These buns are named for their spiral shape like a snail’s shell – the word “Schnecken” means “snails” in German.
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Tag: 1900s
Spice Roll
This recipe comes from The Settlement Cookbook, first published in 1901. The book was initially created as a charity cookbook to raise funds for the Jewish Settlement House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was so successful that the proceeds of the first two editions were enough to purchase a site for the new Settlement House. The cookbook presents a variety of recipes influenced by German, Eastern European, and Jewish cooking, reflecting the culinary traditions of the immigrants served by the Settlement House.
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Zimmetsterne (Cinnamon Stars)
Zimmetsterne (usually spelled Zimtsterne today) are a traditional German Christmas cookie. The name means “cinnamon stars;” although of course you can make them any shape, they are traditionally made with a star cutter.
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Mock Turkey
Vegetarianism has a long history in the United States, although the word “vegetarian” was not in common usage until around the 1850s. By the 1880s, vegetarian meat substitutes that were meant to mimic the look and taste of meat helped bring vegetarian foods to a wider audience, and vegetarianism was widely promoted as part of a healthy lifestyle.
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Sagamore Hill Sand Tarts
These cookies, most likely named for their sandy appearance, were a favorite of President Teddy Roosevelt. This recipe comes from his wife, Edith Roosevelt, who wrote it on the inside cover of one of her cookbooks. The Roosevelts would serve sand tarts to guests at Sagamore Hill, their beloved hunting trophy-encrusted home.
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Bangor Brownies
In my last post, I made Fannie Merritt Farmer’s molasses brownies, the earliest incarnation of brownies. Chocolate brownies came on the scene just a few years later in the early 1900s, although historians don’t agree on which exact recipe was the first. This 1904 recipe for Bangor Brownies is certainly one of the earliest brownie recipes to include chocolate.
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Yorkshire Parkin
Parkin is a type of oatmeal gingerbread traditionally made in northern England for Bonfire Night celebrations on November 5th.
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Lamington Cake
Lamington cakes, an Australian favorite, are named after either Lord Lamington, governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, or his wife, Lady Lamington. Lamingtons are beloved enough that they are celebrated by an Australian Lamington Appreciation Society and have an official holiday, National Lamington Day, on July 21st.
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Coffee Cakes
After having such success making a 1940s orange coffee cake last week, I thought I’d try my hand at making coffee cakes from the 1902 Mrs. Rorer’s New Cook Book. Unfortunately, this attempt was not successful…whether it was the fault of an over-complicated recipe, using too many substitutions, or just my general ineptitude, I’m not sure. Read on to find out how NOT to make coffee cakes.
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Peach Tea Cake
I was intrigued by the title of Amelie Langdon’s 1903 cookbook, Just for Two: A Collection of Recipes Designed for Two Persons. Many historic recipes I come across seem to be portioned for an army of twenty, forcing me either to reduce the amounts or to eat leftovers for days. It’s refreshing to see recipes sized for only two people.
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History in the Making 