Cooking on Saturday

Good Morning and welcome to my first 'Cooking on Saturday'. Each Saturday (for a while anyway) I’m going to bring you recipes from the Regency Period. These recipes are from the English Housewifry – 1764 (You can find this book in Google Books to download) This week we are looking at baking goods.

Breakfast Cakes

450g (1lb) Currants

450g (1lb) Flour

150ml (¼ pint) Cream

110g (4oz) Butter

3 Egg Yolks

2 Egg Whites

5 tbsp Sugar

4 tbsp New Yeast

4 tbsp Sack* (or 2 tbsp Brandy)

Nutmeg

Sift the flour and nutmeg together.

Place the cream into a saucepan, add the butter and stir over a low heat until melted (do not allow to boil).

Beat the eggs, yeast and sack* (or brandy) together thoroughly.

Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly.

Prepare some baking tins by flouring them.

Divide the mixture between them.

Allow to stand in a warm place for a short time, to allow them to rise.

Bake for 1¾ hours.

To make Breakfast Cakes

Take a pound of currans well washed, (rub them in a cloth till dry) a pound of flour dried before a fire, take three eggs, leave out one of the whites, four spoonfuls of new yeast, and four spoonfuls of sack or two of brandy, beat the yeast and eggs well together; then take a jill of cream, and something above a quarter of a pound of butter, set them on a fire, and stir them till the butter be melted, (but do not let them boil) grate a large nutmeg into the flour, with currans and five spoonfuls of sugar; mix all together, beat it with your hand till it leave the bowl, then flour the tins you put the paste in, and let them stand a little to rise, then bake them an hour and a quarter.

Queen Cakes

450g (1lb) Flour

450g (1lb) Sugar

450g (1lb) Butter

225g (8oz) Currants (Optional)

110g (4oz) Almonds, grated (Optional)

9 Eggs

1-2 tbsp Rose Water

Mace

Sift the flour and mace together.

Beat the eggs.

Melt the butter and allow to cool.

Beat the eggs, rose water and butter together well.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.

Add the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly.

Add some of the mixture to each of the tins

Add a layer of almonds or currants, then a layer of the mixture.

Bake

You can ice them if you wish, using a thin mixture applied with a brush.

To make Queen Cakes

Take a pound of London flour dry'd well before the fire, nine eggs, a pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted, put one half to your eggs and the other to your butter; take a pound of butter and melt it without water put it into a stone bowl, when it is almost cold put in your sugar and a spoonful or two of rose water, beat it very quick, for half an hour, till it be as white as cream; beat the eggs and sugar as long and very quick, whilst they be white; when they are well beat mix them all together; then take half a pound of currans cleaned well, and a little shred of mace, so you may fill one part of your tins before you put in your currans; you may put a quarter of a pound of almonds shred (if you please) into them that is without currans; you may ice them if you please, but do not let the iceing be thicker than you may lie on with a little brush.



That is just a couple of recipes for this week. I’ll see what I can come up with next week.

Sandie

Women on Wednesday ~ Miss Elizabeth Bennet - Part 2

On to the ladies of the made for television adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. No ‘Lost in Austen’ this time. I often wonder what Miss Jane Austen would make of the actresses chosen to portary her dear Lizzy.


 

Our first Elizabeth Bennet is Curigwen Lewis from the 1938 television production of Pride and Prejudice. This picture is of Ms. Lewis in one of her other roles.

Madge Evans played the role of Elizabeth Bennet in the 1949 NBC Philco Television Playhouse where ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was Episode 17 in season 1. This was also a live show.

 

In 1952, Daphne Slater stepped into the role of Elizabeth Bennet. This was another live performance this time by the BBC. Hope they remembered their lines.

In the Italian version of Pride and Prejudice released in 1957 with Virna Lisi plays the role of Elizabeth Bennet.

As I said with our Mr. Darcy post, there were two productions of Pride and Prejudice in 1958. The first a six part black & white mini-series by the BBC. Jane Downs played the part of Lizzy.

The second production of P&P in 1958 was a General Motors Theatre production aired in December 1958. Kay Hawtrey starred in the role of Elizabeth.

In the Dutch adaptation released in 1961 titled De vier dochters Bennet, Lies Franken stepped into the role of Lizzy. I couldn’t find any photos of Ms. Franken. Bummer! I was going so well.

In 1967, Celia Bannerman played Miss Eliza Bennet next to our Australian actor Lewis Fiander. This was another 6-part mini-series by the BBC.

1980 and Elizabeth Garvie plays Miss Elizabeth Bennet. This is yet another BBC mini-series, this time 5 parts. They like doing mini-series don’t they.

