Proper Attire When Shopping for Produce

I went to the farmer’s market yesterday. It was a warm day, so I wore my beige shorts, a peach t-shirt, and my old, comfortable, black Clark sandals. I fit right in. Most shoppers were wearing t-shirts – though some had logos. One person had a shirt with a Vikings’ logo, another shirt said University of Minnesota. A teen was wearing a black shirt that said, “”Don’t follow me, I’m lost too.” Many were wearing shorts, others had on jeans, sweatpants, stretch pants, or leggings.

This is very different from a hundred years ago when women (it was usually women back then) shopped for food. Many were homemakers, and shopping was the fun outing for the day (or week). A hundred-year-old photo in the July, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal, showed a woman shopping at a produce market. Fresh vegetables sit in crates outside a small store. She is wearing a tasteful knit sweater suit over a crisp white round-collared shirt, a sophisticated velvet hat decorated with a few feathers, shiny flesh-colored hose, and 1- or 1½- inch pumps. She displayed her prosperity by wearing a fur stole made using a full animal pelt that included the animal’s head and paws.

The picture took me back to my childhood. Each Sunday my family sat on the left side in the fifth pew from the front in a small rural central Pennsylvania church. After all these years, I’m a bit foggy on names, but a family I’ll call the Smith family sat two rows ahead of us. Mr. Smith, a highway contractor, was wealthy by the standards of the isolated area where we lived. His wife, in the spring and on cool autumn Sundays, often topped her church outfit with a mink stole made of four mink pelts, each still with its head and tail. Several of the minks were biting the tail of the mink ahead of it.

My mind would drift away from the minister’s sermon. I was entranced by Mrs. Smith’s stole. It must have cost hundreds of dollars. I dreamed of buying one someday . . . if I ever got rich.

Fast forward, 40 or 50 years. I visited the area where I grew up and, on a lark, went into the Roller Mills Market Place in Lewisburg. It is an old three-story brick flour mill that has been converted into an antique store (aka flea market) with more than 400 venders, each with a small stall. It’s a building where it’s easy to get lost, and time flew by as I looked at old knickknacks, pot and pans, mid-century calendars, tools, and much more.

And, then I turned a corner, and there IT was, draped over an ancient manikin with frizzy, unkempt, blond hair – a mink pelt stole made from four animals with several biting the tail of the one ahead of it. It looked just like Mrs. Smith’s stole. Maybe it actually was Mrs. Smith’s stole. After gasping, I walked over to the manikin, and turned over the attached price tag. $15.

Only $15!! I removed the pelt stole from the manikin and headed to the checkout. I was finally wealthy enough to own a mink stole.

When I got home, I showed it to my husband. He said, “Egad! Why did you buy that?”

I said, “Maybe I’ll wear it a party.”

He said, “I’m not going with you. What would people think? You’ll get into trouble with PETA.”

I said, “That’s silly. These animals were killed years ago. I’m recycling them”

I hung the stole in an empty closet in a bedroom that once had been our son’s room. It’s hung there ever since.

While writing this post, I decided that it was time to give the stole another try. I flung it over my shoulder, and looked in a mirror. I looked great. I decided to go outside to take a photo.

An Excel Energy truck was parked in front of our house and a repairman was fixing a street light. It might just be my imagination, but I think that he gave me a strange look.

I told a friend about the repairman’s reaction. She said, “Next week wear the stole to the farmers’ market. You could be a Glam Gran.”

I thought about it a little, and concluded that I’m not confident enough to wear the stole to the farmers’ market. I’ll never be a Glam Gran. I hung the stole back in the closet.

Oh well. . .I have something that once was a symbol of prosperity, but times change, and that symbol has become flea market junk. I guess that I’ll never look as fashionable as my childhood fashion icon. Sigh. . .I’m just going to have to continue wearing my ratty t-shirts when shopping for vegetables.

Old-Fashioned Mock Nut Bread (Grape Nuts Bread)

A 1925 recipe supplement in a Sioux Falls, South Dakota newspaper contained a recipe for Mock Nut Bread. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try. The “mock nuts” were Grape Nut cereal nuggets.

Grape Nuts is fiber rich, has a crunchy texture, and contains whole wheat and malted barley flour. It has been around for more than 125 years. Originally developed as a health food, Grape Nuts has a long-fascinating history. In 1933, Grape Nuts sponsored Admiral Byrd’s expedition to Antarctica. During World War II, the rations of some troops included Grape Nuts. And, the first individuals to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, brought Grape Nuts with them when they climbed the mountain.

This recipe made a lovely, hearty quick bread. I especially enjoyed eating warm Mock Nut Bread when topped with some of the Pear Honey I recently made.

I liked Mock Nut Bread, but was disappointed that it did not have a nut bread texture or taste. The Grape Nut nuggets soften during baking, and the bread is not crunchy. I also was a little disappointed that the bread was not especially attractive. The Grape Nut nuggets make the top of the bread loaves look lumpy, but maybe that is part of its rustic appeal.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Mock Nut Bread — Source – Home Economics and Cook Book: The Daily Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), Supplement – March 13, 1925

The recipe says to mold into loaves. This recipe did not make a dough thick enough to mold; instead it makes a thick batter that can be poured into the pans.

The original recipe called for adding the flour and baking powder prior to adding the Grape Nuts. I reversed the order when I updated the recipe. It is difficult to fully incorporate the flour and baking powder into the batter after the Grape Nut cereal has been added.

The recipe also says to bake the bread in two “small” bread pans. This does not refer to the small personal-sized bread pans that are available today, but rather to what I call “regular-sized” bread pans (8 1/2 ” X 4 1/2″ X 2 1/2 inches).

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Mock Nut Bread (Grape Nuts Bread)

Servings: 10 - 12
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

Slice of Mock Nut Bread

1 egg

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

4 teaspoons baking powder

4 cups flour

1 cup Grape Nuts cereal

Preheat oven to 350° F. Put the egg, brown sugar, salt, and milk in a mixing bowl; beat until combined. Add baking powder and flour; beat until thoroughly mixed. (The batter will be very thick.) Add the Grape Nuts; stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Pour into 2 prepared regular (not large) bread pans (8 1/2″ X 4 1/2″ X 2 1/2″). Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Partially cool, then remove from pans.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Hundred-Year-Old Tips for Serving and Eating Small Cucumber Pickles (Gherkins)

My sense is that small cucumber pickles, which are often called gherkins, were more popular years ago than they are now. I can’t remember the last time I saw them at a potluck dinner or family gathering, but when I was a child, they were served in lovely relish dishes at every holiday meal. Until I saw a short piece in the 1925 issue of a cooking magazine about how to serve and eat small cucumber pickles, I never thought about whether gherkins were popular a hundred years ago, or if they became popular later in the 20th century.

The magazine provides detailed, but, in my opinion, very confusing information about how to serve gherkins. I think (but am not positive) that the article provides tips for serving them when hosting a dinner at home, as well as how a waitress should serve them at a restaurant or event.

How to Serve and Eat Small Cucumber Pickles

Small pickled cucumbers may be served with meat or fish at a dinner or luncheon, either by placing a portion on the dinner plate, or by having the waitress offer them. Very wee gherkins may be served like olives, for hors d’oeuvres. If the waitress serves them, it should be with a fork or spoon, and if offered as an accompaniment, we think the guest should help themself by means of a fork or spoon, placed in the dish. But if the gherkins are a substitute for olives, and served in the little hors d’oeuvres dishes, they may then be offered to one another by the guests between the courses, and eaten as finger foods, like olives. At a large and formal dinner, the hors d’oeuvres are often offered by the waitress, and a spoon or fork may then be placed in the dish.

American Cookery (February, 1925)

Did you follow all that? It’s hard to believe that serving gherkins was so complicated. Apparently, gherkins were considered a gourmet food a hundred years ago, and many readers were somewhat unfamiliar with them.

Old-Fashioned Pear Honey

Pears are a delightful, but sometimes overlooked, Fall fruit. I recently came across a hundred-year-old recipe for Pear Honey and decided to give it a try. Pear Honey does not actually contain any honey; rather it is a delightful spread that is lovely on bread, toast, pancakes, and other foods. The Pear Honey was sweet with a nuanced tanginess and notes of citrus.

