The Golden Age Cook Book

CHOCOLATE CREAM PEPPERMINTS

Mix together two cups of granulated sugar and half a cup of cream, boil until it holds well together in cold water, or can be rolled between the fingers, flavor with oil of peppermint, remove from the fire and stir until the cream is stiff enough to mould into balls. Use powdered sugar on the hands while moulding. Melt an ounce of chocolate and dip the balls, which should be as large as hazel nuts, in this, using a long pin for the purpose, and lay them on paraffine paper. Any flavoring may be used instead of peppermint.

CANDY (to Pull)

Two cupfuls of granulated sugar, half a cup of water, one tablespoonful of vinegar, butter the size of a walnut. Boil the sugar and water without stirring until it is brittle when tried in cold water, add the butter and vinegar just before it is done. Flavor with any extract preferred, pour into buttered soup plates, and when cool enough to handle pull until white.

CHESTNUTS GLACÉ

Skin the chestnuts and cover with cold water, let them cook gently until tender, when a large needle can be run through them easily. Drain and drop them in cold water. After two hours drain again and put them in a bowl, cover them with a rich syrup that has been skimmed and boiled until clear. It must be boiling when poured over the chestnuts. Cover the bowl with a heavy paper and let it stand for twelve hours, drain off the syrup, bring it to the boiling point and turn it over the chestnuts again and put away for another twelve hours. Repeat this process three times, then drain the syrup off and the chestnuts are ready for use. Use the large imported chestnuts, remove the shells and boil the nuts. The brown skin can then be easily removed with a penknife. They are very nice but very troublesome to prepare.

COCOANUT CAKES

One pound of granulated sugar, half a pound of grated cocoanut, half a cup of water and a saltspoonful of cream of tartar. Boil the sugar and water together until, when dropped in cold water, it can be rolled between the fingers into a ball. Remove from the fire, stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes white and thick like cream, add the cocoanut, Stir well and drop with the spoon on paraffine paper or a tin baking sheet, and form into thin round cakes. Set away to dry.

HOARHOUND CANDY

Put a tablespoonful of dried hoarhound leaves in a cup and pour over them half a cupful of boiling water, cover and let it steep until cold, strain and pour it over a pound of granulated sugar and a tablespoonful of vinegar. Boil without stirring, and if any scum rises to the top remove it. Test the candy in cold water, when brittle remove from the fire and pour into a buttered pan. Mark into squares before it is cold, or break into irregular pieces.

MARSHMALLOWS

Powder very fine eight ounces of gum arabic, dissolve it in three gills of water over a slow fire and strain. Simmer an ounce and a half of marshmallow roots in two gills of water, for ten minutes, closely covered. Strain and reduce to one gill. Add this with half a pound of sugar to the dissolved gum. Boil until it becomes a thick paste, stirring constantly. Add the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth and a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. Remove from the fire, pour into a pan dusted thickly with cornstarch and when cool cut into squares with a sharp knife, roll in pulverized sugar and pack in a tin box.

NOUGAT

A pound of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one cup of blanched and finely chopped almonds or peanuts, or it may be made of mixed nuts. Dissolve the sugar in a spider over the fire without water, stirring constantly, and when entirely melted mix in the nuts quickly and pour at once into a well greased pan, and before it is cold mark in squares. This is very nice pounded fine in a mortar or ground in a mill to sprinkle over custards just before serving.

PANOCHE (a Spanish Recipe)

Two cups of dark brown sugar, one cup of chopped walnuts, half a cup of milk, butter the size of a walnut. Cook the sugar and milk together, boiling gently from seven to ten minutes, until, when tried in water, it holds well together, and can be rolled into a soft ball. Remove from the fire. Have the chopped nuts in a large bowl, pour over them a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, pour the candy over them and beat with long, rapid strokes until it begins to thicken – it should be like a cream wafer – turn out on paraffine paper, and break it or cut in pieces.

PEPPERMINT DROPS

Two cups of granulated sugar, half a cup of cold water, a tiny pinch of cream of tartar. Boil ten minutes without stirring, let the sugar melt slowly that it may not burn. Add eight drops of oil of peppermint while still on the fire. When removed from the stove beat with an egg-beater until it falls in long drops, when drop quickly on paraffine paper.

