Measurements

Vintage measurements?  Well, some terms are old and just down right odd when you are searching vintage recipes.  I thought you might enjoy this list from a 1911 cookbook.

MEASUREMENTS

Flour is always sifted once before measuring and is laid into the measure lightly with a spoon to just level, without being shaken down; when measured otherwise, results will not be correct.

The measurements of tablespoons and teaspoons in this book are for slightly rounded spoons, as granulated sugar would be when the spoon is shaken sidewise. This seems the natural way of measuring. When level spoons are specified, the spoon is leveled off with a spatula or the straight edge of a knife.

The half-pint cup is the standard measuring cup.

A cupful is all the cup will hold without running over.

A speck	equals ¼ saltspn.
1 saltspn	equals ¼ teaspn.
2 teaspns	equals 1 dessert spn.
1½ dessert spn	equals 1 tablespn.
3 teaspns	equals 1 tablespn.
1 tablespn. sugar or corn starch	equals 1½ level tablespn.
3 level tablespns. cracker crumbs	equals ¼ cup.
9½ tablespns. granulated sugar	equals 1 cup.
15¼ level tablespns. granulated sugar	equals 1 cup.
3 tablespns. liquid	equals ¼ cup.
4 tablespns. liquid	equals ⅓ cup.
4½ level tablespns. butter	equals ⅓ cup.
3 rounded tablespns. butter	equals ⅓ cup.
12 tablespns. liquid	equals 1 cup.
1 wine glass	equals ¼ cup.
1 gill	equals ½ cup.
1 cup	equals ½ pint.
1 tumbler	equals ½ pint.
4 gills–2 cups	equals 1 pint.
2 pints	equals 1 quart.
4 quarts	equals 1 gallon.
2 cups (1 pint) granulated sugar	equals 1 pound.
2½ cups powdered sugar	equals 1 pound.
3⅔ cups light or medium brown sugar	equals 1 pound
2 cups butter	equals 1 pound
4 cups good pastry flour	equals 1 pound
3½–3⅞ cups good bread flour	equals 1 pound
3½ plus, cups rice	equals 1 pound
3 cups seeded raisins	equals 1 pound
3¼ cups currants	equals 1 pound
4 cups desiccated cocoanut	equals 1 pound
1 pint milk or water	equals 1 pound
1 rounded tablespn. butter	equals 1 ounce
Butter size of a walnut	equals 1 ounce
Butter size of an egg	equals 2 ounces
2 tablespns. oil	equals 1⅛ ounce
1 cup of oil	equals 6¾ ounces
2 rounded tablespns. flour	equals 1 ounce
1 rounded tablespn. sugar	equals 1 ounce
1½ level tablespn. table salt	equals 1 ounce
8 eggs in shell	equals 1 pound
10 eggs out of shell	equals 1 pound
12 ears of corn	equals 3 cups grated corn
1 ear of corn	equals ¼ cup grated corn
18 roots of oyster plant	equals 1¼ qt. sliced
1 bunch of oyster plant	equals ⅔ qt. sliced
1 bunch of oyster plant	equals 1 pt. after cooking

Funeral Pie - Being Dead is No Excuse!

Funeral pie is so named because it ended up being made for so many funerals.  This is probably because the ingredients can be found in your kitchen any time of the year and, unlike other pies, it holds up to traveling well.  If you've ever wondered why we start cooking in the South when someone passes away, check out Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.   Each chapter is filled with southern customs along with some tried and true recipes. 

FUNERAL PIE

• 1 cup seeded raisins, washed
• 2 cups water
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 egg, well beaten
• juice of a lemon
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• pinch of salt

Soak raisins 3 hours, mix sugar, flour and egg. Then add seasoning, raisins and liquid. Cook over hot water for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is cool, empty into pie-dough lined pie plate. Cover pie with narrow strips of dough, criss-crossed and bake until browned.

Black Walnut Pie

Ever tried black walnuts?  Growing up in the hollow, we'd often gather these along with hickory nuts for our winter baking or just for snacks.  They are an acquired taste and much different than plain English walnuts.  This pie is similar to pecan pie recipes and definitely worth a try.

BLACK WALNUT PIE

• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup black walnuts, chopped
• 1½ cups water
• 1¼ cups dark corn syrup

Make crust for 2 pies and line medium size pie plates. Sprinkle the walnuts over the crusts and then mix in the filling. The eggs must be well beaten before adding the sugar gradually. Then fold in flour, corn syrup and 1½ cups of water. Bake in very hot oven (450 degrees) for three minutes and then reduce to medium (350 degrees) for 30 or 40 minutes.

