Well, it's been a long time since I last came across these recipes. In fact, I had thought them lost forever. As young kids, we spent a great deal of time with "The Aunts"; that's because Dad was a farmer and Mum ran a guest house. In the summer months, we stayed with Auntie Marjorie (AM) and Auntie Barbara(AB). They lived a mile away in a lovely old house. Unmarried, their three nieces were their pride and joy. When they were young ladies, in about 1917, they spent a year at Atholl Crescent in Edinburgh - where they were taught all they would ever need to know about running a home. The training included cooking and baking - and this skill stood them in good stead in later years when they had to prepare meals for three energetic young girls. AM and AB were renowned for their cooking and baking; it was plain but delicious. I still can't match AM's skill at cooking cabbage to perfection. It was always crisp, tasty, buttery .... mouth-watering. AB was the baker. She could turn out the most fantastic meringues, her chocolate cake was to die for and she had a repertoire of buns, cookies (biscuits) and gingerbread which sometimes accompanied us to school as a treat. Mrs Os Biscuits Put 4 oz butter into a pan along with 1 tablespoon of syrup not heaped and allow to melt but not get hot Then stir into 6 oz of self-raising flour Form into balls and flatten slightly with a fork Bake in a moderate oven till nicely browned Place on a wire rack to cool and sandwich together with butter icing when cold Crispies Put into a pan 3 oz butter, 1 dessertspoon of syrup, 2 oz of sugar, 1 oz. Quaker oats and 2 oz of rice crispies If you like, adding a handful of salted peanuts makes a delicious alternative. Mix well and spread evenly in a swiss roll tin Flatten with a knife and bake in a moderate oven till nicely browned Cool for a minute and cut into fingers Ginger snaps Put 3 oz butter and 4 oz of syrup into a pan and allow to melt but not get hot. Mix 6 oz self-raising flour with 3 oz of sugar and 1 tsp ground ginger and add to butter and syrup Form into small balls and bake in a moderate oven Allow to cool on a wire rack. These recipes are as popular today as they were with us 40 years ago! I can taste them as I type. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. |
