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Garden Cress

Garden cress from Erken 1914: 1 small plateful of cress is washed gently in little bunches, served in small glass bowls sprinkled with 2 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp sugar. Also includes guidance on growing cress in a box or on a wool-wrapped jar.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 381 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Cress as a fresh accompaniment, with Erken's practical guidance on growing cress at home on the windowsill.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clip and wash

    Clip or cut the cress off at the root. Wash it gently by taking small bunches and dipping them up and down in water.

  2. 2

    Set it in place

    Set the bunches on a cloth so that the short stalks point downward when plated.

  3. 3

    Serve

    Place the cress in small, slightly deep glass bowls and sprinkle with vinegar and sugar just before serving.

  4. 4

    Grow your own cress

    Fill a box with good soil, sow cress and water generously. Set the box in the sun on the windowsill with glass over it. Alternatively: soak cress seeds in water, wrap a flowerpot or bottle in white wool cloth, spread the soaked seeds (which should be a slimy mass) on it, and set the inverted pot on a dish of water. After a few days the cress sprouts.

Changes from the original

"Tallerkenfuld" (a plateful) is interpreted as about 1 small plate (about 50 g) of cress; teaspoon written as tsp. The growing guide is kept as its own step.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

Modernised → 1914 (proofread, p. 381)~80% of the text changedremovedadded
50 g karse (ca. 1 liten tallerkenfull). tallerkenfuld karse 2 ts eddik. teskeer eddik 1 ts teske sukker. Klipp Karsen vaskes med forsigtighet efter at være skaaret eller skjær karsen klippet av ved roten. Vask den forsiktig ved å ta små bunter og dyppe roten; man tar smaabundter, dypper dem opp op og ned i vann.. Sett buntene på vand og «sætter» dem paa et klede så klæde; de korte stilkene vender nedover stilker skal alle vende ned ved anretningen.. Legg karsen i små, anretningen. Karsen serveres paa smaa, litt dype glasskåler og dynk glasskaaler, dynkes med eddik og sukker rett før servering.. Fyll sukker, idet den skal serveres. Karse kan man letvint skaffe sig; og god er den at ha og ta til ved saa mange leiligheter. Fyld en kasse med god jord, så karse og vann rikelig. Sett saa karse, vand rikelig; ha kassen staaende i solen i vinduskarmen med glass over. Alternativt: legg karsefrø i bløt og læg glas over, eller læg karsefrøene ibløt i vann, kle vand; klæd en blomsterkrukke eller en flaske med hvitt ullstoff, uldtøi, smør de utbløtte frøene (som frø — de skal være som en slimet masse) på, og sett masse — paa, sæt den omvendte krukken på krukke paa en skål med vann i. Etter noen dager spirer karsen. skaal; paa skaalen skal der altid være vand; i løpet av nogen dage vil karsen spire frem.

Note on Modernised

«Tallerkenfuld» er tolket som ca. 1 liten tallerken (ca. 50 g) karse; teskje skrevet ts. Dyrkingsveiledningen er beholdt som eget trinn.

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Frequently asked questions

How should the cress be washed and plated?
Clip or cut the cress off at the root. Take small bunches, dip them up and down in water and "set" them on a cloth so that the short stalks all point down when plated. Serve in small, slightly deep glass bowls.
What is the cress seasoned with?
Only 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar to a small plateful of cress. It is sprinkled with vinegar and sugar only at the moment it is to be served.
Can I grow cress myself?
Yes, the recipe from Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914) recommends filling a box with good soil, sowing cress, watering generously and letting the box stand in the sun on the windowsill with glass over it. Alternatively, the seeds can be soaked and spread on a flowerpot or bottle wrapped in white wool cloth.

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