Inquiring American Minds--The English Gingerbread Recipe

To be honest, I didn't even think to post the gingerbread recipe mentioned in the John and Mary Marsh blog. This is what I meant about my geneablogger friends...their comments usually lead me onto another blog topic.

As to the baking mettle of English women and their gingerbread....this is a quote from my English friend Heather of Middlesbrough taken just this a.m. during our Sunday morning chat...."Gingerbread is a complex, multi layered flavour but getting the texture right is the thing. It has to have just the right amount of density without being leaden or soggy. A good gingerbread is certainly the mark of a skilled baker. As to afternoon tea....no, biscuits are straight forward, it's the bread that's the thing." So, there you have it, straight from an English woman's keyboard!

I decided to scan Mary's original recipe sent to me probably 4-5 years ago. It is important to remember that Mary baked at least two cakes a day her entire married life and by the time I asked her for a recipe, she probably had to sit down and try to make one up. She just baked. She had learned how from her relatives and added a few tricks of her own.

I have never tried this recipe and to do so, probably have to e-mail Heather for a translation ;-)

Bon Appetite!

© 2010, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser