Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2005.1.215.19 |
Object Name |
Recipe |
Title |
Christmas Cake & Cookies |
Date |
c. 1910 |
Description |
A series of recipes written on scraps of paper belonging to the Greeniaus family. (.19) contains two recipes, "Christmas Cake" on the recto and "Cookies" on the verso. The recipe is written as follows: Recto: "4- Christmas Cake 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 cup of butter 3/4 pounds of raisins 3/4 " " currants 1/4 " lemon peel 3/4 teaspoons soda 1 1/2 " cream tartar 3 cups of flour spices + flour to taste" Verso: "2- Cookies 2 eggs 1 heaping cup brown sugar 1 cup of butter 1 teaspoon of ginger 2 tablespoons sweet milk 1 teaspoon soda 2 " cream tartar Arletta" |
History |
This recipe card belonged to the Greeniaus family who lived in the historic Village of Sheridan, in historic Mississauga. The Arletta referenced in this recipe is Arletta Elizabeth Greeniaus (1863-1949), who was married to George E. Manley (1852-1889). The tradition of Christmas Cake traces back to early Christian customs, with festivities marked by a 40-day Advent fast, culminating in a lavish feast on Christmas Day and extending for twelve days until Epiphany on January 6th. During this period, the Twelfth Day Cake, laden with fruit and spices, became a staple, accompanied by the tradition of appointing whomever found a bean in their cake as Lord of Misrule. In the sixteenth century, wealthy families added flour to repurpose leftover Christmas pudding mixtures to bake fruitcakes for Easter, later adopting them as a Christmas tradition. Marzipan and royal icing were incorporated into Christmas cakes when Oliver Cromwell banned Twelfth Night cakes during Christmas celebrations in the 1640s. However, its brief ban failed to quell public appetite for cake and soon modern Christmas cakes adorned with elaborate decorations began to evolve. As Victorian-era customs rose in popularity, Christmas cakes replaced Twelfth Night cakes all together. Today, Christmas cakes symbolize the holiday season, showcasing centuries of culinary tradition. In Canada, fruitcake is the predominant "Christmas Cake" enjoyed during the holiday season, with several variations reflecting diverse cultural influences and preferences. |
References |
Bilton, S. "A History of Twelfth Night Cake", English Heritage, 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/blog/blog-posts/twelfth-night-cake/ "Christmas Cake", British Food: A History, 2011. Retrieved from: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2011/12/05/christmas-cake/ "Love It or Loathe It: A Brief History of the Holiday Fruit Cake", Alberta's Historic Places, RETROactive, 2015. Retrieved from: https://albertashistoricplaces.com/2015/12/16/love-it-or-loathe-it-a-brief-history-of-the-holiday-fruit-cake/ |
People |
Greeniaus, Arletta Elizabeth |
Search Terms |
Sheridan |