Various - "Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 426"

Richard Le Gallienne - "A Jongleur Strayed"

Sewell Ford - "Wilt Thou Torchy"

William MacLeod Raine - "The Sheriff's Son"

Books of The Times: It’s Still Making the World Go ’Round
Michael Wolff has written a supercilious yet star-struck portrait of Rupert Murdoch, the planet’s most notorious press baron.

Books of The Times: A Media Mogul With Relentless Moxie
In this novel of the 17th century, Morrison performs her deepest excavation yet into America’s history and exhumes our twin original sins: the enslavement of Africans and the near extermination of Native Americans.

Original Sins
Malcolm Gladwell says success depends not only on brains and drive, but on where we come from — and what we do about it.

Mary A. Wilson - Mrs. Wilson\'s Cook Book

M >> Mary A. Wilson >> Mrs. Wilson\'s Cook Book



Transcriber's Note: The measure of one-half cup of nutmeg in the
recipe for Caramel Pudding on p. 236 is undoubtedly an error.
One-half teaspoon would likely seem the correct amount.


MRS. WILSON'S COOK BOOK

NUMEROUS NEW RECIPES BASED ON PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS


BY

MRS. MARY A. WILSON

(MRS. WILSON'S COOKING SCHOOL, PHILADELPHIA)


FORMERLY QUEEN VICTORIA'S CUISINIERE AND INSTRUCTOR DOMESTIC SCIENCE,
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SUMMER SCHOOL, CHARLOTTEVILLE, VIRGINIA


INSTRUCTOR OF COOKING FOR THE U.S. NAVY


THIRD PRINTING


PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY




[Illustration: MRS. M.A. WILSON IN HER OWN WELL-EQUIPPED KITCHEN]




COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY


PRINTED BY J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS
PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A.




TO MY FAMILY FOR THEIR UNTIRING EFFORTS IN BEHALF OF THIS BOOK




PREFACE


The influence of well-cooked, palatable food upon the health and
general well-being of the family is as certain as that of changes of
temperature and more serious in its consequences for lasting good or
ill.

The sage old saying "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you
are" is as full of the "pith o' sense" to-day as in ye days of long
ago, for food either makes us physically fit and fully efficient, or
miserable failures with physical complications that keep us constantly
in the physician's hands.

The vital essences of that which we prepare for eating are "medicinal
messengers" bearing light to the eye, vigor to the limb, beauty to the
cheek and alertness to the brain, as vitamines, or distorted in the
misdirected process are the harsh heralds of pain and debility to the
human system. How great then is the influence of the one who prepares
it!

Influence, according to astrology, was "a power or virtue flowing from
the planets upon men and things," but from the kitchen, as a sun and
heat centre, there truly flows a planetary influence that makes or
mars us.

Scientific cooking means the elimination of waste, the preservation
of edible resources and conservation of their potential energy through
the preparation of attractive, vitalizing food with minimum cost and
labor, thus providing in wide, deep measure, for harmony, personal
comfort and domestic peace.

The preface of a book is too often a flat, spiritless excuse for
offering it to the public instead of being a hearty announcement in
welcome terms of the arrival of a much-desired provision for a real
need, so I will come to the essential point at once by saying that
gathered here, in these pages, are my best recipes, truly "tried in
the fire," the actual working results of many years' teaching and
lecturing, brought "up to the minute" in the interests of that
exacting domestic economy now, as rarely before, imperative in its
demands.

It will also be noted that the heavy cook-book style is not used
here but the recipes are presented as if housewife and author
were conversing upon the dish in question, and to her I will say:
economical, palatable food is within your reach if you will discard
the ideas and methods of long ago. Remember, you would not prefer to
ride in a horse car, as a means of conveyance, so why use the recipes
of those days?

The capable housewife, whose busy hands bake bread, cake and pastry,
spreads forth to the community an influence that is priceless, a
largesse not of festal day, holy day, or holiday, but thrice daily,
wholesome and welcome as spring's first sunbeam and precious to every
home so blessed, ever growing and radiating. May this book help in
that growth and a greater radiation!

THE AUTHOR




MRS. WILSON'S COOK BOOK


Bread, the staff of life, must be palatable and good if we are to be
satisfied with it when we eat.

Can you think of anything that will spoil a meal more quickly than
poor, over moist, doughy or heavy bread?

Bread may truly be called the staff of life, as it will maintain life
longer than any other single food.

Yet many women think bread-making is a simple task; that the
ingredients can be thrown together helter-skelter and good results
obtained; or that any kind of flour will make good bread. This is
a great mistake. To make good palatable bread it requires good
materials, a reasonable amount of care and attention. But first of all
must come the knowledge of the flour.

