Foamy Food.

There really is no such thing under the sun as brand new idea in cookery. Take foam for example. Foam-making seems to have been raised to an art form by modern chefs at the cutting edge of cuisine, and for all I know, the skill to produce foam of a particular stability, texture, colour, fragrance, or flavour may be a requirement for graduation from some culinary schools. The concept of foamy-textured food is not new however.

Today I give you some old ideas to help you introduce a little more lightness into your food life.

Foaming Sauce [a pudding sauce]

Beat 1 cup sugar and ½ cup butter together. Add the yelks of 2 eggs and the grated rind and juice of a lemon. Beat the two whites stiff and mix all together. Just before serving, stir in quickly 1 cup boiling water

Breakfast, Dinner and Supper (1887), Battle Creek Co. Michigan.

Foamy Eggs [a pudding sauce]

1 egg, ½ cup maple sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla, ½ cup whipped cream.

Beat egg white until stiff, beat in gradually the maple sugar powdered; when smooth and light, add vanilla and well-beaten yolks. Stir in whipped cream, serve at once.

"Win the War" Cook Book (1918) published by St. Louis county unit,

Woman's committee, Council of National Defense.

Foam Omelette.

Beat the yolks of two eggs till they are thick and light; add half teaspoon of pepper and two tablespoons of milk, then the whites beaten stiff. Spread on a hot buttered omelette pan. Run a knife along the edges, and occasionally underneath, to prevent burning.  Let it cook till well browned underneath. Fold carefully, and serve at once.

Queensland Figaro, (Brisbane, Qld) May 19, 1928

And here is an interesting idea from World War II – an austerity recipe using dried eggs and lemon cordial.

“Fresh eggs are precious. Don’t let them vanish in cakes, puddings, or sauces – save them for children, invalids, or a very special breakfast!”

Hot Foam Sauce

Here is an unusual recipe for a fluffy pudding sauce, flavoured with lemon cordial. It is a cunning substitute for the luxury foam sauce made with fresh egg and wine. Sieve two level tablespoons egg powder and one tablespoon vanilla flavoured custard powder into a small but deep saucepan (or basin). Add one tablespoon sugar. Pour one-third teacup of lemon cordial into a cup 1 measure. Add two-thirds cold water. Use to blend the egg-powder mixture to a smooth thin liquid. Stand saucepan in a larger pan with gently simmering water to come two thirds up the sides. Stir liquid until warm. Then whisk with rotary whisk until very light and foamy and slightly thickened. Serve at once. If required cold, it will be a delicious type of thin custard. Whisk up before use; add extra vanilla flavouring.

NOTE: Once egg-powder has been reconstituted. It should be used within 24 hours. In hot climates it should not be left uncooked for more than a few hours.

Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld.) May 28, 1946

Orange Foam Sauce.

One and a half cups milk, l tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon cornflour, 1 egg (separated), rind and juice of 1 orange.

Combine the sugar and cornflour, blend with a, little cold milk, and add the egg yolk. Place the remainder of the milk on to boil. When boiling pour on to the blended mixture. Return to saucepan and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the orange rind and juice. Beat white of egg and pinch of salt to stiff froth, and fold into the hot sauce. Allow to cool.

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.) July 22, 1954

Quotation for the Day.

The dishes of the present day are very light, and they have a particular delicacy and perfume. The secret has been discovered of enabling us to eat more and to eat better, as also to digest more rapidly....The new cookery is conductive to health, to good temper, and to long life. ...Who could enumerate all the dishes of the new cuisine? It is an absolutely new idiom. I have tasted viands prepared in so many ways and fashioned with such art that I could not imagine what they were.

                        Louis Sebastien Mercier, Tableau de Paris, 1781-82