A Legacy of Baking

A Grandmother’s inspiration

 I’ve been writing about Grandma Abson’s recipes for 15 years now and how her love for simple delicious baking shaped my own passion for the craft. But today I want to write more about how she baked and her collection. 

Grandma Abson’s treasured collection of Recipes

Grandma Abson had begun her collection of recipes during her time in service in the late 19^th century, but she continued through most of the 20^th century as fashions changed. She wrote them out by hand on scraps of paper, postcards, in old exercise books and tore them out of magazines to create a diverse and cherished assortment of traditional recipes. 

Grandma’s approach to baking

Grandma Abson had a stern, rather Victorian outlook on life and a stout work ethic and developed a practical and resourceful approach to baking. She lived through harsh times, raising her family through the hardship and rationing of two world wars. Consequently, her recipes were often crafted around making tasty food from basic or limited supplies.

Her methods were guided by intuition rather than precise measurements. She would make sure that the ingredients were at room temperature before starting to mix them and sieved flour to give a lighter texture for a dough. Neither did she meticulously weigh out the ingredients, hence there are many references to “a cupful” or “a basinful” in her recipes.

From coal-fired ranges to gas and electric ovens, Grandma adapted to changing kitchen technology, though she always relied on her instincts and experience to judge the perfect oven temperature. Her early years cooking on black-leaded Yorkshire ranges had given her that mysterious knowledge of what was just the “correct heat”. Oven temperatures were not precise with “slow, moderate and quick” as common descriptions. She had a knack for knowing exactly when a cake was ready, using a simple skewer to test for ‘baked’—an old trick that I still use today. 

Why Grandma Abson’s Baking still appeals today

Grandma Abson’s legacy is more than just recipes; it’s a connection to the past, a reminder of the warmth and comfort that home baking brings. Her recipes remain as relevant today as they were decades ago, proving that simple, well-made food never goes out of style. In my family, we continue to bake her beloved Victoria Sandwich, Apple pie and many more, keeping her traditions alive with every delicious bite.

This is a shorter version of an article I wrote for Yorkshire Bylines which you can find here. Enjoy!