Autumn always puts me in the mood to bake — cookies, cakes, scones. Last week I made the most delicious pumpkin bread. I love pumpkin bread and I add a special ingredient to it when I make it. Would you like to know my special ingredient?
I am sure longtime readers have immediately guessed — the secret ingredient is chocolate. I add a few mini-chocolate chips to the loaf of pumpkin bread and it is delicious. Thoughtful Husband thinks that the combination of pumpkin and chocolate is odd, but I think it is a match made in heaven.
All this recent baking called to mind two fun pieces of ephemera I plan to bring to the Sacramento Antiquarian Book Fair this weekend. Come by and check them out in person or send me an email or leave a comment if you’re interested but can’t make it to the fair. These little booklets were published by H. Hueg and Co. in 1896. Herman Hueg was a baker and confectioner who expanded his business by selling the tools needed for baking and the instructions on how to use these tools. I have a trade catalog called Patent Tools for Bakers, Confectioners, and Decorators. The catalog is accompanied by a Book of Designs for Bakers and Confectioners. Here’s a closer look:
The cover of the Book of Designs (a bit beat up, but internally very good) and catalog:
Illustration of the H. Hueg & Co. building in Queens, New York:
Title page:
Advertisements for other H. Hueg publications:
Tools for baking and making candy:
Things you can bake and make using H. Hueg tools:
I have a lot of respect for anyone able to make such intricate designs out of sugar. I like to decorate cakes, as we have seen in past posts, but my own baking designs tend to be a little simpler.
