One of my favorite books is Victorian Cakes by Caroline B. King. Its subtitle is A Reminiscence with Recipes, and it has some incredible recipes in it. ISBN is 0-201-19184-9, published by Aris Books which are published by Harris Publishing Co Inc 1621 5th St Berkeley CA 94710 415-527-5171. Mrs. Beeton (IMHO the ne plus ultra of Victorian cookbooks) has recipes for almond and for sugar icing, but her cake recipes don't mention anything like today's layer cakes, which is what would probably read best as cake for the modern audience.
Nancy Kiel [email protected] Never tease a weasel! This is very good advice. For the weasel will not like it And teasing isn't nice. > From: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 08:55:07 -0400 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors > > Hello the list: > > Getting ready to open The Importance of Being Earnest (I am director, > costumer, and props person) and still have not settled on what Cecily > cuts and serves a large piece of to Gwendolen during the tea scene: > > Cecily. [Severely.] Cake or bread and butter? > > > > Gwendolen. [In a bored manner.] Bread and butter, please. Cake is > > rarely seen at the best houses nowadays. > > > > Cecily. [Cuts a very large slice of cake, and puts it on the tray.] > > Hand that to Miss Fairfax. > > I have looked at people's Tea Party pages, cookbooks, and photos that > come up on Google Image search, but I have not found what I consider > a reliable image for the prop for this scene. Things come up anywhere > from fancy cookies to huge decorated cakes reminiscent of diner > dessert displays. > > I would welcome advice from any of the knowledgeable people on this > list, particularly those who participate in Victorian tea parties or > similar events. Earnest is 1895; Cecily Cardew is a wealthy young > woman living in a manor house in the English countryside. > > Thanks in advance! > > --Ruth Anne Baumgartner > scholar gypsy and amateur costumer > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_2 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
