McGowan House and Date Cake

 In early Georgeville days, there were three boarding houses, and each one was owned by a McGowan. Douglas McGowan operated Rainbow House, on Channel Hill,  Gordon McGowan was the owner of Cedar Cliffs  ( later operated by his daughter Grace ) and Charles McGowan was the original operator of McGowan House, a summer fishing lodge located by the waterfront. This later became the business owned and operated by Henry and Kay McGowan.

Kay was my father's sister. I have noticed that there are several recipes of Kay's in the collection of papers, but the one for Date Cake caught my eye.

Sometimes the paper things are written on tell a story all on its own...
.... "Room and Board, Boats, Motors and Tackles, Guide Service"...

From April to September of each year, Kay served 3 meals a day to the guests at the inn,  and for the fishermen who were spending the day on the lake, she packed a lunch. McGowan House kitchen staff were either cooking or cleaning up all day.
There was not very much free time left for chit chat.

After Labour Day, things were much more relaxed, and it is very likely that Addie was in Kay's kitchen, probably having coffee and a piece of Date Cake and asked for the recipe. The handiest bit of paper available would have been a pad of McGowan House invoices.
                                                       

Date Cake

1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 " soda      (most recipes using dates, dissolve soda in the warm water)
1 " cinnamon
2 cups flour
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
1 lb stoned dates
1/2 cup warm water
Pinch salt

Beat butter and sugar to  a cream, add eggs, well beaten.. add flour, B.P. soda , salt. sifted together. Add dates and nuts, then water.
Bake in moderate oven.

 Given that this was from a "boarding house", I would say it needs a 9x13 inch pan. Bake time, "till done" is probably the answer. ( tooth pick comes out clean, is always the rule of thumb)