Food History

The weather is getting colder and I’m slowly getting over whatever it is I have had. By ’slowly’ I mean “Why aren’t you gone already, drabbit.” Two perfect excuses for more biscuits and scones, though some of the biscuits call themselves ‘cookies.’

Because I’m embedded in the 1920s, this set of recipes is from The Perry Home Cook Book, 1920.

Cookies
1 cap sugar; ½ cup butter; ½ cup sweet milk; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon cream tartar; ½ teaspoon soda; flavor to taste. Knead soft. Roll thin and bake in quick oven.
-MRS. HOMER TRAPP, Oskaloosa, Kans.

Plain Cookies
1 cup butter; 2 cups sugar; 1 cup sweet milk; 5 cups flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ nutmeg; 1 teaspoon vanilla. Roll thIn, sprinkle with, sugar. Bake in hot oven.
-MRS. PIUS VOELKER

Chocolate Cookies
2 cups sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in ½ cup warm water; 1 cup grated chocolate; ½ cup butter; ½ cup lard. Melt lard, butter and chocolate. When cool add to sugar and eggs. Flour enough to stiffen. Roll thin. When baked ice with white icing.
-MRS. ARTHUR MICHAEL

Chocolate Cookies
4 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup butter; 3 squares unsweetened chocolate; 3 cups flour; ½ teaspoon vanilla flavor. Flour sufficient to roll very thin.
-SYLVIA DOUGLAS, Oskaloosa, Kans.

Coffee Cookies
2 cups brown sugar; 1 cup butter; 1 cup raisins; 2 eggs; 1 cup coffee; 1 teaspoon soda-in-coffee; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 3 cups flour. 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well, drop on greased pans, bake in hot oven.
-M. J. BURKE.

Eggless Cookies
1 cup shortening; 1 cup molasses; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 cup sour milk; 1 teaspoon soda; mix shortening and sugar then molasses, then sour milk with soda; enough flour to make stiff batter. Roll out ½ inch thick. Bake in moderate oven.
-MRS. J. E. HERRON, Pittsburgh, Penn.

Filled Cookies
1 cup chopped raisins; 1 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon flour; ½ cup water; Boil mixture till thick, watch closely as it burns quickly. DOUGH 1 cup sugar; ½ cup shortening; ½ cup milk; 3½ cups flour (scant); 1 egg; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon each vanilla and lemon. Roll dough very thin, cut, spread with paste, putting another cooky on each. Bake in moderate oven. These keep moist indefinitely, improving with age.
-MRS. W. J. FROST.

Ginger Cookies
1 cup molasses; ½ cup sugar; 2 eggs; 1 cup lard; ½ cup cold water; 1 tablespoon soda; 1 tablespoon ginger; flour enough to make stiff. Mix well and bake in quick oven. Roll thin.
–MRS. H. G. WOLFE

Grandma’s Cookies
2/3 cup butter; 1 cup sugar; 4 tablespoons milk; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; flour to make soft dough. Roll and cut.
-KATHLEEN HAYNES

Hermit’s Cookies
3 eggs; 1 cups sugar; 1 cup butter; 1 cup seedless raisins; 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, salt; 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 3 tablespoons sour milk; flour enough to roll. Do not roll too thin on account of raisins. Bake only to a light brown.
-MRS. SOPHIA O’ROKE