Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1820) of Johanna Maria Lind, better known as Jenny Lind, a Swedish opera singer, often known as the “Swedish Nightingale.” She was one of the most highly regarded singers of the 19^th century, performing in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and undertaking an extraordinarily popular concert tour of North America beginning in 1850. For me one of the most interesting things about Lind is that it seems clear that she was not necessarily the most accomplished of singers, and there were certainly better sopranos than her in her day (now forgotten). This is not to say that she was mediocre by any means. She had great singing qualities. But she had some serious flaws which critics of the day noted. However, what she did have was great PR, especially when she was under contract to P.T. Barnum in North America. Maybe she is the first singing superstar to have had her reputation created by publicity? Unfortunately there are no recordings of her voice so it is now impossible to tell. We must rely on contemporary critics – not the safest of bets – whose statements do, to me at least, seem to the point and balanced.

In the culinary field, a new variety of potato with blue ‘eyes’ was named for her, as was a melon (the association here was not recorded) a cake, and her famous soup with sago and eggs – which “have always been deemed very beneficial to the chest and throat.” – singer’s soup!

Here’s the soup from A Cyclopaedia of Domestic Economy” (1857)

Jenny Lind’s Soup.

Make about three quarts of stock, which strain through a fine sieve into a middle-size stewpan; set it to boil; add to it three ounces of sago; boil gently twenty minutes; skim; just previous to serving break four fresh eggs, and place the yolk, entirely free from the white, into a basin, beat them well with a spoon; add to it a gill of cream; take the pan from the fire, pour in the yolks, stir quickly for one minute, serve immediately; do not let it boil, or it will curdle, and would not be fit to be partaken of. The stock being previously seasoned, it only requires the addition of half a teaspoonful of sugar, a little more salt, pepper, nutmeg; also thyme, parsley, and bay-leaf will agreeably vary the flavor without interfering with the quality.

Jenny Lind’s Cake.

The cake is a bit more of an enigma because there seems to be a number of recipes available. I gather, however, that the original was a plain cake made in three layers. Two of the layers (top and bottom) are plain, and the middle one is flavored with a mix of sweet spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and contains raisins. The layers are held together with a puree of brandied peaches.