We just love baking. Baking is a great activity to get my children involved. Sandy measures the ingredients. Timmy beats the cake batter. We tried making a great chocolate layer cake. You should try the recipe yourself.

Beat half a cupful of butter to a cream, and gradually beat into it one cupful of sugar. When this is light, beat in half a cupful of milk, a little at a time, and one teaspoonful of vanilla. Beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth. Mix half a teaspoonful of baking powder with two scant cupfuls of sifted flour. Stir the flour and whites of eggs alternately into the mixture. Have three deep tin plates well buttered, and spread two-thirds of the batter in two of them.

Into the remaining batter stir one ounce of Walter Baker & Co.’s Premium No. 1 Chocolate, melted, and spread this batter in the third plate. Bake the cakes in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. Put a layer of white cake on a large plate, and spread with white icing. Put the dark cake on this, and also spread with white icing. On this put the third cake. Spread with chocolate icing.

TO MAKE THE ICING. Put into a granite-ware saucepan two gills of sugar and one of water, and boil gently until bubbles begin to come from the bottom-say, about five minutes. Take from the fire instantly. Do not stir or shake the sugar while it is cooking. Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the whites of two eggs that have been beaten to a stiff froth, beating the mixture all the time. Continue to beat until the icing is thick. Flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. Use two-thirds of this as a white icing, and to the remaining third add one ounce of melted chocolate. To melt the chocolate, shave it fine and put in a cup, which is then to be placed in a pan of boiling water.

Theresa Lisenby
Duchess of Chocolate

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Every morning I prepare breakfast for my children. Usually it’s something quick. Timmy and Sandy usually get cereal most mornings, except on the weekends. I usually make them a hot breakfast.

Most mornings are cold. Sandy has been wanting something warm to go with their cold cereal. I wanted a recipe that can be prepared quickly in the mornings. I look into my late husband’s archive, and found a great hot cocoa recipe.

BREAKFAST COCOA

Walter Baker & Co.’s Breakfast Cocoa is powdered so fine that it can be dissolved by pouring boiling water on it. For this reason it is often prepared at the table. A small teaspoonful of the powder is put in the cup with a teaspoonful of sugar; on this is poured two-thirds of a cup of boiling water, and milk or cream is added to suit the individual taste. This is very convenient; but cocoa is not nearly so good when prepared in this manner as when it is boiled.

For six cupfuls of cocoa use two tablespoonfuls of the powder, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, half a pint of boiling water, and a pint and a half of milk. Put the milk on the stove in the double-boiler. Put the cocoa and sugar in a saucepan, and gradually pour the hot water upon them, stirring all the time. Place the saucepan on the fire and stir until the contents boil. Let this mixture boil for five minutes; then add the boiling milk and serve.

A gill of cream is a great addition to this cocoa.

Scalded milk may be used in place of boiled milk, if preferred. For flavoring, a few grains of salt and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract may be added.

The saucepan step is skipped. We just use the microwave. Try the recipe. Give us feedback. Tell us your thoughts.

Theresa Lisenby
Duchess of Chocolate

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Valentine’s Day is a special day for us. The last Valentine’s Day we went away for the evening. We left our children with a babysitter. Tom drove to a very romantic bed and breakfast inn. We renewed our vows, and realized why we still loved each other. Timmy, and Sandy wish their father was still alive. They miss their father so much, and I miss my him so very much.

For couples who are lucky enough to have a Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to cherish that moment. Your spouse or significant other can be here one day, and gone the next. You never know what the future holds. Here’s an idea for a quiet Valentine’s evening.

Cook a very special entree, such as the one below

Champagne Poached Alaska Salmon recipe

Makes 4 servings

4 (6 to 8 ounce) Alaska salmon steaks or fillets,
skin and bones removed
2 cups champagne
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 slices red onion
1 tablespoon capers, optional
4 sprigs fresh tarragon
1/2 cup honey Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together mustard and chopped tarragon; set aside.

Season Alaska salmon steaks/fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Place in a pan just large enough to hold the salmon in 1 layer. Add the champagne, lime juice and just enough water to cover the fish. Remove the fish and bring the liquid to a boil. Return the salmon steaks/fillets to the pan. Top each with an onion slice, capers and tarragon sprig. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pan with foil and poach at no more than a simmer for 6 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the salmon). Remove salmon steaks/fillets from the liquid and place on 4 warm serving plates. Top each piece of fish with 1 ounce of the mustard mixture and serve.

Make sure to pick out your favorite wine, whether it is red or white. That’s your choice.

For dessert, try a special recipe such as the one below.

CHOCOLATE, VIENNA STYLE

Use four ounces of Walter Baker & Co.’s Vanilla Chocolate, one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of hot water, and one tablespoonful of sugar.

Cut the chocolate in fine bits. Put the milk on the stove in the double-boiler, and when it has been heated to the boiling point, put the chocolate, sugar and water in a small iron or granite-ware pan, and stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. Stir this mixture into the hot milk, and beat well with a whisk. Serve at once, putting a tablespoonful of whipped cream in each cup and then filling up with the chocolate.

The plain chocolate may be used instead of the vanilla, but in that case use a teaspoonful of vanilla extract and three generous tablespoonfuls of sugar instead of one.

Best of Luck on Valentine’s Day. We wish we were as lucky.

Theresa Lisenby
Duchess of Chocolate

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