Thursday, January 24, 2008 FEATURE Southern Cross, Page 3 The 1935-36 Catholic Women’s Club’s Cook Book: how to test oven heat with paper, make “very good” Turtle Egg Cake or Poor Man’s Rice Pudding here was nothing inflammatory about the recipes gathered by the Catholic Women’s Club of Savannah in their modest 1935-36 cookbook. Culled from the kitchen files of members of the group (often identified by initials only) or selected by the book’s editors, the recipes were usually mainstream 1930s’ dishes, though one of its household hints could have been incendiary. Compiled in the mid-1930s after an optimistic Besides these women, there were others who president had pulled the U.S. out of financial contributed their cooking specialties anonydepression and before a strident German leader mously or semi-anonymously, such as: Mrs. T. P. could pull the world into a second World War, G., C. W. C. (a frequent contributor), E. A. M, the cook book reflected the spirit of American Mrs. T. P. I., and Emma I. women. Despite depressions and demagogues The cook book boasted an “international” flathey were still putting food on the table and vor, on pages 18-23 which were enlivened with members of the Catholic Women’s Club of Spanish, Italian, French and German recipes. Savannah were busy recording favorite The book strove for a universal appeal as it “receipts” in a slim 45-page cook book. informed readers about diets suitable for those A copy of this book of recipes was recently with diabetes, those on light, liquid, or soft diets donated to Diocesan Archives by Joseph Ebberand—more ominously—for those requiring a wein, son of the late Anne Ebberwein, a special typhoid diet. There were suggestions longtime member of the Savannah for preparation of foods for the sick: cream Catholic Women’s Club. Founded in lemonade, junket, beef tea, cracker gruel, 1916 “to promote the social and inteloyster broth and baked custard. lectual standing of its members and to Readers were given a generous serving advance philanthropic and educational of dishes designed for breakfast, dinner, work according to Catholic principles,” luncheon or special occasions. A “Child’s the club was well-known to Birthday Supper” menu offered: Egg Balls Savannahians. The wide range of Rolled in Tissue Paper, Chopped advertisers sponsoring their book indi- Rita H. DeLorme Chicken Sandwiches, Plain Bread and cated that the economy was humming along Butter Sandwiches, Tiny Sponge Cakes, Ice despite occasional dips, though the 2” by 2 ½” Cream Wafers, Mints, Salted Almonds and inch size of many of its ads reflected the lingerCocoa. The menu for a Home Wedding included ing austerity of the times. Julienne Soup, Chicken a la King, Duchess The 1935-36 Cook Book by members of the Potatoes, Peas, Olives , Rolls, Lobster Salad, Catholic Women’s Club featured recipes and Cheese Straws, Mint Ice, Macaroons and Coffee. measures, menus for assorted occasions and a After Prohibition variety of household tips, although one of these Having emerged from the era prohibiting the tips offered some questionable advice: “To judge sale and imbibing of alcohol, pages in the cook an oven’s heat, try the oven every ten minutes book were free to advertise “New Orleans Jax, with a piece of paper. If too hot, the paper will the Best Beer in Town” and the Pinkussohn blaze up or blacken. When the paper becomes Cigar Company’s Sterling Beer. Among eating dark brown, darker than ordinary meat pie crust, places advertising in the book were Kehoe’s the oven is fit for small pastry. When light Barbecue and Sandwiches, Hirsch’s Kosher brown, the color of nice pastry, it is ready for Delicatessen, The Rathskeller and the Triple tarts. When the paper turns dark yellow, you can “XXX” Thirst Station which offered “good eats bake bread, large meat pies, or pound cakes. If it and drinks” at its Victory Drive location. is just tinged, the oven is fit for sponge cake and To assist those trying out the fish recipes on meringue.” pages 25-26, the cook book helpfully listed Contributors seafood sources such as Louis C. Mathews (“If Among those supplying culinary recipes and It Swims, We Handle It.” “If it’s to be had, we tips for the cook book were Mrs. A. Goette, Mrs. have it.”), L. P. Maggioni & Co (“Largest E. Cafiero, Mrs. T. P. Wright, Mrs. J. E. HenPackers of Shrimp and Oysters in the World”), derson (member of the club’s executive board), and Louis Rayola, Seafood Dealer. Member Mrs. Joseph M. Alvarez, Miss Maud Cox, Mrs. Mrs. Jas. E. Henderson submitted recipes for her J. F. McDonough, Mrs. J. H. Hennessey, Mrs. Cream Puffs (2½ cups water, 2 cups flour, 1 cup Thomas F. Walsh and Miss Nellie Lynch. butter and five eggs) and her equally rich Orange Layer Cake (6 eggs, 1 cup butter, 1 ½ cups Dixie Crystal sugar, 1 cup milk, 3 cups sifted flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder - plus ingredients for the cake’s icing). In line with AUGUSTA recipes like hers were ads for Annette’s and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. WAGT-TV Foremost Dairies and Gernatt’s Creamery. The Savannah Gas Company sponsored a large SAVANNAH advertisement: “Cook with Gas. Gas is faster. Saturday, 6:00 p.m. Cable 7 Gas is clean and is easier to control. The operatSunday, 5:30 a.m. WTOC-TV ing cost is low. For cooking, water heating, TV Mass Schedule Cookbook courtesy of the Diocesan Archives. T Page 27 of the 1935-36 Cook Book by members of Catholic Womens Club, Savannah refrigeration, space heating or whenever controlled heat is required, gas is the ideal fuel.” (The gas range, once the preferred cooking stove of the early 20th century, was facing competition from the electric range as more homes became electrified.) Window on the past As a window on the past, the Catholic Women’s Club Cook Book reveals the effort women and their families were making to lead healthy lives. True, some recipes in the book were a little questionable. The so-called “Poor Man’s Rice Pudding” required four tablespoons of rice, a whole quart of milk, four tablespoons of Dixie Crystal sugar (a product advertised in the cook book), and one tablespoon of butter. A “Turtle Egg Cake” recipe included, besides flour, butter, milk, lemon extract and sugar, a total of 13 turtle eggs beaten well - three whole eggs, and10 yolks. Most recipes in the 1935-36 cook book produced by the Catholic Women’s Club of Savannah were more down to earth and environmentally friendly. As such, they offered varied and wholesome fare for people who had survived the Great Depression and would, too soon, face yet another World War. Columnist RITA H. DELORME is a volunteer in the Diocesan Archives. She can be reached at [email protected].
© Copyright 2024