Daniel's Ginger Cookies

On a cold and damp day last spring, Ezra and I were drawn into historic Joseph Schneider Haus where we were warmed by the cast iron stove and these simple ginger cookies. They are, quite honestly, the best I've ever tasted. And the museum had a copy of the recipe on hand! The secret ingredient is apple syrup, which is a consistency somewhere between molasses and maple syrup. If you're from Waterloo county, it's easy to procure. (For sure you can find some from Wellesley). In a pinch, I would try thinning some apple butter with maple syrup and a bit of molasses. Worth a shot!



More on the museum:

The Georgian style farmstead was built in 1816 by one of Waterloo region's first pioneers: a Pennsylvania-German mennonite who came to Canada in pursuit of farmland in the years after the revolutionary war.

And the cookies...

3/4 cup lard (I use shortening)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp apple syrup
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger (I added a bit more)
1 tsp ground cloves
2 cups flour

1. Blend together the lard and sugar until smooth.
2. Add the egg.
3. Add syrup, soda, salt, ginger, and cloves.
4. Stir in flour.
5. Chill the dough.
6. Shape dough into round balls. Place these on a cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.
7. Bake cookies in a quick oven (400 degrees)

*A note on baking with historic recipes

-I use medium eggs for historic baking. In this time period, eggs were not graded, but came in all manner of sizes as you collected them from your chickens. Most historic recipes measure eggs by weight. This one may have been converted for a modern kitchen. For best results, use medium or large and avoid sm or XL.

-How long? Well, when you cook or bake on a woodstove, it's impossible to gauge temperature, therefore impossible to gauge how long something will take to cook. I think these cookies took 8-10, but watch the first batch carefully and take note on the time. Remove when golden brown.

DIY Xmas: Lambrequins!

One of the most awesome crafty DIY things I learned during my initiation as a Victorian hostess was how to make a lambrequin. A lambre-wha??? Lambrequin. A trimming of sorts, that involves fresh greenery arranged above mirrors and art work, and, well, anything with a back on it, really. Even a chair.

As main greenery, use cedar, pine, or fir boughs, about 3 feet in length. Try adding blueberry cedar for a hint of colour. This will also bulk it up, as its boughs are more bushy and dense. I recommend using real greenery as its smell permeates the home. Don't worry about falling needles. Art work tends not to get knocked about so it's not too much of a mess.

Colourful and textural additions include:

-berries
-dried rosehips
-dried Chinese lanterns
-teasel heads
-fluffy milkweed pods
-dried orange and apple slices
-pine cones

For added scent, insert long sticks of cinnamon into your arrangement, or affix cloves or star anise into the dried apple/orange slices.

And last, but not least, be sure to add long cuttings of curly Willow and dogwood for dramatic effect!

To assemble, simply place arrangement into a shallow cardboard pouch. You can staple or tape the sides. Measure the depth behind your art work so there is no evidence of the pouch once it's pushed down.

Behold, our Victorian lambrequins: