Spillers’ the flour manufacturers produced, like many other food producers, little cookery books which could be bought quite cheaply. I have one which cost a shilling, and offers a wonderful insight into entertaining in the 1960’s. here are some quick tricks to help the busy housewife!
- To make an omelet puff high, fold onto a hot dish and place under the grill for a minute or two, then serve at once
- Quick supper dish – parboil several medium-sized onions ans stick two whole cloves in each. Cover with white sauce, made if possible with chicken broth, then bake in a hot oven.
- For a delicious sweet – fill halved tinned peaches with marshmallows and put for about ten minutes in a hot oven – until the fruit is hot and the marshmallows have melted – or, if preferred, put for about 3 minutes under the grill. Serve with ice-cream.
- Baked apples will taste nicer if the centre hole is filled with equal quantities of butter, brown sugar and desiccated coconut.
- To brown meringue when in a hurry – pile meringue on the sweet. Put under a hot grill for a minute only and serve at once.
I really can’t imagine many people these days enjoying a boiled onion flavoured with cloves and covered with white sauce, nor the tinned peaches and marshmallows; however this was before ready-meals, microwave ovens, freezers, take-aways, pizza deliveries… If all of these modern conveniences vanished overnight, then maybe we might go back to such dishes!
Lois Elsden 