The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-09-28
= OLD TIME RECIPES.
BY Louis Role.


If there are any distinctively American
dishes they are those prepared by
recipes used in New England years ago.
Consult those authorities and you will
find the use Of ginger one of the most
common but of about one hundred Of
these old time recipes that have come
under my observation I have selected
the following l know to be excellent and
append them with some hints for their
use.
If in making ginger bread the dough
becomes too stiff before it is rolled out
set it before the fire. Snaps will not be
crisp if made on a rainy day. 4inBer
bread and cakes require q moderate
oven, snaps a quick one If cookies or
snaps become moist in keeping put them
into the oven for few minutes. Always
use molasses, never syrups. Soda is
used to act on the spirit" Of the mo-
lasses. In making the old fashioned,
soft, square cakes of ginger bread put
portion of the dough on well-foured
tin sheet, roll evenly to each side, trim
off evenly around the edges, and mark
Off in squares with a Toured knife or
wheel cutter. In this way the dough may
be softer than when it is necessary to
pick up to remove from board after
rolling and cutting Always have the
board wen covered with flour before roll
ing all kinds of soft ginger breads, as
they are liable to stick and should al
ways be mixed as soft as they can be
handled.
PEACH PIE.
Line a pie plate with puff paste, fill
with pared peaches cut in halves or
quarters, we'll cover with sugar, put on
upper crust and bake; or make as above
without upper crust, bake until done, re-
move from the oven, and cover with a
meringue made with the whites of two
eggs beaten to a stiff froth with two
tablespoonfuls powdered sugar; return
to the oven and brown slightly. Canned
peaches may be used instead of fresh in
the same way.
OYSTER CANAPES.
Finely chop a dozen oysters, put them
in a saucepan with a teaspoonful of
cracker dust, or finely grated bread
crumbs, a lump Of butter the size of a
walnut and one-half a teaspoonful Of
thick cream. Season with salt and
pepper, stir the mixture over the fire and
let it simmer a few minutes. Cut some
slices of bread about one-fourth thick,
butter them and put them on a hot dish.
Pour over the mixture and serve at once.
PUMPKIN PIE.
Stew pumpkin (cut into small pieces
and pared IN q half pint of water, and
when soft mash with potato masher very
fine, let the water dry away, watching
closely to prevent burning or scorching.
For each pie take one well beaten egg,
half a cup of sugar, two tablespoonfuls
pumpkin, half a pint rich milk, and
little salt; stir well together and season
with cinnamon or nutmeg. Bake with
an undercrust in a moderate oven.
GINGER DROPS.
Half a cup each sugar and butter
(creamed together), a cup of molasses,
one teaspoonful each Of cinnamon, gin
ger and cloves, two tablespoonfuls soda
dissolved in a cup of boiling water, and
two and a half cups of flour; add two
we'll beaten eggs the last thing before
baking. Baked in gem tins or as a
common ginger bread, and eaten warm
with sauce, they make q nice dessert.
SPONGE GINGER BREAD.
One cup sour milk, and one of mo-
lasses, half q cup of butter. two eggs, one
teaspoonful soda, one tablespoonful Of
ginger and flour enough to make as thick
as pound cake; put butter, molasses and
ginger together, make them quite warm,
add the milk, flour eggs and soda and
bake as soon as possible.
SOFT GINGER BREAD.
One and one-half cups molasses, one
half a cup each Of brown sugar. butter.
and sweet milk, one teaspoonful each OF
soda and allspice, and half teaspoon
full Of ginger; mix all together thorough
~, add three cups sifted flour and bake
in shallow pans
GINGER COOKIES.
One egg, one cup sugar, one cup of mo- !
lasses, one tablespoonful soda and one Of !
vinegar flour enough to roll Roll thin
and bake in a quick oven.
GINGER SNAPS.
Two cups of molasses, one Of lard, one !
tablespoonful each of soda and ginger. !
flour to roll stiff. Roll out, cut and bake
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