“Grandmother’s” Strawberry Whips

Strawberry Whip on plate

The June, 1926 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine had a Crisco shortening advertisement that contained a recipe for Grandmother’s Strawberry Whips. Apparently Strawberry Whips were considered an old-fashioned dessert a hundred years ago.

These old-fashioned Strawberry Whips are sweet muffins that are filled with a whipped cream and mashed strawberry mixture, and then topped with a whole strawberry. The muffins are a cross between shortcake and cupcakes.

This recipe differs from modern Strawberry Whip recipes. (Usually, modern recipes do not include the “s” at the end of “whip.”) Today Strawberry Whip recipes generally make a creamy whipped dessert that does not contain a muffin or cake.

This recipe is a winner. The old-fashioned Strawberry Whips were fun to make, tasty, and made a lovely presentation.

Here’s the original recipe:

Strawberry Whips on tray

recipe for Strawberry Whips — Source: Good Housekeeping (June, 1926)

The old recipes says it makes 16 muffins. I only got 12 muffins. The muffin cups the recipe author used must have been smaller than the ones in my muffin tin.

It’s often difficult to find pastry flour, so I used all-purpose flour when I made this recipe. It worked fine.

Butter can be substituted for the shortening.

I used a 1-pound box of strawberries when I made this recipe, plus a few extra strawberries to garnish the Whips.

The recipe called for 1 cup whipped cream, which does not seem like enough to fill 12 muffins, so I assumed that the recipe meant 1 cup of whipping cream (which would make 2 cups of whipped cream).

I put paper liners in the muffin cups. After baking, I removed the paper liners prior to filling the muffins.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Strawberry Whips

Servings: approximately 12 muffins
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening or butter (softened)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1-pound strawberries + additional whole medium-sized strawberries to top the Strawberry Whips

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar + 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Step 1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

Step 2. Cream shortening or butter, sugar, and salt together until light and smooth.

Step 3. Add eggs, milk, and baking powder; mix until smooth. Then add flour; stir until combined. Add vanilla, and stir until evenly distributed.

Step 4. Put the batter in a prepared muffin tin. If desired, line the muffin cups with paper liners. (After baking, remove the paper liners prior to assembling the Strawberry Whips.) Fill each muffin cup 3/4th full.

Step 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Remove from oven, and allow the muffins to cool.

Step 6. In the meantime, coarsely chop most of the 1-pound of strawberries. (A few medium ones can be reserved for topping the Strawberry Whips. Additional medium strawberries will be needed to get enough strawberries to garnish all the muffins.) Put the chopped strawberries in a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Allow to sit for 15-30 minutes, so that the juice is drawn out of the strawberries, then slightly mash using a fork. Then, drain the strawberries using a strainer.

Step 7. Also, in the meantime, put the heavy cream in a bowl, and beat until stiff peaks form; then sprinkle the 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar on top of the whipped cream and beat a little more to combine the sugar with the whipped cream.

Step 8. To serve, remove the center of the muffins by cutting about 1/2-inch from the edge of each muffin. (Cut about 1/2-inch deep.) Remove the top, then scoop the center out of the muffins. Use care when removing the center, so that the muffin’s shell is not torn.

Step 9. Stir the drained strawberries into the whipped cream.

Step 10. Fill the hollowed-out muffins with the strawberry whipped cream mixture. Heap it up a little so that it nicely tops the muffins. Remove stem and leaves from the medium-sized strawberries, and then press them upside down in the strawberry whipped cream.

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Why Is Mace a Less Popular Spice Than It Once Was?

mace on plate with spice jar People often ask me which hundred-year-old recipes are my personal favorites. Well, one of my favorites is Baked Rhubarb with Orange. I first made that recipe in 2013, and have made it at least once (and often two or three times) each year since then. The recipe calls for mace. I recently needed so buy some more mace in order to make the recipe this year – and I had to go to three stores before I found it.

I was surprised how difficult it was to find mace. It is a commonly used spice in hundred-year-old recipes. Then, I realized that I seldom see it called for in modern recipes, so there may not be much demand for it.

Both nutmeg and mace are made from the seeds of the same tree. Nutmeg is the inner part of the seed, while mace is made from the outer membrane that surrounds the seed. Nutmeg has a warm, nutty flavor, while mace has a delicate, more complex flavor with hints of citrus, cinnamon, and pepper. Mace is more concentrated than nutmeg. Nutmeg can be substituted for mace. Happy Spicy Hour recommends substituting nutmeg for mace at a 2 to 1 ratio. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of mace, use 1 teaspoon nutmeg.

Often when old recipes were tweaked and updated by recipe authors and cooks over the years, nutmeg was substituted for mace. When I made a hundred-year-old recipe for Hermits Cookies, the recipe called for mace. Modern recipes for Hermits generally call for nutmeg.

