On "The Curious Cookbook": A Book Review

 

Title: The Curious Cookbook: Viper Soup, Badger Ham, Stewed Sparrow, & 100 More Historic Recipes
Author: Peter Ross
Genre: Non-Fiction, Food History

About the book...
Collected by Peter Ross and with a forward by Heston Blumenthal, The Curious Cookbook presents readers with some of the more unusual and, for then, historically standard recipes spanning from the 1300's through the 1940's.

What I think...
This was a great book! I am admittedly one of those people more than willing to dive into the less appealing side of culinary history along with the more standard fare, so when I came across this book recently it was instantly appealing to me (though I still can't figure out exactly how I ended up finding out about it). 

This book was very nicely laid out with each page, or for longer recipes pages, featuring just one recipe rather than being all crammed in. Following each recipe there was a paragraph giving some historical background and that highlighted the significance of the recipe. Given that food is such a window into past cultures providing both a look at what was available at the time, deemed safe, and offering a look at economic standards and I thought this book did a nice job in capturing all these elements in a more bite sized and casual way. 

It also did a nice job weaving common elements through the time periods, so that the reader could see how certain recipes evolved or how current events influenced what people were reliant on when it came to food, as well as exhibiting some of the recipes that had more to do with being trendy or someone with societal standing.

Additionally, looking at the book itself, the hardcover edition is really nicely bound and has lovely thick pages. The images included were nicely integrated and included kitchen scenes, pages from early cookery texts, sketches of dishes, and advertisements of implements that would have been used in the making of the dishes.

To sum it all up...
A great book for anyone interested in historical cooking and the more unusual recipes of the past! ♥

On Cabbages

As promised, a short post randomly rambling on about cabbages. 

Cabbages are a rather versatile vegetable. They can be boiled, steamed, pickled, fermented, chopped, eaten raw, creamed, or prepared using any number of other methods, and they come in a variety of colors, shapes, textures for those picky enough to take notice. 

Babies, of course, can be found in cabbage patches or under their leaves, making them a serviceable vegetable beyond the table. Additionally, in parts of Europe they were believed to have the power of showing one or helping one determine who one's sweetheart was, which in turn allows for the perpetuation of the legend of babies being found in cabbage patches. Should one partake in eating cabbage, however, this may keep a potential sweetheart away making it advisable to avoid consuming them while seeking out one's sweetheart.

And least we forget, there is always the option of using a cabbage as a substitution for a table top Christmas tree decoration because no party could be considered complete without one!

From Garnishing: A Feast for Your Eyes, 1987. (source: yuckylicious.blogspot.com)

 ♥ ♥ ♥

On a Cooky Cutter and a Box of Birds

Last week was not particularly pleasant (complete with smell of an un-locatable perished rodent at work, which is still in full force) and this week has started out windy, so unfortunately that means I won't be doing an outfit post this week because wind and skirts don't mix. 

However, I would like to share my two bright spots that arrived in the mail last week!

First is this "Lazy Suzy" Cookie Cutter. I had been eyeballing it on Etsy for awhile and finally decided to buy it. While I haven't used it yet, just looking at it makes me happy and the fact that it came in the original box withe recipe makes me even happier. 

The second item is this box of birds, or more specifically bird brooches. I bought the lot for the pink bird on the right (not the angry looking pink one at the bottom, which makes me think of the rocs in the Second Voyage of Sinbad story), but the rest have grown on me.

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On Blueberry Tea Cakes: A Photo Post

Sometimes you just want to take a break, make tea cakes, and then display them on a saucer belonging to your great-grandma's tea cup.

 

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On "Eat Me" Tarts

Continuing with the Alice theme...What does one do when they get an "Eat Me" cookie cutter? Make large tarts and use it on the pie crust!

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On a Tart Flower: a Photo Post

Sometimes it's too tempting not to play with food...

