Good Housekeeping World Cookery - Retro Food For Modern Times

Category: Good Housekeeping World Cookery

07
Apr
2025

Bruges Egg Savoury

categories: 1970's food, 1970's recipes, Belgium, Eggs, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, Prawns, Shrimp, Uncategorized

Hello friends, and welcome back to Belgium! After discovering Belgians’ fondness for prawns / shrimp / crevettes, today we’re doubling down on that ingredient. Bruges Egg Savoury is a delightful and light dish that perfectly marries the richness of eggs with the delicate sweetness of prawns. Now, the recipe ideally calls for the tiny, flavorful crevettes gris found in the North Sea, a true Belgian delicacy. I opted for some fresh Australian prawns, which were an excellent substitute.

As always, our European culinary journey is guided by the trusted pages of Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery from 1972, a treasure trove of international recipes. Speaking of Bruges, it was a delightful coincidence that the film “In Bruges” was on the telly the other night. It was a thoroughly enjoyable rewatch, reminding me of the city’s captivating beauty and unique atmosphere.

But back to the star of our show: Bruges Egg Savoury. This is a perfect candidate for a sophisticated brunch or a light yet satisfying lunch. With Easter just around the corner, this dish could be a fantastic addition to your brunch spread. What also appeals to me is its simplicity and speed of preparation. You can boil the eggs the day before, leaving you with minimal fuss on the day itself. It’s essentially a matter of combining the ingredients, popping it in the oven, and voila – a delicious and elegant dish ready to impress your guests.

Bruges Egg Savoury – The Recipe

While the original recipe doesn’tsuggest it, I wholeheartedly recommend serving Bruges Egg Savoury with an abundance of crusty, artisanal bread. Trust me on this one. As the dish bakes, it creates a luscious sauce or gravy, rich with the flavors of the prawns, eggs, and herbs. This flavorful liquid is absolutely begging to be soaked up with chunks of fresh bread, adding another layer of texture and enjoyment to the meal. It’s a dish that feels both elegant and comforting, perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Have a great week!

16
Feb
2025

Marillenkuchen

categories: 1970's recipes, Austria, Cake, Good Housekeeping World Cookery

Hello friends. Welcome to the final part of our Austrian culinary adventure. Today, we’ll savour Marillenkuchen – Austrian for Apricot Cake. I was more excited about Austrian desserts than the savoury dishes. Austrian cakes and pastries are world-famous, and Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery offers an enticing array! Initially, I struggled to choose between Sachertorte, the most famous, and Linzertorte, my favourite. However, when visiting my greengrocer, I saw a display of breathtaking apricots. Consequently, all thoughts of other cakes vanished instantly.

Unlike its more fancy counterparts, Marillenkuchen is a simple cake. But as the saying goes – the simple things in life are often the best! Tilly Pamment, author of the excellent baking book “The Plain Cake Appreciation Society,” says:

The Plain Cake Appreciation Society is a club for connoisseurs of uncomplicated cakes, seasonal bakes and the general appreciation of pausing (often) for tea and cake

I think Tilly would approve of the Marillenkuchen! As do many Austrians! Marillenkuchen holds a special place in Austrian culinary tradition. It’s often enjoyed during the summer months when apricots are in season. It is a perfect treat for picnics, garden parties, and afternoon tea.

Marillenkuchen – The Recipe

Apologies for my scribble about how much my eggs weighed!

A Fun Fact About Austrian Apricots

Did you know there was an Austrian apricot that is famous throughout Europe? I had no idea! The Wachau Apricot is a key ingredient in jam, brandy, and various liqueurs. The EU protects this fruit. Only apricots originating from the Wachau region can be called ‘Wachau Apricots. Furthermore, the Wachau region, nestled along the Danube River, looks stunningly beautiful! An apricot festival appears to take place annually in July. If I ever have the opportunity to visit, I will plan my trip accordingly

Today we bid “So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen goodbye” to Austria. Our next stop is Belgium. Have a wonderful week!

26
Jan
2025

Veal with Cream Sauce

categories: 1970's recipes, Austria, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, Meat

Hello Friends, today we’re continuing our journey into Austria in 1972. We started with some Eggs in Sour Cream a few weeks back and that was a great dish! Now, I’m sure some of you might be expecting a Wiener Schnitzel as the main course. However, as I have already shared a fancy version recently, I thought I would choose something a little different. So today, we are dining on a dish of Veal in Cream Sauce. This recipe sings to my soul! Capers, mustard, lemons. As they say in Austria, a few of my favourite things!

However, the Good Housekeeping World Cookery chapter on Austrian cuisine, gives us, a world of hearty peasant fare for mains. Now, don’t get me wrong, I adore a good, wholesome dish, but let’s be honest, ‘hearty peasant fare’ doesn’t always translate to the most Instagrammable plate.

