The Household Cookbook 1894 With Biscuit Recipe

It looks like I am the very happy recipient of a family heirloom.

A few months after my paternal Grandma passed away almost ten years ago, my Grandpa told us that whatever we didn't come and take right away, he was going to take to Goodwill! WHAT???!!! He said it was just too hard to go through it after having been married 59 years (in fact, this picture of my husband and me was taken at their 5oth wedding anniversary).

That experience could be a post in itself, but my post today is about a cookbook I received at that time. I didn't think it was my grandma's, but it was so gorgeous and OLD, I couldn't leave it to be taken to the Goodwill. It was originally printed in 1894 and this copy is copyrighted in 1902. Someone's name was in the front and I figured it had been one of their many garage sale finds.

Inside the front cover it says, in that pretty, old-fashioned cursive script,
"Alberta Rinehart From Mrs. Putzine"

Then scribbled at the top of the page there is a note that says "Fried Corn p 229", and another recipe written out further down, which I shall have to try to make, but it doesn't say what it is or how to cook it, only the ingredients and amounts.

Last year I took the cookbook out of my grandparents old trunk in our bedroom and began displaying it on a cookbook stand The Princess Sister gave me for Christmas one year. I enjoy having a bit of yesteryear out where I can see it each day.

So yesterday I was talking to my Naturally Gorgeous Auntie and she said it sounds like the cookbook belonged to my GREAT-Grandmother! I knew my grandma's step-mother's name was Grandma Birdie. I had no idea it was short for Alberta. But it makes sense doesn't it?

So now it is even more precious to me.

I got quite a kick out of looking at some of the recipes. They had a much different way of laying it all out. And some of the other things in it are very interesting too, like household hints and such.

I thought I'd share a very old biscuit recipe from this cookbook with you. I have been looking for my Grandma's recipe and was hoping it was tucked in here somewhere. It wasn't, but I found this one instead. It is one of 14 biscuit recipes in this one book. The way I measure when I cook, I should use this kind of cookbook more often!

The extra long spaces between some words and all punctuation, etc. is as it is in the book (but italics are mine):

Baking-Powder Biscuits. ----Have the oven hot to begin with, then rub a piece of butter the size of an English Walnut into a cup of flour, and butter your baking tins. Next put a level teaspoon of salt, and two heaping teaspoons of baking powder in the flour, and stir it well. Up to this time you can work leisurely, but from this onward, work as fast as you can "fly". Add a cup of sweet milk, stir it, and add enough more flour to make a soft dough; take it out onto the molding board, and form it quickly into a round mass; cut it in 2 parts, then 4, then 8; give the pieces just a roll in the floured hands, put it in the tin and bake 8 or 10 minutes. The oven should brown them top and bottom in that time. Everybody likes them.

Yes, I am going to have to make these and get back to you:)

And tucked within it's pages are several other items which I enjoyed as much as the book itself. Like a time capsule. I'll show you later.

(To see more fun vintage items, you can visit Vintage Thingy Thursday each Thursday at Colorado Lady.)