Old-Fashioned Creamed Celery with Almonds

A hundred years ago, cooked celery was a commonly served vegetable. Today, not so much. But, when I saw I hundred year old recipe for Creamed Celery with Almonds, I decided to give it a try. The subtle sweetness of the celery was lovely, and sliced almonds added a bit of crunch. I feel certain that I’ll make this recipe again. Making this side dish reminded me how much I enjoy this tasty and nutritious vegetable.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

I used half milk and half celery stock when I made this recipe. This made the sauce lighter and more flavorful.

Creamed Celery with Almonds

Servings: 2 - 3
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups celery, sliced into 1-inch pieces

water

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

1 cup celery stock (Reserve 1 cup of the liquid that the celery was boiled in.)

1/3 cup almonds, sliced

Put the sliced celery in a saucepan; barely cover with water. Bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the celery is tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid.

In the meantime, melt butter in another saucepan, then stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually, add the milk and celery stock while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the white sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the cooked celery and the almonds.

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Do You Have Too Many Kitchen Utensils?

Kitchen utensils on rack I have way too many kitchen utensils with a disorganized drawer filled with soup ladles, spatulas, a pizza cutter, a can opener, plastic and wooden mixing spoons, knives, vegetables peelers, a nutcracker with nut picks, a meat thermometer, and much more. And, that’s just the beginning. I also have a plastic container on a shelf in a bottom cupboard filled with less used kitchen utensils, while my least used utensils are stashed in a box in the basement. A hundred-year-old cookbook stressed the importance of having a few good utensils (and not having a plethora of seldom used ones):

Adequate equipment does not mean having a large number of utensils for every process; it does mean, however, having enough so that the business of cooking does not become too irksome. Beating egg whites with a fork is a long process. It takes so long that as a rule the woman usually becomes tired long before the eggs are beaten enough and the result is an inferior product. An egg beater should be among her kitchen utensils. Hundreds of examples could be given to illustrate just that one point. The other extreme of course is just as bad, and burdening yourself with useless utensils is something to be guarded against. Good housekeeping does not consist of a well-stocked utensil closet. It is better to have a few good utensils and then make each one do as many tasks as possible. It isn’t the number of utensils that counts, but the number of uses to which each can be put that determines the wise choice.

The Home Makers’ Cooking School Cook Book (1925)

Old-Fashioned Sautéed Summer Squash Casserole

Summer squash casserole on plate

Whew – It’s zucchini season and I’m overwhelmed with the squash. So, I started looking through my hundred-year-old cookbooks for a summer squash recipe. I was pleased to find directions for making a Sautéed Summer Squash Casserole. It called for sautéed squash, grated cheese, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and tomato sauce. The casserole directions were part of a recipe for Sautéed Squash, which also contained a possible luncheon menu that included the squash dish.

I decided to make the suggested menu for lunch recently. My husband and I had the Sautéed Summer Squash Casserole, a green salad, bread with butter, and coffee. It was a nice lunch. The casserole was good, with the tomato flavor predominating. Personally, I might have liked the flavor better if the cheese and some of the other flavors had been more noticeable.

My mother-in-law had a zucchini casserole recipe that called for boiling sliced zucchini before adding to the casserole, while this recipe called for sautéing the slices. The squash slices are definitely firmer when sautéed rather than boiled, which makes a nice texture.

Here’s the original recipe:

Sauteed Summer Squash Casserole recipe — Source: The Home Makers’ Cooking School Cook Book (1925)

When I updated the recipe, and throughout this post, I spelled “sauted” as “sautéed.” I believe that is the preferred spelling, though both spellings can be found on current websites.

Since the original recipe does not include amounts, I took a stab at guessing the amounts when updating the recipe.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Sauteed Summer Squash Casserole

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 small summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash, etc.)

1 egg, beaten

1 cup fine white bread crumbs (I tore up 2 slices of bread, and put them in a blender to pulverize them.)

shortening/oil

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar.)

1 1-lb. can tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375° F. Wash and cut the squash into 1/2-inch slices; dip in the beaten eggs, and coat with bread crumbs. Set aside.

Heat 1/2 inch of shortening or oil in a large skillet. Carefully place the breaded squash slices in the pan in a single layer. Depending upon pan size, the slices may need to be cooked in several batches. Sauté for about two minutes or until the bottom side of each slice is lightly browned, then gently turn and fry until the other side is browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Put a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. (I used a 1-quart dish.) Add a layer of the fried squash slices, then add layers of chopped hard-boiled eggs and grated cheese; cover with tomato sauce. Fill the casserole with additional layers of fried squash slices, chopped hard-boiled eggs, grated cheese, and tomato sauce. Bake in the oven until the mixture is hot and bubbly.