A good blend of hard winter flour is necessary and it can easily be
tested by pressing a small quantity of it in the hand; if the flour
is good, it will retain the shape of the hand. Graham or whole wheat
flour and rye flours can be used for variety and to advantage in
making bread.

Other cereal flours do not contain gluten to allow them to be used
alone for making the yeast-raised breads. Keep this in mind and thus
prevent failures. The yeast is a single-cell plant and must be given
the proper temperature, moisture and food for its successful growth.
When this is supplied, each little cell multiples a thousand times,
thus pushing and stretching the dough. This makes it rise or become
light.


WHY DOUGH FALLS

When the yeast cells have absorbed or consumed all the food that they
can obtain from the sugar, flour, etc., the dough will recede or fall.
Now, if the dough is carefully handled at a given time, this will not
take place, and so for this reason the dough is permitted to stand
only for a given length of time before it is worked and then placed in
the pans.

Few utensils will be required for making bread, but they must be
scrupulously clean, if the bread is to have a good flavor. Potatoes
and other cooked cereals may be used with good results. Compressed
yeast will give the best results, and either the sponge or straight
dough method may be used.

Bread made by the sponge method will require a longer time to make
than the bread that is made by the straight dough method. Sponge dough
consists of setting the sponge and letting it rise until it drops
back, usually in two and one-half hours, and then adding sufficient
flour to make a dough that can easily be handled.

The straight dough method consists of making a dough at the start. To
make bread successfully, do not set the dough over the range, do not
set it on the radiators and do not place it where it will be in a
draft, to rise. Cold chills the dough and retards the yeast. Yeast
grows successfully only in a warm moist temperature from 80 to 85
degrees Fahrenheit.


DOUGH BOX

I would like to tell the housewife about a dough box that I have found
to work very successfully. The baker's success in making bread is
founded on the fact that he can regulate the temperature of his shop
and thus prevent drafts from chilling the dough. This box is just an
ordinary cracker box with the lid hinged on it. It is then lined with
thick asbestos paper on the inside and then covered with oilcloth
on the outside. The bowl with the dough is then placed in the box to
retain its temperature and to be free from drafts while it rises. In
cold weather this box can be heated by placing a warm iron in it when
starting to mix the dough, and then removing the iron before placing
the dough in the box. This box will easily pay for the time and cost
in a few weeks, and then, too, it will prevent failure.

Now to get the proper temperature--always use a thermometer. Remember
that you cannot successfully gauge the correct temperature of liquids
that are used for making bread by testing with the finger or by
testing them from the spoon. Any plain thermometer that can be found
in the house will do for this work. Scrub it with soda and water to
remove the paint. Remember, in cold weather to heat the mixing bowl.
See that the flour is not lower than 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

All water or half water and milk may be used in making bread. When the
milk is used it must be scalded and then allowed to cool. Evaporated
or condensed milk does not require scalding. Simply add the hot water
to acquire the proper temperature.


POINTS THAT WILL MAKE FOR SUCCESSFUL BAKING

Earthen mixing bowls or clean cedar pails make the best utensils to
set the bread dough in. These utensils will retain the heat and are
easy to clean, and when they are closely covered, prevent a hard crust
from forming on the dough.

Do not fail to give the dough plenty of proof--that is, let it rise
for a sufficient length of time as given in the recipes.

Use a good grade of blended flour.

Use the ball of the hand, near the wrist, to knead and work the dough.
Kneading is most important and should be thoroughly done. Do not be
afraid of hurting the dough; you can handle it as roughly as you like.
Heavy, active kneading distributes the yeast organisms and develops
the elasticity of the gluten and gives body and strength to the dough.

Now, a word about the baking. Bread is baked to kill the fermentation
and to hold the glutinous walls of the dough in place and to cook the
starch and thus make it palatable and easy to digest.

An oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary. Do not have it any hotter
than this. Too much heat browns the loaf before it has time to bake in
the centre.


SALT

Salt controls the action of the yeast. It also retards or delays the
proper fermentation if too large an amount of it is used. Then again,
if not enough salt is added to the mix, the yeast becomes too active
and thus produces an overlight loaf of bread. One ounce of salt to
each quart of liquid in summer, and three-fourths of an ounce in
winter will give the best results to the home baker.


