Elizabeth Straessle
Cook, Legend and Somewhat of a Chemist. This is how I would describe the cooks of early days, who used very basic ingredients-milk, flour, eggs and whatever was on hand. They fed their families and created many remembered recipes.
Professional cooks and many cooks at home today alter ingredients. Most of these cooks are attempting to create new recipes or tastes. Cooks of yesterday were attempting to conserve, as many times ingredients were not available. For example, knowing when they could use water, ½ and ½ milk instead of all milk. The first recipe this month we have had questions and requests for. There are two Icing or Frosting recipes. The Frosting made with eggs is fluffier. The icing listed with the cake has more of a Caramel candy taste. But both have the great Caramel taste. The cake recipe taste like and could be used for a plain layer cake. The Caramel taste comes from the blending and cooking of the ingredients.
Carmel Cake or, Caramel Cake - Carmel is the original spelling.
This is a Legacy left to us by: Lizzie Fink Hostetter nee Long, from South Annville, PA. Born: 1881
Original Recipe
2 cups sugar
1 cup sweet milk
2 eggs
½ cup shortening
3 cups flour (Today this would be plain flour)
2 tsp baking powder
This is an example of a basic cake used. There were no instructions in her written recipe. She would have beaten this cake a long time by hand. The instructions listed are what I would use.
Grease and flour (3) 8- or 9-inch cake pans.
Cream sugar and shortening together. (About 2 minutes medium speed electric mixer.)
Add eggs and beat about 2 minutes, medium speed (electric mixer.)
Shift flour and baking powder together in separate bowl.
Fold flour mixture in (about 2 minutes slow speed electric mixer)
Pour into pans and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees, 325 degrees with coated pans
Carmel (Caramel) Icing
Original Recipe
1 ½ cups brown and white sugar mixed
½ cup sweet cream butter - size of a walnut
Boil till thick
Vanilla to flavor
My instructions:
Mix in heavy boiler or double boiler:
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup milk (evaporated milk makes a great substitute for sweet cream)
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Bring to a slow boil stirring continuously.
Boil until mixture thickens.
Take off heat
Add vanilla and let cool until just slightly warm.
Spoon onto cake.
This recipe came from a collection of over 200 handwritten recipes that. Franklin T. Wike, Jr inherited. The author, his great-grandmother, was Pennsylvania Dutch. She spent over 40 years as a cook for the United Christian Church Camp meetings in Lebanon County, PA.
Caramel Frosting
This is another original recipe from Lizzie Fink Hostetter nee Long:
Mix 1¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar & 1/3 cup of boiling water.
Bring it to a boil and let boil until syrup will thread when dropped from a spoon.
Pour slowly while beating constantly on to the beaten white of 2 eggs.
Continue beating until mixture is cool.
Then set in a pan of boiling water and cook constantly until mixture becomes slightly granulated around the edge of dish.
Remove from stove and beat constantly until mixture holds it shape.
Add 1 tea spoon of vanilla, Spread with the back of spoon.
Pound Cake
From Eunice Hicks
Eunice Hicks was born 1914 in Georgia, where she continues to live. She was 88 on Dec.5, 2002.
This recipe was passed down through her family. The recipe was never written down anywhere. Eunice adjusted the recipe to modern use. It makes a wonderful cake. Works better in cold oven. Don't turn the oven on until you put the cake in.
3 cups sugar
3 cups plain flour (sifted)
2 sticks butter (margarine can be used)
½ cup shortening
6 large eggs (original recipe called for 5 eggs)
1 cup buttermilk (lowfat buttermilk or milk can be used)
2 tsp flavoring of choice
Cream butter, shortening and sugar (about 2 minutes medium speed electric mixer.)
Add eggs all at one time beat well (about 3 minutes medium speed electric mixer.)
Add flour and buttermilk mix well (about 2 minutes medium speed electric mixer.)
Stir in flavoring.
Pour in greased and floured tube pan.
Place in oven, then turn oven on 350 degrees for regular pan, 325 degrees for coated or dark pan. Cook about 1 ½ hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Tuna Salad
We had a request on the message board for this.
Contributor: Rita Redd
2 small cans tuna drained
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup chopped pickles (I use dill some prefer sweet pickles)
1 boiled egg chopped
Salt and pepper to taste.
½ cup mayonnaise
Mix all ingredients together
Mom Straessle's Sugar Cookies
Recipe handed down from Elizabeth Straessle
Contributor: Michael Straessle
2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp soda
2 tblsp milk (tablespoons)
4 cups flour
3 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs.
Dissolve the soda in the milk.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking power.
Stir into a softened mixture, a little at a time.
Add the vanilla and the soda/milk mixture.
Add enough of the flour to make medium stiff dough.
Roll out and cut into cookies. Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes or until light brown.
Makes 4 to 6 dozen cookies.
The next recipe is a great example of one you need to read thoroughly before starting.
Caramel Pie
Legacy of Mildred Louise Craig, nee Lewis
Born: October 16, 1876 in Ripley TN
Died November 5, 1963
Most of her adult life was spent on Island 35, better known as Reverie Tenn.
Contributor: Granddaughter Mildred C. Sanders/nee Prentice, who reports, "Grandmother took recipe from newspaper called The Covington Leader in 1899."
Will make 2 large pies
In a heavy sauce pan, put 1/2 cup sugar, let it dissolve
until it is carmelized... it will get dark in color.. just don't burn it... if the mixture becomes harden.. not to worry it will dissolve.
In a large bowl, add:
3 cups granulated sugar,
1 cup flour,
1/2 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp baking powder
Mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, separate 6 large eggs, put whites in a cool place to chill, until ready to make them into meringue.
Beat the egg yolks and add 4 cup cold milk.
Using a whisk, mix milk and eggs to the dry ingredients.
When the carmelized sugar is brown, (not burned), pour in the liquid, stirring constantly until it becomes very thick. The carmelized sugar will melt in the cooking mixture. Set aside for a few minutes, adding 1 Tbs vanilla extract.
Pour mixture into two nine inch precooked pie shells. When the mixture is completely cool... beat the egg whites making the meringue... when the egg whites are stiff... gradually add 1/2 cup sugar to it.. plus 1 Tbs. vanilla. Cream of tartar is optional...in making meringue... it helps the meringue to stiffen. Spoon the meringue over the pies... bake in 400 degree oven until meringue is golden brown... remove from oven and cool.. at room temperature... It is best served at room temperature.
Published U. S. Legacies February 2003
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