The Saturday Sip: December 9, 2023
Your etiquette tip, quote and an Emily Post Cookbook recipe to start your weekend off right!
The Tip
Even if your pet is a regular visitor to a friend’s house, it’s nice to check in to make sure they are welcome on this visit before bringing your sweet pup (or python.) “Hi Jenny, I know Mr. Slithers is usually welcome, but I just wanted to double check that this would be an okay visit for him too before I head over.”
The Recipe
Whether it’s winter setting in or that latest season of The Great British Bake Off that just wrapped inspiring us, we want to whip up holiday treats! And Emily comes to the kitchen with a great gingerbread recipe this week.
Emily Post’s Cookbook, 1951, pg. 329 *Please note that recipes are copied as exactly as possible, including grammatical errors and inconsistencies.
Gingerbread
Time: 1 1/4 hours
Makes: 1 8 by 11 inch gingerbread
Ingredients
1 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Warm the molasses, pour it into a bowl, add the butter and beat. Add the milk, sugar, eggs and beat.
Sift the flour and other dry ingredients together 3 times and add gradually to the molasses, butter, milk sugar, and egg mixture. Continue beating while adding the flour mixture, and be sure all is well blended. bake in a greased 8 by 11 inch pan for 35 or 40 minutes in a 350℉. oven. Test for doneness with a broom sip or a fine wooden pick, which should come out from the middle perfectly dry.
The Quote
“Justice must be the foundation upon which every tranquil house is constructed.”
- Emily Post.
A signed copy of Emily Post’s Etiquette, The Centennial Edition, makes for an excellent holiday hosting gift! Order yours today from our local independent bookstore, Bridgeside Books, in Waterbury, Vermont! [Unsigned copies may be purchased from any bookseller.]
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We hope you’ve enjoyed the sip today. Does a warm spicy slice of gingerbread sound good to you? Maybe with a nice cup of tea? Tell us about your bake! Can’t post here? Head over to the Monday thread, where the comment section is open to everyone!
Happy Saturday!
Lizzie and Dan
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Emily Post in her garden. Edgartown, MA, USA.
Gingerbread is one of my favourite desserts (ginger cookies are great but this is the real stuff!) and this recipe didn’t disappoint. Thank you for sharing it with us! I made mine in an 11x7 glass pan and baked it an extra 20 minutes or so and it turned out wonderfully soft. Definitely a repeat bake! To dress it up for company, I’d add a dollop of fresh whipped cream to each piece. :)
I love Gingerbread... had to try Emily’s recipe. It is delicious! I did reduce the oven to 325* and cut 13 minutes from the baking time. I suspect modern ovens bake faster than Emily’s generation of ovens. Thank you for bringing the taste of the season to your fans!