yeast, and add a teaspoonful of salt. Sift in enough flour to make a
thin, smooth batter, and set to rise over night. In the morning add
to it one cupful of thick sour milk, one tablespoonful of melted
butter, two eggs, beaten separately, one teaspoonful of soda sifted in
with enough flour to make a smooth, thin batter. Let stand twenty or
thirty minutes, then bake as usual.
FRUIT PANCAKES
Add apple sauce, berries, chopped dates, figs or prunes, orange
marmalade, chopped preserved quinces, or any desired fresh fruit or
preserves to any good pancake batter, in the proportion of one heaping
tablespoonful of fruit to each cupful of batter. The grated pineapple
which comes in cans is particularly satisfactory and needs no further
preparation. The fruit juice, sweetened, should be used instead of
syrup wherever possible.
GRAHAM GRIDDLE CAKES
One cupful of wheat flour and one cupful of Graham flour, sifted with
one teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of sugar. Beat two eggs
separately, the whites to a stiff froth. Add two cupfuls of thick sour
milk in which a teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved, mix with the
eggs, and stir the flour into the liquid. When the batter is well
mixed, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, melted, beat hard, and
fry like other griddle cakes.
HOMINY GRIDDLE CAKES
Soak two cupfuls of fine hominy all night and cook it in a double
boiler all day or until soft. When wanted for griddle cakes add two
cupfuls of white corn-meal, sifted, three tablespoonfuls of butter,
melted, a pinch of salt, three eggs, well beaten, and four cupfuls of
milk, or less if necessary, to make a thin batter.
MARYLAND GRIDDLE CAKES
Three cupfuls of flour, three cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of
salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and three eggs. Beat the eggs
thoroughly, stir into the milk, sift the dry materials together, beat
hard, and fry at once.
POTATO PANCAKES
Peel eight or ten good-sized potatoes and drop into cold water to
prevent discoloration. Grate rapidly on a coarse grater. To the pulp
add four eggs, well beaten, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and half a
cupful of flour sifted with half a teaspoonful of baking powder. Mix
lightly but thoroughly, and bake on a hot griddle. Serve with butter,
but without syrup. Germans add a little grated onion to potato
pancakes.
RAISED PANCAKES
Four cupfuls of milk, one half cake of compressed yeast, three
tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one teaspoonful of sugar, one
teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of soda, two eggs, and enough
flour for a batter. Scald the milk and cool it, then dissolve the
yeast in it and add the salt and sugar. Add enough sifted flour to
make a smooth, thin batter, cover, and let stand over night in a warm
place. In the morning add the melted butter, the soda dissolved in a
little warm water, and the eggs, beaten separately. Cover and let
stand half an hour in a warm place. Bake like other griddle cakes and
serve immediately.
RAISED PANCAKES--II
Mix one cupful of scalded and cooled milk, in which one quarter of a
yeast cake has been dissolved, with one heaping tablespoonful of
butter, melted, one teaspoonful of sugar, one pinch of salt, and one
cupful of sifted flour. Let rise over night. In the morning add one
egg beaten separately, the white to a stiff froth. Beat to a smooth,
thin batter and fry as usual.
SOUTHERN RICE PANCAKES
Boil one cupful of well-washed rice as directed in the chapter on
Cereals. Add to it one half cupful of cream, two tablespoonfuls of
flour sifted with one tablespoonful of baking powder, and two eggs,
beaten separately, the whites to a stiff froth. Use only enough butter
to keep the cakes from sticking to the griddle and serve as soon as
done.
RICE PANCAKES--II
Mix two cupfuls of boiled rice with two cupfuls of milk and let stand
over night in a cool place. In the morning, add three cupfuls of
sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of melted
butter and one tablespoonful of sugar. Beat until thoroughly mixed,
with two cupfuls of milk and a tablespoonful of baking powder, then
add three eggs, beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten
whites last. A cupful of cream may be used instead of the butter.
RICE PANCAKES--III
Dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of cold water, and
stir it into two cupfuls of thick sour milk. Add two cupfuls of sifted
flour, a pinch of salt, two eggs, beaten separately, and one cupful of
cold boiled rice. Fry brown on a well-greased griddle.
STRAWBERRY PANCAKES
Six eggs, beaten separately, two cupfuls of milk, two cupfuls of
sifted flour, and one teaspoonful of salt. Mix the flour and salt,
then add the milk and stir in the well-beaten yolks. Beat hard until
the mixture is very light. Then fold in the whites, beaten to a stiff
froth. Bake on a well-greased griddle and serve two to each person,
with butter and crushed and sweetened strawberries between. Sprinkle
with powdered sugar. Half this recipe is sufficient for a small
family.
