A little cookery

Hello, I have a problem.  I am addicted to collecting cookbooks.    I have over 40 Caribbean cookbooks – including several that are now out of print – and a collection of about 80 others, ranging from some published in the 1930s to more contemporary fare.  I will also confess that I have 2 vegetarian cookbooks, neither of which is used, and only 1 “celebrity chef” book (all gifts.)  My favourites for reading are my vintage books, where there were few convenience foods or appliances; the selection of ingredients was limited; and instructions often include the statement “If you have a refrigerator…”   Granted, these books are either British or Canadian in origin, so they reflect heavily the cultures of those countries.  One of them, by the noted Marguerite Patten addresses rationing and cooking using scarce ingredients (it was written during WWII) and it does provide a look at extreme economy.  As interesting as some of those are, I’m not moved to try them.    Then there is the classic “A Guide to Good Cooking” aka “The Five Roses cookbook”?  It was one of 2 books that were in common use in my home as a child.  The edition that we have (it’s still used, especially for the cake recipes!) was from the late 1950’s.  I then got the 1920’s edition, which sits proudly on my shelf.  The recipes have changed very little in that time (the cake recipe is still one of the easiest to do!) and my 1920’s edition has several hand-written comments on some of the recipes, including instructions like “needs more flour.” or “cook for an extra 15 minutes” – evidence that it was in heavy use.  (There was also “the kids love this one,”  so I’ve made it.  And my niece enjoys it!) 

It’s fascinating to see how opinions have changed over time.  One of my vintage books refers to shellfish as being “indigestible” and does not provide any recipes for using them.  “Aunt Maud’s Cookbook,” a collection of recipes by L. M. Montgomery (her personal recipes!) also has no reference to the shellfish for which PEI is renowned!  It does, though, provide an excellent baked beans recipe, and one for a lemon pie that is superb!  Another book has one recipe that calls for “a few shavings from the washing blue” to give colour to icing

It’s delightful to read the older recipes, some of which need tweaking before they can be served at a modern meal.  For one thing, some of the ingredients aren’t available.  Then the measurements are different – a ‘breakfast cup full” is not a standard measure!  And oven settings – well, it’s an experiment LOL  To see how much food has changed, I recommend “The Curious Cookbook” which provides recipes dating as far back as the 1300s.  Also fascinating is what is considered “exotic.”  I remember, as a child, that apples and grapes were Christmas treats, and were not to be had any other time of year, but mangoes and oranges were plentiful.  In contrast, some of my Canadian friends remember getting oranges only once a year, and mangoes were a rare and exotic fruit! 

My Caribbean collection doesn’t date back that far, but it does cover the period from the 1970s onwards.  Even in that time, things have changed significantly.  There’s an increased reliance on canned foods, especially milk and fruit.  In contrast, there are recipes for various condiments that are otherwise available now (chow chow, anyone?) and an assortment of sweets and treats that are increasingly hard to find or of questionable nutritional value.

The fun of comparing these recipes to current trends is one of the reasons that I enjoy reading through them.  Every once in a while, I may attempt one of those recipes, just to see if the taste translates.  In most cases, it does.  I will also admit that kitchen appliances make it easier to do a lot of them, but I have recently been guilted by a friend who does all her mixing by hand, so I will now have to practice whipping cream and egg whites with a whisk instead of my mixer. Conserving electricity, yeah! 

No, my books are not available for loan.  While I may have recipes for almost any dish that you care to name, I would be perfectly happy to look it up and copy for anyone who wants.  But I’m possessive of these, since some people have distressingly sticky fingers. 

And if I’m trying anything particularly interesting, I promise to save samples.  Or to make it again to share.  Deal?