1925 “Charles Dickens” Christmas Menu + Recipe for Apples Stuffed with Prunes and Nuts

For close to two hundred years, the story of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has been told and repeated. It was published in 1843, and its story of redemption and transformation has resonated ever since. Some people today even host Dickens’ themed dinners with classic foods based on the cuisine in the book. For example, Food and Wine provides guidance on how to serve Scrooge’s menu on Christmas.

Amazingly, people have been hosting dinners with menus based on the foods in A Christmas Carol for at least a hundred years. A menu for a Charles Dickens Christmas Dinner appeared in the December, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal. It included roast goose, boiled onions, mashed potatoes, plum pudding, and other foods. A companion article described how to roast and carve a goose.

In the old magazine, there were red-tinted apples stuffed with chopped prunes and nuts in the foreground of an image of the roast goose. The articles included directions for making the stuffed apple garnish:

Recipe for Stuffed Apples — Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1925)

I had no desire to roast a goose, but I was fascinated by the stuffed apple garnish. The directions called for tinting peeled apples red, poaching them, and then stuffing them with chopped prunes and nuts. I decided to try making a few stuffed apples.

The Stuffed Apples with Chopped Prunes and Nuts were a vibrant red, and would make an impressive garnish or dessert. They were very tasty with a lovely mix of tastes and texture. When I got ready to eat an apple, I cut it in half, and was amazed how beautiful the white interior of the apple looked against the red background of the parts of the apple that had the red coloring. An optional way to present the apples would be to cut them all in half.

The old directions were for twelve apples. I didn’t want that many, so when I updated the recipe, I reduced it to 3 apples. For the syrup that the apples are poached in, I divided the amount of sugar by three, but proportionately used more water than in the original recipe. I did this because even though I made fewer apples, I still needed sufficient syrup to successfully poach the apples. I also had some issues with the syrup getting too thick if I didn’t add additional water.

The old recipe doesn’t identify what type of nuts to use. I used walnuts.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Apples Stuffed with Prunes and Nuts

Servings: 3 apples
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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3 apples (Use a variety that maintains shape when cooked. I used Honeycrisp.)

6 prunes

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sugar + additional sugar to sprinkle on top

1 cup water + additional water to cook prunes

1/2 teaspoon liquid red food coloring (Adjust amount if very light or dark red apples are desired.)

Peel and core the apples. Combine the sugar and water in a pan that is large enough to hold the apples; bring to a boil using medium heat. Stir in the red food coloring, and add the apples. Reduce heat so the syrup very gently boils while the apples poach. Periodically roll the apples to get them evenly colored. Add additional water if the syrup gets too thick. The lid can be put on the pan to help the apples cook more evenly. Cook until the apples are just barely tender (and not so long that they begin to fall apart).

In the meantime, put the prunes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain and chop the prunes. Combine the chopped prunes and chopped walnuts. Set aside.

Line a dish or pan that can be put under the broiler with foil. Set the cooked apples in the lined dish and stuff with the chopped prune and walnut mixture. Sprinkle sugar on top of the stuffed apples. Put under the broiler and broil until the sugar melts (1 – 2 minutes).

The stuffed apples can be served whole or cut in half before serving. They work well as either a garnish or a dessert.

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Mignons Cookies Recipe

I recently found a hundred-year-old recipe for Mignons, and decided to give it a try. Mignons are almond cut-out cookies. The cookie dough contains ground almonds, as well as a little cinnamon; and, there are chopped almonds on the top of the cookies.

Mignons Cookies on plate The name of these cookies seemed a bit confusing to me. I wasn’t sure what “mignon” meant, but kept thinking of Filet Mignon, so looked up the definition of “mignon.” According to Dictionary.com, mignon means “small and pretty; delicately pretty.” It’s an apt description of these cookies. They are visually appealing, light, and tender cookies.

The Mignons had a lovely almond flavor, with just a hint of cinnamon. They would be perfect with a cup of coffee, or on a holiday cookie tray.

Here’s the original recipe:

Mignons Cookies on plate Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Mignons Cookies

Servings: approximately 36 cookies
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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½ cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar + additional sugar to sprinkle on top of cookies

3 eggs, separated

¼ cup sliced almonds, ground fine (They can be ground with a blender or food processor) + approximately 2/3 cup sliced almonds, chopped

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

milk, if needed

Step 1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

Step 2. Put butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, then cream. Stir in the egg yolks, then the ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder, and vanilla. Add the flour, stir to make a dough that can be rolled. (If the dough is too dry add a small amount of milk).

