Old-Fashioned Harlequin Salad

The iconic novel jazz age novel, The Great Gatsby, was published in 1925. Here’s a description of the foods served at one of Gatsby’s parties:

On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors­ d’œuvres, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys be­witched to a dark gold. In the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten that most of his female guests were too young to know one from an­other (Chapter 3).

There apparently were a variety of salads that had “harlequin designs.” I knew that “harlequin” can mean a masked comic character who wears bright clothes, but I was uncertain of the meaning of the word in this context, so I looked it up. According the Cambridge Dictionary, another definition of harlequin is, “fancifully varied in color, decoration, etc.”

“Salads of harlequin designs” sounds beautiful, so when I came across a recipe in a hundred-year-old cookbook for Harlequin Salad, I just had to give it a try. The tasty, colorful, vibrant salad contained shredded red and green cabbage, chopped beets and carrots, peas, and onion in a vinaigrette dressing.

Here’s the original recipe:

Harlequin Salad recipe
Source: Rumford Complete Cookbook (1925)

The recipe called for French peas. I assumed this referred to green peas. It also called for white cabbage. I assume this is another name for the typical green cabbage.

I mixed all the ingredients together since the recipe said that “the effect is better if they are mixed,” though I’m intrigued by the possibility of creating an incredible harlequin design by arranging in “heaps.”

Here is the recipe for French Dressing that was in the same cookbook that contained the Harlequin Salad recipe:

French Dressing Recipe
Source: Rumford Complete Cook Book (1925)

Both the salad recipe and the salad dressing recipe called for salt and pepper (or paprika). I only put the seasonings in the dressing, and used 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of paprika (as well as 1/3 teaspoon salt).

And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Harlequin Salad

  • Servings: 5-7
  • Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup green cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup onions, chopped

1 cup green peas (I used frozen peas that had been thawed.)

1/2 cup cooked beets, coarsely chopped (cool before layering in jar)

1/2 cup cooked carrots, coarsely chopped (cool before layering in jar)

dressing (see below)

Put all ingredients (except dressing) in a bowl and lightly toss to mix. Gently stir in the dressing, then chill for at least an hour.

Dressing

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

Put the salt, pepper, paprika, and mustard in a small bowl; stir to combine. Add the olive oil and stir until mixed. Slowly add the vinegar, a little at a time, while stirring continuously with a fork.

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What is Green Corn?

green cornI occasionally see recipes that call for “green corn” in hundred-year-old cookbooks. Over the years, I’ve always skipped over those recipes because I was not sure what green corn was. Well, now I know. It’s corn on the cob (sweet corn). Here’s what it said in a 1925 home economics textbook:

GREEN CORN

In selecting corn for cooking, choose those ears that are filled with well-developed kernels, from which milky juice flows when pressed with the thumb. Cook as soon as possible after gathering.

To boil green corn remove silk and husk from the corn, place the ears in boiling water. Cook the corn until no juice flows from the kernels when pressed (usually from 12 to 20 minutes). Serve whole on a platter. The platter may be covered with a folded napkin.

To bake green corn select 6 ears. Remove the corn from the cob as follows: Cut through the center of each row of grains, slice off the tops of the kernels, and then scrape the pulp thoroughly from the cob. Put in a baking dish, add:

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoonful butter or substitute

1 teaspoonful salt

pepper

Bake in a hot oven (400° F.) 45 minutes. Serve hot.

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

Creole Tomatoes (on Toast)

Tasty, fresh, ripe tomatoes from the garden or farmers’ market are at their peak, so I browsed through my hundred-year-old cookbooks for a tomato recipe. I found a recipe for Creole Tomatoes and decided to give it a try. The recipe called for cutting tomatoes in half, topping with chopped onion and green pepper (and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper), and then baking until hot and tender. The baked tomatoes are served on squares of toast that are surrounded by a lovely sauce made with browned flour.

