Friday, December 16, 2011

Christmas Treats for Invalids.

Heaven forbid that you should have to nurse an invalid over the holiday season, because I don’t know where you wgo for could ulinary inspiration these days - chapters on Invalid Cookery being entirely absent from modern cookery books. Why is that, do you think? 
In the event that you do have to cater for one who is indisposed, poorly, unwell, or under the weather, or thinks they are, or have simply forgotten to bring their teeth to the Christmas table, the following recipe may help. It is from Food And Cookery For The Sick And Convalescent, (Boston, 1904) by Fannie Merritt Farmer.

Christmas Jelly.
Follow recipe for Sauterne Jelly* and divide in thirds. Put one-third in a small whiskey glass, let stand until firm, then pour into the glass the second third colored with Leaf Green and chilled sufficiently so as not to melt the lower layer. As soon as the second layer is firm, add the remaining third. Chill, remove from glass, and garnish with small sprigs of holly bearing berries.

*Sauterne Jelly.
3/4 teaspoon granulated gelatin.
½ tablespoon cold water.
1 tablespoon boiling water.
½ cup Sauterne.
1 teaspoon lemon juice.
½ tablespoon sugar.
Make same as Lemon Jelly I.**

*Lemon Jelly I.
90 Calories
3/4 teaspoon granulated gelatin.
1 tablespoon cold water.
3 tablespoons boiling water.
2 tablespoons lemon juice.
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
Soak gelatin in cold water, add boiling water, and as soon as gelatin is dissolved add sugar and lemon juice. Strain through cheese cloth, mould, and chill.

Quotation for the Day.

Jason Love


omaeve said...

I am suprised you do not mention that Eggnog was to help build up a sickly malnourished person .. my son was born with under developed lungs and spent a lot of time in hospitals untill about age 13 when we moved to desert. where the climate was deemed better for him ..
i was allways told by the dr.s to feed him eggnogs and cook soups and maccaroni with milk instead of water to help him regain the weight he was allways loosing..

Marcheline said...

It's my birthday! Come by my blog for the party - grab a cocktail and a weenie in a blanket! 8-)

The Old Foodie said...

Hi omaeve. I have posted on eggnog in the past, so decided not to include it in this post. You are right, of course, egg and milk dishes have always been considered to be good for invalids.

Lapinbizarre said...

I'll stick with tapioca & sago, if it's all the same.

The Old Foodie said...

Lapinbizarre sorry about the delayed reply , I have one hand in a splint so everything is slow. I would rather have almost anything than tapioca, thankyou.