A slip of note paper from Walsh’s Hotel in Maghera. Mentions of Glengarriff, Kidderminster carpets and a certain Cassie Gallagher.
Úna Minh Caomhánach tweetz:
On a mission to find where this cookery diary is from. Possibly Irish.
Watson? Fetch my opium.
Can You help Me Locate This Cookery Diary’s Owner? (Úna Minh Kavanagh)
Opium?
You racist feckers.
Judging by the style of writing, the owner is now very old, or has moved on to the great kitchen in the sky. I say 70+ age group.
It’s a pity that good penmanship is no longer taught properly. I don’t think it is as obsolete as people might think and I doubt it takes up much more time in the classroom, from my own memory at least. It is one of those nice things for its own sake.
You’re bang on.
I’m embarrassed when I’ve to sign a birthday card.
Like a spider dipped in ink & dragged across the page.
It refers to ‘American Cloth’ which is an old term for oilcloth, of the type used to cover kitchen tables and other areas likely to get spills. We used have some on our table that was used for regular dining – only on special occasions was the natural wood allowed to be risked, and we were on our best behaviour.
This type of oilcloth was fairly stiff and cracked easily if bent too far or got too cold.
The pullout Jam Making Hints and Tips may be able to be traced, providing another clue.
Not sure if that helps, but it was definitely a term used in Ireland and England certainly into the early 70s. Given the style of writing, along with the terminology and the notations, I would think that we are looking at a period probably of the 1950s or 1960s.
Good luck with your quest, Úna