I knew this recipe was a winner when my husband, after his first bite, said, “This is really good.” The tender,  sweet tomatoes paired perfectly with the slightly bitter and tangy onions and green peppers, while the cayenne pepper added a bit of heat – and the toast and sauce provided additional delightful textures and flavors.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Creole Tomatoes (on Toast)
Source: Rumford Complete Cookbook (1925)

This recipe called for four large tomatoes – which would probably make four (if everyone had two squares of toast and a whole tomato) to eight (if everyone had a square of toast with 1/2 tomato) servings. This seemed like a lot of servings, so I halved the recipe when I updated it (though I did use the total amount of water called for in the original recipe). One-half cup of water was needed to adequately cover the bottom of the baking dish when baking the tomato halves.

I used butter rather than meat drippings when I made this recipe (though bacon drippings might add a nice additional dimension). The recipe called for using a mixture of milk and cream when making the sauce; I just used milk which worked fine, though the sauce was probably slightly less rich than if the mixture had been used.

This recipe called for melting the butter, then stirring in the flour and browning. I think that the usual way to brown flour is to put it in a heavy skillet, then heat using medium heat for a few minutes while stirring constantly, so that is what I did. After the flour was lightly browned, I added the butter and continued stirring until it was melted and combined with the browned flour.

I trimmed the edges off the toast and cut the pieces into squares as directed in the recipe, but whole slices of toast would work fine.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Creole Tomatoes (on Toast)

  • Servings: 2 - 4
  • Difficulty: moderate
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2 large tomatoes

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup green pepper, finely chopped

salt

cayenne (red) pepper

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon butter or meat drippings (I used butter.)

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup milk

4 slices toast

Preheat oven to 425° F. In a small bowl, combine the chopped onion and green pepper. Set aside.

Remove the stem from the tomatoes, then cut them in half crossways. Lay the cut tomatoes (cut side up) in a baking dish. (I used an 8-inch square baking dish.) Evenly spread the chopped onion and green pepper mixture over the top of cut tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper.  Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to put small dabs of butter on top of tomatoes. Pour the water into the baking dish around the tomatoes. Put in oven and bake until the tomatoes are tender and hot (about 20 – 25 minutes).

In the meantime,  put the flour in a small heavy skillet (a cast iron skillet works well). Using medium heat, lightly brown the flour while stirring constantly. When the flour is lightly browned, add the butter. Continue stirring until the butter is melted, and the butter and flour are combined. Slowly stir in the milk and the liquid from the baking pan (after the tomatoes are baked); bring to a boil while stirring constantly.

If desired, remove the crusts from the toast and trim the toast into squares. (Whole slices of toast would also work.)

To serve, put a baked tomato half on each square of toast. Pour the sauce around the toast squares.

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1925 Cartoon

When browsing through hundred-year-old magazines, I always look for food-related cartoons, but seldom find any. I finally found one in the July, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal about baking a pie, but – ouch – it reinforces stereotypes and is very dated. Some things have changed for the better over the past hundred years!

Old-Fashioned String Bean Salad (Green Bean and Radish Salad)

I bought some lovely green beans at the farmers’ market. When I got home, I started looking through my hundred-year-old cookbooks for a good green bean recipe. I found a recipe for String Bean Salad and decided to give it a try. It was different from any string bean salad recipe I had ever previously seen. The String Bean Salad basically was cold cooked green beans coated with a vinaigrette dressing, and then piled in the center of a plate with thinly sliced radishes arranged in a circle around the beans.

The String Bean Salad (or, as I prefer to call this dish, the Green Bean and Radish Salad) made a lovely, attractive presentation. The light and tangy vinaigrette dressing on the beans worked well with the crisp and slightly peppery sliced radishes to create a delightful, flavorful salad.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for String Bean Salad
Home Makers’ Cooking School Cook Book (1925)

I used green beans when I made this recipe.  I thinly sliced 5 medium radishes (about 1 cup sliced radishes).

And, here is the recipe in the same cookbook for French Dressing:

Recipe for French Dressing
Source: Home Makers’ Cooking School Cook Book (1925)

Since the String Bean Salad recipe only called for two cups of beans, I decided that the French Dressing recipe would make more dressing than I needed, so I halved it. For the oil, I used olive oil; and, for the vinegar, I used apple cider vinegar.

