Few food writers were as loved and respected as Marie Nightingale. She was a story teller but her tales were all couched in the food life and the culinary history of Nova Scotia. Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens is a classic and worth searching out, if for nothing else, to hear her food voice.
She wrote in the introduction to this recipe. “The following recipe has been used by a Truro family for at least 100 years. Chicken fat, in place of the shortening, added flavour to the original recipe.”
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- ½ cup hot melted shortening
- ½ cup clear, hot tea
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Put sugar and molasses into a mixing bowl. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot tea and add, together with the shortening to the sugar mixture. Let stand till lukewarm, then add the dry ingredients.
Chill dough overnight, or at least 2 hours, before rolling out. The chilling improves the flavour and makes the dough easier to handle.
The dough should be rolled thin (about 1/8 “) and more flour may be added if necessary for easier handling. Bake in a 400’ F oven for 8 – 10 minutes.
Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens, Copyright 1970.