Here is the original recipe:

A hundred years ago many children attended small (often one-room) schools. The original recipe suggests using Pear Honey when making school lunches. Peanut Butter and Pear Honey sandwiches would be a nice change of pace from the usual Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Pear Honey

Servings: 7 - 8 half-pint jars
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
Print

12 Bartlett pears

4 cups water

4 cups sugar

juice from 2 lemons

Peel pears, cut into halves, core, and then grate the pears. Put the grated pears into a Dutch oven or other large pan, and add the water. Do not cover pan. Bring to a boil using medium heat, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 1/2 hour. Stir occasionally. Add sugar, and continue cooking until it is translucent and begins to thicken (approximately an additional 15 – 20 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Ladle into hot one-half pint jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe jar rim and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

1925 Apple Butter Poem

By mid-September 1925, schools were back in full swing. Students often had to memorize poems. The September, 1925 issue of Farm Journal included a “Good Poem to Recite” about apple butter. There was a section in each issue of the magazine that focused on cooking, sewing, and other household topics. Apparently, the Farm Journal editors thought that teachers read the magazine, and might assign the poem to students to memorize and then recite. Some teachers lived with their families on farms; other teachers in rural areas boarded with farm families.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pudding

Chocolate pudding is a favorite around my house, so when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for it (with the twist of topping the pudding with meringue), I just had to give it a try.

The Chocolate Meringue Pudding was rich and creamy, and had just the right amount of sweetness. The delicate and airy meringue with its distinctive crispy exterior almost melted in my mouth and worked well with the chocolatey pudding.

Except for the ubiquitous Lemon Meringue Pie, I seldom see desserts today with meringue toppings. It seems strange to me that meringue seems to be somewhat out of style when it is such a delightful dessert topping.

Meringue looks like it would be hard to make, but it actually is very easy. It only takes a few minutes to beat the egg whites into stiff peaks with an electric mixer, and it is easy to pile the meringue on top of a dessert – and it always looks awesome after the meringue has been lightly browned in the oven. Cooks a hundred years ago would have typically beaten the egg whites by hand or used a hand mixer. It would have taken much longer to beat the egg whites back then – but meringue was more popular back then. Go figure.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Chocolate Meringue Pudding — Source: The Daily Argus-Leader Home Economics and Cook Book (Newspaper Supplement), Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1925)

This recipe makes a relatively small amount of pudding, and was the perfect amount for my husband and me.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Chocolate Meringue Pudding

Servings: 2-3
Time: 55 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
Print

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons corn starch

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate (2 1/2-ounce squares)

2 eggs, separated

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F. Put 1/2 cup milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until combined and smooth. Put the remaining 2 1/2 cups of milk and the baking chocolate in a saucepan. Using medium heat scald the milk while stirring constantly. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture while continuing to stir. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes while stirring constantly. (It is important to stir to the bottom of the pan and to keep the temperature low to avoid scorching the pudding at the bottom of the pan.) Remove from heat.

Put egg yolks in a small bowl and beat with a whisk or fork until smooth. Place a small amount (approximately 1 – 2 tablespoons) of the hot mixture into dish with the beaten egg; stir quickly, then gradually add the egg combination to the hot mixture while stirring rapidly. (The egg yolks are first combined with a little of the hot mixture to prevent them from turning into scrambled eggs when introduced into the hot combination.) Reserve 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar, then add the remaining sugar and salt into the hot mixture; stir to combine. Put the mixture in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, make the meringue. Place egg whites in a bowl, and beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and vanilla while continuing to beat.

Remove pudding from oven and spoon the meringue on top and swirl decoratively. Return to oven and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Can be served hot or cold.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

How to Scrape New Potatoes with a Knife

Recently harvested new potatoes are delectable. These small, very fresh potatoes are so tender and delicately sweet, and have a firm, yet creamy texture. I love them boiled, roasted, and in potato salads, especially when the skin has been scraped, and there are colorful bits of skin still clinging to the potatoes.

According to a 1925 home economics textbook, School and Home Cooking by Carlotta A. Greer, potatoes are prepared for boiling by paring “them as thin as possible, or in the case of new potatoes, scrape them.”

My mother and grandmother taught me to scape potatoes with a paring knife, and it is very easy to do. The feathery skin is so different from the leathery skin of older potatoes. When I was recently scraping potatoes, it dawned on me that I never taught my children how to scrape them. In the big scheme of things, this is probably a minor omission, but it made me wonder if people commonly scrape new potatoes today. When scraping new potatoes, the potatoes should first be washed. The potatoes are then scraped by holding a paring knife at angle where the blade is dragging slightly against potato. The blade is then pulled across the potato to remove the skin. After the potatoes have been scraped, they should be rinsed to remove loose skin fragments. If desired, the potato eyes can be removed with the tip of the knife. It’s okay if some of the skin remains.