Saturday, November 29, 2008

Cook's Recipes: A Backward Glance (3)

Topic: Lobster Newburg, Boiled Huckleberry Pudding and Neapolitan Salad (1898)

Lobster Newburg

Plunge a two pound live lobster in a kettle of boiling water, add one tablespoonful salt, boil thirty-five minutes, remove and when cold extract all the meat from the shell, being careful to remove the vein from the tail and the lady from the head, cut the meat into inch sized pieces, place a saucepan with one ounce butter over the fire, add the lobster meat, season with half teaspoonful salt, a pinch of red pepper, two tablespoonfuls fine sliced truffles, stir gently and cook three minutes, then add four tablespoonfuls Madeira or sherry wine, cook six minutes, mix the yolks of two eggs with half cupful cream and add to the lobster, stirring a few minutes, not letting it boil again. Then serve.

Boiled Huckleberry Pudding

Sift two cups flour with one and a half teaspoonfuls baking powder, chop fine four ounces suet, mix suet and flour together, add half teaspoonful salt; add two tablespoonfuls sugar, mix two eggs with one cup milk, add it to the flour and mix all into a batter; dust two cups huckleberries with flour, add them to the batter, mix, and butter a pudding form: dust with bread crumbs, put in the pudding mixture, cover and boil two hours: serve with hard sauce or lemon sauce.

Neapolitan Salad

Put the yolks of two eggs in a bowl, add half teaspoonful salt, stir until the yolks thicken, then add slowly, drop by drop, three-quarters of a cup of salad oil, while stirring continually: as it thickens add a little vinegar, one teaspoonful in all; then add one tablespoonful very finely chopped white onion, one tablespoonful fine chopped capers, one tablespoonful tarragon vinegar, half teaspoonful English mustard, one-quarter teaspoonful white pepper and last one cupful whipped cream. Put half pint fine cut pickled beets in a salad bowl, cover them with the sauce, then put in half pint fine cut cold boiled potatoes; cover them also with the sauce; next add two fine cut hard boiled eggs and half cupful fine cut pickles; pour over some sauce; add half pint fine shredded cabbage; pour over the remaining sauce and garnish wish a border of finely shredded cabbage, hard boiled eggs, a little fine chopped pickles, beets and a few capers.

Gesine Lemoke

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle March 13, 1898 Page: 20

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Kitchen Talk (1)

Advice: #1 Miscellaneous (1909)

Kitchen Economy

Cereals that have been left over from a breakfast need not be wasted.

They are excellent if fried like mush and served the next morning with syrup or honey.

Strain clear soup or consomme through a folded towel laid on a colander. Care should be taken not to squeeze it, for some of the small particles of egg used in clearing will be pushed through. Fresh fish, to be kept well over night, should be salted and laid on an earthen vessel, not placed on a board or shelf. When the fish is frying it is undesirable to cover the pan: this makes the flesh soft instead of firm but flakey. (1)

For the Luncheon

There is nothing that makes a luncheon so attractive as pretty table linen, and the centerpiece is the most important of all. It should be approximately 24 inches in diameter, plate doilies ten inches and the smaller size eight inches. The smaller ones are needed for the glasses and the bread and butter plates. Heavy, firm linen, worked with mercerized cotton not too fine, should be used. Great care should be exercised in embroidering it and especially in regard to the padded, scalloped edge: if it wears rough and shows a fringe of threads the beauty of the piece is spoiled. (1)

For the Cook

Always put a cauliflower in cold water, so as to draw out any insects. If salt is added to the water, it kills the insects and they are left in the vegetable. When buying nutmegs choose small ones in preference to large ones, as they have a nicer flavor. To test the quality, prick them with a needle. If they are good, the oil will instantly spread round the puncture.

To clean a porcelain kettle, fill it half full with hot water and put in a tablespoonful of powdered borax: let it boil. If this does not remove all the stains, scour with a cloth rubbed with soap and borax.

When making puddings, always beat the yolks and whites of eggs separately, and use the whites as the last ingredient. When tin moulds are used for boiling or steaming puddings, remember to grease the cover of the mould as well as the mould itself with butter. In order to get the pudding to come easily from the mould, plunge the latter in cold water for a moment. (2)

Source: (1) The Morning Examiner, (Ogden, Utah) January 10, 1909.
(2) The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) May 29, 1910.

