Translation Help Request - Cookery Book from 1929

[nannynick]

Not sure this is an appropriate section to post in, tricky to know what topic this really falls under.

I have obtained a Cookery Book which is dated 1929. Reading through the first few pages, I am getting the feeling that I may need some assistance in working out what is meant by certain phrases.

For example: A little sieved spinach, very small amount at first, not more than a teaspoonful

What does that mean to you? Do you think it is spinach cooked in water for a few minutes then pushed through a sieve? Resulting in a teaspoonful of spinach purée. That would seem to make sense to me, though I'm not sure... what is your view?

How about: Crumb of Bread... what is that?
Context: Always with dinner a crust of bread to chew, or a rough piece of crumb of bread slowly toasted in the oven and made hard and crisp.

Is Crumb of Bread a chunk of bread taken from the middle of the bread, rather than including the crust?

I would guess that sieved spinach meant that the water had been sieved out of it - i.e. drained so it's dry instead of sloppy.

I think you're right about the crumb of bread - a kind of lump of toast.

I wasn't around in 1929 though!! Maybe someone on Gransnet would know?!!

Any more?

crumb of bread is in the middle sentence

Thanks. Sounds like I have about the right idea for what the author means. Yes, reading further into the book, the sieved spinach I think means it's cooked and drained though a sieve. The book includes instructions for cooking the spinach without water... just rinse the pan out, then add spinach.

Loaf Sugar - do you think sugar lumps could be used instead?

Oswego Flour is an ingredient in some recipes. Can that still be obtained? Is cornflour a suitable alternative... or is Superfine Plain Flour better? Or is it more like flour used for pasta, such as Very Strong Canadian Flour

As Oswego County is in Canada and they make flour there, I would guess Canadian bread flour... what was the recipe for though?

Crumb is a slice of bread from the middle of the loaf, ie not the crust at the ends.
The sieved spinach is spinach puree.
you can buy loaf sugar in our local supermarket in germany, not that thats especially helpful to you!

I am guessing that Oswego flour is one of the differently numbered flours that you can buy in france or germany. Breadmaking flour in the UK, perhaps?

DoesntTheTurkeyDragOn - Oswego Cake, 18 to 20 small cupcakes. I think some experimentation may be needed, the Canadian Bread flour sounds like a good place to start, though I wonder how if would differ to normal plain flour. May make two batches, one using each flour and compare the result.

Nightbynight - thanks, alas I'm the UK not Germany. Can't imagine supermarkets here sell it. Given it's being used in recipes where small lumps of loaf sugar are rubbed against fruit (orange, lemon) then put into warm milk that is then brought to the boil... I expect a sugar cube would be just as good. Perhaps something more rough and less refined, like Pure Cane Rough Cut Cubes

Can you still get Sponge Finger trays? I can't locate any, though have seen an Eclair Tray on Ebay, which may be a similar thing.

In our local supermarket, there are 4 or 5 different types of flour available, with number codes. (type 450, type 680 etc)

I never know which is which, and rely on the photos on the packs. I have distinguished different flours for: cakes, sweet pastries, bread, pasta/spätzles.

I have had a look in some old cookery books of mine, but can't find Oswego flour. But I seem to remember, that flour for cakes and biscuits was grown in the UK, and bread flour was grown in Canada.

I'd agree that sieved spinach is spinach puree, not drained spinach. I have a 1920s recipe book and they seem to use sieves to get a puree - there are a lot of instructions to put things through a sieve (e.g. chicken, lobster, sardine) in order to make mousses. I interpret the sieving in these cases as being equivalent to our blenders, so I'd blend it.

Re Oswego Flour....this link might answer your question. Cornflour should work...
www.sensationpress.com/victoriancornflour.htm