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Should Eggs be Washed? 1925 and 2025 Perspectives

Eggs in Box

Today, there is wide variation across countries in whether eggs are washed. Eggs naturally have a coating on them called a cuticle that seals pores in the shell and keeps bacteria out. When eggs are washed, the eggs are very clean, but the cuticle coating is removed and the eggs must be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. In the United States, federal regulations require that eggs be washed and sanitized; therefore, they need to be refrigerated. In many other countries, including much of Europe and Asia, as well as much of Africa and South America, eggs are not washed or refrigerated.

Practices have changed in the U.S. over the last century. A hundred years ago, eggs were not washed until just before using. According to a 1925 home economics textbook that was published in the U.S.:

Washing removes a coating on eggs-shells. This coating prevents the entrance of microorganisms. Hence eggs should not be washed until they are to be used.

School and Home Cooking (1925) by Carlotta C. Greer

Old-Fashioned Lemon Snowballs with Lemon Sauce

Lemon Snowballs with Lemon Sauce

Lemon Snowballs were popular both a hundred years ago and now. They are a lemony dessert that is rolled in powdered sugar. Most modern Lemon Snowballs are a type of cookie that are made by making a dough and then rolling (or scooping) it into balls that are put on a baking sheet. Based on the information in a 1925 cookbook, a hundred years ago Lemon Snowballs were made using a different process. The old recipe called for making a batter, then folding in beaten eggs whites. The mixture is then put into mini-muffin cups that are set in a pan of hot water for baking (similarly to how custards are baked). The old-time Lemon Snowballs are served with a Lemon Sauce.

I decided to give the hundred-year-old recipe a try. The old-time Lemon Snowballs with Lemon Sauce were a delightful very light, lemony, cake-like dessert and the zesty Lemon Sauce was a lovely, flavorful addition.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Lemon Snowballs — Source: Rumford Complete Cookbook (1925)

I bought the cookbook that contained this recipe off eBay. The Lemon Snowballs recipe appears to be recommended by a previous owner of the cookbook. There is a checkmark made with a pencil on the righthand side of this recipe.

This recipe makes about 48 small Snowballs. I didn’t have enough mini-muffin tins to make that many, so I put some of the batter in regular muffin tins – which worked fine, though those Snowballs were much larger.

Even though the recipe calls for serving with a Lemon Sauce, there was no Lemon Sauce recipe in the Rumford Cookbook. Maybe the Rumford Cookbook author assumed that the recipe for Lemon Sauce was so basic that there was no need to include it in the book. I found a Lemon Sauce recipe in an old home economics textbook:

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Lemon Snowballs with Lemon Sauce

Servings: approximately 48
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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3 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

grated rind of 1 lemon

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Put egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat until firm peaks form. Set aside.

Put egg yolks and sugar in another mixing bowl; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add water, lemon juice, and grated lemon rind; beat to combine. Add flour and baking powder and continue beating until thoroughly mixed, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.

Grease mini-muffin cups, then put a heaping tablespoon of batter in each. Place the muffin tin in a pan that contains hot water that is about 1-inch deep. Place the pan (with the muffin tins) in the oven. Bake about 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in center of the Snowballs comes out clean. Remove the muffin tin from pan with the water and let cool slightly for a few minutes, then remove the Snowballs from the muffin cups. Roll the warm Snowballs in powdered sugar. If desired, serve with Lemon Sauce (see recipe below). May be served warm or cold.

Lemon Sauce

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups boiling water

1 lemon (juice and grated rind)

1 tablespoon butter

In a saucepan, mix the sugar and flour thoroughly, then slowly add the boiling water while stirring constantly. Bring to a boil using medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and butter; continue stirring until the butter is melted.

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Hundred-Year-Old Description of a “Mixed Grill”

Picture from magazine article titled "Mixed Grill" — Source: American Cookery (May, 1925)

When I think of the 4th of July, I think of friends gathering, cookouts, and backyard barbeques, so I was excited when I saw an article in a 1925 issue of American Cookery magazine titled “Mixed Grill.” I can’t quite tell if the author is only discussing broiling food in the house or if it is inclusive of outdoor grills. (I picture outdoor grilling becoming popular in the mid-20th century, but maybe some people had an outdoor grill a hundred-years-ago). Here are a few excerpts from the article:

Is a “Mixed Grill” as new to other housewives as it is to me, I wonder?

A “Mixed Grill” is, in short, only a mixed grill. It works out as a combination of almost endless variety, all cooked on the same broiler and leaving only that broiler to be washed – an excellent quality anywhere, and invaluable where time is short and space is limited. As for possible variations, anything edible, not too thick, too small, or too soft may be used. There is no limit, except the taste of the family, and the wit of the cook- also, it must be granted the size of the broiler.