As Jenny from Silver Screen Suppers so eloquently put it, ‘brown food is the enemy of the photographer.’ Therefore, I implore you, dear reader, to feast your eyes on the words, not the pictures, for this dish is a revelation

The cream sauce was glorious! Honestly, I could bathe in it. Furthermore, it worked perfectly with the veal, but I could see it gracing chicken, fish, and shellfish. In fact, I would have eaten it with just the potatoes and the broccoli, never mind the veal! To accompany the veal, I served steamed broccoli, a vibrant green counterpoint to the rich sauce, and Nigella’s divine Salt and Vinegar Potatoes, a perfect accompaniment. Finally, as the good Doctor Seuss might say, ‘I would eat this on a plane, I would eat this on a train, I would eat this in a box, I would eat this with a fox!

This is how eating this made me feel!

Veal In Cream Sauce – The Recipe

As a total aside, can I say how hard it is for me to type “Austria”? My fingers automatically move to “Australia”! I have had to correct this so many times in these posts! I, for one, will be glad when I hit the chapter on Belgium, so that I don’t have to keep correcting my spelling!

Have a great week!

22
Dec
2024

Eggs in Sour Cream

categories: 1970's food, 1970's recipes, Austria, Eggs, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, World Cooking

Guten Tag, friends! Today, we embark on a culinary journey through Europe, guided by the pages of Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery. Our first stop? The enchanting land of Austria, where the hills will soon be alive with the delightful aromas of delicious food. We’re starting with a simple yet elegant dish: Eggs in Sour Cream.

As the holiday season approaches, life often becomes a whirlwind of activity. It’s during these hectic times that simple, comforting meals become invaluable. Eggs in Sour Cream is the perfect solution, providing a quick, easy, and delicious meal that requires minimal effort. This Austrian dish resembles the French Ouefs en Cocotte, both involving eggs baked in a creamy mixture.

I’ve loved Ouefs en Cocotte, ever since my aunt introduced me to them during my primary school years. Discovering this Austrian variation was a delightful surprise, offering both familiarity and novelty. The tangy sour cream and the light, creamy texture create a truly divine experience. The crunchy breadcrumb topping adds a delightful textural contrast, elevating the dish to new heights.

Paired with a fresh green salad, Eggs in Sour Cream make for a perfect lunch or supper. It’s quick, easy, and incredibly cost-effective, making it a win-win. Feel free to experiment with different herbs to suit your taste preferences.

This dish was a pure comfort, a tranquil oasis after a long, busy day. While I opted for a simple green salad to accompany the eggs, you can also serve it with roasted vegetables, crispy bacon, or a slice of crusty bread. The endless possibilities allow you to customize the dish to your liking.

So, let’s dive into the recipe and experience the magic of Eggs in Sour Cream for ourselves. This dish promises to warm your soul and satisfy your taste buds, making it a perfect addition to your culinary repertoire.

Eggs in Sour Cream – The Recipe

Happy cooking, friends! Have a great week!

03
Nov
2024

Pineapple Snow Pudding

categories: 1970's food, Desserts, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, Jelly

Hello friends and welcome to our final voyage to the South Sea Islands aboard the SS Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery. Today, we’re crafting a delightful Pineapple Snow Pudding bursting with tropical flavours of pineapple and coconut. As Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery doesn’t include many visuals, sometimes you need to use your imagination to envision the final product.

And sometimes my imagination runs a bit wild. I pictured the coconut settling at the bottom, so when I inverted it, the Pineapple Snow Pudding would resemble a miniature Mount Fuji. Unfortunately, reality didn’t quite align with my vision. I’m not even sure why I had a Japanese vision for my South Sea Island dish…maybe it was because the previous recipe from this chapter, Mainland Teriyaki, was Japanese-inspired?

No surprises but it didn’t look anything like that…

The Pineapple Snow Pudding may not have looked like how I imagined, but nor did it taste that way. It is almost impossible to describe how light and airy this is. It is almost as if you are just getting pure flavour from air! Absolutely delicious!

I loved the Pineapple Snow Pudding!!!!

It’s light and airy, fruity and tropical. Never mind Mount Fuji, this dessert tasted, if not exactly like summer, then more like the promise of summer. And with the coconut, pineapple and strawberry garnish, it also smelled of summer.

Pineapple Snow Pudding – The Recipe

This ends our trip to the South Seas and also technically ends Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery. However, those of you with a wanderlust for World Travel and 1970’s versions of classic dishes needn’t worry. For some reason, lost to time, I started cooking from this book with Swizterland which starts at page 400. So, from next month, we are heading to the start of the book to check out the best of pages 1-399!

Have a great week!