pith from oranges and separate orange segments.  Peel onions and slice thinly, separate into rings.

2. Cut bread in to half inch cubes, heat fat to smoking point (really really hot) and fry until golden brown, then drain well.

3. Wash watercress if needed.  Make dressing by mixing all ingredients together.

4. Toss all ingredients in dressing separately and arrange in circles overlapping towards the centre.

*Editors Note*
This is quite a straightforward recipe, but without pointing out the obvious you would need to toss togehter the fried bread, watercress, cheese, onions and oranges depending on the style of salad you desire.  Tossing the salad might not work, laying it out in some sort of order and presentation might work better.  Please feedback if you try this recipe.

Cornish Potato Cake

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This is a tradtional Cornish recipe.  For this you will need:

Half a pound of boiled potatoes.
Half an ounce of butter.
2 oz. flour
Pinch of salt.

1.  Mash the boiled potatoes while hot with the butter and mix well together.

2. Add salt and sprinkle in the flour mixing evenly.

3. Roll out  very thin on a floured board and cut out in rounds about the size of a saucer.

4. Place on a hot griddle or greased frying pan.

5. Stab with fork and cook three minutes on each side.  Serve hot.

Stelk (A Traditional Irish Recipe)

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For this traditional Irish side dish, adapted from Farmhouse Fare you need:

2 dozen of the later spring onions. (Those which are too coarse to use otherwise, are best for this dish but normal ones are acceptable).
Potatoes
Milk

You can use chives for this dish as an alternative.

1. Chop the onions into small lengths and simmer in milk until tender.

2. Boil or steam a good dish of potatoes. (1 lb possibly?)

3.  When cooked, mash them with a little milk and strain the onions and add these to the potatoes mixing well.  Serve very hot.

4. Add a large piece fresh butter (Clover or organic butter possibly?) to each plate that the Stelk is to be served on.

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Homemade Salad Cream

Tired of the Heinz stuff?  Take this from Farmhouse Fare.

1 tablespoonful mustard (assuming this is English?)
1 tablespoonful of sugar
1 teaspoonful flour
half a teaspoonful of salt
2 eggs
three quarters of a breakfastcupful of vinegar
Cream.

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1. Mix mustard, sugar, flour and salt together.

2. Add the eggs, then the vinegar.

3. Let it stand in boiling water and stir until mixture thickens.

4. Allow to get cold then add cream and a little milk if necessary until it is the required thickness.  Should keep for 12 months.

 

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Lemon Curd Dumplings

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4 oz. Shredded suet
8 oz. flour and salt mixed with some cold water.
2 eggs well beaten
1 teacupful of castor sugar
1 large or two small lemons, the juice and rind of.
2 oz. fresh melted butter.

These dumplings should be made in small individual moulds to prevent any water getting in to spoil lemon curd centres.

1. Well grease some small moulds and line with thinly rolled suet pastry made with 4 oz. shredded suet, 8 ozs. flour, salt and mixed with cold water.

2. Make a curd filling by well beating 2 eggs and adding 1 teacupful castor sugar, juice and grated rind of the lemons and the melted butter.

3. Whip all together and nearly fill each dumpling.

4. Cover tops with a lid of pastry making sure you squeeze the edges together well.

5. Tie over with greased paper and steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Turn out carefully and sift with a little fine sugar and serve hot.

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One Stage Chocolate Cake

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4 oz.  luxury margarine or organic butter
4 oz.  sieved self-raising flour
5 oz. castor sugar
1 heaped teaspoon of sieved cocoa
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of milk

For the filling:

2 oz. Plain Chocolate
2 oz. luxury margarine or organic butter
2 dessert spoons of hot water
1 oz. castor sugar
1 dessert spoon of milk

 

1. Mix ALL cake ingredients quickly in a mixing bowl

2. Beat well with a wodden spoon for one to two minutes.

3. Put mixture into two 7-inch sandwich tins greased with margarine and the bottom lined with greaseproof paper.

4. Smooth tops and bake in the middle of a moderate oven 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool on a cake rack.

Filling

1. Melt chocolate carefully over hot water (don't let it get hot) then cool it slightly.

2. Whisk margarine, chocolate and castor sugar in a small bowl for one to two minutes.

3. Add water, then milk, then whisk.  Sandwich cakes together with chocolate filling.  Dust top with sugar.

 

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