Food History

I’m taking today off and maybe tomorrow. I’ve got a virus. Serves me right for doing an autumn post and overworking all on the same day. I taught this morning, but since then have spent vast amounts of time asleep, so I don’t feel quite as totaled, but I still need a little time out.

To entertain you while I sleep some more, here are some recipes for the biscuit and scone collection. These are from the second edition of The Neighborhood Cook Book, Portland, Oregon. It was compiled on behalf of the Portland Section of the Council of Jewish Women, originally in 1912, but this version in 1914.

Biscuits

One quart flour sifted twice with three teaspoons Crescent baking powder. Shortening size of large egg, half butter, half lard. If you only use butter, take twice the size of an egg. One rounding teaspoon salt. Sweet milk enough to make a soft dough. Roll thin and bake in hot oven seven to ten minutes.

Five o’Clock Tea Biscuits

Mix one-fourth of a pound of flour and one teaspoon Crescent baking powder, one cup of sugar, the rind and juice of two lemons with one-half pound of butter, which has been worked into a smooth paste, add to this the whites of two eggs and a little milk. Roll this and cut into biscuits, and brush them over with the yolks of the eggs. Sprinkle with a little sifted, pulverized sugar and bake in buttered tins.

Chocolate Cookies

One cup brown sugar, one cup white sugar, three sticks chocolate, one tablespoon whiskey, four eggs, three cups flour, two teaspoons Crescent baking powder, one teaspoon each of all kinds of spices. Beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar. Add chocolate, syrup, whiskey, spices, and then the flour, and last the beaten whites over which the baking powder has been sifted. When stiff enough to roll, brush tops of cookies with beaten egg.

Drop Cookies

Three eggs, two cups brown sugar, one cup butter, level teaspoon soda, dissolved in two tablespoons boiling water, one cup walnuts chopped, three cups flour.

Date Cookies

One-fourth pound dates pitted and cut in half, one-fourth pound almonds blanched and cut lengthwise, one-fourth pound granulated sugar. Whites of two eggs, beaten very stiff. Put dates, almonds, and sugar in bowl together and mix well. Then add beaten whites. Grease tins very well. Sprinkle with cracker dust to prevent sticking. Bake in hot oven.