Baking Mrs. Rorer's Tea Biscuit Number 2 from 1886 | Old Cookbook Show
Welcome back to Sunday morning and the Old Cookbook Show, friends! Today, we're diving into the culinary archives with a recipe from Mrs. Rorer's Philadelphia Cookbook, first published in 1886. Join me as we recreate Mrs. Rorer's Tea Biscuit Number Two, a delightful journey into the flavours of the late 1800s. I'll share historical insights, tips for modern adaptations, and, of course, the joy of tasting a piece of culinary history.
📖 Cookbook & Author:
Mrs. Rorer's Philadelphia Cookbook (1886)
Mrs. Rorer: A Culinary Pioneer of the 19th Century
Mrs. Rorer vs. Fanny Farmer: Who Was More Famous?
America's First Dietitian: Unraveling Mrs. Rorer's Impact
Share your thoughts on historical recipes and adaptations
What other 19th-century recipes would you like to explore?
Tea Biscuit No. 2
1 pint of milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoonful of salt
1 teaspoonful of sugar
2 ounces of butter or lard
3 or more pints of four
½ cup of yeast or quarter of a compressed cake
Scald the milk, add to it the butter or lard, and stand one side to cool.
When cool, add the salt, sugar and yeast; mix, and add one-half the flour; beat continuously for five minutes, cover and stand in a warm place (72° Fahr.) for four hours.
When light, add the eggs well beaten, and sufficient flour to make a soft dough.
Knead lightly and continuously for fifteen minutes or until elastic; cover again and stand in a warm place until double its bulk, or very light, then roll out in a sheet about a half-inch thick, cut into biscuits with a cutter, place in greased baking-pans, cover, let stand a half-hour and bake in a quick oven (400° Fahr.) for fifteen minutes.
0:00 Introduction to Mrs. Rorer's Tea Biscuit Number Two
3:15 Unraveling Mrs. Rorer's Culinary Legacy
7:30 Baking Process & Tips
12:45 Tasting and Review
15:20 Modernizing Mrs. Rorer's Recipe
18:10 Your Comments and Future Recipe Suggestions
Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more journeys into the world of historic recipes! Join me next time as we continue exploring the fascinating stories behind the recipes of the past. Happy cooking!
Mrs. Rorer vs. Fanny Farmer: Unveiling Culinary Legends | Old Cookbook Show
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Glen, I'm over 70 and you make learning how to cook fun. What a pleasure to watch your videos. Thanks for great recipes along with a history lesson.
Glen - I want you to know that you always entertain me but yesterday I realized that you educate me too. I was simmering some fresh carrots and cubed potatoes in some chicken broth that I wanted to add to a dry chicken heavy bland Costco chicken pot pie. I knew the broth was too thin and then my light bulb flickered and I thought “Glen would use a beurr manie.” It worked like a charm and dinner was saved. Thanks Glen!
@IsaacIsaacIsaacson
6 ай бұрын
beurre manie is my saviour so often. best tip glen ever taught me
@jonathankenner576
4 ай бұрын
Glen is--100%--more than a national treasure.
@Arewyne4fun
7 күн бұрын
Can you use cornstarch instead of wheat flour for the beurre manie?
My son doesn’t understand why his cinnamon rolls aren’t as good as mine. He hasn’t gotten the hang of dealing with a sticky dough! It makes all the difference!
Glen is not teaching cooking. Glenn is teaching how to cook, make mistakes and thus be a better cook. I really enjoy this channel.
her excited declaration of "NICE BUNS" made me snicker. .😂
@funguykel
6 ай бұрын
That was hilarious.
@MasterMind468
6 ай бұрын
Idk based on how pretty she is, she’s the one who has nice buns
@llchapman1234
6 ай бұрын
Barm barn, too 😂
@honthirty_
6 ай бұрын
@@llchapman1234 You have gone too far...