Blood Hound Cocktail

Sometimes, in the South, we get our corn from a jar.  So, I thought you would enjoy some vintage cocktail recipes.

BLOOD HOUND COCKTAIL

Fill large Bar glass ½ full Shaved Ice.

Add ½ dozen fresh Strawberries.

1 jigger Gin.

Shake well; strain into Cocktail glass and serve.

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BUSTER BROWN COCKTAIL

Fill large Bar glass ⅔ full Shaved Ice.

1 teaspoonful Gum Syrup.

2 dashes Lemon Juice.

2 dashes Orange Bitters.

1 jigger Whiskey.

Stir; strain into Cocktail glass and serve.

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HORSE THIEF COCKTAIL

Fill a large Mixing glass with Lump Ice.

2 dashes green Absinthe.

½ pony Italian Vermouth.

1 jigger Sir Robert Burnette's Old Tom Gin.

Stir well and serve in a Cocktail glass.

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IRISH ROSE—Country Club Style

Use a tall, thin glass; fill with Cracked Ice.

1 pony imported Grenadine.

1 jigger Old Bushmill Whiskey.

Fill with Seltzer.

Stir well and serve.

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MINT JULEP—Kentucky Style

Use a large Silver Mug.

Dissolve one lump of Sugar in one-half pony of Water.

Fill mug with Fine Ice.

Two jiggers of Old Bourbon Whiskey.

Stir well; add one bouquet of Mint and serve.

Be careful and not bruise the Mint.

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OVERALL JULEP—St. Louis Style

Use a large Mixing glass; fill with Lump Ice.

⅔ Wineglass Rye Whiskey.

⅔ Wineglass Gordon Gin.

½ Wineglass Imported Grenadine.

Juice ½ Lemon.

Juice ½ Lime.

Shake well; pour into tall, thin glass; add one bottle Imported Club Soda and serve.

Grandmother's Fruit Cake

I think there are two types of people - the ones that love fruit cake and the ones that hate fruit cake.  Lately though, there is a third group that like to make fun of fruit cakes.  I have to admit that I've never really liked them.  But, I ran across this vintage recipe and found the ingredients interesting.  Thought I'd share it - let me know if you try it....

GRANDMOTHER'S FRUIT CAKE

Place in a mixing bowl

One cup of sugar,

One cup of syrup,

Three-quarters cup of shortening,

Two eggs.

Cream until light and then add

Three tablespoons of cocoa,

One tablespoon of cinnamon,

One teaspoon of nutmeg,

One teaspoon of allspice,

One-half teaspoon of cloves,

Three-quarters cup of black coffee,

Four cups of sifted flour,

Three tablespoons of baking powder,

Two cups of seeded raisins,

One cup of finely chopped nuts,

One-half cup of finely chopped citron,

One-half cup of finely dried apricots,

One-half cup of finely chopped stoned prunes.

Mix thoroughly, then grease the pan and line with three thicknesses of paper. Grease and flour the paper. Pour in the cake mixture and make smooth on top. Bake one and one-quarter hours in a slow oven. Set the baking pan in another one and add one cup of boiling water to the pan in which the cake pan is set.

This amount will make four and one-half pounds of cake, and it may be divided into two pans if so desired.

When the cake is cool, remove from the paper and spread with a good jam or preserve. Set in an air-tight can to blend. When ready to use, wipe the cake with a damp cloth and spread with chocolate or white icing.

Happy Thanksgiving

As another Thanksgiving Day rolls around I realize it’s been a while since I’ve written anything.  I thought I would struggle this year to find something to be thankful for.  Those closest to me know it’s been a difficult and stressful year.  Still, I can’t bring myself to write about any of it here.  These are times that either bring you closer or tear you apart.  I know I’m not alone and that there are a lot of you out there feeling the strain.  Let this year help you remember what is most important as you gather your family around.  They are what is important.  Your love, your friendship is what is important.  Nothing and no one can take that from you unless you let it.  Whatever you are going through this year, do not let it destroy you.  Let it make you stronger.  Gather those you love around you and make this Thanksgiving Day a day to count your blessings and hold on to those you love.

Kentucky Corn Dodgers

KENTUCKY CORN DODGERS

Place in a saucepan

One and one-half cups of boiling water,

One teaspoon of salt,

Two-thirds cup of cornmeal.

Stir to mix thoroughly, then cook for twenty minutes and cool. Form into sticks the size of a bread stick, roll in flour and brown in hot fat.