Sweets For My Sweet

On the decoration of creams or jellies:

This branch of cookery affords almost unlimited scope for display of artistic taste. Success depends largely on a suitable combination of contrasting or harmonising colours, and the decoration being neat and uniformly disposed. Each section must be decorated separately, and the decoration fixed firmly by means of a little cool jelly, which must be allowed to set before changing the position of the mould. For this reason the process is a slow one, unless the mould meanwhile rests upon and is surrounded by ice. ...Sweets of this description are usually garnished with a macedoine of fruit, whipped cream, or jelly.

(Mrs Beeton)

Could you be bothered?

KaliBug's February Challenge: 15) Food

I'm going backwards now - apologies.

This is one of the few 'colour plates' from Mrs Beeton's All About Cookery (New Edition) from 1909. I believe this particular copy belonged to my Great Grandmother. I love it, but more for the social history value than culinary assistance! Unfortunately it doesn't have the many hysterically funny instructions to be found in her Household Management book, but there is a clear delineation of kitchen tasks for the cook and the scullery maid. Considering it is assumed that at least these staff are present, I find her obsession with economising quite amusing, but I'm sure we could all learn a lot from this particular aspect of the publication.

There are some rather odd recipes in here ... at least to modern tastes. 'Bread Soup' seems to be just bread mashed into stock, and I can't believe how many dozens of different dishes (sweet and savoury) can be concocted from all or some of the ingredients of suet, stock, flour, breadcrumbs, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper. There are about 18 recipes for eel, and while I can cope with the idea of eating horse, 'Lark Pie' just seems too cruel. Yet Mrs B is also remarkably adventurous, giving instructions for many vegetarian dishes and delicacies from right across the globe including curries and kangaroo!

Sweets For My Sweet - old and new