Recipes according to 'Twentieth Century Cookbook and Practical Housekeeping'

[Old Fashioned]

"What I want to know.....is what the heck is the measurement of 'drachms'????????"

It sounded like something that D1 should know. I looked it up ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apothecaries'_system

And that is about right & stands to reason since I'd gotten that from the 'medical hints' section. Further research shows (to my understanding anyway) that a drachm is equivalent to 1/4 of a tablespoon or just under a teaspoon-since a teaspoon was smaller than todays size, way back when this unit of measurement was popular.
I had come across this anamoly when I had found a treatment for 'itch'. Since our Jack Russell has been suffering on & off for a few years with unexplained itching...sometimes to the point of bleeding and everything I've tried hasn't done much good. I've treated for fleas & ticks, hot spot medications, hydrocordizone cream, aloe vera gel, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, anti fungal shampoo, changing his food......you name it, I've tried it...to no avail. So when I seen this, I was interested......BUT........

ITCH--Dissolve 1/2 oz of glycerine and 1 drachm of carbolic acid in 8 oz of pure water. Apply a few times and it will cure it.

*sounds simple enough other than the odd measurement, but when checking out what carbolic acid is, I'm not so sure I want to do this. Although it does sound almost like Hydrogen Peroxide??? or no?*


Oh well, back to other stuffs......


POULTRY

In selecting poultry, choose those which are plump, but not too fat. If they are young, they should be firm to the touch. If the bone across the breast above the hollow skin is hard to the touch, the bird is old; in young ones it is more like gristle. White-legged birds are given the preference by some, because they look better on the table, but black ones are equally good eating. Dark-fleshed game can be eaten rare, but the white-fleshed should always be well done. In preparing poultry great care is required not to break the gall-bladder, for if it is broken, the gall will leave a bitter taste on every place it touches, which cannot be washed off.
Young poultry has not an excess of fat unless it has been 'crammed' for that purpose, in which case it should be avoided, as that process affects the health of the fowls.

Slightly Tainted Meat--Poultry and all meats should be cooked immediately if the least sign of taint appears; give it first a thorough washing in soda water, then a rinsing in clear water to which a little vinegar has been added; then either bake or roast it, as that mode of cooking drives away bad odors from meat better than any other.

Onion--It is better to leave onions out of all meat dressings, unless you are sure they are liked by all at the table. A rich onion sauce can be sent in with them, or boiled onions served as one vegetable, for those who like them.

Overcoming the Strong Smell of Old Fowls--If old fowls are washed in warm soda water, the strong smell will be overcome. If a roast fowl cannot be served as soon as it is done, put it over a kettle of boiling water and put a dripping pan over it, which will keep it from drying up.

The Garnishes for Fowls--These are parsley, water cress, horseradish, slices of lemon, slices of ham, fried oysters or sausages, and forcemeat balls.

To Draw a Fowl--Place the fowl on its back, and make a slit lengthwise in the skin of the neck from the body to the head; free the neck from the skin, and cut off the neck as close to the body as possible; then cut the skin, leaving a flap at least 3 inches long hanging to the breast. Loosen the crop and the windpipe, and insert the first finger, keeping it close to the inside surface of the body; work it round, breaking all the ligaments with which it comes in contact, thus loosening the contents of the carcass. Be careful not to thrust the finger into the centre, for if the gall-bladder is broken, the gall will impart a bitter taste to whatever it may touch. Turn the bird, slightly enlarge the opening at the vent, insert the finger, and loosen the insides from the carcass at that end. Turn the bird again, and place it on its back; press the breast with the thumbs, and push out the gizzard by the hole at the vent; take hold of it and pull steadily, when the whole of the interior should be brought away entire. If all the insides are removed, little washing will be needed. Wipe it out with a damp cloth, or rinse quickly and wipe dry. If the breast bone protrudes too much, put a cloth over it and beat it down flat, putting something like a pestle inside to pound on.

