Food History

Yesterday I read a cookbook that, although the right date for my Prohibition banquet, was entirely the wrong food. It was home cooking and a lot of the recipes looked really scrummy, so I thought you might like an extract for the first of the fried food posts today. The book is The Perry Home Cook Book, by the Ladies of Perry, Kansas, and Vicinity 1920. One day I might have to get hold of a modern community cookbook from Perry, just to compare Perry food over time. Today is not that day, however: today is the day for joyous fried food.

FRENCH FRIED POTATOES

Pare potatoes; cut in lengths lengthwise. Soak an hour in cold water dry and fry in hot fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-MRS. PIUS VOELKER

POTATO CROQUETTES

2 cups cold mashed potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper and a little melted butter. Beat the whites of 2 eggs and work all together. Make into cakes and dip in beaten yolks of eggs, roll in cracker crumbs; fry in hot lard.
-MRS. EDNA GENTRY. Oskaloosa, Kansas.

FRIED PARSNIPS

Scrape parsnips and boil till tender. Drain when cold, cut in long, thin slices, season each slice with salt and pepper, dip slices in melted butter, then in flour and fry in hot fat till both sides are thoroughly brown. Drain well and serve.

PLAIN FRITTER BATTER

1 cup flour, 2 level teaspoons baking powder, 1 egg, ½ cup milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, add 2 tablespoons sugar, if sweet batter is desired. Sift dry ingredients together, add beaten eggs and milk and beat until smooth.
- KATE MONTAGUE.

BANANAS FOR FRITTERS

Slice bananas lengthwise, cut into fourths, squeeze over them the juice of 2 lemons and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let stand ½ hour before dipping in batter.
- KATE MONTAGUE.

POTATO FRITTERS

To 1 pint grated potatoes add ½ cup of milk, ½ clip flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/3 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon baking powder. Beat well and fry in small spoonfuls in hot fat.
- MOLLIE LEE

CORN FRITTERS

½ can corn, ½ cup flour, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, A teaspoon pepper. Beat well fry in hot fat, 1 tablespoon a fritter. Will make 16 fritters. Serve hot with syrup. - MRS. J. M. WARD.

DOUGHNUTS

2 tablespoons melted butter; 1 cup sugar; 2 cups sour milk; extract; 2 eggs; flour to roll; 1 teaspoon soda; pinch of salt. -MRS. STEVE BURKE

DOUGHNUTS

1 large cup sugar; 1 tablespoon melted butter; 1 cup sour milk; 1 egg; 1 level teaspoon soda; extract. Use just enough flour to stiffen so as to handle nicely. Fry in hot fat. -MRS. GAIL H. STARK

DOUGHNUTS

½ cup sugar; 3 cups flour; 1 cup sweet milk; 2 tablespoons shortening; 3 teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Roll in sugar when fried.
-MRS. KATHLEEN HAYNES

BUTTERMILK DOUGHNUTS

2 beaten eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup buttermilk; 3 tablespoons melted butter; 4 cups flour with teaspoon soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. -MRS. M. L. TAYLOR

DOUGHNUTS

1 cup sugar; 1 cup sweet milk; 4 tablespoons butter; 2 eggs; 3 cups flour sifted with 3 teaspoons baking powder; teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla; teaspoon nutmeg; sufficient flour to roll. Sugar while hot with a little cinnamon in sugar. -MRS. R. SHIRLEY