Baked Rhubarb with Orange in Dish — Baked Rhubarb with Orange

Back to the Baked Rhubarb with Orange — I’m sure that I could have substituted nutmeg for the mace, and would have still loved the recipe; but I’m glad I persevered and found mace. Its bright, delicate flavor works wonderfully when making this delightful dish.

Here are some other hundred-year-old recipes that I’ve made over the years that call for mace:

Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Meringue Pudding

Many fruits and vegetables are available in the dead of winter as a result of amazing modern transportation systems. However, sometimes I get bored with the produce that is available year-round, and crave foods that are available for just a few weeks each year. Rhubarb is one of those foods.

I love the tart, tanginess of rhubarb, and look forward to it each spring. It’s now peak rhubarb season, and I’m enjoying a variety of rhubarb dishes. When I saw a recipe for Rhubarb Pudding with Meringue in a 1926 issue of Good Housekeeping, I immediately knew that I wanted to give it a try.

The Rhubarb Pudding with Meringue was delightful and made a lovely dessert. It is basically a bread pudding topped with stewed rhubarb and meringue.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Rhubarb Meringue Pudding — Source: Good Housekeeping (May, 1926)

Borden advertised in Good Housekeeping, and that company’s evaporated milk is specifically listed in the recipe. When I made the recipe, I used evaporated milk and water, though it would work fine to instead use 2 cups of milk.

The recipe calls for stewed rhubarb. During the years when I was posting my grandmother’s diary entries, I posted an old family recipe for stewed rhubarb. I used a reformatted version of that recipe to make the stewed rhubarb.

The ingredient list calls for “1/2 lemon, grated rind.” The directions are unclear, but I interpreted this to mean that the recipe calls for both the juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon. The recipe directions do not indicate when lemon juice should be added, so I just added it at the same time that I added the lemon rind.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Rhubarb Meringue Pudding

Servings: 6 - 8
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup evaporated milk + 1 cup water (or use 2 cups milk)

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (tear bread into 1/2-inch pieces)

1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

grated rind of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup stewed rhubarb (See recipe below – or use left-over stewed rhubarb made using another recipe)

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2. Put the bread crumbs in a bowl, then stir in the evaporated milk and water (or the milk if that is what is being used). Let soak for 5 – 10 minutes.

Step 3. Add 1/2 cup sugar, slightly beaten egg yolks, butter, salt, grated lemon rind, and lemon juice; stir just enough to evenly disperse the ingredients.

Step 4. Put the bread pudding mixture into a 9-inch by 9-inch (or similar-sized) baking dish.

Step 5. Put in oven and bake until firm in the center and lightly browned (about 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes). Remove from oven.

Step 6. In the meantime, make the stewed rhubarb (see recipe below), or use left-over stewed rhubarb made using another recipe.

Step 7. Also, in the meantime, make the meringue. Place egg whites in a bowl, then beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the 1/4 cup of sugar while continuing to beat.

Step 8. Spread the stewed rhubarb on top of the baked bread pudding, then spoon the meringue on top and swirl decoratively. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F. Return dish to oven and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Can be served hot or cold.

Stewed Rhubarb

This recipe makes approximately 1 cup of stewed rhubarb.

2 cups rhubarb (cut into 3/4 inch pieces)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Step 1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a saucepan.

Step 2. Using medium heat, heat to boiling, then reduce temperature and simmer until tender (about 5 minutes); stir occasionally. Remove from heat.

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A Salad a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

salad in bowls — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

I always heard the old saying that an apple a day keeps that doctor away, so I was surprised to see a “new’ version of the saying in a hundred-year-old cookbook. According to the cookbook, “a salad a day keeps the doctor away.”

Salads

Salad is to the human being what sunshine and air is to the plant. Just as the plant draws its color and freshness from the earth, so do you and I get the color in our cheeks and brightness in our eyes from the plants we eat. The very best way to get all of the good of the plant is to eat it in its crisp, delicious raw state.

Whenever it is possible, I do not remove the skin from the plants or fruits used in a salad, for the mineral salts and vitamins lie close to the skin and we cannot afford to miss them. I simply wash the vegetable or fruit very clean and chop it fine. The skin too often adds an attractive color which gives pleasure, as does the red skin of an apple.

The new adage says, “A salad a day keeps the doctor away.”

Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

Apples. . . salads. . . perhaps the bottom line is that healthy eating keeps the doctor away.

Old-Fashioned Eggs Beauregard

Eggs Beauregard in baking dish

Many recipes evolve across the years. Eggs Beauregard is a recipe that has changed. According to Wikipedia, it historically was hard boiled eggs in a cream sauce, while it now is generally a dish containing biscuits with gravy, fried eggs, and sausage. However, the recipe for Eggs Beauregard that I found in a hundred-year-old cookbook is made by putting spinach in a cream sauce, adding eggs, and then topping it with cheese. Eggs Beauregard on Toast

I don’t know why the old recipe I found is different from the Wikipedia descriptions of both the old and modern versions of Eggs Beauregard, but I’m glad I made this recipe. It’s a keeper. It’s tasty, and makes a beautiful breakfast or brunch dish.