PRALINES

Two cups of granulated sugar, one-half cup of water, two cups of pecans, hickory nuts or English walnuts. Put the water and sugar on to boil, let it cook without stirring until it threads, remove from the fire and stir in the nuts until they are sugared. Spread on paraffine paper to cool.

VASSAR FUDGE

Two cups of sugar, two squares or one ounce of Baker's unsweetened chocolate, a scant cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter. Boil for ten minutes until it holds well together when dropped in cold water. Take from the fire, flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, beat from three to five minutes until thick and creamy, turn into a buttered pan and cut in squares.

Preserves

PRESERVE OF MIXED FRUITS

Five pounds of ripe currants or cherries, five pounds of granulated sugar, two pounds of seeded raisins, the pulp of six oranges cut in small pieces, and the rind of two oranges cut fine. Boil three-quarters of an hour. Grapes can be used instead of currants or cherries.

RED CURRANT JAM

Pick the currants from the stems, weigh them, and allow three-quarters of a pound of white sugar to a pound of the fruit. Put the currants in a preserving kettle, mash them a little to prevent them from sticking to the kettle, and boil for fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil rapidly for ten minutes. Bottle and seal tight.

RED CURRANT JELLY

Berries for jelly must be picked when the weather is dry. Pick them over, taking out all leaves, etc., put them in the kettle and mash them a little to get enough juice to keep them from burning; stir constantly, and as soon as hot wring them dry through a cheese cloth. Measure the liquid and to every pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. Put the juice on the fire and boil fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil fifteen minutes more, skimming thoroughly. Pour into glasses while hot; let them stand until the next day and cover. Very often jelly is soft, and always from one of two reasons: either the berries have been picked immediately after a rain or the sugar is adulterated.

RED CURRANT SYRUP

The currants must be fresh and perfectly ripe and picked in dry weather. Wash and put them in either a porcelain-lined or a granite-ware kettle, stir until they are tender, as for currant jelly, then remove from the fire and wring them as dry as possible in a cheese cloth. Measure the juice and return it to the fire, let it cook fifteen minutes, then add a pound of granulated sugar to each quart of juice, boil gently fifteen minutes, skimming as long as the scum rises. Bottle and cork well and keep in a dark place. Raspberry and strawberry syrup are made in the same way, only mashing and straining the fruit and measuring the juice before cooking.

BLACK CURRANT SYRUP

Pick from the stems and mash them, a few at a time, in a bowl or granite saucepan with a potato masher, then put them in a stone jar and let them stand for two days, stirring well each day. Wring them through a cheese cloth, and if wanted sweet cook with sugar as red currant syrup. The juice can be bottled without sugar or cooking, and will keep for years. It is used for sauces or fruit soups, etc.

CRANBERRY JAM

Put five quarts of cranberries in a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil gently until the fruit is tender, then add three pounds and three-quarters of granulated sugar, boil until the fruit is clear, skimming carefully. Put in glasses and when cold seal. It keeps well.

GOOSEBERRY JELLY

Use the large English gooseberries and follow directions for currant jelly.

GOOSEBERRY JAM

Three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Put the fruit on by itself in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware saucepan, mash and stir well to keep from burning, and boil one hour. Then add the sugar and boil one hour more.

GRAPE JAM

Press with the fingers the pulp from grapes – Muscat or Concord grapes make the best jam – seed and measure them, allowing a cup of sugar to each cup of fruit. Put the skins on and cook until tender, when almost done add the pulp, and when all is tender add the sugar and boil until thick.

PINEAPPLE JAM

Pare the fruit and carefully take out the eyes, then grate it on a coarse grater, rejecting the cores, weigh it, and to each pound of fruit take a pound of sugar. Sprinkle it over the grated pines, let it stand over night. In the morning, boil for ten or fifteen minutes over a quick fire. Put in tumblers and when cold cover.

RASPBERRY OR STRAWBERRY JAM

Allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Put the fruit in a preserving kettle over the fire and boil fifteen minutes, mashing a little to prevent sticking to the kettle. Then add the sugar and boil ten minutes, skimming carefully; turn into glasses and seal when cold.

