Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Thank you, everyone who replied, for the wealth of information and the great suggestions. During rehearsals we were using a Trader Joe's angel food cake, just because it was the cheapest cake in the store and the easiest to dry out without having it turn into powder. We had cut a single slice that Cecily kept serving over and over again. This worked out fairly well, although it didn't fit the description of any of the cakes in your replies, and Opening-Night triage determined that we would continue to use it for opening weekend. Once things have settled down (and I can keep my eyes open) I will try a foam-rubber layer cake. I liked the ideas of a tea loaf and a heavy fruity cake, but as one responder commented, we want the prop to "read" cake to the audience, and I think a layer cake will both read and be pretty. Opening night went well. What a play (of course)! and I have a great cast. --Ruth Anne On Jul 6, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Sharon Collier wrote: Of course, Gwendolyn never eats the cake, so it can be made of foam rubber, colored to look like a frosted layer cake. That way, there is no chance of ants, spilling onto the costume, storage during the run, etc. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume- boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Ruth Anne Baumgartner Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 5:55 AM To: Historical Costume 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 h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Unfortunately I don't - I've tried various ones but none of them were like hers.I do like caraway seed cake though. I have a very old cake recipe which uses nutmeg and cloves, that tastes good too. Jill At 21:17 06/07/2010, you wrote: Hi Jill oh my gosh! my husband remembers his grandmother's "seed cake" too (in BC, before he was about 10), and we've never been able to find a recipe for one like he remembers (small seeds and no "liquorice" tasting ones, he can't abide liquorice). most we've found include anise, fennel or caraway(?), which all make "liquorice" tastes. do you have YOUR seed cake recipe? chimene My Great Grandmother used to bake a wonderful seed cake. - never had one as good since. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume JiGraH Resources - www.jigrah.co.uk Suppliers of products and services for Family and Local Historians Worldwide ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
At 01:17 PM 7/6/2010, you wrote: Hi Jill oh my gosh! my husband remembers his grandmother's "seed cake" too (in BC, before he was about 10), and we've never been able to find a recipe for one like he remembers (small seeds and no "liquorice" tasting ones, he can't abide liquorice). most we've found include anise, fennel or caraway(?), which all make "liquorice" tastes. do you have YOUR seed cake recipe? chimene Try looking for a "poppy seed cake" recipe. Joan Jurancich joa...@surewest.net ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Of course, Gwendolyn never eats the cake, so it can be made of foam rubber, colored to look like a frosted layer cake. That way, there is no chance of ants, spilling onto the costume, storage during the run, etc. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Ruth Anne Baumgartner Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 5:55 AM To: Historical Costume 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 h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Hi Jill oh my gosh! my husband remembers his grandmother's "seed cake" too (in BC, before he was about 10), and we've never been able to find a recipe for one like he remembers (small seeds and no "liquorice" tasting ones, he can't abide liquorice). most we've found include anise, fennel or caraway(?), which all make "liquorice" tastes. do you have YOUR seed cake recipe? chimene My Great Grandmother used to bake a wonderful seed cake. - never had one as good since. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Hi Ruth ann, In the early seventies I did that play and,as I recall, we served a plain butter cake with a soft white icing. The 'large slice' was precut, marked out with toothpick pricks, so it could be sliced easliy and evenly, and served at all performances. It was put in the refrigerator after the performance and saved for the next one. That was so the actors wouldn't eat it. Also to save time and cost. Gyndowlyne never ate a bite because we played under the "no eating or drinking of milk or sweet products before and during performance" as eatin these were thought to cause a sticky tongue and throat. Break a leg! Audy in the high boonies of Central Texas PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
My Great Grandmother used to bake a wonderful seed cake. - never had one as good since. Tea breads, Dundee cake, Rich Fruit cake, or even a Victoria Sponge cake (most appropriate and undecorated of course) - apparently she was quite fond of this - would be good. There are lots of recipes around. Or how about buns - as in " a cup of tea and a bun" sponge cake mixture (or Madiera cake), with various additions and flavourings baked in a bun tin (or little paper cake cases if you haven't a bun tin) - sometimes iced but mostly left plain. Jill 23:18 05/07/2010, you wrote: FRUITCAKE!?!? -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of landofoz Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 2:50 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors If PBS has any credibility, it seems Victorian ladies are usually serving something that looks like a fruit/nut loaf. More like banana bread, only with more colorful ingredients. Denise ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume JiGraH Resources - www.jigrah.co.uk Suppliers of products and services for Family and Local Historians Worldwide ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
FRUITCAKE!?!? -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of landofoz Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 2:50 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors If PBS has any credibility, it seems Victorian ladies are usually serving something that looks like a fruit/nut loaf. More like banana bread, only with more colorful ingredients. Denise ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
If PBS has any credibility, it seems Victorian ladies are usually serving something that looks like a fruit/nut loaf. More like banana bread, only with more colorful ingredients. Denise ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
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 nancy_k...@hotmail.com Never tease a weasel! This is very good advice. For the weasel will not like it And teasing isn't nice. > From: ruthan...@mindspring.com > Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 08:55:07 -0400 > To: h-cost...@indra.com > 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 > h-costume@mail.indra.com > 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 h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
My great grandmother's cookbook (from late 1800's) has a lot of cake recipes. Just glancing through it, I saw one that said, "Bake in 4 layers and spread between the layers a soft icing", so it's pretty safe to say that you could use a regular frosted cake. For a white cake, the book suggests stirring a little bright colored jelly into the icing, so as to make a contrast. That would be pretty and the audience could see that she's being served the fancy, sugary cake instead of the plain bread and butter. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Ruth Anne Baumgartner Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 5:55 AM To: Historical Costume 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 h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Or a loaf shaped pound cake? -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Hope Greenberg Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 8:16 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors Cake is one of those words that has been used in several ways across time. Things that we would call breads, cookies, biscuits, scones, and buns have all been called cake. However, since you do have to keep the audience in mind and have something that makes sense to them, I'd go with something that looks like cake to most modern people, but give it a period twist by making it a more traditional 19th cent. British tea cake, say an 8 inch round cake that looks plain and rather hefty. So, if you look for recipes like Dundee Cake or Seed cake, you should find some good examples. Sounds like fun! - Hope Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote: > > 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: > ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] OT to Victorian re-enactors
Cake is one of those words that has been used in several ways across time. Things that we would call breads, cookies, biscuits, scones, and buns have all been called cake. However, since you do have to keep the audience in mind and have something that makes sense to them, I'd go with something that looks like cake to most modern people, but give it a period twist by making it a more traditional 19th cent. British tea cake, say an 8 inch round cake that looks plain and rather hefty. So, if you look for recipes like Dundee Cake or Seed cake, you should find some good examples. Sounds like fun! - Hope Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote: 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: ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