 

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On Thanksgiving Leftovers

Following a big holiday there are always leftovers and Thanksgiving is no exception to this. The spread that was beautiful on the actual day becomes a long drawn out meal and while some foods are more than welcome, others become overwhelmingly tiresome. However, with these leftovers one can find a number ways to break up the monotony! Soups, sandwiches, and salads all offer one with a way to use up the vast quantities of turkey that never seem to end. For one who is incredibly fond of it, cranberry sauce can make a delightful spread for a piece of bread or a roll. Dependent on the vegetables they might be served with another meal or like the turkey be used in a soup. And if you want to make use of all of the above, there is always the popular choice of creating a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce, stuffing, and gravy, all on a delicious roll and accompanied by a left over side dish! And with that, no matter the way one eats their leftovers, one could find no better way to finish their meal than with a slice of pie should any still remain.

Happy last week of November! ♥

On Ice Cream

July 1947

When the weather becomes unbearably hot and sticky as it has been of late, there are few foods that hit the spot quite as nicely as ice cream! And undeniably, this delectably cold dish is one that offers a tasty relief from the heat of summer!

While a wonderful treat by itself, there are a great variety of ways that one can use ice cream, such as for making sundaes, pies, and milkshakes. At the time the above picture was taken, The Good Housekeeping Cook Book offered a number of ways to serve it ranging from Ice Cream Shortcakes and Ice Cream Ginger Ale (also known as a Boston Cooler despite originating in Detroit, Michigan) to, on the more unique side, Pineapple Minted Parfait and Spiced Grape Sundae. Although the latter two lack the appeal of the others with some rather interesting ingredient combinations, they certainly provide one with an example of how ice cream can be used in just about any way imaginable!

Hence, with so many varieties to choose from and with so many ways to add to it, ice cream is and will remain popular among all ages allowing everyone to indulge in whatever their fancy may be! ♥

On Making a Pie

Pie making is a tradition that has been passed down through the ages and a very yummy one it is at that! When going about the process of making a pie there are a great many steps and things one ought to keep in mind. To start with, the type of pie that is to be baked must be decided upon. In making this most important decision, the pie maker will find themselves perusing the pages of their cook books and their recipe cards causing them to consider an array of delicious pies, such as apple and berry, and some not so delicious pies, such as a prune-banana. Usually the decision is an easy one to make based on season and what sort of filling is readily at hand and with this decision having been made, the pie maker is off and running and ready to face the making of the crust.   

The first step in making the crust is to mix the flour and salt. Something that must be remembered is that it is unwise to dump the flour into the bowl from a height that is greater than necessary. Failure to keep this in mind will generally result in a small dust storm and it is usually at this point that the pie maker will look down and realize that their previously black shirt would have been better off had they worn an apron. After the dust storm has settled, the pie maker will then have to cut in the shortening. Cutting in of the shortening first requires that the shortening be measured and then taken out of the measuring cup, which in itself is a task. The shortening, being an ingredient that feels the need to stick to everything it touches, once put in the bowl with the flour and salt will do everything in its power to avoid being cut into pea sized particles by the pastry blender. This includes sticking to the pastry blender, then sticking to the knife used to get it off the pastry blender, and then to the pastry blender again. To combat shortening fatigue, one should remind themselves that without the shortening that the crust would only be a pasty goop and that there would be no purpose in making it. Upon the survival of cutting of the shortening to the correct size, water can be sprinkled (not poured, which will make things more difficult) onto the mix. From there the pie maker will be able to gather the dough into a ball in hopes that it will not crumble or be overly sticky. Having a ball of dough the pie maker may now vigorously take a rolling pin to it after causing another dust storm by placing flour on the surface on which they intend to roll it out. Being ever so careful the then rolled dough may be placed in the pie tin in hopes that it will not stick to the surface or tear before it reaches its final destination.     

