8 oz dates, finely chopped
2 tsp butter
3/4 cup water, boiling
1 3/4 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar, granulated
1 each egg, lg, well beaten
4 oz cheddar md, shredded
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the dates and butter in a
small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 5
minutes. Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the
date mixture, egg, cheddar and nuts. Mix until just blended and
spoon the mixture into a well greased 9 X 5-inch loaf pan. Let stand
for 20 minutes. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven or
until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out
clean. Turn out onto a rack and cool before slicing. NOTE: The
flavor improves is the bread stands overnight before serving.
Servings: 4 servings
Cheddar Date Nut Loaf Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Bread; Breads; Cheese; Fruit
The History of Recipes
Historians have proved the existance of recipes back into distant history, at least as far back into history as the Egypt of the Pharoahs, and possibly even further. Having said that, these, ancient cook books were just very basic hieroglyphic instructions for preparing food.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe discovered, according to experts in ancient history is a collection of tablets in Sumerian which recount the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making those who drank it feel `blissful`. During the time of the Roman Empire a roman called Apicius wrote some documents describing recipes prepared by the Romans. In his publication, he recounts how the meals of wealthy Romans were split into appetizers, main meal and afters, a very modern way of dining. Additionally, he tells us how the cooks of his times used many spices and herbs, including many that are still in use today for example thyme, mint and asafoetida. In the fifteenth century, people returning from the crusades brought back many foods, spices and herbs from the holy lands, such as coriander, parsley, and rosemary. These new foods and spices led to an eruption in manuscripts on food, most of which still exist in academic collections. Over the following few hundred years, the powerful and wealthy houses competed with each other to offer the best banquets, and consequentially cooks and their recipes increased in prestige. Nevertheless, it was during the 19th century that formal cookery and recipe books became really popular. Mrs Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Farmer in the US, devoted their lives to collating, testing, and recording recipes of the day. By the arrival of the 20th century, cook books are in great demand, due to better eduction, people having more free time and a general increase in wealth. |
We hope you enjoy this Cheddar Date Nut Loaf recipe.