BAKING THE BREAD

Now turn on a moulding board and cut into five parts or loaves. Allow
about nineteen ounces to each loaf. Take the dough up between the
hands and work into a round ball. Place on the moulding board and
cover for ten minutes. Now with the palm of the hand flatten out the
dough and then fold halfway over, pounding well with the hand. Now,
take the dough between the hands and stretch out, knocking it against
the moulding board, fold in the ends and shape into loaves. Place
in well-greased pans and brush the top of each loaf with shortening.
Cover and let raise for 45 minutes. Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes
and brush with shortening when removing from the oven. Let cool and
then the bread is ready to use.


SPONGE METHOD

Generally speaking, the sponge method produces a lighter and whiter
loaf than the bread made by the straight dough method. Bread made by
the straight dough method has the advantage over bread made by the
sponge method in flavor, texture and keeping qualities.


SPONGE METHOD

One quart of water or half water and half milk, 80 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Two yeast cakes,
Two and one-half quarts or two and one-half pounds of flour,
One ounce of sugar.

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water and add the flour. Beat to
thoroughly blend and then set aside to raise for three hours, then add

One ounce of salt,
One and one-half ounces of shortening,
One and one-half quarts or one and one-half pounds of flour.

Work to a smooth elastic dough. This takes usually about ten minutes,
after the flour is worked into the dough. Place in a greased bowl
and then turn over the dough to coat with shortening. This prevents a
crust from forming on the dough. Set aside to raise for two hours and
then pull the sides down to the centre of the dough and punch down.
Turn the dough over and let raise for one and one-quarter hours.


THE CARE OF THE BREAD AFTER BAKING

The jar, crock or box in which the bread is kept should be
scrupulously clean. It should be scalded and aired one day every week
in winter and three times weekly during the spring, summer and early
fall. Keep the fact in mind that the bread kept in a poorly ventilated
box will mould and spoil and thus be unfit for food.

Place the freshly baked bread on a wire rack to thoroughly cool before
storing. Do not put old bread in the box with the new baking. Plan to
use the stale bread for toast, dressings, bread and cabinet puddings,
croutons and crumbs.


THE FOOD VALUE OF BREAD

Wheat contains the sixteen needed elements for nutrition, and when
made into palatable bread, it forms about 40 per cent. of our total
food requirements. Stale bread digests much easier than fresh bread
for the reason that when thoroughly masticated in the mouth the saliva
acts directly upon the starchy content. Fresh bread, unless thoroughly
chewed, so that it may be well broken up, becomes a hard, pasty
ball in the stomach, which requires that organ to manufacture the
additional gastric juices to break up this dough ball.

Bread from one to three days old easily digests. Graham and whole
wheat breads contain a larger percentage of nutriment than the white
breads.


OVEN TEMPERATURE

Many housewives feel that it is impossible to secure accurate results
in baking in the gas range; this is due to the fact that few women
really understand the principle of baking with gas.

To secure a slow oven, light both burners and let them burn for five
minutes; then turn both of them down low, turning the handle that
controls the flow of gas two-thirds off. This will maintain a steady
even heat. A slow oven requires 250 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit of heat.
A moderate oven is 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit of heat. It can be
obtained by burning both burners of gas range for eight minutes and
then turning them down one-half to maintain this heat.

A hot oven requires 425 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and will need
to have the burners burning twelve minutes and then turned off
one-quarter.

This heat is intense and entirely too hot for breads, pastries and
cakes. Meats require this heat for one-half of the length of time
in the period of cooking. This heat is also necessary for broiling,
grilling, etc.

Now, also try to utilize the full oven space when baking by cooking
two or more dishes at the same time. Vegetables may be placed in
casseroles or earthen dishes or even ordinary saucepans; cover them
closely and cook in the oven until tender. This will not injure other
foods baking in the oven.

Do not place breads, cakes and pastries upon the top shelf; rather,
place them on the lower shelf and cook in moderate oven. Do you know
that there are still among us women who firmly believe that placing
other foods to cook in oven with cake will surely spoil it? This is a
mistake; utilize every bit of oven space.

An oven thermometer soon pays for itself. Pay strict attention to
heating the oven; if the oven is too hot, the heat is wasted, while it
cools sufficiently. This wastes gas. When food is first placed in the
oven, keep oven door closed for first ten minutes and then open when
necessary.

Placing food in oven will materially reduce the heat. Do not try to
increase the heat; just as soon as the mixture acquires the heat, the
baking will begin in the usual manner and the dish will be ready to
remove from oven in given time.

Never keep the oven waiting for the food; rather let food remain in
cool place while oven is heating.

Before mixing materials select the pans that will best fit the oven.
This does not mean that you must discard your present equipment. It
means that you should place in groups such pans that entirely fill
oven space without crowding. Keep this fact in mind when purchasing
new utensils.

