Random Saturday - Cookbooks, Teil 2

In 2012, I told you about the Gas-Koch- und Backrezeptkalender, here and here, and in 2014 I even made something from it!
It translates to "Gas Cooking and Baking Recipe Calendar".
Being a librarian, I wanted to look up when it was first published and for how long, but the listings in the different library catalogs differ.
For example, one listing says that it was first published in 1927 under the title "Hamburger Gaskalender" - I don't think I need to translate that - and under the long title from 1959 until 1973. Here it says that's when it ended, there it says it still exists, but without indication of any holdings. Several listings say it started under the longer title in 1952, however, which is also not true as I happen to own one from 1950, but don't mention the Gaskalender at all although they were all published by the Gasworks in Hamburg.
You probably wonder why I'm even telling you all that, but it's an occupational disease. It drives me nuts not to know exactly!

Fact is that I have several of them myself - with another one on the way - between 1950 and 1970, some are smaller, some are taller (sorry, couldn't resist). Only two of them are missing the top leaf.
I think it's fabulous that calendars from that time, whose leaves were meant to be torn off, still exist at all today. I remember that we often had the grocery store's calendar hanging in our kitchen which also had stories on the back of the leaves if I remember that right, but it was actually used.

The calendars are full of information, recipes, and little stories praising the advantages of gas-operated appliances.
The one from 1956 the extra info is all about spices, for example.

I think my favorite is the story - also from the 1956 one which has been the latest addition - about a lady inviting her friends for a "Kaffeekränzchen", a gathering of ladies for coffee and cake. They have to be on time, though, which surprises them all. They are even more surprised when their hostess ushers them down to the laundry room telling them her "big wash" is about to start; they are almost afraid they are going to be asked to help.
But no, their hostess has taken them there to show them her new gas-operated washing machine. Not quite convinced at first, the guests are quickly changing their mind when they hear that the machine does it all itself, even turning off!
Can you imagine being without a washing machine? I think I would have been just as enthusiastic about it and am not surprised the hostess felt the need to brag a little.

Of course I also chose another recipe for you, not randomly this time, but the recipe of my birthday 1950 (no, I'm not that old, but I don't have the calendar from the year of my birth).
Remember that this was not too long after the war and the Wirtschaftswunder had only just begun, so the ingredients are not too unusual.

It's a sponge cake with potato marzipan for four people.

Sponge:
3 separated eggs, 3 - 4 tbsp. water, 150 grams of sugar, 1 baggie of vanilla sugar, 150 of grams flour, 50 grams of starch, 2 level tsp. baking powder

Filling:
3 tbsp. jam
for the potato marzipan: 200 grams of unsalted boiled potatos, 125 grams of sugar, bitter almond aroma
for the cream: 1/2 pack of instant pudding, 1/4 liter of cider, sugar to taste

Decoration:
50 grams of oatmeal, 25 grams of fat, 1 tbsp. sugar

Make the sponge and cut it twice.
Put the potatoes through a fine sieve, mix well with the sugar and add the almond aroma.
Use the cider, sugar and instant pudding to make a blancmange and stir until cold.
Spread the jam and 2/3 of the potato marzipan on the bottom layer and the cream on the second layer.
Use the rest of the marzipan for the top and around the cake and add the roasted oatmeal.

What do you think, would that have made a good birthday cake for me? 😉
Actually, a family member of mine has birthday tomorrow, I think he would be quite surprised if I offered him this cake!