SOUR MILK PANCAKES
Two cupfuls of sour milk, two and one half cupfuls of sifted flour,
one teaspoonful of soda, one tablespoonful of warm water, one
teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of
melted butter, and two eggs. Beat the yolks of the eggs till
light-colored and creamy, add the sour milk, salt, and sugar, and beat
till thoroughly mixed. Add the flour gradually, beating constantly,
then the soda dissolved in warm water, then the melted butter, then
the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Fold together carefully and
bake at once.
SOUR MILK PANCAKES--II
To four cupfuls of sour milk add enough flour to make a batter that
will pour, sifted in gradually and thoroughly mixed. Add two eggs,
well beaten, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one teaspoonful of
salt, and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water. Bake
on a very hot griddle, well greased.
WHEAT PANCAKES
Three cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of milk, two teaspoonfuls of
baking powder, one tablespoonful of melted butter, three eggs, and one
teaspoonful of salt. Sift the dry ingredients together. Beat the yolks
of the eggs till light-colored and creamy and stir into the milk. Mix
with the flour, then add the melted butter and beat to a smooth
batter. Add a little more milk if the batter seems too thick. Add the
whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, fold in carefully, and
bake as usual.
WHEAT PANCAKES--II
Three cupfuls of milk, two cupfuls of sifted flour, three eggs, one
pinch of salt, and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Beat the
yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy, and mix thoroughly
with the milk. Put the flour in a bowl and pour on a part of the milk,
making a thick batter. Beat this thick batter hard until very smooth,
dissolve the baking powder in the rest of the milk and add it, beating
thoroughly, and add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs last. This
batter may be used for waffles. The thinner it is the more delicate
the cakes will be.
COFFEE CAKES, DOUGHNUTS, AND WAFFLES
BABA A LA PARISIENNE
Prepare the yeast as for French Coffee Cake. Beat four tablespoonfuls
of sugar to a cream with one cupful of butter and the grated yellow
rind of a lemon. Add seven unbeaten eggs, one at a time, incorporating
each egg thoroughly into the mixture before the next is added. Make a
sponge of the yeast, one cupful of milk, scalded and cooled, and one
cupful of sifted flour. Let it rise until very light--about half an
hour--and mix with the hand into the egg mixture, adding two more
cupfuls of sifted flour. Butter a tube-pan, put in the dough, sprinkle
with chopped almonds, sugar, and spice, let it rise two hours, and
bake very slowly.
GERMAN COFFEE BREAD
Scald and cool to lukewarm one cupful of milk. Add one heaping
tablespoonful of butter and two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, one
quarter of a yeast cake dissolved in one tablespoonful of warm water,
a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. Let it
rise over night. In the morning, roll out and spread in a flat
buttered tin. Rub with softened butter, sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon, and bake about half an hour in a moderate oven. Cut into
squares and serve hot.
GERMAN COFFEE CAKE
One tablespoonful of butter, one cupful of sugar, one egg, one cupful
of milk, one and one half cupfuls of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of
baking powder, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon. Mix
thoroughly, spread the dough in a shallow buttered baking-pan,
sprinkle with chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and dots of butter. Bake
until brown and crisp, cut in squares, and serve piping hot.
AUSTRIAN COFFEE CAKE
Four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of
baking powder, five eggs, well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of
sugar, two cupfuls of milk, and one tablespoonful of softened butter.
Mix thoroughly, spread in a buttered baking-pan, dot with butter,
sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake in a quick oven. Serve hot.
HUNGARIAN ROYAL COFFEE CAKE
Six cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of butter, four cupfuls of milk,
three eggs, three quarters of a pound of cleaned and seeded raisins,
one half cupful of sugar, three cakes of compressed yeast, half a
cupful of shredded citron, and eight pulverized cardamon seeds. Mix
the sugar, butter, flour, and milk thoroughly, the yeast having been
dissolved in the milk, previously scalded and cooled. Dredge the fruit
with flour and add last. Let rise four hours, or more, if necessary.
When ready for baking, rub with softened butter, sprinkle with
cinnamon, granulated sugar, and chopped almonds. Bake in a tube-pan or
in a ring on a large baking-sheet.
FRENCH COFFEE CAKE
Dissolve a cake of compressed yeast in two tablespoonfuls of tepid
water. Add a pinch of salt and a tablespoonful of sugar. Cream a
cupful of butter with three fourths of a cupful of powdered sugar, and
add, gradually, the unbeaten yolks of six eggs, one at a time, and the
grated yellow rind of a lemon. Sift two cupfuls of flour into a bowl
and make into a thin batter with the dissolved yeast and one cupful of
scalded and cooled milk. Add the egg mixture, and beat with the hand
till the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Add a handful of
sultanas, half a cupful each of blanched and shredded almonds and
shredded citron, and, lastly, the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs.
Put into a tube-pan which has been well buttered, and set in a warm
place to rise. Bake very slowly. When fully risen and beginning to
brown, rub with softened butter, and sprinkle with sugar and spice.
VIENNA COFFEE CAKE
Dissolve a cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of scalded and
cooled milk, add a pinch of salt and one tablespoonful of brown sugar.
Sift one cupful of flour into a bowl, add the milk and yeast, beat to
a smooth, light batter, free from lumps, and set away in a warm place
till very light. Cream three quarters of a cupful each of butter and
powdered sugar, add four whole eggs, unbeaten, three unbeaten yolks,
and two cupfuls of sifted flour, working with the hand, and adding egg
and flour alternately. Incorporate gradually into the risen batter,
working thoroughly with the hand. Dredge half a cupful of blanched and
shredded almonds, a tablespoonful of shredded citron, and half a
cupful of cleaned and seeded raisins thoroughly with flour, and work
into the dough with the hand. Put into a buttered tube-pan or mould
and let rise in a warm place for three or four hours, then bake an
hour in a moderate oven. When beginning to brown, rub with softened
butter, sprinkle with granulated sugar and spice, and set back into
the oven until done. All risen coffee cakes will keep well if wrapped
closely in a cloth, and may be served cold, or reheated in a brisk
oven for a few minutes just before serving.
BERLIN COFFEE CAKE
Make a sponge with two cupfuls of milk, scalded and cooled, a cake of
compressed yeast dissolved in the milk, a pinch of salt, and one
cupful of sifted flour. Let rise two hours in a warm place, then add
one half cupful of melted butter, one cupful of cleaned and seeded
raisins, one fourth cupful of finely shredded citron, one cupful of
sugar, and three eggs, well beaten. Add enough sifted flour to make a
stiff dough, knead thoroughly, roll into a long thin strip, cut in
three strips, lengthwise, braid, and twist into a ring. Arrange in a
circle on a well-buttered baking-sheet and let rise till very light,
then bake half an hour. It will be more delicate if the strips are
rubbed with softened butter before braiding and will come apart more
easily. Before taking from the oven glaze with sugar and milk, or rub
with butter and sprinkle with sugar and spice.
QUICK COFFEE CAKE
Cream one fourth of a cupful of butter with one cupful of sugar, add
one egg, well beaten, one half cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, and
one and one half cupfuls of flour sifted, with a heaping teaspoonful
of baking powder. Spread in a pan, sprinkle with seeded and cleaned
raisins or currants, a little shredded citron, dot with butter, and
sift over sugar and spice, cinnamon preferred. Serve hot, cut in small
squares.
CRULLERS
Three eggs, a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of flour, three
tablespoonfuls of milk, six tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and six
tablespoonfuls of sugar. Roll out half an inch thick, cut out with a
small cake cutter which has a hole in the centre, and fry in very hot
lard. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
PLAIN DOUGHNUTS
Sift two teaspoonfuls of baking powder with four cupfuls of flour.
Dissolve half a cupful of sugar in one cupful of milk. Add to the milk
one teaspoonful of salt, half a nutmeg, grated, and two well-beaten
eggs. Combine with the dry mixture, roll out, cut in rings, and fry in
deep fat. Drain on brown paper.
