Watford Jubilee Cookery Book features 1972 recipes

But the Watford Observer devised its own unique way of marking the town's special event.

The Watford Jubilee Cookery Book was compiled and written by Jean Groome, the popular columnist and contributor of her own recipes on the women's page. Today, the cookery book provides a unique glimpse of people in Watford, Bushey and Oxhey 54 years ago – together with their chosen recipes.

Jean Groome first approached Watford's Mayor, Alderman Mrs. Mary Dodd, for a favourite family recipe. She then widened her search to include, amongst others, Raphael Tuck, Watford's Member of Parliament; the Hon. Diana Holland-Hibbert, Watford President of the British Red Cross; Roy Purton, Chief Superintendent of Watford Police; W.H. Elliott, incoming President of Watford Rotary Club; Michael Rowe, incoming President of Watford Lions; Nancy Knox, Meals on Wheels organiser; and various ladies' groups. In true ecumenical spirit, she also approached ministers of Watford churches and Bushey Synagogue for their chosen recipes.

The Watford Observer ran concurrent monthly competitions for readers' recipes until August that year; an idea that was well subscribed.

As Jean Groome gathered the recipes and selected the competition winners, Watford Observer photographers visited the homes of a number of those whose recipes were being included. Each photograph was intended to capture a culinary moment in their kitchens!

The cover design of the Watford Jubilee Cookery Book, the subject of another Watford Observer competition, was won by Erica Adams of Clovelly, The Avenue, Bushey. Gazing at a map of the Watford Redevelopment Scheme, she saw in her mind’s eye the outline of an owl wearing a chef's hat. The owl, a Watford Observer mascot, was seen as a silent observer ‘watching the town, its happenings and developments every week'. Erica’s winning cover design was certainly eye-catching and won her a £10 prize.

Watford's First Citizen and Mayor, Alderman Mary Dodd struggled to decide on a recipe as her husband had flu and she was single-handedly running their newsagent's business in Woodford Road but her daughter, Mayoress Brenda Warden, came to her rescue. She reminded her mother of a bread pudding recipe that had been in their family for many years. During World War Two, it was modified as several ingredients were unobtainable. Although Mary Dodd served the bread pudding hot, she noted that it was especially useful cold as a ‘cut and come again sweet; a favourite with the menfolk'.

Her recipe called for ¾lb. stale bread, 2oz. each of currants and sultanas, 3oz. raisins, 4½oz. soft brown sugar, grated rind of one lemon, ½ teaspoon mixed spice, 3oz. butter, 2 eggs, 2oz. glace cherries and 2oz. almonds. Soak bread in water until crusts soften. Squeeze out water, add fruit with halved cherries, sugar and chopped nuts. Melt butter slowly. Lightly beat eggs with lemon rind and spices and mix with other ingredients. Put into a greased baking tin and cook for 1½ hours on regulo 5 (gas temperature setting). Dredge liberally with caster sugar.

By the way, I've intentionally left the easily convertible 1972 measurements and oven temperatures provided for a touch of nostalgia.

Jean Groome also reached out to Hannelore Fuchs, wife of Dr. Jockel Fuchs, Oberbürgermeister of Mainz, Watford's twin German town, now commemorating 70 years since its formation in 1956. Frau Fuchs' recipe was Käse Streusel Kuchen. Translated by Joyce Clutterbuck, Twin Town Link Secretary, as Cheese Crumble Cake.

Frau Fuchs provided two sets of ingredients. For the crumble, or ‘zubereitung für den Streusel’, 4oz. butter, 4oz. caster sugar, 1 separated egg, vanilla essence, 8oz. self-raising flour. Make pastry and divide into two parts; press half into a 10in. loose bottomed tin.

For the cheese filling or ‘zubereitung für die Käsefüllung’: 4oz. butter, 8oz. caster sugar, 5 eggs, separated, 2 tablespoons semolina, 2 teaspoons custard powder, vanilla essence, 1 lemon and 1½lb. curd cheese. Cream ingredients together and mix well, except the curd cheese. Drain the latter well. When it is very dry, rub through a sieve into the creamed mixture and mix well. Whisk all six egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the creamed mixture. Place onto the pastry in the tin and cover with the second half of the pastry. Bake for 75 minutes on lowest shelf at 200-220 degrees. To ensure the underside dries out, carefully turn the baked cake upside-down onto a wooden board for an hour before turning it back onto a serving dish. Joyce Clutterbuck exclaimed 'I can't wait to try it myself!'

The July readers' winner was Miss Lily Waterton of Monmouth Road. Born in 1878, she was 94 years young when submitting her recipe for ginger cake. One of Watford's oldest native-born residents, her memories extended back far beyond Watford's incorporation. She recalled the small market town with ‘crossing sweepers and lamp lighters, when the only traffic was horse-drawn’. Her father was head coachman to Dr. Alfred Thomas Brett, Watford’s leading doctor and chief medical officer. In her youth, she was in service as cook for Lady Alicia Blackwood of Boxmoor House.

Here’s Lily's own 'made up' recipe for ginger cake: ½lb. self-raising flour, ¼lb. butter or butter and margarine, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon golden syrup, 3 tablespoons Fowler’s (then a popular Watford brand) black treacle, 2/3 teaspoons ground ginger, few pieces crystalised ginger, small pinch cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and 2 tablespoons warm milk or milk and water. Mix bicarb in warm milk. Beat eggs, warm butter, syrup, treacle and sugar in large mixing bowl. Sift and stir in flour and spices alternately with egg. Add bicarb and milk and crystalised ginger. Bake in a flat greased tin at 375 degrees/regulo 4 for 45 minutes.

There were curious additional comments in the recipe book. Mrs. Muriel Warren, wife of Ted Warren, Chairman of Watford Magistrates found recipe books good bedtime reading. Anne Kidney, Watford's Chief Nursing Officer recommended Gaelic coffee as an antidote for shock. And Ursula Wadey of Falconer Road, Bushey regularly cooked company directors' meals for 12 that included wine and liqueurs. She mentioned when talking to one director that she had never used gin, so he suggested she invent a recipe. Hence Jinjelli is included in the cookery book, comprising two lime jellies, 1 lemon jelly, gin and a can of bitter lemon, with whipped cream and angelica for garnishing. It would have jollied up meetings!

Part 2 follows in a fortnight.

With thanks to Dieter Muscholl, Landeshauptstadt Mainz

Two Lives, Two World Wars, Lesley’s companion volume to Ted Parrish’s Echoes of Old Watford, Bushey & Oxhey, will be available later in October (www.pastdayspublishing.com).