ORANGE MARMALADE

Select smooth, thin-skinned, juicy oranges. Take twenty-one, and five lemons. Cut the rind very thin from a third of the fruit, and boil it in two quarts of water until it can be pierced easily with a broom straw. Drain from the water and cut in fine strips with scissors, add this to the pulp of the oranges and lemons after removing all the white bitter skin and pips from the fruit. Weigh and allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, put in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware kettle and cook until clear. Put in glasses and when cold cover with brandied paper and seal.

PUMPKIN CHIPS

Slice very thin and chip about four pounds of pumpkin, put in an earthenware bowl, and cover it over night with four and a half pounds of granulated sugar and the juice of one dozen lemons. Boil the lemon peel until tender and cut in small thin chips and add to the juice, etc. In the morning, boil together until perfectly clear and crisp.

Pickles, Sauces, etc

RIPE CUCUMBER PICKLE

Pare and seed the cucumbers. Slice each cucumber lengthwise in four pieces or cut it in fancy shapes, cover with cold vinegar and let them stand for twenty-four hours. Drain and put them in fresh vinegar with two pounds of sugar, and one ounce of cassia buds to one quart of vinegar. Boil for twenty minutes and put in jars.

SWEET PICKLED PEACHES

Select fine, fresh, ripe, but not soft peaches, peel and weigh them. To every seven pounds of fruit take five pounds of granulated sugar, a pint of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon and one tablespoonful of cloves, tie the spices up in a muslin bag, add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a few allspice. Put the fruit in a stone jar, bring the sugar, vinegar and spice to a boil, pour over the peaches, cover and let them stand until the next day, scald the syrup again and pour over the fruit, and so on, until it has been done in all seven times. Take out the bag of spice and put the fruit with the syrup into jars and seal. These are much more delicious than peaches that are cooked.

SWEET PICKLED PLUMS

Follow the recipe for sweet pickled peaches.

SPICED CURRANTS

Take seven pounds of fresh and perfectly ripe currants, pick them over, wash and stem them and put in a granite-ware or porcelain-lined kettle, with five pounds of granulated sugar, one even tablespoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, one dessertspoonful of allspice, one pint of best cider vinegar. Boil an hour and a half, put in jars and when cold seal.

CHILI SAUCE

Four dozen ripe tomatoes, eight green peppers, three cups of chopped onion, eight cups of cider or wine vinegar, two cups of brown sugar, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, three teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls of allspice, two teaspoonfuls of cloves, eight tablespoonfuls of salt. Skin the tomatoes and put them in the kettle over the fire; as soon as the water runs from them, take out half of it, then put in the onions and peppers chopped, boil together four hours, stir constantly the last hour to prevent burning, then add the other ingredients and simmer long enough thoroughly to mix them. Put the sauce in small bottles, cork tight and seal and keep in a dark place.

CHILI PEPPER SAUCE

Twenty ripe tomatoes, six green peppers and four white onions chopped fine, two cups of best wine or cider vinegar, one cup of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of salt, two even teaspoonfuls of ground mace, two teaspoonfuls of nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls of cloves, one teaspoonful of celery seed. Boil an hour and bottle while hot. Very nice to serve with baked beans.

MUSTARD PICKLES

One quart each of tiny whole cucumbers, large cucumbers sliced, green tomatoes sliced and small button onions, one large cauliflower divided into flowerettes, and four green peppers cut fine. Make a brine of four quarts of water and one pint of salt, pour it over the mixed vegetables and let it stand covered twenty-four hours. Then scald it and turn into a colander to drain. Mix one cup of flour, six tablespoonfuls of mustard, and one tablespoonful of turmeric with enough vinegar to make a smooth paste, add one cup of granulated sugar and sufficient vinegar to make two quarts in all. Boil this mixture until it is thick and smooth, stirring constantly, then add the vegetables and heat them through.

