Poetical Christmas Recipes, Part 1.

A short, commentary-free post today, folks – I have Christmas preparation to do myself, don’t you know? And my pantry is still disorganised after the house move.

From Rhymed Receipts for Any Occasion , Imogen Clark (Boston, 1912), I give you these two poetry gems.


Christmas Charlotte Russe.
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
– Walter Scott.

Whip up a pint of well chilled cream
Till it’s a fairy fluff,
Then powdered sugarfold within,
Your taste is guide enough.

Add tablespoon of gelatine
Dissolved in water cold
(The cup should be but quarter full,
And drop by drop it’s told).

Next candied cherries, chopped in bits,
Ruddy and gleaming bright,
From a big cup are turned upon
The mass of snowy white.

Serve this within a sponge-cake shell,
The dish all wreathed about
With holly leaves, between whose green
Red berries twinkle out.

[Charlotte Russe was discussed in a previous post here.]


“Bethlehems”
They are ever forward in celebration of this day.
— Henry VIII.

Of all the cakes that come for Christmas Day
The little Bethlehems must lead the way,
So simple, too, to make, as you will see
If you will read this rhyme attentively.

First butter take, about a fourth of cup,
Then sugar - brim but once same measure up.
Cream these together till they're smooth as silk,
And add straightway half-cup of sweetest milk.

Next sift one cup - and half one more - of flour
Into the bowl - a sudden fairy shower! –
With two teaspoons of baking-powder white,
Now beat - and beat again - till all is light;

Then in the mixture fold with careful hand
Whites of two eggs, whipped so they stiffly stand,
And, last of all, a dash of flav'ring sweet.
Rose, or vanilla, and the whole's complete.

Put in star pans, but give each room to grow,
And bake in oven, neither quick, nor slow;
Then, when the little shapes have grown quite cold,
Wrap them in softest frosting smoothly rolled;

Let some the red of holly berries wear,
While others don a snowy mantle fair,
But white, or red, this do they clearly say:
" We wish you all a Merry Christmas Day!"

Quotation for the Day.

Now good digestion wait on appetite
And health on both.
Macbeth.