Xmas. Fruit Cake.

by Mrs Marvel

Although this is really a Christmas recipe, it happens to kick off the new little brown box I found recently. The recipe is very similar to Grannie Marvel’s recipe, so I’m pretty sure it’s good! The recipe does not indicate how to bake the fruit cake, which would likely be at 350 for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once you have cooled the cake, you can bathe it in whiskey, rum or brandy as you like to achieve the right moistness. The biggest problem with most fruitcake is that it is dry as sawdust.

Xmas. Fruit cake.

1 c. sugar

1 c. b[rown] sugar

1/2 c butter (1/2 butter & 1/2 lard)

1 cup molasses

1 cup sour milk

1 level teas. soda

2 level teas. cloves, cinnamon and allspice

1/2 teas. nutmeg

3 eggs beaten

1 1/2 lb raisins

1/4 lb citron

1 cup nuts, lemon peel, O peel, figs, dates & cherries

Enough flour to thicken. About 3 to 4 cups

Maggie’s Index

by Mrs Marvel

Although it has taken me a while to transcribe the entire booklet written by Maggie Ritchie, I have enjoyed it and hope you have too. The index pages above were at the back of her booklet and list the 30 items in alphabetical order. I hope that Maggie used these recipes to establish her own kitchen and nourish her own family for many years.

Next we will move on to a variety of recipes found tucked away in an antique store. Literally tucked away. The box was inside a cabinet, as though someone intended to come back for them later.

Chocolate Shape

by Mrs Marvel

This recipe from Maggie Ritchey might remind you of one of her previous entries, Corn Flour Shape, but I bet it doesn’t taste all that bad. In fact, I suspect this would taste lovely. It is chocolate, after all. It sounds like a pudding, but not in the traditional sense that it was boiled in a pudding bag. This is more similar to modern pudding. This would make a delicious gluten free dessert for those who need it.

Chocolate Shape

Put into a clean saucepan 1 gill milk, add to it 1/2 oz gelatine & dissolve this very slowly remembering always to dissolve it slowly. When dissolved add 1 tablespoonful sugar 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla, the yolks of 3 eggs well beaten, 3 oz grated chocolate. Mix this into the yolks of the eggs, stir thoroughly well together, if not quite thick return to the saucepan for a minute or two, being careful not to curdle. Pour into a wetted mould & set aside to become quite cold. Then turn out on a glass dish & whipped cream may be served with the shape. Note an oz & 1/2 of almonds blanched & chopped may be added.

Boiled Potatoes

by Mrs Marvel

Along with the recipe for boiled green vegetables, I never really thought I’d need a recipe to boil potatoes. This is something my mom did with some regularity as we were growing up, but I guess if a person had never ventured into the kitchen, a quick and dirty on how to boil potatoes is a good thing. Also, I recommend you leave out the newspaper and just use a clean cloth if you must.

Boiled Potatoes

Take as many potatoes as you wish for dinner, peel them as thinly as possible. Be careful to have them all one size. Put them into a saucepan with enough cold water just to cover them, with a good pinch salt. Put them on the fire & bring them slowly to the boil. Boil them until soft enough to be pierced with a fork, pour the water from them, put a clean cloth or a newspaper into the pan & allow them to stand by the side of the fire from 10 to 15 minutes, until you are ready for them.

Jelly Cake

by Mrs Marvel

This recipe for jelly cake is quite similar to the previous one for a Swiss roll, in that the cakes are spread with jelly rather than icing. It sounds delicious.

Jelly Cake

Put into a basin 2 teacupful flour rub into this 2 oz butter with a pinch salt. Put into another basin the yolkes of 3 eggs, 6 oz castor sugar, work these to-gether to a cream, add 1/2 teacupful milk & mix these into the flour & butter, whip the whites to a stiff froth. Add them lastly & lightly to the mixture. Shake in 1/2 teaspoonful baking powder & a little flavouring. Have 2 tins greased, round ones if possible. Grease & line them with paper. Divide the mixture & put half into each tin. Bake in a quick oven for about 15-25 minutes. Have a piece of paper spread with a little sugar on it, turn out half the jelly cake onto this. Spread some jam on to it & turn the other half on to it. Cut it into as many pieces as you like.