Elizabeth Hiller was a noted cookbook author in the first quarter of the 20th century. She published several cookbooks geared to different occasions around 1910. Among them was “The Calendar of Luncheons Teas and Supper Compiled by Elizabeth O. Hiller,” PF Volland Company, Chicago, New York, Boston.
The book, a day-to-day menu of suggestions, recipes, sauces and how to measure rules, is so good that even though it really is vintage, it is a treasure worth a top spot on the cookbook shelf.
There is a serious introduction to different types of formal and informal teas and luncheons plus menus for bridge and mahjong occasions. Oysters, lobster and other seafood appear regularly.
Some recipes integrate other recipes in the book such as sauces and cakes. Because those are two-part preparations, I looked for a simple recipe to reproduce here that was just one preparation and was part of a fancy dinner. Other recipes for the menu’s dishes could be found elsewhere in the book.
The menu was for company and listed for December Fourth.
Menu: grapefruit cocktail with Ba-le-Duc, Bouillon in Cups with Cheese Sticks, Oyster Crabs in Timbale Cases, Sweet Potato Croquettes, Grilled Sweetbreads with French Peas, December Salad, Vanilla Ice Cream, Hickory Nut Cake, toasted Marshmallows, Moist Chocolate Cake and Coffee.
The starred recipe in this listing was Sweet Potato Croquette (No. 2. An earlier, somewhat similar version was listed for a September meal.
Instructions
Bake large sweet potatoes (quantity was not listed) until soft.
Scoop out of the pulp and rub through a puree strainer to get 3 cups.
Add 1 ¼ tsp salt, 3 tsp butter and the gratings of 2-3 orange peels.
Beat egg yolks of 3 eggs.
Bread crumbs
Add thin cream to make mixture easy to handle.
Shape. Roll in crumbs, egg mixture and back in crumbs.
Fry in hot fat, drain and garnish with parsley sprig
