Old-Fashioned Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad)

Cherry tomatoes are colorful, vibrant, and zesty. So, when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for a cherry tomato salad, I decided to give it a try.

Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) made an attractive presentation, and was tasty. Yellow and red cherry tomatoes are arranged on a bed of lettuce and then topped with a vinaigrette-style dressing.

The recipe called for peeling the cherry tomatoes. A hundred-years-ago tomatoes were often peeled, but, since they are almost never peeled today, I considered skipping that step. However, in the end, I decided to follow the old recipe’s instructions, and peeled the tomatoes. The peeling was a little tedious– but after peeling the first 2 or 3 tomatoes, I got the hang of it, and the rest went quickly.

The salad made a nice presentation and was tasty. The peeling of the tomatoes affected both the look of the salad and the texture. The peeled cherry tomatoes were soft and juicy without the usual firmness of the skins. The tomatoes looked lovely arranged in the bowl, but had a soft, textured look rather then their usual shiny waxy skin. Also, the peeled cherry tomatoes soaked up more of the dressing which added additional flavor.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) — Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

When I arranged the cherry tomatoes, in order to make a circle of red cherry tomatoes around the yellow ones, I needed more red tomatoes than yellow ones. When I updated the recipe, I increased the amount of red tomatoes to 1 1/2 cups, but this is a very flexible recipe, and the the number of cherry tomatoes needed of each color will vary greatly based on the size of the bowl and size of the tomatoes.

I’ve made several recipes this year which called for French Dressing. As I’ve previously indicated, a hundred years ago, French Dressing was a vinaigrette dressing, and quite different from the commercial, orange-colored French dressing that is common today. Here is the French Dressing recipe in the cookbook which contained the Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) recipe:

Recipe for French Dressing — Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

I halved the recipe when I made it. I’ve previously posted this same French Dressing recipe as part of the recipes for Green Bean Salad (with Nasturtiums) and Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad)

Servings: 4 - 5
Time: 30 minutes active prep time
Difficulty: moderate
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water

1 1/2 cups red cherry tomatoes

1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes

French Dressing

heart leaves of iceberg lettuce (or use the leaves of another type of lettuce)

1 clove garlic

parsley, for garnish

Step 1. Put water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Put a few tomatoes at a time into the boiling water, scald for 15-30 seconds. Remove from water and peel the loosened skins from the tomatoes.

Step 2. Put the peeled tomatoes in the French dressing (see recipe below). Put tomatoes in refrigerator to chill and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3. Peel garlic and cut in half, then rub serving bowl with the garlic.

Step 4. Line bowl with lettuce, then put the peeled yellow tomatoes in the center and the red tomatoes around the yellow ones. If desired, sprinkle with additional French dressing.

Step 5. Garnish with springs of parsley.

French Dressing (Vinaigrette Dressing)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

Step 1. Put the salt and paprika in a small bowl.

Step 2. Gradually add the olive oil while stirring constantly.

Step 3. Then slowly add the vinegar, a small amount at a time, while continuing to stir.

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1926 Morton Salt Advertisement

A 1926 advertisement for Morton’s Salt described how iodized salt helped ensure the mental and physical health of children. The information in the advertisement was based on discoveries made a few years earlier. Iodine deficiency is a leading cause of preventable developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as a cause of goiters, which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland.

In the early 20th century, a Swiss doctor discovered that a very small amount of iodine could prevent goiters. It was also found that salt was an effective way to distribute iodine. Salt does not spoil, and iodine in salt remains relatively stable when stored or heated. Since very little iodine needs to be added to the salt, it was a cost effective way to prevent disabilities and goiters caused by lack of iodine. Switzerland was the first country to put iodine in salt.

Soon, there was interest in adding iodine to salt in the U.S. In 1924, the Morton Salt Company began offering an iodized salt.

Eggplant with Cheese on Toast

Usually when I select hundred-year-old recipes to make, I choose recipes that I think look tasty. However, occasionally I’m intrigued by a recipe that seems unusual or unique, and decide to give it a try. This is one of those times.

