Colonial Recipes

Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup molasses

1 cup sour milk

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

Cream together sugar, butter, spices, and salt. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Add molasses and milk together and mix. Sift flour with baking soda and add to mixture. Bake in a greased 9″-square pan at 325° for about one hour.

Indian Pudding

4 cups milk

1/3 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

3 tablespoons sugar

1 well-beaten egg (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Heat milk in double boiler and stir in cornmeal. Cook about fifteen minutes. Add molasses and cook five minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in rest of ingredients. Mix well and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 325° for two hours.

Serve hot with cream, ice cream, or pudding sauce of your choice.

Tavern Biscuits

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon mace

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour

Cream together sugar, butter, and spices. Stir in milk, add flour, then knead well. Roll very thin and cut into squares. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 400° until lightly browned.

Illustrated by Dick Brown