The Old Fashioned
Baking Cupboard
From the old-time baking cupboard, tender love and affection flowed through mother’s skillful hands in the form of apple strudels made from lovingly tended, to pumpkin pies made from sugar pie pumpkins grown in her own garden. Goodness in every delicious form could be found within the little nooks and crannies of the baking cupboard, and included such tasty things as old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, plump golden raisins, sweet coconut, English walnuts and toasted pecans. Concealed within the deep bins were generous supplies of freshly milled graham flour and stone ground cornmeal for baking into something wholesome and delicious, and little glass jars with pretty old-fashioned labels on them were filled with baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa. Bottles of homemade vanilla brought out after months of steeping in the buttery were customarily found there, along with jars of ruby-red maraschino cherries, dried cranberries, pearls of tapioca, and various other cooking and baking sundries.
--The Riches and Treasures of Home
Old Fashioned Vanilla Extract
A member of the orchid family, vanilla beans have been favored for centuries, not only for their fragrant aroma, but for the delicious flavor they lend to sweets, pastries and confections.
3 whole organic vanilla beans
8 ounces good quality brandy
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the vanilla beans down the center of the pods and carefully remove the seeds and place in a pint-sized mason jar. Add the vanilla beans and eight ounces of good quality brandy. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and allow the mixture to “steep” in a cool, dark cupboard for two months.
When ready to use, strain the vanilla mixture using cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve, reserving the vanilla beans for another use.
Old Fashioned Marshmallows
2 ½ Tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
1 Cup light corn syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s Sugar for dusting
In a large mixing bowl, combine the gelatin with ½ cup cold water and allow the mixture to stand for 30 minutes to thicken. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and ½ cup of water. Place over low heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and raise the heat to high. Cook the syrup without stirring until it reaches 244 degrees (firm-ball Stage) and then immediately remove the pan from the heat. With a mixer on low speed, slowly pour the syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase the speed to high, beating until the mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume. Add the vanilla and beat to thoroughly incorporate.
Generously dust an 8 x 12 inch glass-baking pan with confectioner’s sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, and spread to evenly distribute. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and allow the mixture to stand overnight to dry. Using kitchen shears, cut the marshmallows into small squares, roll in confectioner’s sugar and store in an airtight container until needed.
