Fudge

by Mrs Marvel

 

Here is another fudge recipe. Candy making is an old and wonderful art form, something I do not excel at, unfortunately.  This recipe in particular reminds us that candy making originated as a hands-on process. The recipe indicates that it should be stirred for some undefined amount of time, which when you think about the fact that the hand mixer was not invented until the 1950s, many home candy makers and professionals as well, had to be incredibly strong to stir and beat their mix just so. I remember a recipe of Gram’s that said “beat 100 strokes” and that was a pretty modern recipe.

It is no wonder people these days are so out of shape. We don’t have to work for our sweets and treats! :-)

Fudge

2 c sugar, 2 squares bitter chocolate, 1/4 teas cream of tartar, 1/2 c water, 1 c chopped nuts, 2 tbs butter

Put sugar, cream of tartar & water in pan, adding a pinch of salt. Stir just enough to prevent sticking & burning then, when boiling, add chocolate, melted & boil until a small amount dropped in cold water will form a soft ball. When candy is removed from fire, add butter, then let stand until quite cool, before starting to beat. Stir fast, & just before it starts to set add 1 teas flavoring & chopped nuts

Lemon Sherbert

by Mrs Marvel

 

So you think you know what “sherbert” is? Well, first off, it’s sherbet, not with the extra R. Second, sherbet in America is different from sherbet in other countries and regions. Everywhere else, sherbet is the same as sorbet, an iced fruit dessert (except for some Asian regions where it is like a cake). In America, sherbet is an icy-fruity dessert containing eggs and milk, and considered the cousin of ice cream.

This particular recipe would give you a light tasting and crisp lemon flavored sherbet that would probably be nice on a summer evening. When making sherbet, combine everything except the milk and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Then gently add the milk and chill for 1 hour. Pour into an ice cream maker. Run the maker according to the manufacturers directions until the sherbet has reached a soft-serve consistency.

I believe the note about using half the recipe is just a note to the previous chef. A full recipe should give you about 10 servings, depending on your scoop size.

Lemon Sherbert

Juice & rind of 2 lemons (6 tbs juice), 1 1/2 c sugar, 2 egg yolks, 2 egg whites, beaten. Pinch of salt, 1 qt milk. Mix in order given. Use 1/2 recipe.

Corn Bread

by Mrs Marvel

Corn bread always reminds me of Little House on the Prairie. In one of the books, Laura Ingalls relates that her Pa liked her Ma’s corn bread partially because Ma put her handprint into it before baking. Here we are a hundred years later and the recipe is probably not much changed from Ma Ingalls’ recipe. It is a homey food, comforting and sturdy, that goes well with chili or roast chicken.

Corn Bread

1 c corn meal, 1 c flour, 1 teas salt, 4 teas B.P., 3 tbs sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbs melted butter, 1 c milk

Sift together all dry ingredients; add egg, melted butter & milk & stir thoroughly. Pour in oiled pan & bake in hot oven (400 degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes. This batter may also be used for corn muffins.

Spiced Figs (Mrs. Laible)

by Mrs Marvel

 

I enjoy figs but not everyone does. In their fresh state they can be intensely sweet, but they are most often enjoyed dried, stewed or otherwise prepared. This recipe appears to stew them.

Figs apparently were one of the first foods cultivated by humans! The growing history goes back thousands of years, and they were widely used in the Mediterranean region in many dishes, both desserts and main dishes. Fig trees are often found as ornamental trees in home gardens; ants and birds love them. They can be messy if the fruit is not harvested, but the results of a harvest can be turned into numerous treats! The Kadota fig is one of the typical varieties found in the backyard garden. An interesting tidbit about the fruit – the center is actually made up of single seeded florets.

Spiced Figs

10 lbs Kadota figs

5 lbs sugar

3 cups vinegar

1 whole clove in end of each fig

Wash figs, stick whole clove in each fig.

Put figs, sugar and vinegar in pot together and cook until slightly thick

Pear Jam (Mrs. Scothorn)

by Mrs Marvel

 

We are fast approaching the pear picking season (August & September in southern climes, September & October in northern), so why not go to your local pear orchard with something more than sliced pears in mind? Mrs. Scothorn shared this recipe for pear jam back when typewriters used inked ribbon and likely weighed around 50 pounds. I don’t know about cooking this in the oven.  I’d want to be able to check it easily; perhaps it could be made in a crock pot to simulate the oven? Pear jam doesn’t have to be overly sweet, and would be nice on toast, muffins or biscuits.

Pear Jam

Wash and peel Bartlett pears. (Ripe) and cut in quarters. Put in a kettle with very little water, and cook until soft. Mash with potato masher. Set aside until morning. Put on stove and get hot. Cup for cup pears and sugar. Put in crock & add 1/4 teas. cinnamon and less of nutmeg. Put in oven & have a hot fire until the mixture begins to bubble. Then turn down to a moderate oven. Stir occasionally & bake about 3 hours.