Sturbridge Village, or Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) is a place that makes me wish I lived in the East. The Village is a living history site, stopped in the years between 1790-1840. They have historians dressed in period attire, historic homes, crafts and activities, a working farm, heirloom animals, etc etc etc. The romance of times gone by, all to be found just an hour west of Boston. The clothes! The etiquette! Back to the clothes! And the cooking, ahhhh!
These teacakes are what Americans would call a cookie, and those in British lands would call a biscuit. They are not quite a shortbread, not quite an oatmeal cookie. Somewhere betwixt and between, we find the teacake. I haven’t made these yet, but I expect they would be delicious and popular in my home.
Sturbridge Village Teacakes
2 c br sugar
2 c shortening
2 eggs beaten
2 c flour
3 c quick oats
1 1/2 t soda
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
Form into small balls, roll in sugar. Place 3″ apart. 375 12-15 min. 4 doz
Gram's Recipe Box 
I grew up going to Sturbridge, it was one of my favorite places. I remember the candy store with its barley sugar lollipops and sticks of black licorice. They served a cookie there called a Joe Frogger which was a big molasses cookie…ah, the good food and memories. Thanks for stirring them back up.
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I’ve been to Sturbridge Village, too! I think I went to a sugaring off there in the winter. Wish we hadn’t moved here when I was so young, I would’ve been many more times, I’m sure. I have a great recipe for Joe Froggers from my mom’s “vintage” cookie cookbook.
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Diane, I remember “Joe Froggers”, too. Might you be willing to share? Thanks!
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This looks like the Old Sturbridge recipe that I have been looking for. (Can’t find the little cookie recipe book that I bought there in the 1960’s that had this in it.) They are called Quakers, not Teacakes, if you look closely at your grandmother’s handwriting. I am not sure of what shortening to use. It might be a combination of Crisco and margarine.
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Good catch! I hadn’t noticed that and no one else had either!
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Yesterday while my wife was baking Cookies, I reminisced about our Thanksgiving dinners at Sturbridge during the early ’60’s. The aroma in the Bake Shop was a pleasant memory. We would purchase Joe Froggers. they were delicious.
We still have the little Recipe Booklet. Your Grandmother’s recipe is the “Oatmeal Cookie”. The closest one is the first recipe “Ginger”.
We made them yesterday and they were similar to the Frogger’s. I thought they required slightly more Ginger for the spice bite we tasted then.
Brings back fond memories when our children were very young.
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Right on! They are Quakers! As in, Quaker Oats…Mom made them a lot, and about all the cookies in the little recipe book we both bought at Sturbridge.
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Do you still sell the cookie booklet from Sturbridge Villiage?
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This website doesn’t sell the booklet, sorry.
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