"Mrs. Gregory and Friends" household hints

3/3/15 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Recently, my friend Donna Armor, gifted me with a family heirloom—her grandmother’s cookbook. I supposed it to be a little notebook of family recipes. Imagine my surprise when I opened the large box to find a true treasure. A thick volume filled with advice from the past on all manner of useful housekeeping hints.

The book is titled “Woman’s Favorite Cookbook” and its 551 pages are divided into three volumes. The authors are “Mrs. Gregory and Friends.” There is no publication date and the thick, deteriorating pages are pulling away from the binding. Our guesstimate is that it’s at least 100 years old. Probably early 20^th century.

Dozens of women contributed recipes for such exotic things as Macaroni and Oysters, Broiled Frogs’ Legs, Johnny Cake, Hot Dandelion Salad, Fried Apple Custard, Pickled Walnuts, Blanc Mange Easter Eggs and Stuffed Egg Plant.

There is even an entire section on toast! It begins by gently reminding the reader that the object of toasting bread is to extract the water, enabling its digestion. First warm the bread and draw out the moisture so it can be toasted to a pale gold color.  And before toasting, “be sure that the fire is clear and hot and the bars clean.”

Carving meat is a skill to be developed and proud of. Running short on ice? “Wrap the ice in several thicknesses of newspaper. A flannel sheet will have the same effect.” A section on wastefulness reminds the young housekeeper that the Bible says: “She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

There are reminders that when caring for the sick and convalescent, perfect cleanliness of hands and nails is imperative. For recovering patients who have little appetite the following are suggested: some gruel, beef tea, oatmeal mush, toast water, boiled partridge and tapioca pudding. And finally this reminder: “A cheerful spirit is the best medicine of all.

There is even a section on how to deal with household pests. Rats and mice? Drown them! Tease them with a little meal in a barrel; then when they’re used to being fed, partially fill the barrel with water! Bed bugs? Saturate the bedstead with kerosene! Cockroaches? Thoroughly pulverize borax and scatter it where they appear.

My favorite section of the book, however, is a treatise on fine dining.

As a home economist in my college days, we read Emily Post like it was the Bible. This book puts Emily to shame. It will also make your head swim with the expectations of that era. It begins with dinner party instructions:

“A dinner should be a function where no obstacles to ease and enjoyment exist. Invitations to a dinner party are issued ten days or two weeks in advance of the event. The recipients should reply at once. This gives the hostess a chance to fill a possible vacancy. They should be sent by post but are better because of sure delivery if sent by messenger.

“Today (1900?) a hostess of moderate means can invite 50-100 guests for an informal party without ever looking to the florist or caterer for help. The first requisite for a well-ordered table is, snowy, fine, damask linen. A table, when properly set, is a picture of loveliness—cut glass, silver and dainty dishes. A certain scheme of color is chosen and everything on the table harmonizes with it.

“In cities, the usual hour for a dinner party is 7 o’clock; in country places it is frequently earlier in the day. For a home-like, informal dinner, where the host does the carving, one well trained servant can wait upon 12 persons.”

At formal dinners lots of courses were served: Oysters, clear soup, fish with small potatoes, an entrée accompanied by bread and relishes; roasts of some kind, sherbet, chicken or duck, an appetizing salad; puddings or ice cream; fresh fruits and bonbons; Turkish or black coffee served demi-tasse. The end of an era.

Now back to 21^st century reality with a servant-less dinner menu plan: Look in the frig and the freezer to see what’s on hand to feed a crowd of 4-6 people. Email or call at the last minute to see if the neighbors want to come to dinner. Ask them to bring a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread. Thaw some pork chops, heat the oven, put some yams or russet potatoes in to bake, prep a vegetable, open some applesauce and garnish it with cinnamon.

Voila! It’s dinner. No florist or caterer needed. The following glazed pork chops are easy and delicious and the vintage recipe for Fried Apple Custard from the cookbook just might hit the spot! Enjoy!

APPLE CUSTARD (FRIED)

Pare, core and slice four good-sized apples. Fry then in butter and when they are brown on one side, turn them over and pour over them a custard made of four eggs, beaten, a cupful of cream or new milk and a little cinnamon. Fry to a light brown. Turn carefully and serve with sifted sugar. This is a nice hot dessert. Mrs. Ellen Sullivan

GLAZED PORK CHOPS

6 1-inch thick loin pork chops

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

Dash of ginger

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Trim excess fat off chops; arrange chops in 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Combine remaining ingredients and spread over chops. Bake uncovered in oven 1-1/2 hours. Turn them over to serve.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare. \