So I have these collections of old books from various places. Some I can’t even tell you where they come from. One of these is the Victory Cook Book: Tried and True Recipes. It’s a thin little cookbook. I couldn’t tell you how old it is. There are no pictures, no illustrations, no fancy typography, and even the cover is missing. It doesn’t even tall you to preheat your oven, or how long to cook things at what temperature.

But this book has been used. There’s grease spots, batter splatters, and best of all: notes in the margins from its mysterious previous owner…

There’s checks next to things she’s tried and when, whether or not they are any good. Other recipes have been squeezed in where there is room. The earliest date I could find in her untidy pencil is 1954.

So here’s your Christmas present, if you’re brave enough to try them. A few cakes the mysterious Ms. Victory has marked as “good.” Now, I haven’t made any of these, and I can’t help you much. There’s plenty of holes here, these are the barest bones of recipes. So if you have tried any of them and can help me to flesh these out, do drop me a line.

SPICE  CAKE

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sour milk
• 1 tsp. soda and all kinds of spice
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup raisins

(That’s it. That’s the whole recipe. Sorry. Ms. Victory marked it as “made.”)

HOLIDAY DATE NUT CAKE

(This one is hand written into the margins. I’ve made a few edits for easier reading.)

• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sliced dates
• 1 T. butter
• 1 cup sugar
• one egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup nuts
• 1 T. flour
• Cherries and almonds, for decoration

Sprinkle soda over sliced dates. Pour boiling water over and let cool. Stir occasionally. Strain. Cream butter and add sugar and egg. Beat well. Add sifted flour, adding dates between portions of flour. Add nuts last to which you add 1 tablespoon flour. Flavor with one tablespoon whiskey or wine. Bake in loaf pan 5 x 9 1/2. Line bottom of pan with oiled paper. Bake 350 degrees, 1 hour. Cool and decorate with cherries and almonds.

SWEDISH TEA CAKES

(Ms. Victory says: “Made for retreat at Providence, May 5, 1961″)

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg, separated
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 1 cup nuts, finely chopped
• jelly

Cream first two ingredients until real fluffy. Then add yolks of two eggs and flour. In separate bowl, partly beat two egg whites. Take a small peice of dough and form into a ball in hands, then first dip in egg white, then in nuts. Make a hole in top with thimble and when partially cooked remake hole with thimble. When cooked, fill hole with jelly.