Archive for the 'cookies' Category

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Events: Havemeyer Sugar Sweets Sale Wrap Up!

Published on October 18, 2009 in 18th century, 19th century, cookies and events. 0 Comments

Jumbles, stacked and ready to eat!


This post is belated, but I wanted to share the results of the Sugar Sweets Festival last weekend.
I made about 300 cookies, wrapped in snazzy packages of three, and 90% of them sold! I was thrilled, not only to make a little money for the Reliquary, but because I was afraid the recipes I selected would be too strange for the modern pallet. On the contrary, they were a big hit.

I worked on a simple, professional package design.
I made four kinds in total. The Cayenne Gingerbread was the best seller. In Mrs. Beeton’s Book Of Household Management, she says: “…a great

authority in culinary matters suggests the addition of a little cayenne pepper in gingerbread. Whether it be advisable to use this latter ingredient or not, we leave to our readers to decide.” I say YES, Mrs. Beeton! The gingerbread cookies I baked from her recipe were familiar, yet spicy and complex, with a little kick to the aftertaste. They received rave reviews at the bake sale.
I also baked up a batch of Jumbles, a mid-19th century butter cookie, that are rolled in a loop and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The recipe comes in endless variations; I decided upon a batch flavored with lemon and mace.
I attempted a few dozen Almond-Rosewater Macaroons as well. Although I thought they were the tastiest, the cookie was too delicate to survive transport to the bake sale. Most of them crumbled upon arrival, and did not look as fetching as they could have. The recipe needs work, but I think it still has potential.

The most pleasant surprise of the day was finding out the my Chocolet Puffs, an 18th century meringue cookie, won Best in Show in the baking contest!

Yay!

My prize was a $25 gift certificate to Whisk, a cooking supply store in Brooklyn. I think I might use it to invest in a pair of cookie sheets; I’ve been baking on borrowed sheets!
I was delighted to be a part of the Sugar Sweets Festival. It allowed me to work the kinks out of my recipes and to develop sensible packaging for my product. Most importantly, I discovered that people actually liked these cookies and were interested in their story. I don’t know where these lessons will take me next, but I’m willing to keep going.
Next: The story behind my award-winning Chocolet Puffs.

The Best Laid Cookie Plans

Published on August 4, 2009 in cookies. 0 Comments
I’ve been kicking around the idea of selling baked good inspired by historic recipes, but I yet to find an appropriate venue. In the meantime, I need to test some recipes. Here’s a list of cookies I’m going to attempt:

Almond and Rosewater Macaroons

Mexican Chocolate Macaroons – Based off of the earliest known recipe for chocolate used in baking.
Kisses- Lemon meringue filled with cranberry jelly.
Jumbles – A spiced cookie made with mace and lemon.
Caraway cakes – Flavored with ground caraway seeds.
Cream Short Bread – A rich cookie, good for tea, made with sweet cream
Cayenne Ginger Bread
***
And if these sell alright, I’ll experiment with more recipes. Keep an eye out for my recipe tests in the coming weeks, and I’ll let you know when and where I’ll be selling my wares!

History Dish Mondays: Cooking with Schmaltz, Part One

Published on May 11, 2009 in cookies, desserts, history dish mondays, jewish and schmaltz. 1 Comment

Chicken cookies triumphant.


I’m embarking on a new project with my friend Ilana. While at her bubbe‘s for Passover, Ilana came across a Manischewitz Matzo Meal cookbook from 1930. It was printed both in Yiddish and in English, and the recipes were in a similar vein, featuring Kosher preparations for America classics such as Boston Cream Pie.

I had remembered reading about these duel-language cookbooks in Laura Schenone’s book 1,000 Years Over a Hot Stove. Schenone writes:
“As the 20th century marched on, many Jewish women felt comfortable assimilating through the table, partaking in the fruits of American technology and convenience and all its symbols of progress. It was possible to do this, they proved, and still remain Jewish in identity, soul, and even according to religious law, if they wished.”
The assimilation of Jewish immigrants through food seemed to be happening largely from 1900-1935 and it resulted in an unique cuisine that was simultaneously traditionally Jewish and modern American. Product cook books, like the one printed by Manischewitz, seemed especially intent on creating this modern, hybrid woman.
So we got curious what these recipes tasted like. Ilana and I perused Tempting Kosher Dishes, and selected a few recipes that seemed like the best examples of the hybrid cuisine. This week, I’m cooking up a batch of Mock Oatmeal Cookies:

Yes, these cookies are made with “melted chicken fat.” Chicken cookies.
***
Mock Oatmeal Cookies
From Tempting Kosher Dishes, B. Manischewitz Co., 1930
2 cups matzo meal
2 cups matzo farfel
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup walnuts
2/3 cup schmaltz
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the schmaltz and the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together cinnamon and matzo meal. With the mixer on low, slowly add the matzo meal. Mix until combined.
4. Stir in the walnuts and matzo farfel. Drop teaspoon sized lumps onto a greased or silicon cookie sheet.
5. Bake 15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown. Cool and enjoy.
**note: I would recommend doubling the amount of walnuts (or raisins) and adding 3/4 salt to the matzo meal.
My lips had never touched schmaltz until I moved to New York. Traditionally Jewish, it’s chicken fat, used to replace butter when necessary according to Kosher laws. It’s commercially available, but traditionally skimmed off the top of stock. I was having a hard time getting my hands on it in my largely Greek and Hispanic neighborhood. But fortune smiled, and while out on a video shoot, I brought up my search for schmaltz to food journalist (and schmaltz advocate) Josh Ozersky and chef Marco Canora of Hearth and Insieme. We were on our way to Insieme, when Marco mentioned he had just cooked up a pot of chicken stock, and would be more than happy to skim me some schmaltz from the top. I was beyond thrilled–looks like I owe Marco some Mock Oatmeal Cookies.
Marco skims for schmaltz. What a great guy.

Matzo Meal is ground Matzo; while Matzo Farfel is crushed or crumble Matzo. It’s worth it buying it in canisters as opposed to breaking up Matzo crackers. It’s cheaper and saves time.
I mixed this recipe as I would a normal cookie dough, although this batter was definitely thinner. By mixing in the Matzo Farfel at the very end, it stayed crispier, and added more texture. I left out the raisins, because I hate fruit in my cookies. I sampled some of the dough before popping it in the oven: It had a disturbing chicken aftertaste.
Left: Matzo farfel. Right: Mock Oatmeal Dough.

A half hour was far too long a bake time for these cookies, and I burned my first batch. The second batch I baked 15 minutes, and they came out perfectly brown on the bottom. I offered one to my roommate without telling him what was in it.
The verdict? Well, we both ate two. The chicken aftertaste had somehow baked away. They had a great texture, similar to a scone: crisp on the outside, and surprising soft and cake like on the inside, despite the lack of leavening. The matzo farfel really crunched and popped in you mouth. It would be a good cookie with a cup of coffee.
I did find the cookies needed a bit of salt; I would probably add 3/4 tsp the next time I made them. Adding more walnuts wouldn’t have hurt either.
In fact, I would make these cookies again. I think they’re made even more appealing because of their unique origins. Not bad for a cookie that started off smelling like chicken soup.
Next week, Featherballs: a matzo ball seasoned with ginger or nutmeg, fried in schmaltz.

"Seal brains…I would consider one of the delicacies and luxuries of the Antarctic…"

Published on January 25, 2009 in cookbook and cookies. 0 Comments

A 1950′s recipe book guides cooks in the Antarctic, providing instructions on how to prepare the local wildlife.

“In a chapter on seal brains, he listed recipes for fried seal brains, seal brains au gratin, brain fritters, seal brain omelette and savoury seal brains on toast. The cook must be a man — there were no British women in Antarctica at the time.”

Antarctica was declared a nature preserve in 1959. Presently, researches depend on deliveries of frozen and canned foods.

On a different note, E.A.U over at New York, circa 1850 makes an 1845 gingerbread cookie recipe using blackstrap molasses.

New York, New Year Cakes

Published on January 6, 2009 in baking, cookies and holidays. 0 Comments

My friend over at New York, Circa 1850 has made some rather pretty New York Cakes, which are traditionally served to New Year’s Day callers.

Here’s what she has to say about the finished product:
“The flavors (nutmeg, cinnamon, rosewater, and caraway seeds) are a bit jarring to the modern palate and the cakes are barely sweet; it has taken me a day or so to find them rather pleasant after all.”

The Fruit Drop Cake Debate

Published on December 23, 2008 in baking and cookies. 0 Comments

Photo by Sarah T.

me: Friday i’m going to bake christmas cookies with Kyle.

Sarah T: that’ll be fun…period appropriate or modern?

me: modern; but what a delightful question. I hate period appropriate cookies.
they’ve all got crap in them. ugh.

Sarah T: I lOVE them. In fact I just made a batch of fruit drop cakes not too long ago. mmmm currents.

me: uuuuuuuulllgh
i actually made that noise out loud, here in new york

Sarah T: I want to give fruit drop cakes a fighting chance, and exhibit their true deliciousness.

***
FRUIT DROP CAKES (photos pending)
from Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, 1846 (click here for the original recipe)

1 batch yields about 36 cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon abstract
1 tbsp brandy (or peach brandy)
4 cups flour
1 cup dried currents (or you can play it safe with raisins, or be adventuress with any other variety of dried fruit)

This recipe can be made in an electric mixer, or by hand.

Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add eggs to butter and sugar and mix until combined. Add brandy and lemon extract. Gradually add flour, with the mixer on a low speed, and mix until combined. Stir in currants. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle a little sugar on top. bake about 10 minutes, checking halfway through.