RIPE TOMATO PICKLE

A peck of perfectly ripe tomatoes, two quarts of fine cooking salt, half a pound of ground mustard, one ounce of cloves, two green peppers, two or three onions and one pound of brown sugar. Pierce the tomatoes with a silver fork or broom straw, put them in a stone jar with salt in alternate layers. Throw away all the liquor made by standing one week. Return to jar and cover with cold water, cover and let it stand twenty-four hours. Drain again thoroughly, throw away the water, return the tomatoes to the jar and cover with cold vinegar, having added to the fruit, the onions and peppers sliced, with the mustard, cloves and sugar. After they have stood three weeks they are ready for use.

GREEN TOMATO PICKLES

One peck of sliced tomatoes, eight onions, one pound of bell peppers, one pound of horse radish, one pound of white mustard seed, half a pound of black mustard seed, half an ounce of whole cloves, half an ounce of stick cinnamon, half an ounce of pepper corns, one or two nutmegs and four pounds of sugar. Select the tomatoes when they are beginning to turn white, slice and lay them in salt for twenty-four hours. Drain and put in the kettle, which should be of granite ware or porcelain lined, with the peppers, onions and horse radish chopped, and sprinkle the mustard seeds over all. Tie the spices in a thin muslin bag and cover the whole with best wine vinegar, boil until tender and clear in appearance. The peppers should have all the seeds removed. Half a cup of dry mustard is considered by some an improvement.

GOOSEBERRY CATSUP

Boil ten pounds of large English gooseberries, seven pounds of coffee sugar, and three pints of vinegar together for an hour and a half. Then add two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one of allspice and one of cloves and boil half an hour longer. Put in jars and seal.

RASPBERRY VINEGAR

Put a pound of fine fruit into a bowl and pour over it a quart of the best wine or cider vinegar. Next day strain the liquor on a pound of fresh raspberries. The following day do the same. Do not squeeze the fruit, but drain as dry as possible by lightly pressing it. The last time strain it through muslin previously wet with vinegar to prevent waste. Put into a preserving kettle with a pound of sugar to every pint of juice. Stir until the sugar is melted and let it cook gently for five minutes, skim it. When cold, bottle and cork well.

Sweet Sauces

FRUIT SAUCE

Put a cupful of granulated sugar in a saucepan, pour over it two and a half cupfuls of boiling water, let it boil a few minutes, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, two even teaspoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed to a paste with a little cold water, then add a cupful of canned fruit or a glass of any kind of fruit or jelly liked and the juice of a lemon. Press through a fine sieve and serve with fritters or puddings.

FRESH FRUIT SAUCE

Follow the above recipe, using a cupful of pure juice of the fruit desired and the juice of either a half or whole lemon.

ORANGE SAUCE

Beat four egg yolks, three ounces of sugar, a teaspoonful of flour and the grated rind of one orange together until light, add a pint of boiling milk and stir over the fire until thick, taking care that it does not curdle, remove from the fire and add a liqueur glass of curaçao, and beat until light and foaming.

BANANA SAUCE

Rub two bananas through a fine sieve. Put half a cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan with one cup of boiling water, add the banana pulp to it, let it come to a boil, and skim if necessary. Rub a heaping tablespoonful of butter with half a tablespoonful of flour, stir into it a little of the liquid, and then add to that in the saucepan; add the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, and it is ready to serve.

FOAMING SAUCE

Beat to a cream a cup of sugar and a quarter of a cup of butter, and add to it two tablespoonfuls of wine or fruit juice, or in winter fruit syrup. If the latter, use only three-quarters of a cup of sugar. At serving time add a quarter of a cup of boiling water, stir well, then add the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth. Beat until the sauce foams.

HARD SAUCE

Cream one tablespoonful of butter, stir in four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and beat until very light, then add a teaspoonful of boiling water and beat again. Flavor to suit taste.

SOUTHERN SAUCE

Beat four tablespoonfuls of brown sugar with two tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream, and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, set the bowl in a pan of hot water on the stove and stir until thick, add a glass of sherry, stir well and it is ready to serve.

VANILLA SAUCE

Put a pint of rich milk in a double boiler, sweeten with two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar. While the milk is coming to the boiling point beat the yolks of four eggs until light and creamy, add the hot milk to the eggs, stirring briskly, then turn it into the boiler, stirring rapidly until it thickens, remove from the fire, turn into a bowl, flavor with vanilla extract and serve very cold.

