Looking at old recipe books isn’t interesting just because of the food, it’s fascinating because of the social history it reveals. These days almost everyone has a fridge, and most have a freezer… so how did people make iced desserts when they didn’t have either… because, yes, iced desserts were made!
I’ve been looking at the menu suggested for August in my 1930’s Modern Practical Cookery, and after a simple starter of prawns arranged hanging over a lemon, as if they were propping up a bar, there was the complicated veal and ham pie – layers of minced veal, diced bacon, sausage meat and hard-boiled eggs. This would be served with salad, and as a dessert, iced pineapple.
What was needed to make this dessert was a freezing pail… more of which another time! The dessert was made using tinned pineapple, and the tin was to be placed in the pail surrounded, packed with ‘a mixture of ice and freezing salt’. I can’t find out what freezing salt is, but that’s what the recipe requires.
The ice should be chipped into rather small pieces and each layer sprinkled with salt. Use half a pint of freezing salt to every quart of chipped ice.
The anonymous writer of the recipe advises that if a freezing pail is not available ‘a deep enamel basin or pail will answer the purpose’. The ice and salt have to be replenished as the ice melts, and the melted ice poured off. We would just put the tin in the freezer, wouldn’t we?
If you’re using the freezing pail method (do let me know if you are!!) you need to leave the tin in the pail for four to five hours.
- open the tin round the side, just below the edge and remove top completely
- turn the frozen pineapple out onto a chilled dish
- decorate with whipped cream, sweetened and flavoured to taste, and glacé cherries
- serve at once with sugar
I have this image of trying to serve this frozen stack of pineapple and juice – would you need a carving knife? A serrated bread knife? Wouldn’t shards of frozen fruit and juice g everywhere along with the whipped cream and glacé cherries? My imagination is boggling!
Other tinned fruits can be used, pears, peaches and apricots ‘can be served in this delicious way’ and in an after-note it’s suggested that the shape can be cut into slices and served on individual ways – that sounds much the safest way to me, slice it up in the kitchen, away from your guests, arrange it in pretty dishes and over any awkward shapes with the cream!
Do let me know if you attempt this at home!!
I have no photo of pineapple, or freezing salt, so here is some Icelandic ice as my featured image.
Lois Elsden 