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Domestic Cookery
B. Lightfoot, MRSC
“The Mistress of a family should always remember that the welfare and good management of the house depends on the the eye of the superior and consequently that nothing is too trifling for her notice, whereby waste may be avoided; and this attention is of more importance now that the price of every necessary of life is increased to an enormous degree”.
Mrs. Maria Liza Rundell,
A New System Of Domestic Cookery
1806
The above is quoted from a most interesting and detailed cookbook, published originally in 1806. Ladies, times have changed very little. The “welfare and good management” of any household are still very important today. We shop for bargains, moan at the rising costs of food and recycle leftovers. Whereas our 19th century lady depended on good firewood to prepare her meals, today we rely on electricity to cook. Even then, it sometimes pays to know how to cook with fire as nature has a way of reminding us that candles will never go out of fashion in a blackout.
The one constant her is the "road map" used by the cook to achieve that perfect dish. The recipes used today had their beginnings in the “receipts” used by cooks hundreds of years ago. The following is an example of a 19th century receipt taken from Mrs. Rundell’s cookbook for “Queen Cakes”. You will notice that the measurements are imperial and the instructions a little on the light side. For those of you who are more adventurous give it a try as is. i will post a modern equivalent for my next column. Have fun and let me know how it went!
Your servant,
Brenda Lightfoot
“Queen Cakes”
“Mix a pound of dried flour, the same of sifted sugar, and of washed clean currents. Wash a pound of butter in rose water, beat it well, then mix with it eight eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately, and put in the dry ingredients by degrees; beat the whole an hour - butter little tins, tea cups or saucers and bake the batter in, filling only half. Sift a little fine sugar over just as you put into the oven.”