DOUGHNUTS--II
Half a cupful of butter, one cupful of sugar, three cupfuls of flour,
one egg, and one and one half cupfuls of milk, and a slight grating of
nutmeg. Make into a soft dough, roll out, cut into shapes, and fry in
hot fat. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
RAISED DOUGHNUTS
One cupful of butter, one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of powdered
cinnamon, and two eggs, well beaten. Work this mixture into two
cupfuls of bread dough or roll mixture made ready for its second
rising, and let rise an hour or more. When light, roll out, cut into
circles or squares, let rise until very light, and fry in smoking-hot
fat. Let drain on brown paper and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
LIGHT DOUGHNUTS
Three quarters of a cupful of granulated sugar, two eggs, beaten
separately, one cupful of milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter,
three cupfuls of flour, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder,
and half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. Fold in the stiffly beaten
whites of the eggs last, then work in enough more sifted flour to make
a soft dough, probably about two cupfuls. Roll very thin, cut out,
fry in smoking-hot fat, and drain on brown paper. This recipe makes
about five dozen doughnuts, and half of it will be sufficient for an
ordinary family unless they are especially fond of doughnuts.
RAISED FRUIT DOUGHNUTS
Cream together one heaping tablespoonful of butter and one fourth
cupful of sugar. Dissolve one half a cake of compressed yeast in one
cupful of milk that has been scalded and cooled. Add half a
teaspoonful of salt to the milk and yeast, combine mixtures, and work
in two cupfuls of flour. Let rise until double in bulk. Mix together
one half cupful of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, a grating of nutmeg,
and a pinch of allspice, one half cupful of cleaned currants, cleaned
and seeded raisins, and shredded citron, mixed, and a scant two
cupfuls of sifted flour. Lastly, add one egg, well beaten, knead
thoroughly, and let rise until very light. Cut or tear off pieces of
dough the size of an egg, drop into smoking-hot fat, and fry like
other doughnuts. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with granulated
sugar.
BLUE GRASS WAFFLES
Two cupfuls of thick sour cream, two cupfuls of flour, three eggs,
well beaten, and half a teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour.
Mix quickly, folding in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs last,
and bake until golden brown and crisp on hissing-hot, well-greased
waffle-irons.
CREAM WAFFLES
Sift together one cupful of flour, three tablespoonfuls of corn
starch, and a pinch of salt. Mix one egg, well beaten, one scant
teaspoonful of soda, and two cupfuls of sour milk together and
gradually combine mixtures, beating hard meanwhile. Bake in hot,
well-greased waffle-irons and butter the waffles before serving.
FEATHER WAFFLES
Four cupfuls of milk, three eggs, beaten separately. Add the milk to
the yolks and a pinch of salt, then add one and one half
tablespoonfuls of rich cream or melted butter and sifted flour enough
to make the batter a little stiffer than pancake batter. Add the
whites of the eggs last, beaten to a stiff froth, and stir in quickly
two teaspoonfuls of baking powder.
GEORGIA WAFFLES
Two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of buttermilk, one
cupful of melted lard, one scant teaspoonful of soda, and one egg.
Sift the flour and salt together and beat into a smooth batter with
the buttermilk. Add the well-beaten egg, then the hot lard, beat
thoroughly, add the dry soda, beat hard for a minute or two, and bake
in hissing-hot waffle-irons.
HOMINY WAFFLES
One cupful of cold cooked hominy, one egg, well beaten, one
tablespoonful of melted butter, one pinch of salt, two cupfuls of
milk, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking
powder. Mix thoroughly and bake in very hot waffle-irons, well
buttered.
RAISED HOMINY WAFFLES
To one cupful of cold cooked hominy add two cupfuls of scalded milk in
which one half a yeast cake has been dissolved, one tablespoonful of
butter, melted, a pinch of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, and two
cupfuls of flour. Mix thoroughly and set to rise over night. In the
morning add two eggs, beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten
whites last. Bake in very hot, well-greased irons.
INDIAN WAFFLES
One cupful each of flour and corn-meal, two cupfuls of thick sour
milk, one cupful of sour cream, half a teaspoonful of salt, one
teaspoonful of soda, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two eggs,
beaten separately, the stiffly beaten whites being folded in last.
Bake in a very hot, well-greased waffle-iron and serve very hot.
KENTUCKY WAFFLES
Make a smooth paste of two cupfuls of sifted flour and two cupfuls of
milk, add one half cupful of softened butter, not melted, then the
well-beaten yolks of three eggs, then the stiffly beaten whites, and,
just before baking, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. Beat
very hard for five minutes and bake in a hissing-hot iron.
MARYLAND WAFFLES
Beat four eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. To the beaten
yolks add a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of milk, and enough sifted
flour to make a stiff batter. Beat hard until perfectly smooth and
free from lumps. Thin the batter by adding gradually the beaten whites
of the eggs, and a little more milk in which a level teaspoonful of
baking powder has been dissolved. Add lastly one tablespoonful of
melted butter or lard. Have the waffle-irons very hot and well
greased, and butter each waffle as soon as done. Crisp light waffles
are delicious when served with cream and sifted maple-sugar.
PLAIN WAFFLES
Two cupfuls of sifted flour, two cupfuls of milk, one tablespoonful of
melted butter, one tablespoonful of melted lard, two teaspoonfuls of
baking powder sifted with the flour, two eggs well beaten, and half a
teaspoonful of salt. Beat thoroughly and have the irons hot before
mixing.
RICE WAFFLES
One cupful of cold boiled rice beaten light with one cupful of milk.
Add one tablespoonful of melted butter, half a teaspoonful of soda
dissolved in a little of the milk, two eggs well beaten, and enough
flour, sifted in with one teaspoonful of cream tartar, to make a thin
batter. Beat thoroughly and bake in well-greased waffle-irons. Cream
tartar and spices are practically certain to be pure when bought of a
druggist instead of a grocer. (Not knocking the groceryman.)
RICE AND CORN-MEAL WAFFLES
One cupful of cold boiled rice, one half cupful each of wheat flour
and corn-meal, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one half
teaspoonful of soda dissolved in hot water, one teaspoonful of salt,
two eggs, beaten separately, and enough milk to make a thin batter.
The waffle-irons must be very thoroughly greased and the baking must
be done with great care, as these waffles are likely to burn.
SWEDISH WAFFLES
Two cupfuls of cream, whipped stiff, one half cupful of sugar, one egg
beaten with one fourth cupful of cold water, one half cupful of melted
butter, and enough flour, sifted, to make a thin batter. Fold the
whipped cream in carefully just before baking, and sprinkle with sugar
when done.
TENNESSEE WAFFLES
Two cupfuls of sifted flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, one
tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, one egg, beaten separately,
and milk enough to make a thin batter. Bake until brown in a
well-greased waffle-iron.
VIRGINIA WAFFLES
Three eggs, well beaten, two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of
melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and
enough flour to make a thin batter. Bake in hissing-hot waffle-irons.
BREAKFAST BEVERAGES
The breakfast beverage _par excellence_ is coffee, at least in
American households, but, rather than have coffee poorly made, it is
better to have no coffee at all. The French method of coffee making
has practically superseded the old-fashioned boiled coffee. Cheap
coffee, carefully made in the proper kind of a pot, has a better
flavor than the more expensive brands can possibly have when
improperly made.
The best coffee-pot on the market, which publishing ethics forbid us
to mention by name, is made of nickel, comes in five or six different
sizes, has a close fitting cover, a wooden handle, and has inside a
finely woven wire strainer, which does away entirely with the
questionable, and often unclean, cloth strainer. A cloth, no matter
how carefully kept, will eventually become saturated with the grounds,
and add the flavor of reheated coffee to the fresh brew in the pot.
The nickel coffee-pots having the wire strainer inside are easily kept
clean with boiling water alone, and about once a month may be boiled
out with a weak solution of baking soda.
Various blends of coffee have their champions, and the blended
package coffees are, in the main, very good. It is better to buy in
small quantities, a pound or two at a time, have the coffee pulverized
very finely at the grocery, and keep a watchful eye on the man while
he does it, lest he add alien elements to the coffee. Pulverized
coffee keeps perfectly in ordinary Mason jars, tightly sealed, if
bought in small quantities, as suggested.
The ideal coffee blend is two thirds Mandeheling Java and one third
Arabian Mocha, but very little genuine Mocha ever reaches this
country, though trusting consumers often pay high prices for what the
man says is sure-enough Mocha. Pure Java is easier to get, and South
American, Mexican, Cuban, and Porto Rican coffees are beginning to
deserve consideration.
Presuming that we have the pot and a good quality of coffee, finely
pulverized, we will proceed to brew the nectar of the gods. The water
must be fresh and captured while on its first boil. Scald the
coffee-pot, and put into it one heaping tablespoonful of pulverized
coffee for each person and another for the poor, neglected pot. If the
coffee is desired extra strong, put in another tablespoonful, or even
two. Pour in one cupful of boiling water for each tablespoonful of
coffee, keeping the pot over steam, but never over the fire itself.
Occasionally the grounds may be lifted from the bottom of the strainer
with a spoon in order to hasten the process a bit. The strength of
Samson may be given the brew by pouring out a cupful or two of the
coffee after it is made, and compelling it to go over the ground(s)
again.