Grandmother Basquins' Boston Brown Bread

Another of Caro Basquin's traditional New England recipes.

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup rye meal or flour
1 cup graham flour/whole wheat
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda ( bi carb)

Mix above together thoroughly

1 cup molasses to which one pint hot water has been added. Pour into meal and stir till smooth batter. Put in a greased tin ( a 3 lb. Crisco can is good.)

Cover the tin tightly and steam three hours-adding water as needed.

Margot

Grandma Webber's Plum Pudding

Another of Lillian Webber's traditional English recipes.

2 lbs suet

Separate, remove skin and threads from suet. Cream with hands

2 lbs stale bread crumbs
1 lb sugar
1 lb currants

Mix the currants, sugar, and bread crumbs together.

Cut in pieces and dredge with flour:

2 lbs seeded raisins
2 lbs seedless raisins
1/2 lb citron
1/2 lb lemon peel
1/2 lb orange peel

Combine all of the above ingredients, then add:

2 grated nutmegs,
3 tsp cinnamon,
1-1/3 tsp clove
1-1/3 tsp mace,
6 tsp salt
1 doz beaten eggs
Sufficient grape juice (1 qt?) (or liquor) to moisten and hold together.

Mix thoroughly (Tradition has it that everyone in the household must stir at least once to insure good luck!)

Put in greased pudding molds-or bowls with lip- either cover with mold tight fitting lids or put a thick layer of flour over the tops and tie down firmly in unbleached muslin for cover.(I used greased coffee cans with muslin lining them)

Steam 6 hours in water on rack just to the top of bowls. Steam another two hours before serving.

This makes a TREMENDOUS amount. Grandma used to count on enough for every holiday through the year and for Christmas gifts. I often made ¼ and had plenty. Also I always made this by Thanksgiving so that it would be ready for Christmas dinner.

To serve: pour warm brandy over pudding and flame! Then serve with favorite hard sauce. Our family’s favorite was simply confectioners sugar, butter, and vanilla mixed well and chilled.

Margot

Grandma Webber's Yorkshire Pudding

This is an absolute must for an English Christmas Dinner with Roast Beef. Grandma Webber came to the USA in 1893 by way of Australia and England, bringing very traditional recipes with her.

1-1/2 Cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup HOT beef drippings

Sift together flour and baking powder. Add beaten egg yolks and milk. Mix well. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour into shallow baking dish containing hot beef drippings. Bake in hot oven at 450 about 20 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve with roast beef!

Margot

Grandmother Basquin's Ginger Bread

Grandmother Basquin was born in 1881 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, so her recipes bring a taste of trraditional New England cooking to our cookbook.

2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon,
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg add to above
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup each Karo syrup and water mixed

Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add the soda water and stir.

Cream the sugar and shortening together. Add the egg and molasses. Alternately add the Karo mix and the flour mix until all ingredients are blended. Bake at 325-350 for 35 minutes.

Margot