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Spiced Currants or Gooseberries
Spiced currants or
goose berries.
Cook either fruit until
thick with sugar to taste
and add a little cloves
and cinnamon to taste.
Back: blank
---
# Spiced Currants or Gooseberries
## Ingredients
- Currants or gooseberries
- Sugar, to taste
- Cloves, a little, to taste
- Cinnamon, to taste
## Instructions
1. Cook either fruit until thick with sugar to taste.
2. Add a little cloves and cinnamon to taste. -
Green Tomato Mince Meat
Green Imato Mince Meat.
1 pk. green tomatoes - chopped
and drained ov nite.
1½ lbs. seedless raisins (small)
1½ lbs. currants.
½ 6 lbs. brown sugar.
½ pt. vinegar, or (apple cider)
1 teaspoon salt.
Boil this altogether slowly for 2½ hrs
(don't chop raisins) Then add 1 teaspoon
Back:
each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves,
and allspice, 2 qts. of apples,
chopped and 1 cup of suet chopped
boil tho. longer.
---
# Green Tomato Mince Meat
## Ingredients
- 1 pk. green tomatoes, chopped and drained overnight
- 1 1/2 lbs. seedless raisins (small)
- 1 1/2 lbs. currants
- 1/2 of 6 lbs. brown sugar
- 1/2 pt. vinegar, or apple cider
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp allspice
- 2 qts. apples, chopped
- 1 cup suet, chopped
## Instructions
1. Chop green tomatoes and drain overnight.
2. Combine tomatoes, raisins (do not chop), currants, brown sugar, vinegar or apple cider, and salt.
3. Boil altogether slowly for 2 1/2 hours.
4. Add 1 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, along with the chopped apples and chopped suet.
5. Boil longer. -
Hermits
Hermits
1 ½ cup sugar
2/3 cup shortning cream
together
2 eggs
1 cup of choppted raisins
1 teaspoon soda
little salt dissolved
in 3 tablespoons of milk
all kinds of spice.
Hermits.
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortning cream
together x
1 egg.
¾ cup of sour milk
1/3 cups chopped raisins
Back:
Mrs. Jorko
Custom House and Post Office, Rockland, Me.
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
.. cinnamon
" cloves
little salt.
Hermits.
2 cups sugar.
1 cup butter or lard or half
and half and cream togeth
1 cup raisins, 1 cups currants
chopped 2 eggs 1 half cup
of sour milk, salt, teaspoon
soda teaspoon cloves, nutmeg
cinnamon, flour to roll sti
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# Hermits (Three Versions)
## Version 1 — Drop Hermits (Inferred)
### Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup raisins, chopped
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pinch salt dissolved in 3 Tbsp milk
- Spices to taste (see Editor's Notes)
- 2–2 1/2 cups flour (see Editor's Notes)
### Instructions
1. Cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Stir in chopped raisins.
4. Dissolve baking soda and salt in 3 Tbsp milk; add to mixture.
5. Add spices and flour gradually until a soft drop cookie dough forms.
6. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.
7. Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes until set and lightly browned at edges.
8. Cool on pan for a few minutes before removing.
---
## Version 2 — Sour Milk Drop Hermits (Inferred)
*(Incomplete — see Editor's Notes)*
### Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup sour milk
- 1/3 cup raisins, chopped
- Spices to taste (see Editor's Notes)
- Flour to make a soft drop dough (approximately 2 cups — see Editor's Notes)
### Instructions
1. Cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in egg.
3. Stir in sour milk and chopped raisins.
4. Add spices and flour gradually until a soft drop cookie dough forms.
5. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes until set and lightly browned at edges.
7. Cool on pan for a few minutes before removing.
---
## Version 3 — Rolled Hermits (Traditional) (Inferred)
### Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, lard, or half butter and half lard
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup currants, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour milk
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Flour to roll stiff (approximately 4–5 cups — see Editor's Notes)
### Instructions
1. Cream sugar and butter or lard together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Stir in raisins, currants, and sour milk.
4. Add salt, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon; mix well.
5. Add flour gradually until dough is stiff enough to roll without sticking.
6. On a floured board, roll dough to approximately ¼" thickness.
7. Cut into rectangles or squares.
8. Place on a greased baking sheet.
9. Bake at 375°F for 10–12 minutes until set and lightly browned at edges.
---
## Editor's Notes
**What are Hermits?**
Hermits are a classic American spiced drop or rolled cookie dating to at least the 1870s, particularly associated with New England. Dense, chewy, and heavily spiced with dried fruit, they were prized for keeping well in a tin for several weeks — a practical virtue for farmhouse baking.
