In Elizabeth David's "French Country Cooking" (published in 1951)
there are several recipes for stuffed whole cabbage. In this
technique, a whole cabbage is blanched then "you proceed to unfold the
cabbage leaf by leaf, gently, until it looks like an open flower." The
stuffing mixture is spread on each leaf, after which "when all the
stuffing is used up, press the leaves of the cabbage gently together
and tie it into its original shape with tape." The stuffed cabbage is
usually cooked in a very slow oven for several hours. Finally "when
the cabbage is cooked, [you] take the tape away very carefully."

What sort of "tape" could they have used for cooking purposes in early
1950s Britain?

--
Bob
http://www.kanyak.com

"Opinicus" > wrote in message
...
> In Elizabeth David's "French Country Cooking" (published in 1951)
> there are several recipes for stuffed whole cabbage. In this
> technique, a whole cabbage is blanched then "you proceed to unfold the
> cabbage leaf by leaf, gently, until it looks like an open flower." The
> stuffing mixture is spread on each leaf, after which "when all the
> stuffing is used up, press the leaves of the cabbage gently together
> and tie it into its original shape with tape." The stuffed cabbage is
> usually cooked in a very slow oven for several hours. Finally "when
> the cabbage is cooked, [you] take the tape away very carefully."
>
> What sort of "tape" could they have used for cooking purposes in early
> 1950s Britain?
>

I would presume that pre sellotape the word would mean a non glued woven
cotton tape. The sort of thing you would use for tying on bonnets or
strengthening hems.

Tim W

On Wed, 04 May 2011 08:19:50 +0300, Opinicus
> wrote:

>In Elizabeth David's "French Country Cooking" (published in 1951)
>there are several recipes for stuffed whole cabbage. In this
>technique, a whole cabbage is blanched then "you proceed to unfold the
>cabbage leaf by leaf, gently, until it looks like an open flower." The
>stuffing mixture is spread on each leaf, after which "when all the
>stuffing is used up, press the leaves of the cabbage gently together
>and tie it into its original shape with tape." The stuffed cabbage is
>usually cooked in a very slow oven for several hours. Finally "when
>the cabbage is cooked, [you] take the tape away very carefully."
>
>What sort of "tape" could they have used for cooking purposes in early
>1950s Britain?

Sounds like an interesting recipe. Any pictures of the end product?
My guess is that they were using [or you could use] cotton ribbon. A
string would pull through the leaves as they softened.

Jim

"Jim Elbrecht" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 04 May 2011 08:19:50 +0300, Opinicus
> > wrote:
>
>>In Elizabeth David's "French Country Cooking" (published in 1951)
>>there are several recipes for stuffed whole cabbage. In this
>>technique, a whole cabbage is blanched then "you proceed to unfold the
>>cabbage leaf by leaf, gently, until it looks like an open flower." The
>>stuffing mixture is spread on each leaf, after which "when all the
>>stuffing is used up, press the leaves of the cabbage gently together
>>and tie it into its original shape with tape." The stuffed cabbage is
>>usually cooked in a very slow oven for several hours. Finally "when
>>the cabbage is cooked, [you] take the tape away very carefully."
>>
>>What sort of "tape" could they have used for cooking purposes in early
>>1950s Britain?
>
> Sounds like an interesting recipe. Any pictures of the end product?
> My guess is that they were using [or you could use] cotton ribbon. A
> string would pull through the leaves as they softened.
>


Yes indeed interesting. I had a look in Jane Grigson and she has several
pages of variations of Chou Farci as you describe. She says to tie it up
with string, maybe placing some straps of foil under it for lifting it out
of the pan or to use a basket or alternatively recommends wrapping the whole
cabbage in muslin er, an old nappy actually.

Tim W

Opinicus wrote:
>
> In Elizabeth David's "French Country Cooking" (published in 1951)
> there are several recipes for stuffed whole cabbage. In this
> technique, a whole cabbage is blanched then "you proceed to unfold the
> cabbage leaf by leaf, gently, until it looks like an open flower." The
> stuffing mixture is spread on each leaf, after which "when all the
> stuffing is used up, press the leaves of the cabbage gently together
> and tie it into its original shape with tape." The stuffed cabbage is
> usually cooked in a very slow oven for several hours. Finally "when
> the cabbage is cooked, [you] take the tape away very carefully."
>
> What sort of "tape" could they have used for cooking purposes in early
> 1950s Britain?
>

Cotton twill tape, used for many sewing purposes.

I have recently been making stuffed cabbage a lot..I used one to cook cornbread and sausage last night. NEVER thought of anything other then hollowing out the cabbage . I have to try this one. I myself do not require authenticity so I can simply improvise something with butcher's twine .


thank you for posting that

Doug