To Truss a Fowl--After stuffing the fowl, sew the skin of the neck over the back. Then run a long skewer through the pinion and then through the body and out through the other pinion, pressing them close to the body. Also press a skewer through the thigh and body and out through the other thigh. Pass a string over the projecting ends of the skewers and tie it firmly at the back, to keep the bird firmly trussed. The legs can be crossed over the tail and firmly tied. The wings and thighs can be tied in place by winding a string around the body, if you have no skewers; cut the string off carefully when done, so as not to tear the flesh.

Boned Poultry--Cut through the skin down the center of the back, and raise the flesh carefully on either side, with the point of a sharp knife, until the sockets of the wings and thighs are reached. Until a little practice has been gained, it will perhaps be best to bone their joints before proceeding further; but after they are once detached from it, the whole body may be easily separated from the flesh, and taken out entire; only the neck, bones, and the merry-thought will then remain to be removed. The fowl thus prepared may either (1) be restored to its original form by filling the legs and wings with stuffing; the body of the bird, also, should be filled with stuffing, and then the skin on the back should be sewn together, and the fowl trussed as usual. Or (2) the legs and wings may be drawn into the body, and the remaining space be filled with the dressing.


***the 'Merry-Thought'? WTF is THAT all about????? An attempt at humor?***

[Old Fashioned]

GELATINE PREPARATIONS

TAKE NOTICE--A tablespoon of gelatin weighs about 1/4 ounce.

To prepare gelatin-first soak it in a small quantity of cold water, and then add hot water to dissolve it; or it may be placed in the required amount of cold water and set on the back of the range where it will heat and dissolve gradually. About 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cold water to the ounce of gelatin is the right proportion.
Remember that gelatin should not boil, and never needs cooking. It is a good plan to strain it, after it is dissolved, through a fine strainer.
Gelatine can be used most satisfactorily in jellies, blanc mange, creams and ices. Never use more than will suffice to make a jelly strong enough to retain its form when turned out of the mold. More is needed in summer than in winter, a scant ounce being sufficient in summer for 1 pint of liquid, while a little over 1/2 ounce will do in winter--this being the rule for jellies, while creams require a little less. It is best to set them on ice, when possible, as soon as they are ready.
Molds should be buttered or oiled to facilitate taking the jellies from them; or they may be wet with cold water before filling. If jellies stick to the mold, set them for a moment in hot water, and they can be easily removed.

(*that small print, again*)

Gelatine is prepared from the skin and bones of animals. It requires a careful selection of materials and cleanly preparation, to obtain a wholesome product. The use of white of egg to clarify the jelly is not needed now, as was formerly the case, because the gelatin is clarified during the process of manufacture.
The changes of opinion regarding the nutritive value of gelatin are interesting. In the 18th century gelatin was considered the most nourishing constituent of meat. About the middle of the 19th century the French Academy of Science made a special investigation of the subject, and as a result a complete change of reaction occurred, and very mistakenly all food value was denied it. Further experiments, however, have put it in its right place, and it is now admitted that while it cannot sustain life alone, it has some value as food, but it must hold a subordinate place, and it is only valuable when eaten with other things which supply the elements which it lacks. It has some slight value in convalescence, although very much less than many people imagine. When pure it is tasteless and devoid of flavor.

Isinglass--This was formerly obtained from the swimming bladder of the sturgeon and came from Russia, but now it is obtained from many other fish and comes from South America, the East Indies, Canada, etc. The best is almost colorless, is free from fish odor, taste and smell, and dissolves freely in any warm liquid.
Chemically there is little difference between isinglass and gelatin, and what we say about the nourishing properties of gelatin applies equally to isinglass.
Tests: A little pure isinglass put into cold water swells, and becomes soft, white and opaque, while gelatin will become transparent and glass-like. In hot water isinglass dissolves with little or no residuum, while gelatin leaves a considerable deposit. In vinegar, isinglass swells into a jelly and all trace of its structure is soon destroyed, while gelatin hardens and retains its form. These are the best tests for distinguishing between them.