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Friday, November 28, 2008

Feminine Fancies (2)

Topic: Things of Interest to Women #2 (1868)

Fashionable Shopping
Stewart's

The up-town or retail store of A. T. Stewart &Co., is located on Broadway, between Ninth and Tenth streets. It extends back to Fourth Avenue, and covers the entire block, with the exception of the corner of Broadway and Ninth street, which is occupied by the famous picture dealers, Groupil & Co. This break in the building of Mr. Stewart, gives the whole edifice, as seen from Broadway, an awkward appearance. It is said that the great merchant is anxious to buy the corner, but will not pay the price asked, as he regards it as extortionate. The building is a handsome iron structure, in the style of arcade upon arcade, and is painted white, which causes some persons to call it a "marble palace." It contains in its various departments everything pertaining to the dry goods trade. It has also a department for ready-made clothing for women and children, and persons can here purchase at a moment's warning a complete outfit in any style their means will allow. The articles range from simplicity to magnificence in style and quality. The rooms are always full of purchasers. The city trade proper is immense, and the majority of the strangers coming to the city do their shopping here. No one cares to come to New York without seeing Stewart's, and all go away satisfied that the immense establishment is one of the sights of the metropolis.

Lord & Taylor's
The store of this well-known firm is located at the corner of Broadway and Grand streets. It is one of the most beautiful in the city, is built of white marble, and is handsomely ornamented. Its ample windows contain the finest display of goods to be seen in America. The interior, though not so large as Stewart's, is quite as handsome, and the various departments are managed with as much skill and system. The ready-made department is a feature worth examining. The establishment has not so large a trade as Stewart's, but rivals it in the excellence of its goods, and in the taste displayed in selecting them. Many persons prefer this store to any in the city.

Arnold & Constable's
Arnold &Constable are now located at the corner of Canal and Mercer streets, but will soon move into their elegant marble store, now in process of erection at the corner of Broadway and Nineteenth street. This is one of the favorite houses of New York. Its trade is large and fashionable, and it divides the honors of the city with those already mentioned. (13)

Sources Utilized to Document Information

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Feminine Fancies (1)


Topic: Things of Interest to Women #1 (1909)

Soft Hands in Winter

Proper care of the hands in the winter time is necessary to keep them in good condition. If the circulation is at all sluggish, the cold makes the blood settle in the fingers, so that they are abnormally red, or prevents it from reaching them. In which latter event they become hard and dry.

The first step is to prevent the hands from becoming chilled. The hands are not always kept warm by a muff__even when kid gloves are worn. The warmth of the fur and the lack of air on the hands induces perspiration and the kid becomes damp. When the gloves are removed from the hands they become cold, the moisture holding the cold. When put on again, they are chilled and the hands become chapped. Gloves should be thoroughly dry when put o n.

The wrinkled appearance of the hands after dish-washing or scrubbing can be alleviated by dipping them in vinegar. If strong alkall soaps are used in the housework the hands should be treated liberally with cold cream. Mustard water is said to remove all odors noticeable on the hands after dish-washing. Vegetable stains may be removed by holding the hands, partly closed, over a burning sulphur match.Pumace stone or lemon juice will remove the average stain. A teaspoonful of glycerine to every pint of water used in washing is beneficial.

Dress Hints

Among the latest wrinkles in fashion's realm may be found: Boots of suede to match the gown. Black patent leather slippers with pink, blue, lilac or white suede, a quarter of an inch deep outlining the top.

Automobile veils, dull grays, browns and yellows of chiffon cloth, with two inch borders, the latter spangled with gold or silver pallettes. Net veils, white mesh with black spots, gathered under the chin into black satin ruche, which holds it about the throat. Cloth of gold strips, embroidered in Persian colors, for trimmings. Neck chains, ropes of pearl, jade, coral and turquoise beads in graduated sizes, finished with loop tassels of tiny beads. Embroidered robes, panelled effects, finished with fringe. Handbags, tooled and embossed leather, with Egyptian colorings and designs, made into long, narrow bags on gold frames.

Source: The Morning Examiner (Ogden, Utah) January 10, 1909

Contact: miriammedina@earthlink.net