Good ol' recipes

I read an article today which mentioned that cooks in the "old days" might jot down a list of ingredients, mention a particular cooking vessel or pan, and only roughly note proportions. This makes it difficult for those of us who want to reproduce recipes from ancestors or mentors, because we have a tough time duplicating those old dishes.

Do you have recipes like this? They could be family recipes or dishes you have prepared professionally. Maybe you found recipes like this in heirloom or antique cookbooks.

For example, my grandmother baked bread nearly every day of her life while her husband and children were at home. She never measured anything with a standard measure. My mom watched her bake many times, but when it came time to pass the recipe on to me, Mom had no idea how much of each ingredient was actually being used. Mom had my grandmother make three batches of bread while she measured each ingredient before my grandmother added it. (This caused quite a few flashes of annoyance, I can assure you!) Finally, the three versions were averaged, and I can now make my grandmother's challah with good results.

Do any of you have similar experience?

Athenaeus, the article mentioned a similar issue. Long ago in small towns, the women would buy baking pans, cups, etc. from the same small store so they all knew the size of "a big cake pan" or "a teacup of flour". When people dispersed or the towns grew larger, the meanings of such descriptions were lost. Even "butter the size of an egg" is pretty subjective!

I, too, am one to cook by eye, nose and ear. (Yes, I do listen for the sound of a hot enough sizzle in a pan or a too-fast boil in a pot.) I have a great deal of trouble sharing recipes because I don't measure. Since I'm not much of a baker, I respect the chemistry of that art and stick closely to recipes. But for savory cooking, it's all sensory!

Tigerwoman, what I wouldn't give to have my grandmother on tape! However, she died in 1966, before home VCRs were available. But I can still see her hands in the dough to this day.

How lucky you are to have that! (Do consider having it burned on a DVD, as that will last much longer than VHS tape. And keep a copy in the bank box!)

I agree, Bouland. Even people's time sense is markedly changed. What we used to "feel" was a short time is now long. "Simmer for a short time" meant perhaps 20 minutes in 1850, but today "a short time" would mean 5 minutes to a lot of people, I'd bet.

We now chafe when our computers take 1 minute to execute a command, and think that an eon. I once read of a study which investigated people's time sense. It compared those who use computers with those who do not. They were asked to sound a buzzer when they thought one minute had elapsed. Those who hadn't been "cyberized" waited more than twice as long as those who were computer users. I wish I could find that study, but it was a real eye-opener.

Hi Jodi,

It's been a while. It's good to see you again!

Sorry, Shel, I was out of town. My mom calls this her "versatile dough" as you can morph it into cinnamon rolls, coffee cake or use it for challah. She made some small changes in it and since she took the trouble to measure it all and write it down, I guess she deserves to have her name on it!

Rosetta's Versatile Dough
1. Proof the yeast: Into a small cup place 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 packet instant dry yeast, 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees). Allow to sit until bubbly.

2. For the dough: In a large heavy bowl combine 3.5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup sugar. In a 2-cup measure, beat 2 eggs, then add enough warm water to equal 1 cup liquid. Add the corn oil to the water. Add the yeast mixture and add the liquid to the flour in the large bowl. Use a fork to blend until you need to use your hands.

3. Start kneading and rounding the dough with your hands. (On humid days you may need more flour.) When the ball and sides of the bowl are clean, turn out onto a well-floured board and knead at least 10 minutes.

4. When the dough is no longer sticky, oil the bowl, put the dough in it, and turn to oil the dough on all sides. Let the dough rise in a warm place (away from drafts), covered with a towel. Let rise until double and a finger indentation remains. "Punch" down the dough, turn it out onto a floured board and knead slightly.

5. Shaping a challah: Cut the dough in two, then cut each piece into three equal pieces; braid, tucking the ends underneath the loaf. Let rise double.

6. To bake: Paint the dough with egg wash (one yolk + 1 teaspoon water). Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. Place on oiled baking sheet. Bake in a 350° or 375° oven until brown. Cool on a rack. (**You can shape conventional loaves and bake in an oiled bread pan.)

7. FOR MAKING SWEET DOUGH FOR CINNAMON ROLLS: Add another 1/4 cup sugar to the dough and use 1/3 cp melted butter instead of oil. Add a third egg if you wish. Roll the dough into a rectangle 1/4" thick. Brush dough with butter. Sprinkle with a mixture of white and brown sugar plus cinnamon (add raisins if desired). Roll, then cut into 2" slices. Place in buttered baking pan; crowding is fine. Brush with more butter and sprinkle with more sugar mixture if you aren't going to frost them. Let rise until doubled, then bake as above.

You're welcome! Let me know how it comes out.

I first made this myself on the first Sabbath I after our wedding. I made one loaf and several mini-loaves for the freezer. It took a while to learn about proofing time; even under-proofed it tasted pretty good, but I learned to be more patient.

For the Jewish New Year my grandmother made one large, coiled loaf. The tail of the coil was pulled on top, then cut to look like a small hand. As kids we called it "God's hand on the world" and fought over who'd get it to dip in honey.

My grandmother used plain ol' Fleishman's or Red Star yeast packets. Since then my mom tried the instant yeast with good results. I believe Alton Brown prefers it too, but I heard that after Mom was already using it.

To tell you the truth, I do what successful bakers tell me to do. I'm better on the other side of the kitchen. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the book suggestion, Shel. My collection of Jewish cookbooks is growing slowly. My latest addition is The Jewish Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Around the World by Clarissa Hyman.