The Downstairs Kitchen Maid ~ Margaret Powell's Cookery Book

Margaret Powell's Cookery Book, copyright 1970 (reprinted in 2012). Over 500 recipes from the downstairs maid whose memoirs, "Below Stairs" was the basis for the TV series "Upstairs/Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey". Throughout the book are glimpses into the world of servants in the great manor houses of early 20th century England. There are a few introductory chapters on equivalents for temperatures & measurements (many of the recipes use the Imperial unit), a glossary of terms and ingredients, plus reminiscences on learning to cook, choosing and buying ingredients, cookware used (a manor home range usually took up the whole side of a room) and keeping food chilled - no refrigerators were in use - just large wooden tubs filled with ice.

We begin the dishes with Hors d'oeuvres ~ anchovy canapes, cantaloupe salad, caviar with smoked salmon, eggs with prawns, liver pate and stuffed olives, followed by Soups which consist of bone stock, game stock, court bouillon, four fish stock, fish soup, Russian borscht, lobster soup, Scotch broth and oxtail soup.

In Fish, a few of the offerings include bouillabaisse, stuffed beam, fried eels, Kedgeree (cooked flaked fish), lobster croquettes, lobster souffle, baked red mullet, salmon steaks with green Hollandaise, baked scallops, sole Normandy with truffles and trout baked with almonds, while Entrees present beef galantine, beef tournedos with creamed spinach, calves brains in scallops, hare jugged (rabbit, bacon, port & herbs), Indian pilau, Madras curry, rumpsteak & oyster pie, tongue cassolettes and veal kidneys with red sauce.

Moving on, we encounter Poultry and Game ~ chicken stuffed with oysters, roast duck, roasted pigeons with chestnut stuffing, turkey with truffles, plus ways to roast grouse, larks, partridge, pheasant & woodcock and lastly, compote of snipe. Roasts and Meat Dishes ramps it up with beef steak & kidney pudding, ham braised with wine, hare roasted in sour cream, mutton,boiled ox tongue and roast suckling pig.

A few of the offerings in Forcemeats and Stuffings include liver farce (liver with mashed potatoes & herbs), and numerous stuffings ~ apple, chestnut, mushroom, prawn, roe and sausage & onion.  Vegetables encompass stuffed aubergines (eggplant), cauliflower au gratin, French beans, boiled leeks, marrow fritters, potatoes Duchess, apple salad with cucumbers, banana & lettuce salad, Salad England (lettuce, spring onions, watercress & tomatoes), green peas & eggs salad, braised Spanish onions, creamed spinach and stuffed & baked tomatoes.

Some of the Sauces and Garnishes utilized are ~ sauces (apple, Bernaise, black butter, bread, caramel, chocolate, cranberry, custard, fennel, green gooseberry, mint, orange, shrimp and white wine), garnishes (egg balls, quenelles) and butters (anchovy, curry, lobster or watercress).

Puddings are varied, from steamed (brown Betty, canary, caramel custard, Christmas or treacle) or baked (apple amber, Empress ~ rice with apricots & cherries, French pancakes or orange) to
 apple or banana fritters, pancakes with truffles, Charlotte Russe, mousse, gooseberry fool, fruit ice cream, Yorkshire pudding, souffles, lemon water ice, trifle, meringues and jellies (apple, lemon sponge or port wine).  Pastry encompasses Choux, flaky and puff pastry mixes, several yummy treats ~ apricot flan, apple & cranberry tart, a black currant tart, mince pies, Eccles cake (made with currants), treacle tarts and a few fillings (lemon curd and mincemeat).

Savories consist of angels on horseback, cheese straws, baked herring roe, Madras olives, sardines Bombay and shrimp toast, with Breads, Scones and Cakes introducing several bread options (brown, currant or Sally Lunn) and many cakes ~ angel, Dundee, Genoa, gingerbread, macaroons, Madeira, orange layer, Scotch shortbread, Scotch bannocks and the fabulous Victoria sandwich, plus a few fillings and frostings (almond paste, royal icing and butter icing).

A few of the Egg Dishes include Alpine eggs (cream, cheese and herbs), curried eggs, baked eggs, Scotch eggs, eggs & truffles and a few omelets (cheese, asparagus or ham & mushroom), followed by Preserves, Bottling and Cordials which offers a plethora of preserves (black currant, damson cheese, apple & cinnamon jam, pumpkin or plum jam), marmalades (apricot, crab apple, lemon or orange), bottled syrups (cherries, gooseberry, peaches or plums) and cordials ~ cherry brandy, cowslip wine, dandelion wine, elderberry wine and a quince liqueur. 

The last chapter touches on Pickles ~ chutney (apple, green gooseberry or tomato) plus pickled onions or walnuts.