OUR COOKING SCHOOL RECIPES FROM 1951

Former Lexingtonian Julia Slaymaker was sorting through some old cooking articles and pamphlets when she found a recipe booklet from a Lexington Herald-Leader cooking school.

The Thrifty Kitchen cooking school was held Oct. 16-19, 1951, at Henry Clay High School Auditorium. Slaymaker, who now lives in Wayne, Neb., said the booklet belonged to her mother, Grace McDaniel Daily, “who was a home economics teacher who taught at Bryan Station when it opened and then Lafayette when it opened.”

Cooking tips 56 years ago praised lard for producing the tenderest, flakiest pastry and light, feathery cakes. Here are some recipes from the 1951 booklet.

Southern favorite cake
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup lard
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk

Line bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with waxed paper. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Cream together lard, sugar, soda and lemon rind. Add molasses. Stir in 1/2 cup flour mixture. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk alternately with remaining flour mixture (about 1/3 of each at a time). Beat 1/2 minute. Pour into cake pans. Bake in a moderate oven, 375 degrees, for 25 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

Sour cream cake

• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup lard
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 egg whites

Line two 9-inch cake pans with waxed paper. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a separate bowl, cream the lard and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add well beaten egg yolks. Add sour cream and flour mixture alternately. Add vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, and then beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Fold egg whites into cake batter. Pour batter into pans and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with rich mocha frosting.

Rich mocha frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons hot, strong coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg yolk

In a large bowl, let butter soften. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, mixed with cocoa and cinnamon. Add hot coffee and vanilla, mix well. Add remaining sugar and egg yolk. Beat until smooth.

Swiss steak – relish

• 2 pounds round steak, cut 1-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons lard or drippings
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1/2 cup sliced sweet pickles
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped pimento
• 2 teaspoons minced parsley
• 1/2 cup water

Pound flour into both sides of steak. In a large skillet, brown steak in melted lard or drippings until well browned on both sides. Season. Cover with onions, pickles, celery, pimiento, and parsley. Add water and cover tightly. Cook slowly for about 1 1/2 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Mayonnaise meat loaf

• 3 cups diced cooked veal
• 3 tablespoons gelatin
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/4 cups hot meat stock
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup stuffed olives, sliced
• 1 cup peas, cooked
• 3 hard cooked eggs, diced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Cut veal in 1/2-inch cubes. Soak gelatin in water and dissolve in meat stock. Cool. Add remaining ingredients to diced veal. When gelatin mixture begins to congeal, combine with meat mixture and pour into 5-inch-by-9-inch loaf pan. Place in refrigerator and allow to stand until very firm. Makes 12 servings. 

Potato doughnuts

• 6 cups sifted flour
• 7 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm mashed potatoes
• 6 tablespoons melted lard
• 3/4 cup milk
• Lard for deep-fat frying

Sift flour with baking powder, salt and nutmeg. To eggs, add sugar, potatoes and lard, and continue beating. Add milk and combine with the dry ingredients. Mix only until flour disappears. Chill.

Place about 1/3 of the dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/2 inch in thickness. Cut with floured doughnut cutter.

Fry until golden brown in hot deep lard (350 to 360) degrees. Drain on absorbent paper. Roll in granulated or confectioners’ sugar if desired. Makes 4 dozen doughnuts.