The best and whitest rye flour is milled from the centre of the grains
in a manner similar to wheat flour. When only the bran is removed from
the milling, we have the darker flour, carrying a heavy pronounced
flavor. The rye meal is used for making pumpernickel, a Swiss and
Swedish rye flour bread.


HOME-MADE YEAST

Wash four potatoes and then cut in slices, without peeling, and place
in saucepan, and add three pints of water. Cook until the potatoes are
soft and then add

One-half cupful of hops.

Cook slowly for one-half hour. Rub the mixture through a fine sieve
and then pour hot mixture on

One and one-half cupfuls of flour,
One tablespoonful of salt,
One-quarter cupful of brown sugar.

Stir until well mixed, beating free from lumps. Cool to 80 degrees
Fahrenheit. Now add

One yeast cake dissolved in one cupful of water, 80 degrees
Fahrenheit

Stir well to mix and then let ferment in a warm place for ten hours.
Now pour into jar or crock and store in a cool place.


TO USE

Use one and one-half cups of this mixture in place of the yeast cake.
Always stir well before using and take care that the mixture does not
freeze. This potato ferment must be made fresh every eighteen days in
winter and every twelve days in summer.


STRAIGHT DOUGH VIENNA

One quart of water or milk,
One ounce of salt,
One ounce of sugar.

Stir well to thoroughly dissolve, and then add

Two yeast cakes,
Four quarts of flour,
One and one-half ounces of shortening.

Work to a smooth dough and then knead for ten minutes. Then place in
a well-greased bowl, turning the dough over to thoroughly coat. This
prevents a crust from forming on the dough.

Cover the bowl and set aside to raise for three and one-half hours.
Now lay over the dough by pulling in toward the centre, the sides and
ends of the dough until it forms a compact mass. Turn over the dough,
cover and let rise for one hour. Now place on the moulding board and
proceed to form into loaves, using the same method as in the sponge
dough.


TO PREPARE LOAF

When the dough is ready to mould into loaves, proceed; using method as
given in sponge dough, finally rolling the loaf on the moulding board,
making it pointed at the ends. Now place a clean cloth in a deep
baking pan and sprinkle the cloth with cornmeal. Place the loaf of
dough on the cloth and sprinkle it lightly with cornmeal. Now lift
the cloth up close to the dough, making a cloth partition between each
loaf.

Let the dough rise, about 45 minutes, and when ready to bake, lift
dough carefully from the cloth and lay on a baking sheet and gash
slightly with a sharp knife. Wash with an egg and water, wash and back
forty-five minutes in a hot oven, adding a small saucepan of boiling
water to provide steam to keep the loaf moist while baking.

One-half of above recipes for small family.


TO MAKE THE FAMOUS FRENCH BREAD

Pare and cut in slices two medium-sized potatoes. Cook until very
soft in three cups of water. When cooked rub through a sieve and cool.
There must be two cups of this mixture. When the mixture is about 80
degrees Fahrenheit, pour in the mixing bowl and add

One yeast cake crumbled in,
One-half ounce of shortening (1 tablespoon),
One ounce of sugar (2 tablespoons),
Three-fourths ounce of salt (2 teaspoons).

Stir to thoroughly dissolve and then add eight cups of flour. Work
to a dough and then proceed as in the straight dough method. When the
dough is ready for the pans, cut or divide into six pieces and mould
into loaves, three inches thick and twelve inches long, and set to
rise like the Vienna bread, then bake, using the same method.


RYE BREAD

Two cupfuls of water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
Two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt.

Mix and then add

One yeast cake,
Five cupfuls of white flour,
Three cupfuls of rye flour,
Two tablespoonfuls of shortening.

Work to a dough and ferment three and one-quarter hours, then proceed
as in the straight dough method. When the dough is ready for the pans
use the same method as for Vienna bread. Bake in a similar manner,
having the oven heated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rye bread requires
an oven hotter than for wheat bread. Wash the rye bread when taking
from the oven with warm water. Caraway seeds may be added if desired.


GRAHAM BREAD

Two cupfuls of water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
Four tablespoonfuls of syrup,
Two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt.

Stir until dissolved and then crumble in one yeast cake, dissolve
thoroughly, and then add

Four cupfuls of white flour,
Three and one-half cupfuls of graham flour,
Three tablespoonfuls of shortening.

Work to a dough and then proceed as in the straight dough method.


ENTIRE WHEAT BREAD

Two cupfuls of water,
Three tablespoonfuls of syrup,
Two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt.

Mix thoroughly and then crumble in one yeast cake and stir until
dissolved, then add

Seven and a half cupfuls of wheat flour.

Work to a smooth elastic dough and proceed as in a straight dough.


PRUNE BREAD

Wash to thoroughly cleanse one-half pound of prunes and then stone and
with a pair of scissors cut into small pieces the size of a raisin.
When the bread is ready to go into the pans add the prunes and knead
the dough well to distribute the prunes. Then place in pans and
proceed as usual.


BRAN BREAD

Two cupfuls of water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
One-half cupful of mashed potatoes,
Three tablespoonfuls of syrup,
Two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt.

Mix and then crumble in one yeast cake. Stir until dissolved, and then
add

Six cupfuls of wheat flour,
Two and one-half cupfuls of bran.

Proceed as in the straight dough method.


CALIFORNIA ORANGE BREAD

Grate the rind of two oranges and then place in a bowl and add

One cup of orange juice, warmed to 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
Two tablespoonfuls of melted shortening,
Four tablespoonfuls of sugar,
One and a half teaspoonfuls of salt,
One egg.

Beat to mix and then dissolve one yeast cake in one cup of water
80 degrees Fahrenheit, and add to the above mixture; then work in
sufficient flour to make a smooth elastic dough; usually about eight
cups. Place in a greased bowl and turn the dough to thoroughly coat
with grease. Cover and let rise for three hours. Pull the corners of
the dough to the centre and punch down, turn over and let rise
again for one hour. Repeat the punching down and then let rise for
three-quarters of an hour. Turn out on a moulding board and mould into
three loaves, adding

One-half cupful of seeded raisins to one loaf,
One-half cupful of chopped almonds to second loaf,

and keep the third loaf plain. Place in greased pans and let rise for
three-quarters of an hour. Bake in the hot oven for 40 minutes. The
temperature of the oven should be 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

This bread is delicious for sandwiches. Undoubtedly one of the causes
of the failure in making breads at home is that the process is hurried
and the bread is insufficiently baked. The size and shape of the pans
affect the quality of the bread. Avoid too deep or shallow pans. A
pan, 7-1/2 by 4-1/4 inches, will give the best results.

Turn the bread on a wire cake rack to cool. This permits the free
circulation of air.


BOSTON BROWN BREAD

Place in a bowl

Two cups of bread crumbs,
One-half cup of syrup,
One teaspoon of baking soda,
One tablespoon of water.

Dissolve the baking soda in the tablespoon of water and add

Two cups of hot water.

Beat to mix and then let cool, add

One-half cup of cornmeal,
One-half cup of graham flour.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in well-greased moulds and cover
and steam or boil for one and one-half hours. Remove the cover and
place in a slow oven for twenty minutes to dry out. A one-pound coffee
can makes a splendid mould.


BOSTON BROWN BREAD

Place in a mixing bowl

Two-thirds cup of molasses,
Two cups of sour milk,
One and one-half teaspoons of baking soda.

Stir to thoroughly dissolve the soda, then add

Two-thirds cup of graham flour,
One cup of cornmeal,
One cup of rye flour,
One-half cup of seeded raisins.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then grease thoroughly one-pound coffee can
and fill two-thirds full with this mixture. Put on the lid and steam
for two hours, then remove the lid and place the can in the oven
to dry out. One-pound baking-powder cans may be used to replace the
coffee cans.


SCOTCH OAT BREAD

Place in a bowl

One cupful of scalded milk cooled to 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
One cupful of water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit,
One-half cup of syrup,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt.

Crumble in one yeast cake and then mix until the yeast cake is
dissolved and then add

Four cupfuls of flour.

Beat to mix and then let the sponge rise for two and a half hours. Now
add

Two cupfuls of rolled oats,
Two cupfuls of flour.

Knead to smooth elastic dough and then place in a greased bowl,
turning the dough to coat thoroughly with shortening. Let rise for one
and three-quarter hours. Pull the corners down to the centre and punch
down. Turn over and let rise for one hour. Now turn out on moulding
board and cut into loaves. Shape between the hands and place on the
moulding board and cover. Let spring for ten minutes and then shape
for pans. Place in well-greased pans and brush the tops of loaves with
melted shortening. Let rise forty minutes. Bake in hot oven.


PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Place in a bowl

Three tablespoons sugar,
One and one-half teaspoonfuls salt,
Four tablespoons shortening.

Scald and pour into the bowl

One and one-half cups of milk.

Stir to thoroughly blend; cool to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Now crumble
in one yeast cake, stirring until thoroughly dissolved, then add

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