Ham Timbales, Mrs. Carol Montgomery

I was recently at the Pratt Library, working on my Maryland recipe database when I hit the milestone of 20,000 recipes. I figured I should make a note of the twenty-thousandth record: “Ham Timbales”, contributed to “Random Ruxton Recipes” (1953) by Mrs. Colin Montgomery.

Timbales, which share etymology with the drum of the same name, appear frequently in cookbooks starting in the late 1890s. Although they tend to be a way to use up leftover meats or vegetables, they can also be served as a fancy hors-d’oeuvre.  French in origin, they were possibly popularized by Charles Ranhofer at Delmonico’s.  His 1894 book “The Epicurean” includes thoughts on timbales as well as a large number of recipes, although, to be fair, the book includes a large number of every kind of recipe.

Random Ruxton Recipes, 1953, Church of the Good Shepherd (@ Pratt Library)

Specialty timbale pans exist – the individual portion-ones are slightly deeper than muffin pans – but all kinds of pans have been used to make timbales. Somewhere during the 20th century, timbales faded from favor, popping up occasionally thereafter. A 1991 article in the Chicago Tribune declared: “Timbales Sound Exotic, But Actually They Are Easy To Make And Ideal For Entertaining.” A google search will turn up a handful of modern celebrity-chef takes on timbales.

Timbales in “The Epicurean,” 1894 Charles Ranhofer (Delmonicos)

Mrs. Colin Montgomery, born Carol Spencer Worthington in 1920, was a Baltimore-area society woman through-and-through. She “debuted” at the Bachelor’s Cotillion in 1937, and the Sun reported when she left for Bryn Mawr College that year, as well as when she became engaged to Colin Montgomery in 1941. At Goucher College, she was a lacrosse and field hockey star, and she would return to play games over the next several years. In 1945 she ended up working at the Bryn Mawr (secondary) School where she taught English and coached sports. She also acted in local stage plays.

The news stories involving her husband Colin Montgomery were somewhat less glowing. In 1939 he made headlines when he was among a group of men who allegedly attempted to tar and feather a gossip columnist named Count Igor Cassini. The men had apparently taken offense when the columnist wrote of Colin’s parents:

“The reason why a Mrs. Montgomery, from Warrenton [VA], has been invited to the party (for King George and Queen Elizabeth at the British Embassy) is because her brother was a tutor for the British royal family and he requested the invitation for his sister. But Mr. Montgomery, who is a Scotsman, feels very humiliated, for only his wife was invited.” (The Oshkosh Northwestern, 1939)

Yeah…. I have no idea, either. The rich are different from you and me.

Ultimately, Colin’s brother Ian assumed all blame for the incident, citing his motive as trying to find the source of that bit of… juicy gossip(?). As for Cassini, who was largely (physically) unharmed, he went on to do a syndicated column, host a television show, and to be “convicted of being a paid agent of the dictator of the Dominican Republic,” according to Wikipedia.

Mrs. Montgomery died at age 52 in 1972 and Colin in 1975. Count Igor lived to be 86, passing away in 2002. Timbales are still very much with us – within the past few years, there have been online recipes for timbales made with ingredients such as parsnips, seitan, and black quinoa.

Recipe:

1.5 Cup cooked ham
.5 Cup tomato soup
1 Cup milk
1 Teaspoon grated onion (I minced a garlic clove & added a little onion powder)
.5 Teaspoon mustard
3 eggs
1 dash black pepper black
seasonings (original recipe suggests 1 dash thyme + 4 Tablespoons chopped parsley)

Beat eggs slightly before whisking in seasonings, milk and soup, followed by ham. Pour into greased baking cups and set in hot water. Bake 55 minutes at 350°.

Recipe adapted from “Ruxton Recipes,” Church of the Good Shepherd, 1953