Cara-Coa, East Of Java

Here’s a pioneer in the health food business – El Molino Mills, who had been in business since 1926 in Alhambra, California. They aren’t around anymore though, as far as I can tell. This little cookbook came out in 1953. The name of the company is a little bit redundant, since “el molino” means mill in Spanish. But that is all right, not everyone would know that. I didn’t, before this morning!

That bear looks quite happy with his cookie. The carob desserts are about the same color as he is, and the cookie matches the Date Loaf. I guess color-coordination is important to ceramic bears.

Also, I like how the baking incorporates pre-1960s groovy carob and whole wheat juxtaposed with the 1950s standard Susie Homemaker mile-high layer cake. And dig those obsessive-compulsive walnuts placed around the cream pie. Can we all say 1950s conformity? You can’t just slap ‘em on (well, you can – and I have done this so I know you can – but not in the 1950s you don’t!)

Wait a decade and see. Those walnuts will be getting together with some Jordan almonds and making yin-yangs on that pie.

There are lots of recipes using soy and millet and of course carob – or Cara-Coa as the El Molino people call it (which sounds like a cross between Kon-Tiki and Krakatoa to me). It is a jaunty little book and I like it a lot. Here’s one of the recipes that is making the bear cookie jar look so smug. It appears to have acquired mint flavoring between the photo and the recipe page:

CAROB CREAM MINT PIE

1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup milk
3 El Molino Cara-Coa Carob Candy Bars (7/8 oz. size)
1 Tb unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup cream
1/4 tsp Oil of Peppermint
1 9-inch baked pie shell

Sliughtly beat egg yolk with milk and add broken piecces of carob candy. Combine with gelatin, sugar and salt in top of double boiler over boiling water. Stir frequently until candy melts.

Remove from heat and beat until smooth. Chill until [has] cream-like consistency. Fold in whipped cream flavored with oil of peppermint. Turn into pie shell. Chill until firm.

For variation omit peppermint flavoring and add sliced bananas to pie shell before filling.

One cup of cream! Must be retro after all – carob is about as much healthiness as a pie could handle in 1953.

The jokey title refers to a 1969 movie called Krakatoa, East of Java, which itself is sort of ironic because in fact Krakatoa is west of Java.