Caroline Frankson from A2B Removals & Household Clearance shares some tips for the festive season circa 1961
I love old cookery and garden books, they can be a fascinating insight to times past, and this one is no exception. It’s called "It’s your party" prepared by Good Housekeeping in association with Smith's Crisps.
Published in 1961 it gives advice on every conceivable aspect of throwing a party, from a chapter on Background to a Successful Party, and Planning, through What to Wear, Beauty Routine for a party (!) then Beauty Routine for your House (!) and then on to a Wedding in the Family, The Business Hostess and Catering
It has photos in it mainly black and white, but with a few colour pictures of the suggested recipes, which I think that if they appeared in books today, the publishers would laugh! We take so much for granted with the technology we have now, that its hard to think we had anything less.
There is a few paragraphs on Christmas, if you are a fan of vintage, here are some hints and tips 1961 style!
You will probably want to decorate the room with holly, hang mistletoe in a central position. When young children are present, a Christmas tree is a must and they will expect to find it decorated with fairy lights silver tinsel and coloured balls, and silvery fairy on top and small crackers scattered over the tree look effective.
The traditional dishes associated with Christmas are roast turkey, plum pudding with brandy butter and mince pies. The bird can be stuffed with chestnut, forcemeat or sausage stuffing and garnished with bacon rolls, watercress and chipolata sausages, serve it with bread sauce, cranberry sauce roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
The Christmas pudding can be made anything up to a year before, and then steamed for 3 hours on the day, mincemeat can be made up to one month before. The Christmas cake, which also forms part of the traditional fare, should be iced and decorated at least 3 days before, so as to avoid any rush.
Be sure to see that there is plenty to drink in the house to suit all tastes.
If you would like a change from the traditional Christmas dinner, you could offer the following: Grapefruit Cocktail, Roast Goose, Sage and onion Stuffing, Gravy, Buttered chestnuts and Apple rings, Braised celery, Potato Crisps and Syllabub.
Here at A2B Removals and House Clearance, we would like to wish all our customers past present, and future, and all businesses who belong to The Best of Basingstoke, a Very Happy Christmas and prosperous and happy future in 2012.
Caroline Frankson