Ah yes, the best of the best in the Pride and Prejudice series. In 1995, BBC/A&E produced a 6-part mini-series that all P&P fans remember. Jennifer Ehle played Miss Eliza and proved to more than a mach for Mr. Darcy Colin Firth. Jennifer won Best Actress - British Academy Television Award for her portrayal Elizabeth Bennet.

This is Ms. Ehle winning her BAFTA Award.

That brings us to the end of our Miss Elizabeth Bennet posts. It is interesting to see the different actors cased in the roles.

See you later.

Sandie

Monday's Male ~ The Deliciously Dashing Mr. Darcy ~ Part 2 - Revisited

Today we are going to look at the made for television adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. This is the one that surprised me. In all, there have been eight productions for television made, that is not including ‘Lost in Austen’, but I’m going to throw it in here as well, just because Elliot Cowan, is hot, but not as hot as Colin Firth.

I don’t have pictures of all the actors who played the role of Mr. Darcy, and the one’s I do are not all dress in the Darcy role. But it will give you an idea of how different producer/directors see our Mr. Darcy.

The first television production of Pride and Prejudice was made in 1938 with Andrew Osborn as the lead (This is suppose to be Andrew, but I'm not 100% sure it is).

That was followed in 1949 with NBC Philco Television Playhouse where one episode was ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Mr. Darcy was played by John Baragrey.

I couldn't find a photo of dear John on his own.

In 1952 Peter Cushing stepped into the role. Not sure about this one, he just doesn't look like a Mr. Darcy to me.

An Italian version was released in 1957 with Franco Volpi playing the part of Mr. Darcy. I'm not convinced I'd be able to watch Mr. Darcy talk in a foreign language.

umm... I have no comment!

 

In 1958, there were two productions of Pride and Prejudice, the first starred Alan Badel, in the role of Darcy.

While the second was a General Motors Theatre production first aired in December 1958. Darcy in this instance was played by Patrick Macnee.

This photo is one of Patrick in Jane Eyre.

A Dutch adaptation was released in 1961 titled De vier dochters Bennet, Dutch singer and actor Ramses Shaffy play Fitzwilliam Darcy. Again I'm not sure how Darcy would go with a foreign accent .

In 1967 Australian actor Lewis Fiander stepped into Mr. Darcy’s shoes.

Now there's something I didn't know, an Aussie playing the role of Mr. Darcy. Interesting.

David Rintoul took on the role in 1980. Umm, now he's not too bad, may have to see if I can't fish out the DVDs of this one.

This now brings us to the most famous of the Mr. Darcy actors Colin Firth. Colin stepped into the role in 1995, and made the character his own.

Now you had to know I was always going to use the wet photos of Colin and Elliot. What would be the point not to use them. This is called hero inspiration. It is all done for the sake of our craft.

2008, saw a new spin and the Pride and Prejudice script with ‘Lost in Austen’. Elliot Cowan, while hot and brooding, still doesn’t carry the role as well as Colin. Like, Matthew Macfadyen, Elliot doesn’t carry the air of arrogance, Colin is able to portray.

Of course, this is just my unbiased opinion. So what do you think? Who is your all time favourite Mr. Darcy?

Thanks for dropping by.

Sandie

1812 Regency Shopping ~ Hunting Party Weekend

This will be the last of my Saturday Shopping blogs for a while. I’ll come up with something new for new week.

Lady Heroine has been invited to the estate of a good friend for a weekend. The weekend is the chance Lady Heroine has been waiting for to impress her good friend’s brother and hopefully ignite a romance between them. Lord GFB is of course not looking for a romance at the moment he is quiet content to live the bachelor life.

On the shopping list today:

A New Riding Habit. After all what better way to show a man how capable she is than out on a hunt.

A habit of pale blue and decorated soft dove gray braiding. The jacket is fitted to show off the best features of Lady Heroine’s figure A cravat of soft muslin is worn under the high necked jacket collar trimmed with lace. The hat of pale blue satin and trimmed with ribbons and feathers.

A morning dress made of muslin with a high neck collar and laced front and embroidered hem and sleeves. A sky blue pelisse with fur trim and matching bonnet is ordered.

For the evening a gown with a low square bodice tightly fitted to her figure and one slight strap over each shoulder, leaving the bust, shoulders and arms bare. A small sash under the bust and the dress has a short train.

For accessories and shoes, Lady Heroine has ordered a pair half-boots with rear lacing, and a pair of slippers with squared insteps. Gloves for evening, day and riding are also ordered.

And a few other outfits that have taken Lady Heroine's fancy.

That ends my shopping trip for today.

