Mousse/Moss, Vichyssoise, Granola, Caramel, et al.

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Thu Mar 30 13:41:34 UTC 2000


     The Cornell Making of America database may be superior to the Michigan
one in many ways, but the Michigan database has about two cook books while
Cornell's has NO COOK BOOKS AT ALL.  Obviously, food is not a part of
American history.  Nobody ever ate anything.

MOUSSE/MOSS--Again, the OED has 1892, but Delmonico's recipes for "mousse" go
back to the 1860s.  THE FRANCO-AMERICAN COOKERY BOOK (New York, 1884) by
Felix J. Deliee has "Mousses (see ices)" and "mousse au cafe noir" on page
175, "mousse au cafe vierge" on page 56, "mousse aux fraises" on page 133,
"mousse aux framboises" on page 163, "mousse aux poires" on page 252, "mousse
aux peches" on page 188, and "mousse au marasquin" on page 224.
     "Chocolate Moss" is on page 28 of BREAKFAST, DESSERT, SUPPER.  FOUR
HUNDRED PRACTICAL RECIPES (Auburn, NY, 1884) by Mrs. H. L. Knight:
     Take a quarter pound of baker's chocolate, one pint of boiling water,
one teaspoonful of corn starch dissolved in half a teacup of cold water, and
half a pound of granulated sugar; put all together into a farina kettle and
boil until thick.  When this is cold, beat the whites of three eggs very
light and stir in with the chocolate mixture, flavor with vanilla; line
individual glass dishes with sponge cake or lady fingers and pour the moss
over these.  If preferred it can be placed on one large glass dish.  It is
very delicious.

VICHYSSOIS(E)--The OED has 1939.  "Vichyssoise, Soup" is on page 39 of TO THE
QUEEN'S TASTE (1937) by Helen Train Hilles.   "Leek and Potato Soup" is on
page 138 of THE HOME DIETITIAN'S COOK BOOK (Philadelphia, 1938).
     Mariani has an interesting discussion on vichyssoise, and I'll resolve
the problem when I examine the NYPL's menus.  This recipe from the
Savoy-Plaza Hotel was in HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, November 1940, pg. 126, col. 2:
     _Cream Vichyssois_.  Slice fine the white part of 4 medium-sized leeks
and cook them slowly in 1 oz. of sweet butter without allowing to brown.  Add
a pint and a half of white chicken stock, 3/4 lb. of peeled Idaho potatoes
(cut in quarters) and a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for 1 hour.
When cooked, pass through a sieve or fine strainer and allow the soup to boil
slowly for ten more minutes, skimming it carefully from time to time.  Pour
into a bowl and allow to become completely cold, then add a pint of cream
(40%), strain into another bowl and place in ice box till about to serve.

EGG FOO Y(O)UNG--Mariani writes: "Egg foo yung is a Chinese-American menu
item not found in authentic Chinese cooking."  No date is given.  HOUSE
BEAUTFUL, November 1941, pg. 126, col. 2, has this recipe from NY's Lum
Fong's restaurant:
     _Mushroom Egg Foo Young_.  Mix 2 ozs. sliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped
onions, 2 ozs. diced meat (optional, but if you decide to use it, ham, roast
pork or chicken are recommended), and pepper to taste.  Add 4 well beaten
eggs and stir thoroughly.  Just at the moment you are ready to cook, salt to
taste, but not sooner.  Divide these ingredients into portions.  Pour, one at
a time from a soup ladle into deep fat.  Cook until golden brown.  This will
yield 3 or 4 portions.

GRANOLA--The BDE has "mixture of dry oats, brown sugar, nuts, raisins, etc.
1970, American English, originally a trademark."  "Granola: breakfast..91,
crust..337, dry..293, fruit..91, peach..91" is in the index to SCIENCE IN THE
KITCHEN (Battle Creek, MI, 1910) by Ella Eaton Kellogg.

CARAMEL--John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD AND DRINK has: "The
candy caramel was first mentioned in 1884 by the _Philadelphia Times_."
"Chocolate caramels" is on page 95 of HOME COOKERY: 250 TESTED RECEIPTS
(Philadelphia, 1880) by Mrs. H.  "Caramels" is also on page 92 of BREAKFAST,
DESSERT, SUPPER.  FOUR HUNDRED PRACTICAL RECIPES (Auburn, NY, 1884) by Mrs.
H. L. Knight.

HEAVENLY HASH--Mariani gives no date.  "Heavenly Hash" is on page 42 of  A
CONCORD (MASS.) COOK BOOK (1934).  "Candy: Heavenly Hash" is on page 606 of
THE HOME DIETITIAN'S COOK BOOK (Philadelphia, 1938) by Ella Mae Ives.  From
COOK BOOK OF THE JUNIOR BOARD OF THE WOMAN'S HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, CLEVELAND
(no date-1930s?):
     1 pint cream, whipped; 25 marshmallows, 1 cup nut meats, 1/2 cup candied
cherries.
     Whip cream, add marshmallows, nuts and cherries, cut fine.  Let stand
and flavor.

MOONSHINE--A dessert of egg whites.  DARE has "c. 1885."  "Moonshine" is on
page 84 of BREAKFAST, DESSERT, SUPPER (Auburn, NY, 1884) by Mrs. H. L. Knight.

CHESS CAKE/PIE--"Chess Pie" is in TEMPERANCE COOK BOOK (San Jose, CA, 1887)
by Mary G. Smith.  "Old Virginia Chess Cake" is on page 341 of THE CHICAGO
RECORD COOK BOOK (1896).

DEPTH BOMB--Mariani has "depth charge" (1956).  From HOUSE BEAUTIFUL,
September 1941, pg. 116, col. 2, NY's Chatham Hotel:
    George, the bartender is the author of a drink called _Depth Bomb_.  It
is 1 part orange juice, 2 parts gin, 2 dashes Myers' rum.  Shake it well,
using cracked ice and finish it off with a sprig of mint.

SPAM--A recipe for "Baked Spam" is on page 28 of THOUGHTS FOR FOOD (1940) by
Gladys Gibbs Chase.  Spam is a food??

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN--"Kentucky fried chicken" is on page 402 and "Kentucky
style chicken" is on page 482 of THE CHICAGO RECORD COOK BOOK (1896).

KABOBS--The BDE has "shish kebab" from 1914.   "Kabobs" is on page 580 of THE
PRACTICAL HOUSEKEEPER (Philadelphia, 1898) by Mrs. Florence K. Stanton.

FRENCH FRIED POTATOES--In PERFECT COOK (Evansville, IND., 1885), pg. 39:
     _French Fried Potatoes_...Pare small uncooked potatoes.  Divide them in
halves, and each helf in three pieces.  Put in the frying basket and cook in
boiling fat for ten minutes.  Drain, and dredge with salt.  Serve hot with
chops or beefsteak.  Two dozen pieces can be fried at one time.

ITALIAN PIZZA--"Italian Pizza" is on page 122 of ANN PILLSBURY'S BAKING BOOK
(1950).  Italian pizza?  Did people confuse it with German pizza?

ICED TEA--Another citation is page 217 of the TEMPERANCE COOK BOOK (1887).
SNICKER DOODLES--"Snicker Doodles" are listed under "cakes" in THE ART OF
COOKING AND SERVING (Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, 1931) by Sarah Field
Splint.

ZITI--(OED?)  From EVERYDAY HOUSEKEEPING, January 1907, pg. 414, col. 1:
Spaghetti is also divided into many classes: Salami, Fidelini, Mezziani,
Zitti, etc.

   I'll end this time with "ziti."



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