One peculiar custom among the Bergen Dutch, handed down from generations even to recent times, has been that the masculine head of the family always cut the smoked beef (a never failing dish) and the bread. Formerly the bread was baked in large loaves in yellow earthen dishes in a brick oven, and put upon the table uncut, then as each person wished a slice the head of the house, holding the bread against his breast, cut off a portion. Generally they lived very plainly; sauerkraut, which was such a favorite dish among the Mohawk Valley and Albany Dutch, seems to have been almost unknown here. Pound cake was a favorite recipe and in the early part of this century the Communipaw housewives carried their butter and eggs to certain bakers in Greenwich street, New York, to have their pound cake baked for them. Their recipe for crullers was very similar with the addition of a little more flour. In all well regulated houses "Oley Koecks" were indispensable; there was quite a difference in the way of making them, some recipes are plain doughnuts of raised bread dough, sweetened and spiced only. The following is a more elaborate recipe of 1750: "One pint of milk, one cup fresh yeast, flour to make a stiff batter, mix at night; in the morning add five eggs, two cups of sugar, one cup of shortening, (half butter and half lard), one teaspoonful soda, flour to make like bread dough, let stand until light, which will be two or three hours; have ready chopped apples sweetened and flavored with nutmeg and raisins; roll out and cut in pieces about four inches square, place a tablespoonful of apple on each square, double over and pinch together, drop in hot lard to fry." In the old recipes pearlash is used, in these the modern term soda and baking powder have been substituted. The early settlers made their own pearlash by burning either corn cobs or a bit of wood, often birch or maple, on the hearth, and from the clean ashes put in water obtained the carbonate of potash desired. The following recipes are also handed down from the early Dutch housewives: "Jumbles, (Koeckjes): One pound of flour, one half pound of sugar, less than half pound of butter, three eggs, four tablespoons sweet milk, one teaspoon saleratus." "Dried Biscuits, (Old Dutch): Take one and a half pints warm milk, one cake compressed yeast, one teaspoonful salt and flour enough to make a sponge. When light, which will probably be in half an hour, add one-fourth pound of butter, and knead with flour to about the consistency of bread. Let rise again and then mould each biscuit in two parts, putting one on the top of another, that they may be broken open more easily. Put in pans and let rise before baking. When baked break open and put in the warming oven until thoroughly dried."