Over the past few years I’ve been collecting a vintage, pamphlet-style magazine called Cooking Club: The Practical Cooking Magazine. Now that I have an issue for each month of the year, I’ve decided to share a monthly Cooking Club recipe with all of you. The pages of Cooking Club are filled with editorials, ads and stories. Most of the content is hilariously out of date; in fact, some of it is downright offensive when taken out of the historical context and social climate of America in 1905. And yet, a few of the editorials are surprisingly ahead of their time. The January 1905 issue is no exception. I’ve included some of my favorite tidbits here.
1905 was the year Albert Einstein worked on developing the theory of relativity, Las Vegas was founded, and German spy and exotic dancer Mata Hari made her big stage debut. It was the second year of the Russo-Japanese War. Several fascinating personalities were born in 1905 including Greta Garbo, Christian Dior and Howard Hughes. What were they all eating? Cooking Club gives us many clues, from recipes to full menus. Each issue includes menu suggestions for the month, including dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are the suggestions for January 1905. I love scanning through to see what people were eating at the time. Popcorn with cream, hot clam cocktails, jelly fritters and brick ice cream all make an appearance here.
One column in the magazine that surprised me with its foresight is titled, “Hygienic Value of Olive Oil.” The piece urges that “people should buy it in half gallon cans and make a business of using it internally and externally.” Over a century later we are still praising the benefits of olive oil in cooking and skincare, so Cooking Club was definitely onto something. I also found a section on “coreless apples” quite interesting. The hybrid variety of apple is described as “the world’s greatest discovery in horticulture and the wonder of the age.” The apples are red with yellow dots and, like oranges, have a hard navel at the bottom. I’m not sure what happened to these coreless apples or why they didn’t catch on, but they certainly would make prepping for apple pies an easier task.
Don’t you just love this ad? Hats were very fashionable during the early 1900s and ladies were offered this Gainsborough Dress Hat in exchange for “one day’s work.” The hat is “made of fine quality silk velvet, edged with several rows of all silk taffeta folds. Has new high Bell crown; imported cut steel ornament on the right side. Back of hat is further embellished with three rows of all silk ribbon which also falls over the back and forms a trimming bow on the ‘all around bandeau.’ Very neat, stylish and of superior workmanship.” It was available in brown, grey or black. Sounds pretty fancy, no? And possibly a bit heavy.
There is an eclectic mix of content in the magazine; corners and ends of columns are filled with stories, jokes, and rhymes. I have to admit this little rhyme made me giggle and cringe at the same time. Vegetarians will not be amused:
There were many interesting recipes in this month’s issue. I ultimately settled on maple custards; it seemed like a nice flavor for the season, and I’d never tried a custard flavored with maple syrup. I first followed the original recipe as written. As is often the case with historical recipes, the results were mixed. While the concept was good, the custard was too eggy and lacked in maple flavor, sweetness and complexity. It also called for an orange custard sauce but did not specify a recipe. Here is the original recipe:
I liked the basic flavor profile here, so I made a few adjustments. I scalded the milk and tempered the eggs to prevent curdling and enhance that rich, creamy custard texture. I also increased the maple syrup and added a bit of sugar to the mix. The resulting custard was really delightful– sweet and layered with a delightful hint of maple flavor.
Cooking Club suggests serving the custards with whipped cream and a thin orange sauce. This issue didn’t include a recipe for the sauce, but I was able to adapt a simple pudding sauce recipe from another issue (Cooking Club, February 1913) that worked nicely; I simply substituted orange juice for water and added a bit of vanilla. The combination of maple and orange flavors was just lovely. I didn’t add an “English walnut” but it wouldn’t be out of place here. The recipe suggests unmolding the custards from their cups. I was able to do that with a bit of maneuvering, though I don’t think it’s necessary, as this dessert can be enjoyed right out of the cup. I used antique coral-colored custard cups that were passed down from my grandmother, but any custard cup will do. I hope you have a chance to make this custard, it’s a simple dessert and well worth the effort.
