The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-04-15
MAKING OF
ANTE-BELLUM DAYS
How Uncle John Went to Work Each Saturday Morn
ing in Virginia-No Baking Powder or Soda

A FTER the lnishing touches were
IN put on the big Lady Baltimore
"A 1 had just, taken from my gas
range 4 plscud IL In the centre
OF the dining rom table, took seat
BY the window a1d gave a sigh of re-
li6f. II is such b bumpY mysterious
cake that 1 always feel 1 have turned
out Jack Homer pie. My mother
sat by the open Ire and began talking ,
to me. {
Let me tell you how your great /
grandmother made cake v
"oh please do and / shall put a
page IN my recipe book Cake Making
in 1885, "
my mother. was named Nancy Gregg.
She married Capt. James Bowles, Of
Albemarle County, Virginia. She had
little coal-black maid by the name OF
Jane, and little cOal-black dog by
the name OF Trim, whose entire duty In
life seemed to be one continual rolnp
in and out among the rose bushes
which grew I'm profusion ON Grandmas
lawn, Every Saturday was cake-bak-
ing day, and there was never a time
In that spacious. hospitable home when
we were out OF cake.
ION this large, well-cultivated Wiz
gnia estate Uncle John, "a slave. was
known and respected us the cake
maker at the big mousse. The children
felt that he occupied u position second
only to Santa Claus Early Saturday
morning Uncle John would arrive
from the quarters spick. span and
spoilers IN n suit OF white osnaburg.
That was cloth much heavier than
Indian head and was manufactured in
Maine for the use of the negroes OF tho
South. His sleeves were short, his face
clean shavcn aud cooks cap adorned
his closely cropped head, Aunt MIN
erva, the regular cook, went down TO
her cabin and Uncle John became mon-
arch OF the kitchen,
IA fire was I'm readiness IN the big
kitchen fireplace. for all baking was
dono there. With long -handled
shovel kept for the purpose the Goals
were ralSed TO the front and on some
fiat, smooth stones the oven was
placed. From the spring house were
brought the eggs which had been
| placed in cold water the night before.
In tho dining room stood the sugar
| box Like the rest of tho dining room
furniture. this box was made of ma
| hogany. 1t stood on legs. was lined
with zinc and was the size and shape
of a music cabinet OF to-day. 1t held
exactly one hundred pounds.
| "Of course baking powder was un-
| known and soda was not used. In.
later years came saleratus and car
Donate of potash. which was cream OF
| ldlldT lllNtu WIN SOuu. After kntt
housekeepers used homemade baking
powders, consisting of tartarlc acid.
soda and -four. sifted till as fine as
starch. But the llghtness OF Uncle
Johns cakes depended on the eggs.
and they were beaten to froth. Each
pound cake called for one dozen eggs.
and each Saturday called for one
pound cake. to say nothing OF the
cakes baked In enormous muffin mol6s
and pyramids of crisp, brown tea
cakes.
IAN OF the mixing was done in n
piggln which was kept for this purpose.
A piggin was a cedar bucket. AMI this
one had brightly polished brass hoops.
and Uncle John beat his batter over and
over with cedar paddle so the Fir was
with a cedar paddle SO the cir was
driven into the cells. He mace gold
cake, silver. spice. Jelly, sponge, fruit
and-yes, Lady Baltimore. Such we'd
ding cake ] have never seen any
where.
at IS said" concluded my mother,
that an odor recalls past memories
more than anything else and w'sr
could again have a Whit ~ thar Old
Virginia kitchen CO bsk,rC day. II
would he resonR6- OF ny y'rlhood and
a wedding bree sfast c.is morning In
| June"