After the crust has been completed and the pie maker has taken a deep breath to recover from their unintended exercise, they may then prepare the filling to go in the crust. In doing this they should be sure to follow the directions least they forget to include the final step of dotting the top of the filling with butter, which if forgotten will only be thought of after the top crust has been placed and sealed and the pie had been in the oven for about 15 minutes. If the pie maker does remember the butter, then they are almost sure to forget to put aluminum foil around the edge to prevent it from burning. Like the lack of butter, chances are that this will not be realized until the pie has been in the oven for a considerable amount of time. In either case, the pie maker should look forward to a brief moment of panic and quite possibly burnt fingers. However, in the end the pie maker should hopefully find that they have a well turned out pie to grace their table, unless they have been daydreaming in which case it will most likely have burnt, and will then be able to focus on the mess they have made of their kitchen.

And now having read these helpful instructions, one can be sure that they will know how to successfully make a pie should they wish to do so and quite possibly will have gained a greater understanding as to why the pieman refused to let his pies be tasted before seeing a penny. ♥ 

Yum!

On Emptying Crumbs From The Toaster

There comes a time in every toaster owner’s life when they will find that their toaster is in need of a crumb emptying. For some, this time will come sooner, and, for others later, dependent on how often the toaster is used, the degree of crumbliness of the food item having been toasted, and how often things come out burnt.

The task itself, while seemingly simple, can be accompanied by many difficulties and should not be attempted by those with a weak constitution. To begin with, the effortless unplugging of the toaster leads the emptier to believe that they are in control. However, the toaster has other plans to try to thwart this innocent being! One finds that the cord has suddenly become a snake, coiling in the most annoying fashion around whatever object it can catch hold. A quick yank is found to do no good other than forming a distinct tangle that looks as though it will never come undone. And upon staring at said tangle, the discovery that somehow other kitchen appliance cords have become ensnared with the toaster cord is made. Placing the toaster back on the counter, the individual proceeds with great care to separate the correct cord.

While engaged in the untangling of the cord, the individual with pets will have gained an audience who is most intent on finding out what is going on, so intent, in fact, that they stand right where the individual who has finally untangled the cord is going to step. At this point the individual quickly learns the skill of juggling while trying not to step on the excited pet who thinks it all a game and great fun to bat at the cord or to try get at the toaster. For the individual lacking in pets or who is an owner of a pet who is uninterested in such curious happenings, objects such a broom, a misplaced skate, or some other item that is not supposed to be there, will result in a similar experience. In either case, after completing their balancing act and getting the pet(s) under control the individual lets out a sigh of relief upon finally reaching the sink.

Feeling rather proud of themselves, the individual going to turn the toaster upside down or opening the bottom catch to empty the crumbs finds that there are now very few to empty contrary to the amount at the start of the ordeal. Upon turning to put the toaster back in its designated place, the individual finds that they have left a trail of crumbs that would have made Hansel and Gretel proud. Of course, this now leads to the need for a broom or vacuum, but the task they set out to complete has been accomplished. ♥   

On Fruit Cake

Ever associated with the holiday season is the gift of the traditional fruit cake. While some fruit cakes are good, there are many that are not and it is due to them that the rest have gained their negative reputation. The ingredients are a primary, if not the most important, factor in determining whether or not the fruit cake can be deemed edible. If the fruits are not compatible when they are not baked into something, chances are that the recipient is not going to think much of them when they are baked into a cake. It is also dependant on these ingredients as to whether or not your fruit cake will last just a season or will last a decade or so.

Another factor is the appearance of the cake. There is great importance in one remembering that for an individual to have any desire to eat something that it absolutely must look edible. The look of a moldy sponge or that of an object having been coated in shellac is likely to bring neither admirers nor a wiliness to taste. Unfortunately, if these standards are not met the recipient often begins to look into other options for use of the cake as when deemed non-edible the purpose of the fruit cake can become numerous. Consider, as ever so many people have pointed out over the years, it can make a lovely door stop. And another option is a festive center piece to be used year after year in remembrance of jolly Christmas’ past. Or one might even turn it into a nice candle holder.

So, in conclusion, whether you are pretending to be some minor character with no name from a Dickens or Austen story while you eat your fruit cake or you have chosen to avoid it all together, have a very merry time as you celebrate this Christmas Eve! ♥