Over the years, I’ve made several hundred-year-old French Dressing recipes. All are very different from the modern bright orange French Dressing that is sold in stores today. This old French Dressing recipe is basically a vinaigrette dressing. When I updated the recipe, I called the dressing a vinaigrette since it seemed like a more accurate description.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

String Bean Salad (Green Bean and Radish Salad)

  • Servings: 3 - 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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2 cups cold cooked green beans (Before cooking, remove ends from beans and break into bite-sized pieces.)

1 teaspoon chopped chives or onion (I used chives.)

Vinaigrette Dressing (See recipe below.)

1 cup thinly sliced radishes (4 – 5 medium radishes)

Put the green beans and chopped chives or onion in a bowl; add the Vinaigrette Dressing, then gently toss to coat the beans with the dressing. Put the beans in the center of a plate and arrange the radishes in a circle around the beans.

Vinaigrette Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Put all the ingredients in a small bowl, stir quickly to combine using a  small whisk or fork.

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1925 Tips for Selecting Canning Jars, Lids, and Rings

Here’s some tips in a 1925 home economics textbook for selecting canning jars, lids, and rings:

Glass jars rather than metal cans should be used for home canning. Jars should be constructed so that there is no contact of the fruit with the metal, hence a jar having a glass cover is desirable. A large opening, simple construction, ease in cleaning, and perfect sealing are characteristics of good fruit jars.

Glass jars should be tested before using. Partly fill the jar with water, adjust the rubber and cover, seal, invert the jar. Examine carefully for leakage.

Rubber Rings. – Soft, elastic rubbers should be chosen. It is poor economy to use old rubbers. Rubber after usage becomes hard and inelastic; it may cause imperfect sealing and hence decay of the fruit.

In certain processes of canning, it is necessary to subject the jars provided with rubber rings and covers to long periods of boiling or to the intense heat of a pressure or steam cooker. When such a method is followed it is especially necessary that rubber rings of good quality be used. To meet this requirement, the United States Department of Agriculture advises that rubber rings conform to the following:

  1. Inside diameter of 2 1/4 inches (for a jar of standard size).
  2. Width of ring or flange from 1/4 to 12/32 of an inch.
  3. Thickness of 1/12 of an inch.
  4. Tensile strength sufficient to “stretch considerably and return promptly to place without changing the inside diameter.”
  5. Firm enough so that no crease or break shows after it has been tightly folded.

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

Old-Fashioned Stuffed Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a vegetable that I generally either slice and eat raw or pickle, but there are some recipes in hundred-year-old cookbooks that call for baking them. I decided to give a 1925 recipe for Stuffed Cucumbers a try. The cucumber shells were stuffed with a mixture containing the seedy pulp from the center of the cucumbers, chopped onion, chopped nuts, and egg white. The Stuffed Cucumbers were topped with breadcrumbs and then baked.

The Stuffed Cucumbers were tasty with a nice crunchy texture because of the nuts.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Stuffed Cucumbers
Source: Diamond Jubilee Recipes (1925), compiled by The Sisters of Saint Joseph, St. Paul, Minnesota

This old recipe was very vague regarding some ingredients (like how many cucumbers to use) and very specific about other ingredients (1/2 cup of nuts and 1 egg white).  For the ingredients without amounts listed, I decided to use 3 short, fat cucumbers that I got at a farmers’ market, 1/4 cup of chopped onions, 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs,  1 1/2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. These amounts worked well. I also decided to just beat the egg white until it was foamy, rather than beating until there were stiff peaks, though I am uncertain what the recipe author intended.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Stuffed Cucumbers

  • Servings: 3 - 6
  • Difficulty: moderate
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3 cucumbers (I used short, fat cucumbers, but long ones would also work.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts.)

1 egg white, beaten until foamy

1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350° F. Peel the cucumbers, then put them in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the cucumbers are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and drain. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seedy pulp. Put the pulp in a bowl, add the salt, pepper, chopped onion. chopped nuts, and egg white. Stir to combine.

Put the cucumber shells in a baking dish or baking pan. Fill each half with the pulp mixture. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and dot with small pieces of butter. Put in the oven and bake until hot and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned (20 – 30 minutes).

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