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Among the rich assortment of reading material at Newry and Mourne Museum, is a fascinating collection of cookery books, ranging from the early nineteenth century to the 1980s. These books offer a captivating glimpse into the past, each recipe echoing the era's culture and lifestyle. It is possible to see how our tastes have changed over time, particularly in relation to desserts, cakes and sweet treats.
A hand-written recipe book from a student at Newry Technical School in 1904 illustrates dishes made from scratch using seasonal produce: fresh fruit in the summer, and dried and preserved fruits in the winter. There would have been no shortage of rhubarb for the delicious-sounding rhubarb pie recipe, written-up by student Mary Scott in May 1905. Also popular at this time were steamed puddings and custards.
Great Grandmother’s Recipe Book, from the early 20th century, contains “over 200 practical and useful recipes”. Produced in order to raise money for the Newry Hospital, which required over £800 to run annually, fundraising was an important source of income. The book is prefaced with a note from Miss von Stieglitz, who was lady superintendent of the hospital and a member of the Joint Committee of Management, as were several of the contributors, such as the Countess of Kilmorey. A notable recipe was a type of lemon sponge, called Jenny Lind cake, named after the famous Swedish opera singer of the mid-1800s.
A recipe book compiled to raise money for Sandys Street Presbyterian Church in 1934-35 contains recipes contributed by women connected with the church. The recipes reflect the period's seasonal shopping preferences and prescribe that everything be cooked from scratch with no shortcuts. A plain chocolate cake contributed by Miss Gilmour of Canal Street, Newry, stood out, being devoid of icing or buttercream, so different from modern indulgent cakes.
With recipes generously contributed by the community, A Souvenir Cookery Book from 1936 was written to raise money for the Christian Brothers’ School Building Fund. It includes an Easter Cake recipe from S. Gibbons of Market Street, Newry, a fruit-based cake which is a refreshing change from all the chocolate now consumed at Easter. The money raised from the sale of the book helped to build a new, modern school, which opened in June 1938, providing accommodation for over 700 pupils.
Jumping to 1968, a publication from the National Dairy Council urges us to drink more milk and use more dairy products in our cooking. Nowadays consumers can choose from an array of plant-based milks and dairy alternatives. It was interesting to find a recipe for 'Semolina Snow,' as products such as semolina, and similarly sago and tapioca, which were very common and seen as wholesome treats in this era, are becoming much harder to find today.
The seventies introduced new ideas which were all about convenience, including instant mashed potato, packet cake mixes, tinned pie fillings and boil-in-the-bag produce, and the culture of instant food was born. Instant Cookery magazine from 1971 documents this shift and includes a recipe for strawberry mousse, with all the ingredients emerging from tins and packets, a far cry from the earlier, labour-intensive desserts.
With modern, busy lifestyles, convenience still plays a large part in the foods we eat. However, there is a growing move towards trying to embrace whole foods and seasonal, organic fare. Rediscovering traditional recipes, used for generations, could play a part in reverting to a more authentic way of eating to which many are now striving to return.
The Museum is currently offering free tours of the main exhibition galleries on Wednesdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422.
Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.
Please visit our website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk
Article: Caroline Wickham