Do you collect old cookbooks or cooking magazines? What titles do you have in your collection?
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Maple Custard with Orange Sauce
Ingredients
Custard Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Orange Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and butter the inside of the custard cups.Heat sugar and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook until large bubbles form and pile up on top of one another, as opposed to just boiling. Remove from heat.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream and salt heat, slowing bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat when the mixture begins to boil.
- While whisking, slowly pour the syrup mixture into the into the milk mixture. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the whole eggs and egg yolks. While whisking, slowly ladle the cream and syrup mixture into the beaten eggs, a little at a time. Continue adding until everything is well combined.
- Place the custard cups into the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour the custard mixture into the buttered custard cups, leaving roughly 1/2" of head space. This can be done easily by transferring the custard mixture to a large measuring cup with a pouring spout.Add warm water to the bottom of the pan until it reaches 2/3 the way up the sides of the custard cups. Place the pan in the oven and carefully top off with enough water so that it is level with the filling in the custard cups. This prevents water from spilling over into the cups as you're transferring the pan to the oven.
- Add warm water to the bottom of the pan until it reaches 2/3 the way up the sides of the custard cups. Place the pan in the oven and carefully top off with enough water so that it is level with the filling in the custard cups. This prevents water from spilling over into the cups as you're transferring the pan to the oven.Bake for 80-90 minutes, or until the centers of the custards are set.
- Remove the custards from the oven. Cover and allow them to set up in the refrigerator overnight.To make the orange sauce, combine the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and heat until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Serve the custards with the orange sauce and fresh whipped cream. They can be served directly in the cups (I prefer it this way) or un-molded by running a thin knife around the edge and turning out onto a serving plate. If the custard is stubborn to come loose, dip the bottoms of the custard bowls into a dish of hot water for a few seconds to help the custard inside loosen a bit.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
I would love to get more old (pre civil war) cookbooks and pamphlet!. Tori, any changes if I want to make the pudding in 1 large pan?
Hi Sam– this is a custard, which is somewhat different from a pudding and requires more delicate cooking. You will need to bake this in a water bath, and custard dishes are the best choice here due to the need for delicate heat transfer. I have not tried it in a large pan, and I’m not sure it would work out the same, even with the water bath… don’t want to steer you in the wrong direction!
New Variety of Apple That Is Coreless, Seedless and Wormless
A. Frederick Collins
THE horseless carriage, the trackless trolley and the seatless car are things we have grown accustomed to, but the seedless apple is a new discovery placed upon the market for our delectation. The new variety Is destined to do for the apple what the seedless species has done for the orange, and more, for In the former not only are the seeds eliminated but there Is no core, and a saving of at least twenty-five per cent of the apple is thus easily effected.
From Colorado comes this new wonder, not from the Garden of the Gods, where such fruit might be supposed to have originated, but it came from farther west, across the Rockies, out of the great fruit district around Grand Junction. There, where apple growing has been reduced to an exact science, John F. Bpencer began experimenting ten or twelve years ago, believing It possible to develop the occasional “freak” seedless apple found into a product of recognized stability and having all the elements of a commercial commodity.
Finally Mr. Spencer’s perseverance was rewarded and he succeeded In getting rive trees that bore practically
seedless apples, though the fruit was far below the standard set by western growers. From these five trees he began budding and grafting to see If the trees would reproduce themselves, and at the same time to Improve the quality of the fruit. As a result this grower now has in his orchard trees that are four, six aod eight years old, and they all bear seedless apples of a good color and fine quality. It Is true that occasionally an apple Is found that has a seed In It, but the seed may be within an eighth of an Inch from the peeling of the apple and far removed from where the core should be. The seed that is thus found, seldom enough, Is produced by the pollen from the common apple trees being carried to the seedless trees either by bees or by the wind, for It Is Impossible for seedless apple trees to bear apples that have seeds In them of their own accord. There Is no blossom at any time visible at any time on the seedless apple trees. There Is a small quantity of pollen and also a stamen, as on the ordinary apple tree, but there Is probably not more than one-twentieth the amount of pollen on the seedless buds that there la on tbe common apple
blossoms. There Is a green bud on the seedless tree which resembles to some extent the bud on the common apple tree, but when it opens there are no signs of a flower or bloom, as Is shown In the accompanying photograph. Another of the illustrations is a sec-
tional view of the seedless apples showing the coreless condition, while the third engraving is a reproduction of its navel end. The navel end, it will be observed, Is almost exactly like the navel end of a seedless orange as it was In Its early beginnings, but now the orange has almost entirely filled up the former cavity or navel end, and It Is Interesting to note that the Spencer seedless apple Is showing a tendency to do likewise.
These seedless apples grow as large as the ordinary winter apple and contain as much Juice, while they mature later than other apples grown in Colorado. The meat Is very ‘I’m and hard and they are extraordinarily long keepers; In color the apples are red when fully matured and have large strawberry or yellow dots. The trees have a hard, smooth bark and Btand cold weather better than any variety of apple trees grown around Grand Junction, while they are prolific- bearers.
Mr. Bpencer states that the farther away he gets from the original proposition— five trees— the larger and better the fruit Is In every way. The great saving effected, since there is no part wasted except the peeling, is an Item of great Importance where. the evap-
oration and drying of the fruit Is concerned. For the hotel and restaurant trade, as well as for the family eating and cooking, the fact that there are no seeds nor seed pockets is a great convenience.
In the green apples, from the time they first appear an the trees until they are one-half or two-thirds grown, there may be occasionally found traces of a seed pocket, but by the time the apples reach full maturity this semblance of a seed pocket becomes absorbed Into the solid meat of the apple, for, there being no seeds, nature eliminates them of her own accord.
The present supply of seedless, coreless and wormless apples numbers about 3000 trees and from these 75,000 more, It Is anttctpated, will be ready for the market by the early fall of this year, and the following year It la the ambition of the growers to have at least a quarter of a million nursery tree*, from which the world will be supplied.
Mr. Bpencer does not claim to be the first who has produced a needless apple, but In Justice to what he has done let It be said that prior to his work there never has been a seedless apple of the slightest commercial value.
Interesting Meleya! What is the source of this article?
So amazing! Wonderful!
Collecting cook books is a general weakness for me but yes, the old ones are pretty cool. Although I have a few cook books that are older, my favorite standby for everything in general is my mother’s original copy of The Better Homes & Garden cook book. 1940 something. Can’t remember exactly without looking.
What’s the scientific name for the sickness of collecting recipes and cookbooks?…..I have that sickness. Love your history kitchen but you are contributing to my affliction LOL 😉
I do have some antique recipe books from my Grandmother and need to go through them!! One is all about deserts!! This looks very good! 🙂
My oldest cookbook is one with a 1916 copyright–Fanny Farmer The Boston Cooking School Cookbook. I also have a 1931 copy of The Joy of Cooking. I have quite a few old cookbooks. I have one from each of my grandmother’s and also one from my MIL and also my husband’s grandmother. I have a lot of little cooking pamphlets, too. A very old cook booklet for Bisquick and a copy of Betty Crocker’s Your Share. I think the most interesting ones to me are ones from the 30’s and 40’s. I find that period of history is fascinating to read about, especially from the housewives of that generation. They were the glue that held our country together through some very difficult years. I love history, and you can sometimes learn a lot by reading cookbooks from different generations. Oh, and I also have a copy of GE refrigerator freezer cookbook from 1927, during the era of when the “newfangled” electric freezer was first introduced. Some of the recipes in it sound gross, like salad called Frozen Cheese.” Ewww…nothing that I’d ever make, but fun to read about! And the illustrations are cool to look at, too.