Sandie

Women on Wednesday ~ Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennet ~ Part 1

Elizabeth Bennet is the much loved heroine of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In 1940 this first film adaptation of the novel was released with Greer Garson playing the role of Elizabeth. Unlike Laurence Olivier I don’t mind Ms. Garson portrayal of Lizzy. Garson in fact received critical acclaim for her role as Elizabeth Bennet.

Elizabeth is twenty years old and the second eldest of the five Bennet sisters.  She is her father's favourite, and the least valued of her mother, especially after she refuses a marriage proposal from a Mr. Collins.

In 2005 the role of Elizabeth is reprised by Keira Knightley . In this adaptation I think the roles of both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are played out closer to the novel. At least Matthew Macfadyen tried to make Darcy pompous, even if it didn’t quite come off.

Again, I didn’t mind Keira’s delivery of Lizzy. I know a lot of people don’t go much on Keira’s acting abilities, but I like her for some reason. I love the scene where she gets the letter from Jane about Lydia running off and she walks around and around the rooms. Poor Darcy doesn’t know whether to stand or sit.

After a turbulent start to their relationship, in the end Elizabeth and Darcy (well Lizzy really) realize they do love each other and live happily ever after.  The U.S. version of the 2005 film, an additional last scene shows a newly-married Elizabeth and Darcy outside of their Pemberley estate showing affection for each other.

Next week we look at the made for TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

Sandie

Monday's Male ~ The Deliciously Dashing Mr. Darcy Part 1 - Re-Visited

Yes, this is another of my recycled blogs. But than, I love Mr. Darcy as much as I love Rhett Butler.

Oh, Mr. Darcy, where for art thou Mr. Darcy. Sorry wrong genre, author, and character. Well the character is the right one for another of my ‘MONDAY’S MALE’ Fitzwilliam Darcy or Mr. Darcy as he is better know, has been, and still is one of the all time favourite heroes. Of course, I think Colin Firth has had a lot to do with the interest in this somewhat interesting character.

When I decided to do this blog on Mr. Darcy, I believed somewhat mistakenly that there had been four or five productions of Pride and Prejudice, hence only needing to find the five actor who portrayed the role. How wrong was I? Now bear in mind I am only looking at the actors that played the role in Pride and Prejudice, not movies that have a modern day spin on the novel. Well except for ‘Lost in Austen’, but then, we do have Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. So, I’ve decided to split this into two posts, this week I’ll have the movie production of Pride and Prejudice.

Let’s first look at films. Those of the big screen. The first movie production of ‘Pride and Prejudice was in 1940, with Laurence Olivier casted in the role of Fitzwilliam Darcy. While the production was very much Hollywood, at least Mr. Olivier was British. But I’m afraid he just doesn’t hit me as Mr. Darcy.

The second movie reproductions of Miss. Austen’s novels was in 2005, when the Matthew Macfadyen stepped into the role. Now while Macfadyen was very easy on the eye (shame the was no lake scene), I wasn’t knocked over with his delivery of the character. He just didn’t seem to have the right degree of snobbery needed in the early scenes of the pompous Mr. Darcy.

I wonder what Miss Austen would think of Mr. Darcy today. Next week we'll look at the the mini-series made for television.

Sandie

An 18th Century Shopping Trip

This week we are taking a stroll town the streets of London for our shopping trip. Invitations to the ball of the season have arrived and Lady Heroine is excited to be attending her first ball.


Only the latest fashion will do for this young lady and her grandmother will do all she can to make sure her charge snarls herself a wealthy husband.

Undergarments:






Corset

Although our Lady Heroine may have a corset or two in her wardrobe, Grandmamma insists that only the best and newest of clothing will do for this occasion. A heavily boned and tightly laced in the back corset for a serious fit is required. A new linen chemise is also ordered to wear under the corset. NOTE: The purpose of the corset was to create erect posture and to force the breasts up and together into a position known as ‘Rising moons.’ The showing of her bosom was considered sexual or immodest, but rather a way to show her as feminine.

Bustle

A bustle to go under the new gown to be made is ordered.




Outer Clothing:

The Dress

Oh yes, only the very best is what is required here and Grandmamma is very willing to pay whatever the cost may be.

An ivory silk gown, decorated with diamonds and lace, and an embroidered bodice to show off the young lady’s figure and femininity.

Accessories:


Stockings & Shoes

Stocking of only the finest silk will do for this occasion. A pair of silk shoes made from the same fabric as the dress with silver buckles have been ordered.

Fan

A ivory silk lace fan with a mother of pearl stick.









Okay this was a very short shopping trip this week as I’ve either been up waiting for foals to be born, or sick.


See you next week when we visit the Regency period.

Sandie