Step 3. Put the dough on a prepared surface, and roll the dough until it is ¼ inch thick, then cut with a cookie cutter. (Relatively small cookie cutters that are basic shapes work best.) Put the cookies on a plate and brush the cookie tops lightly with egg white, then sprinkle chopped almonds and sugar on the cookies; press firmly to ensure that the almonds stay put. (It works best to put the almonds on before the sugar.)

Step 4. Put the cookies on a greased cookie sheet, then put in oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

1925 Practical Christmas Gift Suggestions

1925 gift ideas — Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1925)

Social media and online retailers offer lots of Christmas gift suggestions. Similarly, a hundred years ago people turned to magazines when looking for gift suggestions. The December, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal included an infographic advertisement that contained “practical Christmas gift suggestions.” for “Universal” products from Landers, Frary, and Clark.

Text about Christmas gift suggestions — Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1925)

1925 Christmas gift ideas — Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1925)

Old-Fashioned Potato Griddle Scones

Potato Griddle Scones on plate

Old-fashioned, thick and fluffy Potato Griddle Scones are perfect for cozy winter breakfasts. I recently found a delightful hundred-year-old recipe for them that puts me in the mindset of cooks back then.

Cooks a hundred years ago cooked almost every day, and wanted quick and easy recipes that used inexpensive ingredients while satisfying a hungry family. Potato Griddle Scones fit the bill for those frugal cooks. The recipe calls for mashed potatoes, and are a perfect way to use left-over mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are mixed with flour, milk and a few other basic ingredients, and the scones take just a few minutes to make.

The old recipe called for rolling the dough into a circle that is 3/4 inch thick, cutting into triangles, and then cooking on a griddle or in a skillet. This results in lovely, thick scones. They are thicker than many modern Potato Griddle Scones. I can picture cooks a hundred years ago making these scones in a cast iron skillet with a large family clamoring in the background for breakfast. Satisfying amounts of the scones could have been quickly made and ready to eat, as compared to the slower process of cooking just a few thin pancakes at a time on a griddle or skillet with limited space on the top.

Warm Potato Griddle Scones are lovely with a little jam or butter smeared on them. They also make a nice lunch or dinner quick bread.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for Potato Griddle Cakes — Source: The Rumford Complete Cook Book (1925)

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Potato Griddle Scones

Servings: 4 - 6
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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3/4 cup mashed potatoes

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons shortening or butter (softened) (I used butter.)

1 egg, lightly beaten

approximately 1 cup milk

Step 1. If the mashed potatoes are refrigerated and cold, warm them slightly to soften them. (I put them in the microwave for a few seconds.) Set aside.

Step 2. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the butter, mashed potatoes, and egg, then stir to combine. Add about 2/3 cup milk and stir to mix. If the dough is too thick, add additional milk to create a dough that is a nice consistency to roll. (If the mashed potatoes contained milk, probably less than 1 cup of milk will need to be added.)

Step 3. Divide the dough in half. Roll half of the dough on a prepared surface into a circle that this approximately 3/4 inch thick, then cut into sixths to create triangles. Roll other half of dough, and cut into triangles.

Step 4. Grease griddle or a large skillet, then heat using medium-high heat. When hot, put the triangles of dough on the griddle or skillet. Cook until lightly browned (about 3-4 minutes), then flip and cook on the other side.

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Who Carved the Turkey in 1925? . . . and in 2025?

Table and plates with roasted turkey — Source: Ladies Home Journal (November, 1925)

Many things have changed over the past hundred years, while other things have remained the same. Who carved the Thanksgiving turkey in 1925 and who carves it now?

A hundred years ago, the hostess cooked the turkey, while her husband, the host, generally carved it. According to an article in the November, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal:

The platter serving the royal turkey should be placed in front of the host. . . The hot dinner plates are placed in two piles in front of the carver. To make room for the carving the host very quietly moves his water and cider glasses and salad plate to one side.

. . . Thus the hostess is left free after she has placed the platters of turkey and vegetables to see that everyone’s desires are cared for.

The belief that the host carved the turkey was reaffirmed by the iconic 1943 cover of Saturday Evening Post that showed an older woman wearing an apron setting a huge turkey in front of an older man with carving cutlery laid out in front of him. Later there were movies such as the 1989 classic, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation where host Clark Griswold carves the turkey, which reinforced the concept that the host carved the turkey at holiday gatherings.

Families, however, sometimes developed their own family traditions. In our household, my husband and I jointly carve the turkey in the kitchen before bringing the sliced turkey to the table. More recently our children and children-in-laws sometimes help with the carving.

The author of a recent Today post wrote:

With gender no longer a determinant in who should wield the carving cutlery, my suggested descending pecking order is as follows:

The one with the sharpest skills

The one who craves the honors

The one who did the cooking

And if all else fails? The adult victor of the previous year’s wishbone contest.