**Baking instructions missing from all versions:**
All three versions end at the mixing stage; baking was assumed knowledge. Baking details inferred from standard period Hermit recipes.
**"All kinds of spice" (Version 1):**
Deliberately vague — Version 3 gives the likely intended blend: cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Recommended starting point: 1/2–1 tsp each. Allspice and ginger are also period-appropriate additions.
**Flour missing from Versions 1 and 2:**
Neither version specifies flour quantity. Estimated from fat/sugar/egg ratios: approximately 2–2 1/2 cups for Versions 1 and 2 (drop cookies); approximately 4–5 cups for Version 3 (rolled cookie).
**Version 2 is a fragment:**
Original card instructions end after "Cream sugar and shortening together" — all subsequent steps inferred from Versions 1 and 3. Spices and flour entirely absent from original. Flag as significantly incomplete.
**"Sour milk" (Versions 2 and 3):**
Period term for naturally soured whole milk, similar to buttermilk. Modern substitution: add 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice per cup of whole milk and let stand 5 minutes.
**Version 3 has duplicate nutmeg:**
Original card lists nutmeg twice (likely a transcription error on the card itself). One tsp nutmeg intended.
**Drop vs. rolled:**
Versions 1 and 2 are soft drop cookies; Version 3 is the older, more traditional rolled-and-cut style. The three versions together suggest the recipe evolved in this household from rolled to drop over time, or reflect different sources.
**Three versions on one card:**
Unusual and archivally significant — suggests the contributor was actively comparing or consolidating recipes rather than copying a single trusted source. -
Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns
Here's the good, old-fashioned way to
plump, tender, spicy buns—
2 packages active dry yeast
or 2 cakes compressed yeast
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk, scalded
1/2 cup salad oil or melted
shortening
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups sifted enriched flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 beaten eggs
2/3 cup currants
• • •
1 slightly beaten egg white
Sifted confectioners' sugar
Soften active dry yeast in warm
water or compressed yeast in luke-
warm water. Combine milk, salad
oil, sugar, and salt; cool to luke-
warm. Sift together 1 cup of the flour
and the cinnamon; stir into milk
mixture. Add eggs; beat well. Stir
in softened yeast and currants. Add
remaining flour (or a little more or
less to make a soft dough). Cover
with damp cloth and let rise in
warm place till double (about 1 1/2
hours). Punch down. Roll or pat
out to 1/2 inch on lightly floured
surface. Cut in rounds with 2 1/2-
inch biscuit cutter; shape in buns.
Place on greased baking sheet
about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover and
let rise in warm place till almost
double (about 1 hour). If desired,
(over)
Back:
cut shallow cross in each bun with
sharp scissors or knife. Brush tops
with egg white. Bake in moderate
oven (375°) about 12 minutes, or
till done. Add confectioners' sugar
(about 3/4 cup) to the remaining
egg white. Use this as a frosting for
piping crosses on warm buns.
Makes about 2 dozen.
---
# Hot Cross Buns
## Ingredients
- 2 packages active dry yeast, or 2 cakes compressed yeast
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup milk, scalded
- 1/2 cup salad oil or melted shortening
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups sifted enriched flour
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup currants
## Frosting
- 1 egg white, slightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
## Instructions
1. Soften active dry yeast in warm water, or compressed yeast in lukewarm water.
2. Combine milk, salad oil, sugar, and salt; cool to lukewarm.
3. Sift together 1 cup of the flour and the cinnamon; stir into milk mixture.
4. Add eggs; beat well.
5. Stir in softened yeast and currants.
6. Add remaining flour (or a little more or less to make a soft dough).
7. Cover with damp cloth and let rise in warm place till double, about 1 1/2 hours.
8. Punch down. Roll or pat out to 1/2 inch on lightly floured surface.
9. Cut in rounds with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter; shape into buns.
10. Place on greased baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
11. Cover and let rise in warm place till almost double, about 1 hour.
12. If desired, cut a shallow cross in each bun with sharp scissors or knife.
13. Brush tops with egg white.
14. Bake in moderate oven (375°) about 12 minutes, or till done.
15. Add confectioners' sugar (about 3/4 cup) to the remaining egg white; use this as a frosting