Looking through my collection of vintage cookery books, I came across the bright red cover of "Reliable Cookery - Notes, Rules and Recipes" by Mrs Lawrie. The book is undated but is believed to be from the 1930's. Created as a school subject book, no doubt in home economics, it was published by McDougall's Educational Company Ltd, Edinburgh.
The preface reads:
"The need for a reliable cookery book for use in schools, which provides straightforward, clear, concise recipes, as well as notes and rules on the different methods used, has been a long-felt want.
In order to obviate the necessity for note-taking, which uses up valuable time so much needed for practical work, Notes and Rules have been provided as well as good variety of Recipes, and the scope of the book is such that it provides for a course extending over three or more years.
The book is compiled in such a way that girls should be able to follow its directions, and work with intelligence and self-reliance, and not depend on constant demonstrations."
Not much is known about the knowledgeable Mrs Lawrie, but she was clearly highly skilled in the domestic arts, as she originally the Superintendent of Domestic Subjects, Glasgow Education Authority.
From Mrs Lawrie's "Reliable Cookery - Notes, Rules and Recipes" I chose to make the delightful sounding Eve's Pudding:
Ingredients
6 oz. flour (170 grams)
3 ozs. butter or margarine (85 grams)
3 ozs. sugar (85 grams)
pinch of salt
1/2 spoonful baking powder
grated lemon rind
1 to 2 eggs
milk to mix
1 lb apples (+/- 453 grams)
2 to 3 oz (57 - 85 grams)
Method
1. Have oven in readiness, and grease a pie-dish.
2. Wipe, peel, core, quarter, and slice the apples.
3. Place half the apples in the dish, then the sugar and the rest of the apples. (I added half a teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of nutmeg to the sugar to give it extra flavour)
4. Mix the dry ingredients and lemon rind together, and rub in the butter.
5. Beat the egg and add enough milk to mix to a dropping consistency.
6. Pour the mixture on top of the apples, and bake in a fairly hot oven till well risen and brown, 1/2 to 3/4 hour.
The Vintage Kitchen
