FoodNetArchive

The household (of the Detroit free press)

1886

Page 350

Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Beat the yolks of two or three eggs until light, then add a cup of water and one of buttermilk, two level cups of sifted flour and two level tablespoonfuls of lard. Stir lightly, as beating batter after the flour is added makes it tough. Then put in a half teaspoonful of soda and the beaten whites Of the eggs. Have the irons very hot, grease them with lard and put only enough batter in to have them one-third full. If the waffles do not come out of the irons readily, a little more flour may be added next time. OLD DUTCH WAFFLES. Take one quart of milk, one quart of flour, two eggs, one tablespoon- ful of butter, one-half cent's worth of yeast. Mix the flour and milk gradually, then the yeast. Beat the eggs separately, and let all rise from four to six hours. Heat the waffle iron ; grease the irons with melted lard. When the waffles are baked dip in melted butter and hot water. Have sugar and cinnamon beaten to eat with it. 408 CAKE. CAKE. HOW TO MAKE IT. As good a test of flour as can be had at sight is to take up. a handful and squeeze it tight ; if good, when the hand is unclasped the lines on the palm of the hand will be plainly defined on the ball of flour. Good flour, when made into dough, will never be a clear blue-white, but of a creamy, yellowish tinge, and will not stick to the hand while kneading it. The same rule holds good of all groceries. It is poor economy to buy cheap, coarse sugar. A barrel of pure, clear, granulated sugar will last longer, and therefore in the end be cheaper, than any of the moist cheap browns, or coffee sugars. The pulverized sugar that is considered the only kind to use on fruit and for making cake is tasteless, disagreeable, and so strongly suggestive of adulteration that it requires courage to attempt to use it. Cake can be made just as light with granulated as with pulverized sugar, and far more palatable. In getting ready to make cake the first step is to see that the fire in the range or stove is in good order — burning clearly, and enough of it to last till the cake is baked ; adding coal or wood while the baking is in progress is very injurious to whatever is cooking. Shake all the ashes out, add all the fuel needed, and then there will be sufficient time for it to burn clearly while* the cake is being put together. Be sure that no door is opened or window raised, that is in such direction from the stove that the wind or sun will come across it. No oven will bake well when the wind or sun can strike upon it ; the wind will cool the oven, and the sun deaden the coal and make it look white. A marble slab is excellent, particularly for pastry, and will never grow rough, like wood, by use. But, next to that, a large smooth molding- board is desirable, even when nothing is to be molded or rolled out. It helps to keep all flour, sugar, etc., from the floor and table while cook- ing, and is easily taken to the sink for cleaning, with all the soiled dishes upon it, and that also saves steps and time.