My husband said that I should make Eggs Beauregard again, which is a high compliment from him.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Eggs Beauregard — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

When I made this recipe, I assumed that it called for 2 cups of cooked spinach. A 9-ounce bag of fresh spinach makes about 2 cups of cooked spinach. (Frozen or canned spinach could also be used.) It is important to heat whichever type of spinach is used; otherwise, this dish would need to be baked for more than 20 minutes.

The recipe doesn’t call for salt and pepper, but I sprinkled a little on the eggs since eggs are often topped with salt and pepper.

I did not want the eggs to spread out over the spinach, so for each egg, I pushed the spinach aside to make a hole. I used canning jar rings to keep the hole open until I put the egg in it. Once I placed the eggs in the holes, I removed the rings.

Making Eggs Beauregard

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Eggs Beauregard

Servings: 2 - 4
Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups cooked spinach, chopped (A 9-ounce bag of spinach makes about 2 cups when cooked. Frozen or canned spinach could also be used.)

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

4 eggs

salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated cheese

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2. If using fresh spinach, wash and chop; then put in a pan with the water that is clinging to the spinach. Using medium heat, cook until the spinach wilts. (If using frozen or canned spinach, heat the spinach.) Remove from heat; and, if needed, drain to remove excess liquid.

Step 3. In the meantime, in another pan, using medium heat, melt butter, then stir in the flour. Gradually, add the milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the white sauce begins to thicken.

Step 4. Stir the white sauce into the spinach.

Step 5. Put the spinach mixture in a flat baking dish. (A 9 inch by 9 inch works well.)

Step 6. Make four holes in the spinach where the eggs can be placed, then put an egg in each hole. (I used canning jar rings to keep the holes open. Once the eggs were placed in the holes, I removed the rings.) Sprinkle salt and pepper on each egg.

Step 7. Sprinkle with grated cheese, then bake in the oven until the egg whites are opaque and set (about 20 minutes). Remove from oven and serve.

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1926 Dandy and Joy Chopper Advertisements

Dandy Food Chopper Advertisement — Source: American Cookery (October, 1926)

Advertisements in hundred-year-old magazines provide insight into cooking practices and the culture back then. I recently flipped through the October, 1926 issue of American Cookery, and found an advertisement for a Dandy Chopper. Cooks clamped the food choppers onto a table to grind meats and other foods. I flipped a little further and was surprised to find a second advertisement for a food chopper.

Joy Food Chopper Advertisement — Source: American Cookery (October, 1926)

At first, I thought that both advertisements were by the same company, but then I realized that one was for the Dandy Chopper, which was made by the New Standard Corporation in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, while the other was for the Joy Chopper, which was made by the Rollman Manufacturing Company in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.

What the heck? Was Mount Joy the Silicon Valley of food choppers a hundred years ago?

Apricot Torte (Apricot Upside Down Cake)

We had friends over for dinner last week-end. I wanted to make a tasty dessert that made a lovely presentation, and that was relatively easy to prepare (and, of course, it had to be a hundred-year-old recipe). I flipped through my old cookbooks and found a recipe for Apricot Torte (Apricot Upside Down Cake) in a church cookbook from Culbertson, Nebraska that looked like it might fit the bill.

This recipe is a winner. I feel certain that I will make it again. The Apricot Torte (Apricot Upside Cake) looked wonderful, and tasted even better. It only took me a few minutes to prepare the cake batter and arrange apricot halves and chopped walnuts for the topping, and then it baked in the oven while I set the table and did other things to prepare for the dinner.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Apricot Torte (Apricot Upside Down Cake) — Methodist Ladies Aid Cook Book (Culbertson, NE: 1926)

I’m clueless how much butter is in a “cube” of butter. I decided to use 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter, and that worked well.

I interpreted a “heaping teaspoon baking powder” to be 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Apricot Torte (Apricot Upside Down Cake

Servings: 8 - 10
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 can apricots (15 – 16 ounce can), drained

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Step 2. Melt 1/2 cup butter in an oven-proof skillet that is about 10-inches in diameter; add brown sugar and stir. Remove from heat, and evenly space the apricot halves (cut side facing up) in the skillet. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts around the apricot halves. Set aside.

Step 3. Put the egg, sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a mixing bowl; beat until mixed. Add the milk, flour, and baking powder; beat until smooth.

Step. 4. Evenly pour the batter over the apricots and walnuts.

Step. 5. Put in oven and bake until a wooden pick comes out clean (about 35-45 minutes). Remove from oven. Let partially cool for 10 minutes, then invert the skillet on the serving plate.

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