On Tue, 1 Feb 2005 13:58:40 +0100, "Ulrike Westphal"
> wrote:


>
>Vic,
>it's the same with the books in Germany. I have one from my grandma printed
>in 1930, completly different from the new ones. But there was a reprint from
>the books of 1960, I bought them, no bags with ready mixes to open, all
>recipes "hand-made".
>With this link you reach the "historical" collection site and perhaps you
>find what you are looking for....
>http://www.droetker.de/cgi-bin/wrapp...MN-4H3M7F-DE-p
>
>Ulrike
>
Ulrike,

That reprint sounds like exactly what I was looking for, as my
mother's book is from the '60s. While I've copied out all the recipes
from my mom's book that I use, I'd love to have my own copy on hand
when I'm looking for something new to try.

You're right about the newer books. I hate the idea of buying Oetker
custard, Oetker filling, etc. That's not what I consider baking.
About the only Oetker branded products that I buy in order to make the
old recipes are the bitter almond flavour (I find pure almond extract
isn't quite strong enough) and the vanilla sugar (when I've run out of
the vanilla sugar that I've made myself).

I've bookmarked the site you posted. Now I just have to brush up on my
really bad and really rusty German. <g> I've got a couple of my
grandmother's old cookbooks too and they defeat me practically every
time I try to use them. Besides the basic language barrier, they are
printed in that old, fancy-style German font. I know I should be able
to read that printing, but when I'm already struggling with the
vocabulary, having to guess at the letters doesn't make things easier.


I see the site has my favourite Spekulatius cookie recipe, but it
doesn't have the Eiser cake one. I'll have to see which other of my
favourites is considered worthy of being put online.

Thanks a lot for the great link.
--Vic