When Glen is too buys eating and motions to Jules to do the outro. LOLOLOL
My grandmother would always make an extra ball of yeast dough when she made it to keep on hand in the freezer.. she would use it to make all sorts of kuchen with whatever fruit was in season or coconut or nuts… whatever happened to be handy… a lot of times it was apples as the neighbors had a few apple trees… gram woukd ask for a few (bruised) ones or those that had fallen on the ground, she would specify the ones they didn’t want (she didn’t want to take what they wanted) when the kuchen was finished she’d always return with a container of it for them. At one point the neighbors son who was about 6 years old stopped by with a bag of apples and asked my grandma if she could turn them into a cake… it was one of the nicest things he could’ve said and gram told the story often… she was flattered… ❤️
@shastahill
4 ай бұрын
Lovely way to be :)
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
That is adorable. Love your gran. So humble and talented!
I started to break bread during the pandemic. I was struggling with “ sticky” dough because all the baking shows on KZread emphasized making the dough at least 75% hydrated. I was mixing some dough one day with Bill Alexander’s “Magic of Oil Painting “ in the background when Mr Alexander said “You are the creator, you are the master, you decide what gets created or destroyed.” A light bulb went on that for me that in order to make bread I , and I alone, have to be able to manage the dough and screw the percent hydration.
@GlenAndFriendsCooking
6 ай бұрын
Completely true - It took me a while when I first started to be able to deal with sticky dough, I made it a little stickier each time and now can handle almost 90-95% hydration.
I thoroughly enjoy learning from and watching you. Thank you! I grew up (in NY) flouring a surface for yeast doughs. When I moved to Israel, I discovered that bakers from middle eastern countries oil their hands and surfaces. It is much easier to work with a sticky dough that way.
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
Good tip. I agree with you and them. I am a novice baker but the times I use oil are much easier and stress-free.
Great video as always, Glen. But you broke the rules of the internet: if you mention that your dog is there, you MUST include footage of the dog! Just add it on at the end. Preferably, them getting a piece of whatever you've just made b/c they are such a good dog.🥰 Stay awesome!
@janetrothwell4448
6 ай бұрын
Chicken is his cat.
@busterfixxitt
6 ай бұрын
@@janetrothwell4448 Thank you! It being a car actually did occur to me, and I even considered saying 'animal' instead of 'dog' or 'pet' (in case it was an actual chicken). I know they have a dog, and I don't remember the dog's name. Expanding the species parameters, I'll stand by my comment.
@IanDunbar1
6 ай бұрын
@@busterfixxitt Chicken has been on screen in a few videos. But yes, sadly not this time.
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
I didn't know they have a dog! New insight into the Glennster. I wonder who takes care of the dog and Chicken when they travel? It seems like they travel frequently, so they obviously have a reliable petsitter. If I were in Toronto, I would wanna know details.😊
My grandmother said that she added different amounts of flour to bread depending on different factors like altitude and humidity. So she always used her sense of touch to decide.
Have to admit, it's a guilty pleasure of mine to eat a freshly baked yeast roll with butter straight from the oven....
@kathyraygoza3299
5 ай бұрын
Mine also. There's something beautifully undescribable about the taste of big gob of butter on a hot Parker House roll. My grand mother used to tell me it wasn't safe because it could cause worms. Didn't stop me and I'm still here 80 yrs later. Wonderful memories
Chicken the Cat is now the floor director... 😼
Nothing like a yeasty tea biscuit! Thanks for taking one for the team you two.
15:02 JULES: Approaches from the rear. "Hi Glen. Nice buns!" 15:02 GLEN: ... sadly misses pun opportunity.
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
Glen is no lecherous fiend! Even in jest. He is a gentleman. Always.
Man I was hoping to see the cinnamon bun extra. lol!
@TherealDanielleNelson
6 ай бұрын
Me too.
I just LOVE this channel. I look forward to waking up every Sunday for an old cookbook recipe.
I'm 66 and had tried making yeast bread dozens of times. You are the first to thoroughly tackle yeast and dough issues with precision in all my searches! Thank you, Glen!
When I was a boy, I remember my Norwegian grandmother making yeasted dinner rolls, and the wonderful scent that permeated the kitchen as they baked. Probably very similar to these. She baked her own bread almost every day, too. Great memories.
