Honoring a holiday tradition

Among the joys of family gatherings throughout the holiday season are those traditional and treasured recipes. Whether remembering the feasts grandma prepared, recreating mom's favorite recipe or simply savoring aromas wafting from the kitchen, we all love this special holiday heritage.

So, this year I want to honor the grandmothers, the mothers and the daughters who so lovingly serve up traditional holiday dishes. (Yes, I know some men are great cooks, but I’m betting the better helf will be in the Barcalounger with a brewski.)

***

In Colonial times, our founding fathers were served “receipts.” which involved more than opening a can or popping something into the microwave. Here’s a favorite Christmas receipt from the colony of South Carolina.

From A Colonial Plantation Cookbook: The Receipt Book of Harrison Pinckney Horry, 1770, edited with an introduction by Richard J. Hooker, Columbia, South Carolina, University of South Carolina Press, 1984, p. 46.

How to Dress a Calve’s Head

Boil the head till the Tongue will Peel, then cut half the head into small pieces, about the size of an oyster, then stew it in Strong Gravy, with a large Ladle full of Claret, and a handful of sweet herbs, a little lemon peal, a piece of Onion and Nutmeg. Let all These stew till they are tender. Take the other half of the head and boil it, scratch it across, strew over it grated Bread and sweet herbs with a little lemon Peal: Lard it with Bacon, and wash it over with the Yolks of Eggs, and strew over it a little grated Bread and Place it in the middle of your dish. Then put a pint of strong Gravy into your stew pan with three Anchovies, a few Capers, a good many mushrooms, a good quantity of sweet Butter, and a quart of large Oysters in their own liquor with a Blade of Mace and a little white wine, keep the largest oysters to fry and shred a few of the smallest; then Beat the Yolks of two Eggs and Flour, dip them in and fry them in Hogs Lard, make little Cakes of the Brains and dip them in and fry them, then pour the stew'd meat in the dish with the other half of the head, and lay the fried Oysters, Brains and Tongue, with little bits of crispt bacon, and force meat Balls, on the Top and all about the meat, garnish with horseradish and barberries and serve it hot.

***

On holy days and at funeral gatherings, Appalachian women serve this traditional pioneer recipe. This copy is found in Sharyn McCrumb’s “The Rosewood Coffin,” a mystery novel set in modern-day Appalachia. The cook must get out her Holy Bible to find each ingredient.

Scripture Cake

I Kings 4:22 – 4 1/2 cups
Judges 5:25 – 1 cup
Jeremiah 6:20 – 2 cups
I Samuel 30:12 – 2 cups
Nahum 3:12 – 2 cups
Numbers 17:8 – two cups
I Samuel 14: 25 – 2 tablespoons
Leviticus 2:13 – 1/4 teaspoon
Judges 4:19 – 1/2 cup
Amos 4:5 – 2 tablespoons
Jeremiah 17:11 – 6 medium

Since that recipe had no cooking directions, I found an alternative online:

Scripture Cake

1/2 cup butter, Judges 5:25
1 1/2 cups white sugar, Jeremiah 6:20
3 eggs, Isaiah 10:14
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Kings 4:22
2 teaspoons baking powder, Luke 13:21
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 Kings 10:10
1 teaspoon ground mace, 1 Kings 10:10
1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 Kings 10:10
1/2 teaspoon salt, Leviticus 2:13
1/2 cup water, Genesis 43:24
1 tablespoon honey, Proverbs 24:13
1 cup figs, 1 Samuel 30:11
1 cup raisins, 1 Samuel 30:11
1/2 cup almonds, Genesis 43:11

Blend butter, sugar, spices and salt. Beat egg yolks and add. Sift in baking powder and flour, then add water and honey.

Put fruit and nuts through food processor (or chop by hand) and flour well, then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold fruit mixture into flour mixture. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

If you share this recipe, leave off the ingredients as the point is to find them in the scriptures.

***

Finally, I share with you my favorite Christmas recipe – Fruitcake Cookies – the most delicious cookie you’ll ever eat! These cookies do not taste like traditional fruitcake, but bake to a crispy golden brown bejeweled with traditional candied fruits. Thanks to my sister, Martha Turner Hanson, for passing along this recipe years ago.

Fruitcake Cookies

1-1/2 sticks margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups unsifted plain flour (flour fruit w/ 1/2 cup of this)
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda (dissolved in small amount of water)
6 tbsp. bourbon whiskey
1 lb. broken pecans
1 lb. chopped dates
4 oz. red candied cherries, cut in pieces
4 oz. green candied cherries, cut in pieces
4 oz. red candied pineapple, cut in pieces
4 oz green candied pineapple, cut in pieces

Cream butter, then stir in each of these ingredients one at a time: add sugars, add half of flour, add 1 egg, add other half of flour, add other egg. Add soda dissolved in water, then whiskey. Pour batter over fruit in very large bowl (I use a big soup pot) . Stir by hand. Mixture is very thick.

Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Cookies should be golden brown. Yield: 100

These cookies make wonderful gifts. Be prepared to be asked to make them a holiday tradition!

***

Sending lovin’ from the oven! Happy holy days and. in 2012, I wish for you good health and moments of pure and perfect happiness.

B. J. Trotter, Anderson, S.C.