Book of Days Tales

Today is a two-fer.  On this date in 1890, the Pioneer Column, a military volunteer force of settlers organized by Cecil Rhodes, founded Salisbury in Rhodesia (now Harare) as a fort. They originally named the settlement Fort Salisbury after the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and it subsequently became known simply as Salisbury. The city became the capital of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) which was annexed by the UK on this date in 1923. Thus, today is the opposite of independence day for the country and my recipe reflects White colonization of Africa (reflects NOT celebrates).

This recipe comes from the Rhodesia Herald of 1934 – very much in the vein of Mrs Beeton and White colonial style. Gingerbread is a British classic.

Ingredients

450 gm plain flour

½ tsp salt

2 Tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground mixed spice

1Tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

60 gm mixed peel, chopped

175 gm unsalted butter

175 gm black treacle

175 gm golden syrup

200 gm soft brown sugar

1 egg, beaten milk,

150 ml milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 320° F/160° C.

Grease a 9”x9” square cake tin.

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour spices and baking powders. In a saucepan over low heat, melt together the butter, sugar, treacle, and golden syrup, and stir until smooth. Add this to the flour mix, stir to combine, and then add in the egg and milk and thoroughly combine. Add the mixed peel and fold it in.  Pour the batter into the prepared tine and bake for about 1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

The gingerbread can be stored in an airtight container and will get sticky and more intense in flavor over time.