Recipe Manuscript

Cheese Straws

Name: Cheese Straws
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT12M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 250g puff pastry (homemade or store-bought); 50g Parmesan cheese (finely grated); Pinch of cayenne pepper; Pinch of salt

1856

From the treasured pages of Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment

Written by Charles Ellice, Colonel

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Beginner Snack

Original Recipe • 1856

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Cheese Straws

"Take a small piece of Puff Paste and roll it out thin; Spread over it some grated Parmesan Cheese, cayenne pepper & salt. roll it out once or twice - cut it in long narrow strips, & bake it on a tin baking sheet. to be served up very hot. Glynde."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe, like many from manuscript cookbooks of the 19th century, is brief and assumes a working knowledge of pastry techniques. Quantities are imprecise, reflecting the expectation that the reader was already a practiced cook, or that precise replication was less vital than intuition or available supply. Words like 'Puff Paste' refer to what we now call puff pastry, while 'to be served up very hot' signals both a culinary and a social cue for presentation. Spelling and punctuation are inconsistent by modern standards, but such informality was typical for handwritten family collections.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment
- Click to view recipe in book

Title

Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment (1856)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Charles Ellice, Colonel

Era

1856

Publisher

Colonel Charles Ellice

Background

A charming manuscript cookbook chronicling the culinary escapades of Colonel Charles Ellice during his globe-trotting military career, featuring recipes from Highland butter to yeastless bread, spicy curries, and even a dash of Victorian medicine—all penned alongside evocative ink sketches and a personal index.

Kindly made available by

McGill University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This cheese straw recipe is drawn from the personal manuscript cookbook of Colonel Charles Ellice, compiled and embellished across his military career in the mid-19th century. Written in multiple hands and packed with practical instructions, Ellice’s recipe book reflects the cosmopolitan tastes and travel-influenced adaptations of a British officer stationed in colonial India. Dishes like cheese straws—not only elegant nibbles but also easy to prepare in field kitchens—bridged British domestic comforts and cosmopolitan entertaining. Their inclusion alongside curries, bread, and even medicinal recipes shows how culinary pragmatism and sociability shaped officers’ tables abroad.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the Victorian period, cooks would have used a simple wooden rolling pin and a well-floured pastry board to work the puff paste. Cheese would be grated on a hand grater, and a sharp knife or pastry wheel was used to cut neat strips. Baking would be done on flat metal baking sheets, set into a coal or wood-fired oven, with careful attention to achieve a hot, even bake. The strips would have been served on a warmed platter, ensuring they arrived at table fresh and hot.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

9 oz puff pastry (homemade or store-bought)
2 oz Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt

Instructions

To make Cheese Straws as originally described, begin with about 9 ounces of ready-made puff pastry.
Roll the pastry out thinly on a floured surface.
Evenly scatter approximately 2 ounces of finely grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt across the surface.
Fold and roll the pastry once or twice more to incorporate the cheese and spices throughout.
Slice the pastry into long, narrow strips about 3/8 inch wide and 4–5 inches long.
Arrange the strips onto a lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F until crisp, golden, and hot—about 10–12 minutes.
Serve immediately, piping hot.

Estimated Calories

180 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10-15 minutes to prepare the pastry, roll it out, add the cheese and spices, and cut the strips. Baking takes another 10-12 minutes. Each serving has about 180 calories if you divide the recipe into 6 portions.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.