@TheDriftwoodlover
Ай бұрын
If you were invited to Sunday dinner at my grandmother’s (about 3x a month), yeasted dinner rolls were always on the table. If chicken soup was served, her egg noodles were her own. And she did it all so quickly.
Great video Glen! I wish you showed more pages of Mrs. Rorer's outdated dietary advice, that was a rather enjoyable read even just those 2 pages you showed.
I love watchin g you cook, this is what my grandmother called "Penny Muffins" and the directions she wrote called for "A pullet egg sized nob of butter". The flour directions were always in units of "enough". LOVE IT and keep up the good work!
Baking my own bread for a bit now and it definitely was a learning process. The dough I use is quite sticky, although I can't give numbers on hydration as I put liquid according to feel and look. But what I found helpful is using a slightly greased bowl for the rise. After rising the dough won't stick to the surface anymore and there's no additional flour needed.
In England we put fruit (and spice) in these and call them tea cakes.
@jeraldbaxter3532
6 ай бұрын
That is what is confusing me about the name; maybe it is because of my modern, and American, sensibilities, but I think of anything with the word "tea" in the title to be on the sweet side, or to at least be eaten with jam and clotted cream (the great scone \biscuit debate), whereas these buns look like smallish hamburger buns. They do look delicious, just not what I'd picture Lady Bracknell having for tea.
@jbaldwin1970
6 ай бұрын
I had toasted tea cakes this weekend. Lots of cold salty butter melting into them. Delish. But I think the ones in this video are more like barm cakes from the north east of England, great for bacon or sausage sangers (sandwiches)
@HollyMusgrove
6 ай бұрын
@@jbaldwin1970 I miss stotties...
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
@@jbaldwin1970I think you explained it beautifully. I can just see a few rashers peeking out along with a few drips of HP sauce. This is exactly what these are made for!
In certain parts of England, especially in the coastal area of Devon, they would have these instead of scones with their tea. It is a traditional cream tea savory offering, instead of a scone you would have in London. In the late Victorian period, you have a rise in tourism, and also a rise in people enjoying cream teas on holiday. It was popular for cookbooks to include recipes for items you would have enjoyed on your holiday and wish to replicate in your own home.
HEYYYYY. NEW MIXER!
@ew4932
6 ай бұрын
It might not even be new as Glen has many Kitchen Aid mixers, as in at least 12! There's an old video on his channel of him fixing one. You should really watch it as it's extremely interesting.
@JerryB507
6 ай бұрын
@@ew4932 I now have two Kitchen Aid mixers. One purchased new and the other salvaged from a neighbor's trash and rebuilt using Glen's tutorial video.
A trip to the brewery every time you bake sounds fun...
This reminds me of "angel biscuits" from a 1970s recipe book I had. It was a plain bread dough rolled and cut like one would for baking powder biscuits. They were quite good.
@WUStLBear82
6 ай бұрын
Yes, the recipe is similar to angel biscuits, and in some parts of the South those would be used for ham biscuits, instead of baking powder biscuits or beaten biscuits.
@asincerewoman
2 ай бұрын
@WUStLBear82 Yumm. I would prefer these buns for ham instead of a powder biscuit. I always find that even a delicious American biscuit is just too dry for ham, especially a very dry ham like a traditional country ham (e.g. like one from Benton's)
Ok I keep admiring Jules’ sweaters and cardigans, if she’s a knitter I’d selfishly love her to make a knitting channel! Hahaha
Not what I was expecting when I saw the words tea biscuit. I was thinking more of a plain cookie. But these look like they'd make good sliders. Or loaded with butter and served with tea. Lovely regardless.
@virginiaf.5764
6 ай бұрын
That was my thought too, that they'd be good for burgers or sloppy joes.
These look delicious and I like that yeasty flavor! Also, it was great to see Sarah Rorer getting some attention. Between her, Maria Parloa, and Catherine Beecher, the matter of what we Americans now call home economics was founded.
