Hobart Cookery Book, 1908

This little gem of a book, compiled by a "Committee of Ladies for the Methodist Central Mission, Melville Street, Hobart, October 1908", is a book of "Tested Recipes, Household Hints and Home remedies".

In these days of high interest rates, and petrol and grocery prices going through the roof, not to mention those carbon footprint issues everyone seems to bang on about these days, we could well take a leaf out of the ladies' book, and observe some of the more frugal customs.

I don't know about you, but I'm hanging out for a Parsnip Coffee:

Wash and cut parsnips into thin slices and bake in oven until brown and crisp; then grind in coffee-mill, using boiling water or milk when ready for use. One tablespoonful to a pint.

This might get me running, should I feel a tad constipated:

Fruit Conserve for Constipation
Half pound each of dates, figs and seeded raisins, 1 1/2 ounces of senna, and 2 ounces of glycerine. Pound the fruit after putting through the mincer. Mix well, sprinkling over the senna and glycerine a little at a time. Take a piece the size of a small walnut as a dose.

If I've accidentally taken 2 walnut sized doses of the above, I can rectify this with the following antidote:
Equal quantities of:
Laudanum, cayenne and peppermint. Chemist will fill a bottle for 1 shilling. Dose for an adult, 10 drops.

Recipes are also provided for Chilli Beer, Lemon Beer, a quaint-sounding cake called Peep-Boo, and in the International section: French Pancakes, German Fritters, Indian Fritters, Scotch Pancakes and Spanish Fritters, amongst many other things.

This book is an enlightening view into Hobart life for housewives round the turn of last century. I have a feeling it is now out of print, but am positive many ladies will have passed their copies down through the generations. Failing that, you know where Rita and her copy are!