Recipe Box

By Michael Williamson

Next week is the Fourth of July and rather than suggesting a barbecue related dish, I wanted to suggest something a bit more fun and festive.

The following recipe comes from a time before the American Revolution and features both the original recipe and an updated version. The information was taken from “The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary” published in the 1720s and featured on the website for Colonial Williamsburg.

The recipe is for Ratafia Cakes, which are described as an “18th-century idea of dessert… Often, desserts took the form of fruits and nuts. Additionally, sweetmeats such as marmalades and jellies could also be offered.”

Ratafia…

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