These are known as Tea Cakes in the North of England and are used to make all manner of sandwiches or just served toasted with butter. Fruit Tea Cakes are the best, currents and raisins are included in the dough.
There's a tagline - "Shortens your food, lengthens your life".
I could tell just by looking at it as Glen tipped the dough onto the counter that it was a beautiful dough and be very easy to work with. If I don't want leftover scraps of dough, I'll just shape it into a square and cut squares instead.
I haven’t heard of flour measured in pints before. In fact I wasn’t sure what a pint even was. I know beer comes in pints and schooners. Turns out one pint is 473 ml.
Another fantastic sweater from Jules! Please do a feature of all her handknits!
"Nice Buns" my mind immediately went to "Nice Knockers" in young Frankenstein.
"I'm going to use flour" spoons out some flour "could be a tactical mistake" dumps out the rest of the bowl I love how watching you makes me feel like the greatest challenge in cooking is my own anxieties and somehow that helps
Love these two! I wish they were my neighbors. Canadians are good people, eh? I would love to see Glenn and Atomic Shrimp do a video together. My two KZread crushes together in one place!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you Jules for the outro, Glen was clearly busy with his bun. 😂
Glen we appreciate all that you do .Thank you kind Sir.
First thing I thought was cut with a pizza cutter into squares after patting or rolling out so no waste.
I've had people in the town I live in now call rolls biscuits - through me - they brought a totally different item with them for the meal than I thought!
I love you guys. 🙂
These look interesting, thank you! Please; could you make the potato biscuit recipe No. 1 that is printed below? That would be amazing!
I was waiting for a close up of the interior...ugh, frustration....I'll live.
Good show as always thank you kindly
Something Glen has never said before..."I'm going to stick to the recipe"
Another enjoyable watch and learn experience for me. Always a good time with you. Keep them coming, my friend. Mike in South Carolina
My mother swore by Robin Hood flour from Canada. We lived close to the Canadian border so it was always available at Safeway. There was a marked difference between Red Robin flour and the name brand flours found in thr U.S., Red Robin being of higher quality.
Now I want to see Glen make something actually using barm!
Ooooh! Interesting Facts shared! Thanks! I did not know the history of Yeast, nor the salt and sugar portions. But i do know you Feed Sourdough with flour and water. No sugars or salt.
You are a great teacher, Glen. Thanks.
Those look like they’d be a perfect burger bun.
Its nice to be with someone so long you finish one another's videos. 🙃
I started making bread about 1995. It was hard to first. I always was making a batch for 6 large loaves and one huge bowl. Took forever kneading in enough flour! I managed to calculate a smaller batch size, split it in half, used Instant Yeast, then processed it quickly in my new fangled Moulinex Processor! 2 in a row, had things pre measured to be quick enough! That reduced my hand mixing and kneading! I only had to work in about 1 more cup of flour! Huge improvement! But one thing i have never managed? White bread. Fails every time! Ha! Ha! But my skills definately did happen by hand, rather than a book!
My mother used to call hamburger buns tea cakes. We are from New England. She was born in the 1920s
I really enjoy you two! I love to cook and I have tried many of your recipes. Thank you!
Julie took the words out of my mouth LOL ‘nice buns’
Great recipe and great advice as always!
Teabiscuits were à Sunday dinner treat growing up in the 50's. They came from the grocery store in a 8"x12" paper tray, shaped in rectangles. Very tender and soft.
I need to try these!
Am I the only one suffering from appliance envy, seeing that Glen has TWO KitchenAid mixers? 😂
@EastSider48215
6 ай бұрын
Not so much appliance envy, as space envy. I wish I had all the counter space he has!
@johnhanes5021
6 ай бұрын
He has many more than two I believe.
@asdisskagen6487
6 ай бұрын
@@johnhanes5021 NOT HELPING! 😂😂😂
I've noticed our flour in Ontario is 4g protein for 30g weight and that's pretty high. I also noticed bread flour seems to not exist here. I've always just used AP and had great results
I’ve never seen flour measured in pints before? You didn’t even blink, so it must be a thing. That was my, ‘what did i learn today’ moment.