SAUCE FOR NOODLE PUDDING

Four egg yolks, four ounces of sugar, a quarter of a cup of sherry, one teaspoonful of potato flour, half a cup of water, the rind of half and the juice of one lemon. Beat quickly over hot water until the sauce thickens, then serve at once.

MAPLE SYRUP SAUCE

Half a pound of maple sugar dissolved in half a cup of cream, or rich milk. If the latter is used add a teaspoonful of butter.

Savory Sauces

In making sauces great care should be taken to have the saucepans scrupulously clean and only granite-ware or porcelain-lined saucepans should be used, especially where there is any acid as in tomatoes or pickles. Never use an iron spider except for browning butter and flour together as they will not brown in a saucepan.

VEGETABLE STOCK FOR SAUCES

Take any kinds of vegetables convenient, such as parsnips, celery, carrots, turnips, green pepper, onion, leek, parsley, celery tops, celery root, Jerusalem artichokes, a bay leaf, two cloves, two allspice, and cook in water until tender; strain, pressing all from the vegetables. The water Jerusalem artichokes are boiled in is valuable for sauces. The liquid from canned peas is also excellent. Care must be taken in putting the vegetables together not to let any one predominate, turnip especially, as it makes a sauce very bitter.

COLORING FOR SAUCES, SOUPS, Etc

Melt a quarter of a pound of granulated sugar in a spider, cook until it is a very dark, rich brown, almost black, stir constantly. Great care must be taken that it does not burn. When done pour over it a quart of boiling water and let it cook until the caramel is entirely dissolved, pour it out and when cold strain and bottle. It will keep indefinitely and a tablespoonful will give color to a pint of liquid.

OLIVE SAUCE

Melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider and when it begins to brown stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, let it cook until a very dark brown, but be careful not to let it burn, then add enough rich vegetable stock to make a thick cream-like sauce. Have ready some olives – six or seven, that have been boiled a few minutes in water and cut from the stones, add these to the sauce, season with pepper and salt to taste, bring to the boiling point and serve.

SAUCE HOLLANDAISE

One-quarter of a pound of butter, one-quarter of a cup of water, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of a quarter of a lemon, a dash of cayenne, and the yolks of three eggs. Beat the butter to a cream and stir in the yolks of eggs, one at a time, then the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set the bowl it is mixed in in a pan of boiling water on the fire, beating constantly with an egg beater, and when it begins to thicken stir in gradually the boiling water. When it is as thick as soft custard it is done. Great care must be taken not to let it remain too long on the fire or it will curdle.

DRAWN BUTTER OR CREAM SAUCE

Melt a large heaping tablespoonful of butter and stir into it a heaping teaspoonful of flour, let them cook together without browning and add by degrees a cup of hot milk.

CURRY SAUCE

Curry sauce is made by adding curry powder to taste to a white sauce. It may likewise be added to a brown sauce.

CHEESE SAUCE

A white or cream sauce with grated Parmesan cheese added to taste.

TOMATO SAUCE

Melt a large tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan over the fire, when it bubbles put into it a small onion and half a green pepper, if convenient, chopped very fine. Simmer gently for a few minutes, then stir in a heaping teaspoonful of flour, and add four nice, fresh tomatoes peeled and cut small – canned tomatoes may be used – a gill of vegetable stock, a clove and part of a bay leaf, and pepper and salt to taste. Let it cook gently for half an hour and press through a fine sieve.

SAUCE TARTARE

may be made by beating a small tablespoonful of butter to a cream, adding salt, pepper, dry mustard and sugar to taste and the raw yolk of an egg. Add a tablespoonful of olives, small cucumbers and capers chopped very fine and a few drops of onion juice. Serve with mock fish cutlets and croquettes.

SAUCE PIQUANTE

Melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider and when it bubbles stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, cook until it turns a dark brown, taking care not to let it burn, add to it enough well-seasoned vegetable stock to make the sauce the proper consistency, then pour it into a granite-ware saucepan and add one small cucumber pickle, two olives and a few capers, all chopped very fine; season with salt and pepper to taste.