Newsflash!

“SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. On Wednesday morning a heap of coal of about 100 chaldrons, which had been placed several weeks before, on wet ground, in Boston, was discovered to be on fire, smoking like a volcano, with a volume of sulphuruous matter rising in a state of ebullition. Unquenchable by water, it was found necessary to remove them to prevent a conflagration. This is the third instance of the kind within a year in that city.”

The Saturday Evening Post, (Philadelphia, PA) Saturday, September 06, 1828

Newsflash!

“Singular Accident. — A person named Duncan, who had just arrived at St. Louis from Louisville in the 16th inst., was walking up from the steamboat to the place where he was designed to lodge, when he was observed suddenly to fall, and when he was raised by the bystanders, it was found that one of his legs was broken a few inches above the ankle, and the flesh also severed half off as if done by the blow of an axe. If did not cause him much pain at first, and he stated that he could assign no reason for the accident except that he had borne more of his weight upon that leg to relieve a weakness he felt in the other, and he heard the bone crack as he fell.”

Milwaukee Daily Sentinel
April 14, 1845, page 2

Surveillance Review

Surveillance, Raban. No. This is the first (to my knowledge) Publishers Weekly starred review recipient I have given a “No.” For much of the reading, I thought I would go the other way with the verdict, but (doubtless due to my own lack of sophistication) on reflection I must conclude that Raban has merely wasted my time.

The Woman's Exchange Cook Book

A New and Complete Culinary Encyclopedia containing Facts Worth Knowing, Health Suggestions, Care of the Sick, Table Etiquette, Dinner Giving, Menus, Household Toilet and Cooking Recipes by Minnie Palmer with the approval of Mrs. J. B. Lyon, President of the Woman’s Exchange, Chicago, Ill. (1901)

A wonderful cookbook, full of handy recipes for things not generally now eaten. I will probably have to post some tips on cooking songbirds next.

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The Catholic Food Manual: Menu Planning and Recipes for 6 to 600

by Brother Herman E Zaccarelli, C.S.C., 1960

Someday, perhaps, I will feature Brother Zaccarelli’s horrifyingly sexist advice on managing an (ideally!) all female (and so emotional!) cafeteria staff, but today, his recipe for Tuna Bunsteads! I made a (small) batch, and it’s good stuff.

Tuna Bunsteads

Ingredients                             100 portions     50 portions     12 portions
Cheese, American, cubed                 4 pounds        2 pounds         1/2 pound
Eggs, hard cooked,
chopped                                 48                    24                   6
Tuna, drained, flaked                   84 ounces        42 ounces        10.5 ounces
Peppers, green, chopped              2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Onions, chopped                          2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Olives, stuffed, chopped                2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Pickles, sweet, chopped                 2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Mayonnaise or salad
dressing                                   2 quarts           1 quart             1/2 pint
Buns, frankfurter, split                 100                  50                    12

Procedure: 1. Combine and blend thoroughly the first 8 ingredients.
2. Fill buns. Wrap in aluminum foil. Arrange on bakers sheet.
3. Bake in a very slow oven, 250 F., 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove. Serve hot.