Nice new mixer.
Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf ❤ fun learning
Julie: "You didn't go to the Barm Bar??" 😂
Put in perspective she is good of dietitian as any other of her time. In this time the Kellogg were advocating Corn Flakes, and Bran buds as the cornerstone of their vegetarian diet. And, Salisbury was advocating ground meat because it was easier in the digestive system.
I’d like to see the cinnamon buns. Please please!! It could be a short series Leftover creations
I buy instant yeast on sale and freeze it. As these are often large amounts by the time I get to the end the yeast is a little slow to take off. So after I've allowed the yeast a reasonable amount of time to hydrate, if it's acting sluggish I add only a small pinch of cane sugar.
I've heard that salt "slows" the yeast which leads to a finer crumb. No idea if that's true, but the salt makes the bread tastier, I think.
This recipe is very close to Bath buns. Yum 😋
Mrs Beaton! Who is fanny farmer? Is she American?
@TimeToPolka
6 ай бұрын
Fannie Farmer was from Boston. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Farmer
All they needed was some raisins and mixed spice👍
I've heard that Canadian flour has a higher protein content. But I've also heard in the States you can buy bread flour that has a higher protein content than the regular flour.
They remind me of modern Angel biscuits. I've always thought those were too yeasty too.
👍🏻
Mrs Rorer’s dietary advice might make for good shorts material. People love saying, “I don’t know about that” on the internet.
When do we get to sample the cinnamon buns? 😍
Cut down on the jeast and proof over night instead.
Is this what we call a ‘barm cake’ in the north of England? The ideal base for a bacon buttie. 😋
Were the rolls your dad bought Brown ' Serve rolls? Loved those
I've been making bread and pizza dough every Monday for the last two or three years. Once I listened you explain about modern yeast, and yeast and sugar, I stopped following conventional wisdom and have better results than waiting for the yeast to bloom or adding sugar to the yeast and water.
annnnd they're off... Tea Biscuit around the first turn by a nose...
I would call those 'white breadcakes?'and enjoy the yeasty tang which is lacking in most shop bought bread because yeast is hardly used in factory made bread?from BIGMICK IN THE UK 🇬🇧 without snow
@agmin2098
6 ай бұрын
Yes for yeasty😋
👍
Yes. He
It's always a good sign when Julie has to do the outro because Glen is too busy stuffing his face. My pizza dough recipe is a 75% hydration, which if my calculations are close is about what this runs (disclaimer: I didn't do the math to adjust for the moisture in the butter and eggs).
Are you using a bigger Kitchen aid mixer to make the biscuits? If so what size is it? Thanks.
I wonder what they would be like if you made the sponge with some sourdough starter? I would think that the receipt in an earlier time would have had to be made with something much closer to sourdough starter then some purchased yeast. I am very curious about what bread was like before leavening was commercially available .
What if you stretched out the dough on a non-stick silicone mat, no flour, the cut out the rolls…then the scrap dough wouldn’t have extra flour added? Would that work?
@GlenAndFriendsCooking
6 ай бұрын
Yes - that might work. I put the leftover in the fridge and made cinnamon buns with it the next day, worked out great.
Nothing like having the wife come in and complement your buns 😂
I hope the red mixer is ok? Seeing a grey one through me off for a bit.
Make a mess and learn.....truer words where never spoken!!!
They'd make great burger buns, at least better than brioche IMO as the latter is so rich it steals the spotlight from the patty.
!ALGORITHM!
1, 2, 3…..BETTY CROCKER. Oh.
I have a question regarding the book cover. I recently learned that during that time period, unless I am off, books bound with green pigments were very popular. (Clothes as well.) Unfortunately most of that early green color was rather poisonous. I noticed that the book you had was green. Wonder if you've read anything or done research on that and if you are concerned with these types of books.. especially in the kitchen.
How will this work in a bread machine?
To me there is no such thing as "overly yeasty"!