Miss Emma's Brown Bread

Found tucked away among my mother's possessions after her death was a little gem - a small, slightly tattered notebook full of family recipes, some obviously handed down through several generations. Written on the spine of the little book is the date 1926.

One of the few clippings pasted inside is from a Ladies' Home Journal article in the August 1921 issue. The contents were carefully organized and typed, often with contributor's names, but almost no dates or places, and precious few comments about method. With some help from my cousin, we've identified some of the people who show up in the book, including "Grandmother Goodwin," whose recipes show up several times, and who lived from 1786 to 1878. There are mentions of "Miss Lucy," "Miss Emma," "Cousin Agnes," and many others that we can't track down.

Distant relatives? Family friends? Or perhaps neighbors and friends of household help?

There are general notes, too, on issues relating to food and health. This surprisingly modern wisdom was passed down from the grandmothers, aunts, cousins, and friends of almost 100 years ago.

On the topic of "spring foods," the notebook's compiler (and my educated "hunch" is that that was Clara, my grandmother's cook in New Haven, Conn., who was often referred to as "Aunt" Clara) wrote about "spring foods."

On the topic, it says, "It is best to gradually drop off from the winter foods, as too sudden a jump may prove serious. Biliousness and various kindred ills may be completely routed by a careful diet and the free use of green vegetables. Nature provides us in the early spring with just the food we need: lettuce, cress, dandelion, spinach ..."

Today, of course, marvelous fruits and vegetables are available year round in our markets and farmer's markets.

There are digressions on meats and suets as well (the notebook tells us that "mutton suet makes the lightest puddings"). Many of the breads and puddings in the book are steamed, not baked, and can be done on top of a stove or campfire. The recipe I've chosen to use here is a simple one. It is a steamed bread, baked in a mold or can, and when I was a child, we used to call it Boston Brown Bread.

This is a dark, slightly sweet, moist bread that is steamed in a can or mold. The bread keeps and freezes well. It is often served with baked beans or a bean soup. It is delicious spread with whipped cream cheese. Serves about four. Recipe may be doubled if desired.

Grease the inside of a 1 to 11⁄2 quart mold or can. Make sure there is a lid for the mold, or that you have a piece of aluminum foil big enough for a top for the can, and a heavy rubber band for securing the foil. (Without a top, your bread will not steam, and will come out too dry.)

Mix the following ingredients all together:

1 cup yellow corn meal

1⁄2 cup rye meal (flour)

1⁄2 cup graham (whole wheat) flour

1⁄3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour milk (I use buttermilk)

(Not in the original - add an optional 1 cup raisins)

(The above - ingredients only - is the total entry in the 1926 book - I've added directions and initial remarks.)

Pour into greased mold or can - only filling about 2⁄3 full - fasten lid or foil, and place mold or can on a rack in a steamer, allowing water to come up about 1⁄2 way on bread container. Bring water to a boil, reduce to simmer, and steam about 2 hours. When done, bread will rise to top of can. When cool enough to handle, remove bread and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or cool.

• David and Muffy Vhay are the owners of Deer Run Ranch Bed and Breakfast. Contact the ranch at 775-882-3643.