*ok there are many listings of recipes for jellies, blanc mange, russe, creams, etc., that I won't copy here, although most seem to describe ways of flavoring a plain gelatin & ways of using it and strange enough several recipes include 'a box' of gelatin (is this the early days of Knox?).

With one exception...........*

Calf's Foot Jelly--Boil 2 calves' feet in 4 quarts of water until it is reduced to 1 quart; strain, let it get cold, and take off the fat; then add the well-beaten whites of 7 eggs, the juice of 4 lemons, and 1 cup of sugar; mix thoroughly and boil, with constant stirring, for about a minute, and stir through a bag of flannel.

[Farmfresh]

I remember Grandma Nettie using that Knox gelatin on weird things like a meat mold. We just don't eat stuff like that anymore do we?

[dizzy]

And most people would turn their noses up at it.

[Old Fashioned]

Meat mold??? What is that? I know you're not talking about the green hairy stuff of penicillin, and I'm guessing it's chopped or minced meat set in gelatin? Or is it like headcheese or other icky things like that???


Dizzy, I think you can tell I've not had something like that, and my nose is twitching

[Farmfresh]

She used to make something she called a Terrine. Something like this.



http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ine-233242



http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/terrine

All I remember was it was delicious. We ate it on sandwiches.

I actually copied and saved this info but I am not sure where I found it. It is a quote from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from River Cottage. His is the second picture.
"Game terrine
It's a shame we think of terrines as being cheffy when once they were a staple of the farmhouse kitchen. There's nothing complicated here – it's hugely satisfying to make and, more importantly, to eat. Serves 10.
1kg lean game meat – pheasant breasts, pigeon breasts, duck or other wild fowl breasts, boned saddle and hindquarters of rabbit or hare, lean venison cut into strips
Oil or fat for frying
300g streaky bacon
For the forcemeat
500g sausage meat
Livers from the game (or 175g chicken livers), finely chopped
2 handfuls white breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
5-6 juniper berries, crushed
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
A splash of red wine
A splash of brandy
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
First make the forcemeat. In a large bowl, combine the sausage meat and chopped livers with the breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, thyme, juniper and garlic. Add the wine and brandy, season and mix thoroughly, preferably with your hands.
Heat some oil or fat in a heavy-based frying pan and fry the game pieces, in batches, for about two minutes, until nicely browned.
Remove the rind from the bacon and run the back of a knife along each rasher to stretch it. Line a 1kg loaf tin or ceramic terrine dish with the stretched bacon, overlapping slightly and leaving the ends hanging over the edges. Arrange a layer of forcemeat in the terrine, followed by a layer of mixed game meat, seasoning between each layer. (If you prefer, put the same kind of game in each layer: that is, a layer of rabbit, say, then forcemeat, then pigeon, then forcemeat, then pheasant, and so on.) However many layers you end up making (I usually go for three), end with a layer of forcemeat.
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Fold the exposed strips of bacon over the top of the terrine and cover tightly with foil and/or a lid. Place the terrine in a roasting tin half-filled with hot water and cook for an hour and a half to two hours. Insert a skewer into the middle – it should come out piping hot."

I have never tried it.

[Old Fashioned]

Sounds like a close cousin to meatloaf and both pics look very similar. Ingredients may vary, but is close......bacon wrapped chunks & loaf.

[Farmfresh]

Yes except you serve it cold. At least Grandma Nettie did.

[Old Fashioned]

Any chance anyone here know what in the world is a 'Whortleberry'??????? I have never heard of such a thing. *(good ole' Wikipedia says it may refer to the berries of several plants, including lingonberry, bilberry, blueberry etc.)*


Whortleberry Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup sweet milk
5 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream tartar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg
4 cups fresh whortleberries

Be careful not to bruise the berries; flour them and add last. Bake in a moderate oven.

[Farmfresh]

More likely a combination of berries. Kind of like a "Summerberry" cobbler that has an assortment of bramble fruits and maybe even strawberries tossed in.