From Danny’s Files : Christmas Baking 1922

Danny Dowling (1927-2021) the Glenmore Village Historian, in addition to interviewing people also spent a substantial amount of time reading and researching in old newspapers. Before local libraries were equipped to provide copies of old newspaper articles Danny often wrote out the articles in one of his notebooks. Sometimes, he just took down notes concerning the prices of produce at fairs etc. he found in a newspaper. Today, we are going to feature recipes that appeared in the New Ross Standard in 1922 (15 Dec. 1922, p. 3). Danny recorded the recipe for Brandy Butter on a piece of paper that he stuck into one of his notebooks with a notation citing where he found it.

In Danny’s voluminous book collection there were several cook books including some very old cookbooks. Danny was interested in how people lived in the past and although he never mentioned cooking or baking himself to me, he did tell me one December that his brother Pat Dowling (1941-2023) of Cappagh, Glenmore enjoyed making Christmas puddings. Pat started his puddings early and gave most of them away to family and friends. We shall check with Danny’s son Pat, to see if he can shed some light on the Brandy Butter recipe that Danny recorded.

In looking up the original Brandy Butter recipe, from Danny’s notation, we found several other Christmas recipes published with it. It is interesting to see how recipes have evolved over the past 100 years. In 1922 the measurements, when provided, are Imperial measurements. Reference is made to kitchen paper which today must mean greaseproof baking paper. The recipes also employ raw eggs that would not be considered safe today due to salmonella concerns. The Christmas Pudding recipe is called “Grannie’s” and if true must have been in use pre-1900. It is not known how many Glenmore households had stoves or cookers in 1922, but it is believed that most households were still cooking over open fires in large kitchen fireplaces.

A Good Christmas Cake

One and half pounds of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of currants, one pound of sultanas, half a pound of mixed peel, small teaspoon of mixed spices, a saltspoonful of salt, a tablespoon of golden syrup, two ounces of chopped almonds and eight eggs.

Beat the sugar and butter together until it creams, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one well. When four eggs have been beaten, add a little of the flour, then beat the other four, gradually adding the remainder of the flour. Put the golden syrup into half a teaspoon of milk and add to the mixture, then the salt, spice, fruit, and peel. The fruit should be cleaned, but not washed, and the peel chopped finely.

The fruit is best cleaned by placing on a wire sieve, sprinkled with flour, and rubbed with the palm of the hand. A wineglassful of brandy improves the flavour of the cake. When all the ingredients are well mixed, butter some kitchen paper and line a cake tin, putting a double layer at the bottom.

Bake from five to six hours in a slow oven. Leave in the tin when baked tlll cold.

Icing for Cake

Almond Icing

Two pounds of icing sugar, one pound of ground almonds, three eggs. Mix the sugar and almonds together, well beat the eggs, mix into a stiff paste. When the cake is quite cold, level the top and spread with the paste. [Warning this recipe uses uncooked eggs!]

Sugar Icing

To every pound and half of icing sugar add the whites of three eggs and the juice of a lemon. Beat or whisk the whites of eggs, add the sugar and lemon juice, stirring all the time till becomes stiff, spread over the almond icing, using a clean knife, which should be dipped in cold water. If required more ornamental pipes may be used. {Warning this recipe uses uncooked egg whites!]

Christmas Pudding (Grannie’s Recipe)

1 ½ pounds raisins, 1 ½ pounds currants, 1 ½ pounds sultanas, 1 ½ pounds suet (beef), 1 ½ pounds sugar, 1 ½ pounds mixed peel, 2 teaspoonsful mixed spice, 1 large nutmeg, crumbs of one small loaf, 1½ pounds of self-raising flour, 3 new laid eggs, 2 tablespoonsful of treacle, spoonful of salt, 1 lemon, 3 ounces almonds (ground), 1 medium sized carrot, old ale to mix.

Clean and pick the fruit, chop the suet, and peel finely, grate the nutmeg, rub the loaf into fine crumbs, beat the eggs with the treacle, adding the lemon juice slowly, grate the carrot.  When all the dry ingredients are well mixed add the eggs, treacle and lemon juice with sufficient old ale to make a fairly stiff mixture. It should drop from the spoon, which should be a wooden one. This quantity will make several good-sized puddings. Butter some pudding basins, fill them, tie down with floured cloths or kitchen paper, steam for twelve hours. When required, reheat and serve with brandy butter.

Brandy Butter

Two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, beat well together, then add gradually a tablespoon of brandy. Serve in a sauce boat. If preferred wine sauce makes a good addition to this pudding.

Wine Sauce

One wine glass of sherry, one of water, a teaspoonful of cornflour, one of sugar. Mix the cornflour with the wine and water; add the sugar, put into a saucepan and stir over the fire until it boils.

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The featured photo of the Christmas pudding is an 1897 postcard. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “X-mas pudding.” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-f516-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Are any of these recipes close to your family favourites? Did your Glenmore parents/grandparents/great-grandparents in 1922 have a cooker/cooking stove? Danny recorded the earliest motor cars, bicycles, tractors etc. in Glenmore but did not record the earliest cooker/cooking stove or milk machine etc.

Please comment below and send any additional information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh