Sunday, November 12, 2006

Retro Recipe Challenge 4 - Fall Favorites

It's my first time at Retro Recipe Challenge, having just discovered it. This is pretty cool; who doesn't love retro food and recipes?

Retro Recipe Challenge number 4 is Fall Favorites. So find a recipe that is perfect for fall that was published between 1920 and 1980 and join in the fun.

I chose what I am sure is my oldest cookbook, The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer.It was published in 1937. Scott bought this for me earlier this year at a book sale. I think he paid 50 cents! Can you imagine?

I love this book; I love to flip through it, smell it's musty old book smell and read recipes that I will never, ever try (Calves Brain Fritters, anyone? Or perhaps Potted Pigeon? Maybe Fried Pigs Feet?).

I chose two recipes that the book recommends for fall: Corn Meal Gem Muffins and Tomato Curry.
I knew the muffins would be good, I mean how can corn muffins not be good? And they were, especially hot from the oven. They didn't rise very high; I am not sure if that is just the way they are or if perhaps I need to replace my baking powder. The tomato curry interested me right away; Scott was not so sure when he saw there was apple in it. IT WAS SO GOOD! We will be having this a lot, I know it.

Tomato Curry
From The Boston Cooking School Cook Book
serves 6 as a side dish

2 tb butter
1/2 tb finely chopped onion
1 sour apple, pared, cored and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup stock (I used vegetable stock)
2 cups tomatos, cut in pieces or canned
1/2 tb curry powder
1 tsp vinegar
salt and pepper
1 cup boiled rice

Cook onion in butter until yellow. Add apple and cook 8 minutes. Add stock, tomatos, curry, vinegar and salt and pepper. Bring to the boiling point, and rice and cook 5 minutes.


Corn Meal Gem Muffins
From The Boston Cooking School Cook Book
makes 12

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tb melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten

Combine dry ingredients. Combine liquid ingredients and add to dry mixture as quickly as possible, mixing only enough to dampen flour. Drop by spoonfuls in buttered muffin pans and bake 25 minutes in a hot oven (400').

Thanks to Laura Rebecca for hosting this excellent event.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just real good!!

Laura Rebecca said...

Thanks for submitting to the RRC4! Your recipes look great!

Anonymous said...

I beg to differ on the how can corn muffins not be good. I made some off of allrecipes that tasted like a salt lick the other day.

Brilynn said...

What a great find! I love old cookbooks.

Morgan said...

Hee. My Indian cooking instructor would be appalled. Hysterically so. Someone once made the mistake of asking about when the curry powder would be added. :)
I just wanted to say I love this idea - I cannot resist buying old cookbooks, I have about a dozen know, and maybe I should try to use them instead of just admiring their prettiness. The only one I use regularly is a cocktail book from 1936.

Sara said...

Tanna - thanks!

Laura Rebecca - hey thanks for hosting!

Peabody - Ok, you're right.

Brilynn - it's a funny book alright!

PW - What kind of coctails do you make?

Lis said...

What a great find in that book, how cool! Both recipes look mighty tasty!

And what were those people thinking way back then??? Calves Brain Fritters?? Ew. Just. Ewww.

lol

Morgan said...

I counted bottles a few weeks ago. In the bar there are 54 bottles of different alcohol, though that does include 5 different types of gin. What cocktails couldn't we make? :) Nah, but the cookbook is really good for interesting old skool cocktails, some of which are a bit much. Lots involving champagne or whiskey. Also a gross cocktail food section in the front with endless pate type recipes, all that look just wrong.

Anonymous said...

What a cool vintage cookbook and Scott only paid 50¢? That's my kind of deal :) I think my oldest cookbook is the 1899 edition of the White House Cookbook.

I love old cookbooks. Did you find anything tucked between the pages? I love finding little treasures tucked between the pages, especially old hand-written recipes. I find a lot of postcards and raffle tickets. I'm always hoping one day I'll find cash. LOL

That's really neat there was a curry recipe in the cookbook. I just wouldn't expect to find one from a cookbook from 1937. The Boston Cooking School was ahead of its time. The tomato curry and corn muffins look great!!!

Sara said...

Lis - I agree with you, but back then I'm sure that was pretty fancy stuff.

PW - That is one well stocked bar!

Emmy, nope, nothing tucked away. It's actually a pretty good cookbook, but I never really expected to cook anything out of it. I'll have to explore it some more and see what else I can find.