As this is the time of year that we are allowed to ‘eat, drink and be merry’, here we take a look at some culinary delights...!

Taken from theWiltshire Times,
13th December, 1930 

Tim Woodman compiled a collection of old recipes and remedies in 1988, taken from around Wiltshire over the previous 25 years. Most have been handed down through generations.

Mincemeat

One pound raisins

One pound currants

One pound beef suet

One pound apples

One and a half pounds sugar

Quarter pound mixed peel

One small nutmeg

Quarter ounce salt

Half teaspoon ground ginger

Half teaspoon pounded mace

The grated rind of one lemon, plus one more boiled quite tender and chopped up.

Add a little brandy and sherry

Press the whole into a jar and keep covered.

Taken from the Wiltshire Times, 6th December, 1930

Vegetarian Christmas Pudding
Eight ounces stoned raisins
Eight ounces currants
Six ounces minced apples
Two ounces mixed peel
Four ounces flour
Five ounces almonds
Six ounces sugar
Four ounces butter
Milk
Three eggs
Nutmeg
Rub fat into flour and crumbs. Mix in other ingredients, then add eggs and milk. Steam eight hours.

The Marlborough Book of Favourite Recipes was collected by Mrs Norwood for the Marlborough and District Nursing Association in 1923.

Christmas pudding

(an old-fashioned recipe)

3lbs raisins

3lbs currants

33/4lbs chopped suet

2lbs flour

1 1/4 lbs breadcrumbs

1 3/4 pounds soft brown sugar

¼ lbs mixed peel

1 grated nutmeg

A little cinnamon, clove, mace

A pinch of salt, the rind of 2 lemons, grated

A little Brandy

Mix well with milk and boil 6 to 8 hours.

From Mrs Taylor, Blake House, Marlborough.

‘Secrets of some Wiltshire Housewives’ contains a foreward by Edith Olivier, dated November, 1927 and a post-script, May, 1928. It contains recipes written down by members of the Women’s Institute in the villages of Wiltshire. ‘Most are in constant use and many have been handed down for generations’.

Winter Salad

Cut 3 large boiled potatoes into dice, with the same amount of beetroot (boiled) and about 1 small stick of celery, also cut and dice. Place in a salad bowl, and stir into it 2 tablespoons of salad oil, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and a little cream, with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Mustard may be added, if preferred. A wooden spoon should be used for mixing.

By F. Fowler, Pewsey

You could also make good use of those seasonal vegetables you don’t often see at other times of year…

Brussels Sprouts Soup (small quantity)

1/2 lb sprouts (after trimming)

½ pint white stock

½ gill cream

A little castor sugar

Boil and drain the sprouts; rub them through a sieve. Mix them with the stock, cream and seasoning. Serve very hot, with snippets of fried bread.

Lacock

‘The Modern Housewife or Menagerie Comprising nearly one thousand receipts for the economic and judicious preparation of every meal of the day…’ by Alexis Soyer, was published in 1858. It was felt by the publishser that homely receipts and illustrations should be included ‘thereby giving it the type of embellishment and luxury’ that would make it an idea Christmas or New Year gift. Included is how to prepare a plain roasted turkey, a ‘well-known dish, which has the joyous recollection of Christmas attached to it’.

The Colonial and American Fresh Meat Stores, Silver Street, Salisbury, 1912.
The Manager George Chandler is stood in the doorway with his employees (including Harold Newman).
Ref: 35661

Wilson & Mayo of Warminster, like many others, produced a Christmas catalogue. Circa 1900 it included:

Bonbons,

French plums, Elvas Plums

Tunis dates, Raffilat dates

Figs

Metz fruits,

crystallized angelica, apricots, cherries, chinois ginger

Brazil nuts, almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, black Spanish nuts

Ornages

Lemons

Grapes

Normany pippins

Evaporated apricots

Choice blue Stiltons, Gorgonzolas,Cheddars,Somersets and very fine Truckles

Wiltshire bacon, Irish smoked hams and

‘our own make [pork pies], already noted throughout the town and neighbourhood’.

Taken from ‘A Wiltshire Christmas’ by John Chandler, 1991

Bowyer, Philpott & Payne, butchers of Trowbridge
Ref: 53431

John Chander , in his book ‘A Wessex Nativity’, tells us of a poem written by Michael Burrough. This Salisbury banker was also Mayor in 1790. He died in 1831.

The Grand-Master’s Dinner

At Christmas it is such a rare jolly time,

With eating and drinking, while yet in our prime;

If I was made kind, to my subjects I’ll swear,

That Christmas should last for the whole year.

There’s another good reason why Christmas should last,

Such a season for feasting should never be passed;

In mirth and in good fellowship I take great delight up

With Singing and music for to keep the night up

I’ll now give you an account of our Grand-Master’s dinner,

It is true what I say, although I’m a sinner.

How brought to the table, on last Christmas Day,

And how it went off, I am going to say.

But first I should rather say how it came on,

A turbot at top, which was very well done;

Boiled turkey at bottom, with rich oyster sauce,

And forcemeat balls round it all fried to a toss.

A chine was placed near, t’other end was a ham,

And a piece of roast beef, on which you might cram.

Chickens roasted and boiled, at the sides in array,

Such nice ones you’ll be sure could not hope for fair play.

There was also a tongue, and hash calves-heads and brains,

But to mention each dish I need take no more pains.

Suffice there was plenty, and that of the best,

Then a hauch of fat venison, to crown all the rest.

The set to then began, with great skill from the first of it,

The turkey and fowls their limbs were bereft

And the venison and beef cut in right and left.

Not the meats, but the men, who attacked it were tough,

And the battle long lasted, e’er one cried enough.

Such eating and drinking there was on that day,

Each took what he liked, and drank on his way.

Now the cloth being drawn, soon the wine glasses rattle,

Which succeeded the noise of the knife and fork battle.

All drank what they liked, whether old port or sherry,

And toasted away, until all was quite merry.

A bumper filled and all ready, then up rose the host,

And proposed to his friends he saw round hi, a toast

With here cheers, which he knew would make the room ring

With a hearty good will, ‘Twas Great George our King.

Additional material from and relating to Michael Burrough can be found at the History Centre archives.

And don’t forget Edward Slow’s well-know poem ‘Tha Girt Big Figgetty Pooden’, written in the 19^th century. Chandler tells us that this particular poem was one of the most popular, ‘the opening lines were even incorporated into the Shrewton mummers play’.


Taken from the Wiltshire Times, 13th December, 1930

If you have enjoyed this article, the following entries may also be of interest:

A Wiltshire Christmas Past

A Christmas Custom

And a Wiltshire New Year to you!