Wednesday, January 22, 2020

A vintage cookbook with some intriguing tea & coffee tips

I'd learned of Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cook Book some years ago but never got around to actually searching for one. Then, I came across this copy of the 1954 cookbook in great condition for just 99 cents at a thrift shop in Rome the other day. Sold! When I got home and started reading it, I was especially intrigued by a chapter titled "The Fourth Meal." What is the Fourth Meal, you ask? According to this book, "It is the meal that people eat for fun. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, you eat the things you think you should eat. But in between, you eat the things you like."

Happily, their Fourth Meal suggestions include "Afternoon Teas," with some suggestions for sandwiches, salads, and other treats.

Now, when I got to these beverage recipes, I thought the Hot Tea recipe was pretty simple. No quibbles there. But check out the first ingredient in the coffee recipe. I was flummoxed. What on earth? Surely they didn't mean to put a raw egg in with the coffee. But indeed, that's exactly what they meant. In fact, I found this article online which rather explains the why and the how. But I'm just shocked that as much as America loves its coffee, I had never heard of this before. Have any of you? Have any of you tried egg coffee? I'd love to hear a review!



12 comments:

  1. I don't drink coffee but I faintly recall reading about something with eggshells and making coffee. I like the idea of clove-studded lemon slices to add a spicy flavor to the tea, though.

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  2. It does seem like in the back of my memories I have heard of egg in coffee, but never experienced it. Fascinating find.

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  3. What an interesting find! No, never heard of an egg in coffee either.

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  4. I love old cookbooks--they are such fun! No, I've never heard of adding an egg to coffee.
    But I don't make coffee in any form--I have never liked the taste. The one flavor of ice cream that I will not eat is coffee ice cream.

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  5. According to my 90 year old mother, yes people did add an egg. She never did, however if you watch ‘Gunsmoke’ they did!

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  6. Although I'm not a 'real' coffee drinker, (unless Frappuccinos count) I was familiar with adding eggs/eggshells to coffee from reading about people in Sweden. I keep thinking I'd like to try it sometime just to see what it tastes like.
    Janet P.

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  7. Hi Angela,
    Not sure my comment posted. Although I'm not a regular coffee drinker, unless frappuccinos count, I am familiar with using eggs/eggshells in brewing coffee due to reading about Swedish immigrants. I'd like to try it sometime just to see how it tastes.
    Janet P.

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  8. I have heard of egg shells in coffee. I used to have that cookbook until it fell apart. I forgot to save the pages of pie crust made with oil instead of lard and the rice pudding recipe. Those were very good recipes. I would love to find that book again.

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  9. My family is Swedish and we make egg coffee all the time. We mix the egg with the regular ground coffee and a little water and drop that into the boiling water in an enamel coffee pot. We add the crushed egg shells to clarify it.
    It is very good and everyone I serve it to loves it.

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  10. I’ve never heard of egg in coffee. I wonder how it tastes.

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  11. There is something fun about finding tea recipes in old cookbooks. I have an old recipe box that has a tea section. Hoping to try one of the recipes in the box this week. One of my favorite recipes for teatime came from this box.

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