Have you been looking for a new cinnamon buns recipe? Or perhaps catsup? Or, even better, pickle for hams?

If so, you’re in luck. A handwritten recipe book at the Northampton Township Archives in Richboro, Bucks County, Pennsylvania has this, and more!

 

 

From 1905, this handwritten recipe book by Margaret A. Weiss includes instructions for making chocolate marble cake, catsup, and cinnamon buns. 

 

^{Chocolate Marble Cake}

^Catsup

^{Cinnamon Buns}

 

longside these appealing deserts and condiments, Margaret also recorded recipes for treats such as pickle for ham and beef pickle. 

 

 

Pickling meats may not sound appealing these days, but it was one of the most important ways to preserve meat back in the day. The liquid made from one of these recipes, similar to brine, would have allowed the meat to last for months at a time after a week-long soak. During that time, the salt in the brine replaces the meat juices, extending the shelf life. The amount of meat required in these recipes (200 pounds!) reflects the expectation that the meat was meant to last. 

 

 

Margaret’s recipe book can be found in the collections at the Northampton Township Archives and is one of the many items that document the residents of Northampton Township and its history. Located in the Northampton Township Public Library, the Archives are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Take a trip and see what morsel of Northampton Township history you can find!