The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-04-19
An EASTER CARD.
THE SlMNEL CAKE.
A Curious Concoction of Pastry and Good
Thin.s-Origin of tho sialne.

A Curious Concoction of Pastry and Good
Thinss-Origin of tho ,ta1ne.
A very curious old Easter custom in
shropshire and Herefordshire, England, is to
make a rich and expensive cuko called u Bill
mel cake. The cakes oro raised and the crust
is made of fine flour and water with enough
saffron to give it deep yellow color. The
interior is filled with materials Of very rich
plum cake, with plenty of candied lemon peel
and other good things They are made up
very stiff, tied up in a cloth and boiled for
several hours, after which they are brushed
over with egg and then baked. When ready
for sale tho crust is as hard as IL made Of
wood, a circumstance which has given rise to
various stories of the manner in which they
have at times been treated by persons to
whom they were sent as presents, and who
had never seen ono before, one ordering his
simnel to be boiled to soften it, and a lady
taking hers for Il footstool They arc made
of different sizes, as may be supposed from
tho ingredients. Their form, which, as well
as the ornamcntation, is nearly uniform, will
be best understood by tho accompanying cn-
craving, representing the large and small
cakes. One of tho most curious things about
these cakes arc tho tales which have arisen to
explain how they first got their name Some
pretend that the father Of Lambert Simnel
Henry VII, was baker and the first maker
Of simnels, and That in consequence of tho
celebrity he gained by the acts Of his son his
cakes have retained his name.
But much moro curious story is ono that
is current in Shropshire. 1t seems that long
ago there lived an honest old couple, boast
ing the names Of Simeon and Nelly, but their
surnamcs are not known. 1t was their Gus
tom at Easter to gather their children about
them and thus meet together onco q year
under tho old homestead The fasting season
Of Lent was just ending, but they had still
left somo Of the unleavened dough which had
been from time to time converted into bread
during the forty days Nelly was careful
woman, and it grievcd her to waste any
thing, SO she suggested they uso the remains
Of the Lcnten dough for tho basis Of u cake to
resalc the assembled family. Simeon readily
agreed to tho proposal, and further reminded
his partner that there were still some remains
of their Christmas plum pudding boarded up
in the cupboard, and that this might form
tho interior and be IN agreeable surprise to
tho young people when they had made their
way through the less tasty crust. SO far, all
things went on harmoniously, but when the
cake was made subject OF violent discord
arose, Sim insisting that it should he boiled,
| while Nell no less obstiuatc Y cOntentled that
| it should be baked.
| Tho dispute ran from words to blows, for
| Nell, not choosing to let her province in tho
| household be thus intcrfcred WITH jumped
| up and threw the stool she was sitting on 1T
| Sim. who on his part seized u bosom and up-
| piled it with right good will to the head and
| shoulders OF his spouse. She nov seized the
| broom, and the battle becunle SO warm that
| it might have i!nn Il very serious result hutl
| not Nell proposed as Il compromise that tho