Old-Fashioned Giblet Gravy

Giblet Gravy in gravy boat

A hundred years ago when cooks were making turkey or chicken gravy, they often added chopped giblets (gizzard, liver, heart, neck) to the gravy. I always assumed that they added the giblets because they were frugal and did not want to waste anything, but after making Giblet Gravy using 1925 directions, I now realize that my assumptions were not totally accurate. Those cooks, so many years ago, may have been frugal, but they also knew that the giblets added lovely, complex flavors and textures to the gravy while making it rich and savory.

Over the years, when selecting recipes to make, I skipped over Giblet Gravy recipes. I had bad memories of the Giblet Gravy my mother and grandmother made when I was a child (though I’m not sure that I ever actually ate any of it), and I had little interest in trying a hundred-year-old recipe for Giblet Gravy. But this year, I came across a 1925 Thanksgiving menu in an old issue of Ladies Home Journal that listed Giblet Gravy as one of the foods on the menu, so I finally decided that it was time to give it a try. And, I am glad that I did. This classic gravy is a delightful comfort food that is lovely on mashed potatoes, slices of turkey, and stuffing.

The directions for making Giblet Gravy were somewhat scattered in a 1925 cookbook that I have, but here are the original directions for cooking giblets and making the gravy:

Recipe for Giblet Gravy — Source: The Home Makers’ Cooking School Cook Book (1925)

Today, the giblets typically packaged with a turkey or chicken include the gizzard, liver, heart, and neck. The membrane with the “grist” generally has already been removed from the gizzard, so that does not need to be removed. The old recipe also mentions the bladder – but I did not include it when I updated the recipe. I also did not include the wing tips or the claws in the updated list of ingredients.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Giblet Gravy

Servings: 8 - 10
Time: 20 minutes active prep time
Difficulty: moderate
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giblets from one turkey or chicken (gizzard, heart, liver, neck)

water

liquid and drippings from pan that the turkey or chicken was cooked in

4 tablespoons flour

salt and pepper

Step 1. The giblets can be cooked while the turkey or chicken is roasting. Put the giblets in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Put on the stove and bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 1 – 2 hours). Additional water can be added during cooking if needed to keep the giblets covered during cooking. Remove from heat and take the giblets out of the broth. Reserve the giblet broth. When the giblets are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the neck and any gristle from the gizzards, then chop the cooked giblets.

Step 2. When the turkey or chicken is removed from the oven, pour the liquid and pan drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl. Scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the drippings. Let it settle and cool a little, then skim 4 tablespoons of fat off the top of the liquid. (Any additional fat can be skimmed off the top of the broth and discarded.)

Step 3. Combine the broth and drippings from the turkey or chicken with the broth from cooking the giblets.

Step 4. Put the 4 tablespoons of fat in a saucepan. Heat using medium heat, and stir in the flour. Gradually add 2 cups of the combined turkey and chicken broth/drippings, while stirring constantly.

Step 5. Bring to a boil while continuing to stir constantly. If the gravy is too thick add additional broth. If the gravy is still too thick, and additional liquid is needed, add water until the gravy is the desired consistency. (If the gravy is lumpy, strain, then return to pan.)

Step 6. Stir in the chopped giblets, then continue heating until the gravy again boils.

Step 7. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and serve.

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1925 New York City Milk Bar

Why isn’t milk a popular drink option in restaurants, at sports events, and at other places where beverages are served? Coffee bars and shops are ubiquitous, and juice bars exist for those seeking healthier options. Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages (as well as mocktails) can be enjoyed at restaurants and bars. but a cold glass of milk is seldom featured as a drink option. “Milk mustache” ads once promoted drinking milk, but I haven’t seen one in years.

A hundred years ago, the U.S. was in the middle of the prohibition era, and people were looking for other drink options. According to a short article in the September, 1925 issue of Farm Journal, there was a “milk bar” in New York City’s Grand Central Station:

Article about NYC Milk Bar — Source: Farm Journal (September, 1925)

Did commuters in their business suits and dresses grab a quick glass of milk on their way to and from work? Maybe families visiting the city’s museums had some milk before catching the train home. And, maybe stylish people downtown for a day of shopping balanced a glass of milk while toting bags filled with the latest fashions.

In order to learn more about this counter selling milk in Grand Central Station, I searched for additional information, but had little luck – though I discovered that there now is a chain of bakeries called Milk Bar (including the company’s flagship bakery in New York City) that are not known for their milk, but rather for “compost cookies” and other sweets.

I want to believe that the original milk bar in Grand Central Station was a huge success, but the fact that I can find nothing to corroborate the Farm Journal article makes me think that it may not have lasted long.

Still, in our current era, when poor nutrition is endemic, maybe there is a need to once again have actual milk bars where milk is promoted as a popular drink of choice.