Take, for example, a foundation of chop and potato. My husband has sausage, tomato, and mushroom with his. I have banana (which he detests) with mine, and a shirred egg is slipped in for a guest who is forbidden meat. Except for the chops, all these things are odds and ends, found in the pantry.

The process is simple, but requires more watchfulness and judgment than broiling one thing alone.

A gas broiler is more convenient than coal, as there is no smoke. A broiler with wires closer together than usual is a conveniences, but not a necessity.

Almost everything used in a grill, except tomato, needs to be dipped in oil, and a brush, kept for the purpose, with a cup of oil, is a great help. As a general rule, dry things should be oiled and moist ones egged and crumbed.

Lay the prepared articles on the broiler, putting the thicker ones where they will come directly under the flame. Finish cooking on one side, then pull the pan well out and turn quickly with a broad spatula or two knives, to avoid piercing.

Since, however, the special quality of a mixed grill is the perfection of each individual flavor, simple butter, salt, and pepper are better than a more elaborate sauce.

The grilled articles are necessarily thin, and cool fast, so special care must be taken to have service quick.

American Cookery (May, 1925)

On the 4th, I’m planning to make steaks, roasted asparagus, and roasted green, yellow, and orange peppers. Hmm. . . I guess that is a mixed grill.

Have a wonderful 4th!

Old-Fashioned Praline Ice Cream (Prauline Ice Cream)

bowl of praline ice cream

Summer has arrived and temperatures are soaring. On hot days, nothing hits the spot like ice cream. I came across a hundred-year-old recipe for Praline Ice Cream and decided to give it a try.

The ice cream was delightful with small pieces of pecans and crunchy caramelized sugar brickle.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Praline Ice Cream — Source: The Daily Argus-Leader Home Economics and Cook Book, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1925)

I think that there is a typo in the title of this recipe, and that it is for “Praline Ice Cream” and not “Prauline Ice Cream.”

The recipe called for chopped nuts. Of course, I used chopped pecans. (It just wouldn’t seem like Praline Ice Cream with any other kind of nut.) I did not combine the chopped pecans with the caramelized sugar prior to breaking the caramelized sugar into very small pieces. Instead, I spooned the caramelized sugar onto a buttered plate to cool, then put the pecans in the pan (which still contained a little melted sugar), and stirred for a minute or two. A mortar and pestle could be used to break the cooled praline mixture into very small pieces. I actually used the “pulse” feature on my blender to create the small pieces. I then combined the pecans and the praline pieces. I’m not sure exactly what was meant when the recipe said to sift the praline mixture after it is broken apart, so I skipped sifting.

I did not use a double boiler, and instead just stirred the milk mixture constantly, which worked fine. I always have difficulty with ice cream recipes that call for adding egg yolks to the hot milk. No matter how hard I stir, I end up with small clumps of cooked egg yolk in my mixture, so I strained it after cooking to remove them.

I did not stir the praline mixture into the milk mixture until the ice cream began to harden in the ice cream freezer. My ice cream freezer directions say that nuts, fruits and other additives should be added about 5 minutes prior to the completion of the churning.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Praline Ice Cream

Servings: 6 - 8
Time: 1 hour active prep time
Difficulty: moderate
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1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup sugar

butter

3/4 cup chopped pecans

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup heavy cream

Caramelize 1/2 cup sugar by putting in a small cast iron skillet; put over low heat and stir constantly until the sugar turns light brown. Spoon the caramelized sugar onto a lightly buttered plate and let cool. There will be a little sugar that has liquified still in the skillet; add the chopped pecans and stir for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast the pecans and to coat with the sugar. Once the caramelized sugar has cooled, break into very small pieces using a mortar and pestle (or the pulse function on a blender), then combine with the chopped pecans. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, the egg yolks, and salt. Stir until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Set aside.

In a saucepan, scald the milk using medium heat while stirring constantly. Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg yolk and sugar mixture while stirring briskly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and using medium heat, cook while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and strain to remove any small pieces of egg yolk that clumped together during cooking. Chill in the refrigerator.

Shortly before churning the milk mixture into ice cream, whip the cream to the firm peak stage. Stir the vanilla into the chilled milk mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. Freeze following freezer directions. Add the small pieces of caramelized sugar and pecans about 5 minutes before churning is completed. Continue churning until the caramelized sugar and pecans are distributed throughout the ice cream.

(When I made this recipe, I used a 1 1/2 quart automatic ice cream maker that has a bowl which is frozen in the freezer overnight, but a regular ice cream maker would also work. The recipe can be doubled if a large freezer is used.)

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