Monday, May 28, 2012

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Reading while cooking

For those of us who have occasionally read a book in one hand while stirring with the other... here is a sketch from 1859.  "Showing why the dinner was late" is from Trials and Confessions of a Housekeeper by Timothy Shay Arthur, Philadelphia: 1859

©2012 Patricia Bixler Reber
hearthcook.com

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

USDA at 150

The USDA is 150 years old today.   On May 15, 1862 President Lincoln signed the order to create what he called The People's Department - the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  To honor Lincoln, the 'Abraham Lincoln Tomato' was introduced in the 1920s, and The People's Garden project was started in 2009, the 200th anniversary of his birth.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Woodrow Wilson and Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday.  President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day on May 9, 1914.  His mother, Jesse Woodrow Wilson, 1826-1888, wrote a handwritten recipe book. Among the recipes was one labeled - "Woodrow's favorite - Charlotte Russe" see below...

Friday, May 4, 2012

Burnt Custard

Although her "Burnt Custard" sounds, well, burned, it is composed of delicious layers of various textures. Sponge cake slices (Savoy Cake) are placed on the bottom of a bowl. A sweetened cream (liquidy custard) of egg yolks, milk and sugar, is poured on top. Then...