Tag: UK MHL

Images from the Library

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Check this out: The “Ui Breasail” home recipe cookery book, published in 1910 in Dublin, Ireland, during the heyday of what is often called the “Irish Renaissance” (alternately, the “Celtic Twilight”).

The advertisements as well as the recipe write-ups put this book squarely in the Irish-Ireland movement, a fascinating mixture of home rule politics, nationalism, and a drive towards turning Ireland’s culture inwards. “Ui breasail” translates roughly to “Hy Brasil or ‘The Blessed Isle,” a land akin to Atlantis with which Ireland was occasionally identified, supposed to be the home of eternal life among other things. Interestingly enough, flipping through the advertisements at the front of the book shows plenty for goods and services from England: fish from Grimsby, “Dr Ridge’s Food” from London, “W & G Foyle,” booksellers from London, but the vast majority are for businesses in Dublin or Belfast: the Army and Navy Stores, the Royal Irish School of Art Needlework (being “Irish-Ireland” was not necessarily a reason to avoid the “Royal” label, although it could be), Carson’s Paints, electrolysis in Ballsbridge, and a laundry in Rathmines.

This single volume is practically a case study in a key moment in the development of modern Ireland and the recipes are wonderful: learn how to make ‘beef olives’ two different ways! vegetarian puddings! queen cake and plum bread!

Looking for Recipes?

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This time of year, many of us in the US start pulling out recipe books, making ingredient lists, and trying to remember just how that really good pie we made last fall went. If you’re looking for inspiration, the MHL has you covered!

Try the 1890 Recipe book from the Gloucestershire School of Cookery and Domestic Science: fruit pie? gingerbread pudding? boiled whiting?

Maybe you want something a little more old-timey? Try the 1908 An old-world recipe book:

The hare soup recipe could be a big hit!

Gin and — Gingerbread?

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Many of us know one of the most popular methods of taking quinine was in a drink — if you watched Jewel in the Crown in the 1980s, you may even specify the drink as a gin and tonic. The liquor — of whatever kind — helped to cover the bitterness of the quinine, thus making a vital medicament palatable. Robert Robertson took it a step further and imagined quinine-laced baked goods.

The Walcheren campaign (1809) took place during the Napoleonic wars in Europe; this particular campaign left British military forces stranded in a swampy region of the Netherlands. Troops were exposed to malaria-bearing mosquitoes as well as other sources of remitting fevers. Quinine was in short supply and the campaign — such as it was — ended in an ignominious British withdrawal.

Robertson considers whether quinine might have been more effectively delivered to the troops — always assuming they had enough of it, of course — as a pastry: quinine-laced gingerbread.

Halloween Supplies

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Forgot to stock in candy for Halloween? Or got snacking a little early and need to fill in the gaps? We have candy recipes for you! You just need some sugar, water, perhaps a few cooking implements, some flavors — and if you really get on a roll, maybe a little scaffolding!

Learn the basics from The confectioner (1880).

And then work up something special from The Italian confectioner (1881): perhaps add in some flowers (page 42) or try some chocolate candy (page 50)?

If you really get in the zone, perhaps try one of the elaborate concoctions from The Royal Parisian pastrycook and confectioner (1834), like the cake arrangements on page 26 or page 345?

Highlights from the MHL: National Potato Month!

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Among other things, September is National Potato Month and we are prepared.

Need recipe ideas? There are hundreds (really!) in Potato cookery (1907):

Are you a gardener looking to improve the potato? Try A study of the factors influencing the improvement of the potato (1908):

Or perhaps you have some kind of vermin problem? Potato bugs, perhaps? Try some Rat dynamite (1850):

#FloralFriday

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From Benjamin Maund’s 1825 The botanic garden.

Flip through the full book below!

 

Highlights from the MHL: Labor Day Plans?

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If you’re in the US, you may be like us and just coming into the last day of the long Labor Day weekend. Lots of folks choose this weekend for a “last” beach trip, anticipating the arrival of colder weather and academic schedules. Maybe you’ve been to your local beach this weekend or are planning to spend today there: if so, we’ve got some titles for you to take along!

Philip Gosse’s 1845 publication The ocean, printed by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (London, England), was designed to tell the student everything they could want to know about an ocean, any ocean. Gosse starts with “The Shores of Britain” and works his way through the the seas of the world, wrapping up with “The Indian Ocean.” Along the way, Gosse illustrates his text with a variety of images, alerting readers to things they might see on their visit:

Picture of "Sperm whale attacked by a sword-fish" from Gosse's 1845 "The ocean."

“Sperm whale attacked by a sword-fish” from Gosse’s 1845 “The ocean.”

Picture of "Sea-fan," from Gosse's 1845 "The ocean."

“Sea-fan,” from Gosse’s 1845 “The ocean.”

Picture of "Yarmouth jetty, in the herring fishery" from Gosse's 1845 "The ocean."

“Yarmouth jetty, in the herring fishery” from Gosse’s 1845 “The ocean.”

For more, flip through Gosse’s full book below or click here to visit the text on the Internet Archive.

You can see the full list of titles in the MHL related to the ocean here!