I had an eggplant and wanted to make a recipe that would use it. I came across a recipe for Eggplant with Cheese on Toast in a 1926 issue of American Cookery magazine. It was very different from any eggplant recipe that I had ever seen – though I got the impression that the magazine editor really liked the recipe because the magazine included a grainy photo of the dish while most recipes did not have photos. In any case, I decided to give it a try.

The recipe called for cooking strips of eggplant, and then adding them to a sauce that included lemon juice and nutmeg. The sauce was then put on toast points to serve, and topped with cheese and a sprinkle of paprika, which made an appealing, interesting presentation.

The eggplant mixture and cheese were delightful toast toppers. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Eggplant with Cheese on Toast was – though the lemon was the predominant flavor.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for Eggplant with Cheese on Toast — Source: American Cookery (October, 1926)

I cut bread slices into points prior to toasting, and then toasted them in a toaster oven after they had been cut – but, they could be toasted prior to cutting. Or, whole slices of bread could be used, rather than making toast points.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Eggplant with Cheese on Toast

Servings: 3-4
Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1 medium eggplant (1/2 large eggplant)

lightly salted water

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

grated cheese (I used cheddar cheese.)

paprika

bread (If desired, it can be cut into points.)

Step 1. Peel eggplant, then cut into half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the eggplant into strips approximately 1/2 inch-wide. (If the eggplant is particularly long, cut the eggplant halves into half to make the strips a more manageable length.)

Step 2. Put water with a small amount of salt into a saucepan; bring to a boil then add the eggplant strips. Reduce heat and simmer until the eggplant is tender. Remove from heat and drain.

Step 3. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Gradually, add the 1 cup water while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, then stir in the lemon juice.

Step 4. Put the cooked eggplant strips into the sauce and gently stir the mixture.

Step 5. If desired, in the meantime, cut slices of bread into points. For each serving, stack 3 slices of bread on top of each other and then cut from one side to the other, starting at one corner and going to the center of the other side. Then toast the toast points in a toaster oven or under the broiler. (Disregard this step if whole slices of bread are used, and instead just toast the bread.)

Step 6. To serve: Arrange the toast points (use 3 per serving) or the toast slices on plates. Top with the eggplant mixture, then sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika.

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Old-Fashioned Peach Ice Cream

peach ice cream

When I was a child, Peach Ice Cream was a favorite on hot sunny days. The sweetness of the ice cream combined with the refreshing tartness of the peaches always hit the spot during the dog days of summer. So, when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for Peach Ice Cream, I decided to give it a try.

This Peach Ice Cream recipe is a winner. The ice cream was easy to make, and it had a lovely peach flavor. It tasted just like I remember, and made a recent hot day seem just a little cooler.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for Peach Ice Cream — Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

I used a small automatic electric ice cream maker to make this recipe, so I halved the recipe when I updated it. If a large ice cream freezer is used, the amounts in the original recipe should be used.

I was concerned that the peach slices might discolor and begin to turn brownish while they sat after the sugar was added; so, even though the recipe didn’t call for it, I also stirred in a little lemon juice.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Peach Ice Cream

Servings: 8 - 10
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups ripe peaches, peeled and slices

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cups half and half

Step 1. Put peach slices, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl; stir to mix ingredients. Let sit for 1/2 hour – 1 hour.

Step 2. Thoroughly mash the peaches. A potato masher can be used to mash the peaches into very small pieces, or the peaches can be briefly pulsed in a blender or food processor. (There should not be large peach chunks or they will harden like ice cubes in the ice cream; conversely, the peaches should not be totally liquified.)

Step 3. Put the mashed peach mixture and the half and half in a bowl; stir to combine. Thoroughly chill the mixture in the refrigerator.

Step 4. Put the chilled mixture in ice cream freezer, and freeze following freezer directions.

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1926 Motor Car Picnic Menu

Family having a picnic — American Cookery (October, 1926)

The number of cars in the U.S. rapidly increased during the 1920’s. By 1926, almost half of the households owned a car, and people were enjoying the freedom that it provided. A popular leisure activity was to have a motor car picnic. People packed elaborate meals into picnic hampers, and then drove to scenic spots for a picnic.

Motor car picnics were the latest fad at the time. I recently was surprised to see information about them in two different 1926 magazines. American Cookery had a menu for a motor car lunch basket, and Good Housekeeping had an article about equipment needed for picnics that contained a photo of a family enjoying a picnic with an auto in the background.

When I read the menu for the motor car lunch basket, I felt exhausted. It must have taken a lot of work for the cook to prepare all the food and other items needed for the picnic.

A Cookbook Helped Build a Dorm a Hundred Years Ago

Organizations often compile and then sell cookbooks as a fundraiser. A cookbook with an especially fascinating story is the Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book. The Grange is an agricultural advocacy and social organization that was founded in 1867. The Grange is organized into four levels: community, county or district, state, and national. There are Grange halls located in many rural areas throughout the U.S. where Grange members hold meetings and events.

There were several editions of the Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book published during the 1920’s that helped raise funds to build a women’s dormitory at Penn State University. The cookbooks contained recipes submitted by Grange members from across Pennsylvania. I have the 4^th edition of the cookbook, which was published in 1926.

Grange members sold 42,000 copies of the cookbooks and donated 30¢ from each sale to Penn State toward the building of Grange Memorial Dormitory which was constructed in 1929-30. The building still exists and is now known as Grange Building. The Division of Undergraduate Studies is now located in it.

Both Penn State and the Pennsylvania Grange are strong advocates for rural areas and agricultural education. In October, 2025, at the 153rd Annual State Session of the Pennsylvania State Grange meeting in Williamsport, the president of the Pennsylvania State Grange, Matthew Espenshade, presented Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi with one of the hundred-year-old cookbooks as a memento of the long relationship between the two organizations.

I have made several recipes from the Pennsylvania State Grange Cookbook this year. They include:

Blackberry Cake

Carrot and Celery Salad

Cherry Custard Pie (with Meringue)

Delmonico Potatoes

Tuna Souffle

Old-Fashioned Raspberry Muffins

Several months ago, I saw a recipe for Raspberry Muffins in a hundred-year-old magazine, and have been anxiously waiting to try it. Finally, the black raspberries in my backyard are ripe, and I dug the recipe out and made it.

The recipe was a winner. The Raspberry Muffins were soft, moist, and tasty. They had just the right amount of sweetness, and a hint of cinnamon which worked perfectly with the sweet tartness of the berries.

I served these muffins with coffee to a group of friends. There was a discussion about whether I used blackberries (that are commonly sold in stores) or black raspberries (which are almost never seen in stores) when making the muffins. At least one person in the coffee group hadn’t even known that there was a fruit called black raspberries until I made the muffins.

The original recipe does not indicate whether red or black raspberries should be used. I used black raspberries, but red ones would also work well.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Raspberry Muffins — Source: Ladies Home Journal (June, 1926)

A hundred-years-ago many families still lived on farms; and, even in towns, much of the milk that was sold was not pasteurized. Back then, if the non-pasteurized milk was not used quickly, the “good” bacteria in the milk would turn it into a sour milk suitable for use in recipes that used baking soda as the leavening agent. Today’s pasteurized milk can be turned into a sour milk by adding a little vinegar or lemon juice to create a slightly curdled acidic milk that results on bubbles of carbon dioxide gas when combined with the baking soda which causes the baked good to rise.

The raspberries are coated with flour to make them less likely to sink to the bottom of the batter while baking.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Raspberry Muffins

Servings: approximately 12
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup raspberries (either red or black raspberries can be used)

1 1/2 cups flour + 2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

3 tablespoons shortening or butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

Step 1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

Step 2. Put the raspberries in a small bowl and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons flour; gently stir/roll the berries to lightly coat with flour. Set aside.

Step 3. Put the milk in a small bowl and stir in the vinegar/lemon juice. Set aside.

Step 4. Put shortening/butter and sugar in mixing bowl, then cream them together.

Step 5. Add egg, soured milk, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; stir to combine.

Step 6. Add 1 1/2 cup flour, and stir until just combined.

Step. 7. Add flour-coated raspberries; gently stir to distribute evenly throughout batter.

Step 8. Grease muffin tins (or use paper liners), and then fill each muffin cup 3/4th full with batter. Bake for approximately 25 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

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