Researching Food History

Charcoal made from hard wood was good for fuel, from soft wood good to clarify liquids or make crayons or gunpowder. Blacksmiths used che...

This early beet recipe with a lovely wine and cloves flavor is a delicious and different way to use beets this fall.  An earlier post detail...

A ‘Gateau de Mille Feuilles’ recipe was described in La Varenne’s Le Cuisinier Francois, in 1651. It’s name, translated ‘Cake of a thous...

Excerpts about bait, 1594; preserving fish, 1732; To cure tainted Fish, 1819; and cooking. Over thirty taped talks on fishing, Herring Gir...

Memorial Day - never forget. Soldiers had a rough time in the trenches, and civilians at home were asked to... "FEED A FIGHTER E...

Happy Mother's Day. This is one of my favorite pictures ... a Russian stove 1803 by Atkinson. Interesting baby keeper and a sleeper o...

If your loaf of bread becomes stale, you can clean “wall-paper that has become darkened by smoke." Following are a sampling of instru...

There are several items which have been termed dumb waiters over the years - a table, revolving door with shelf/shelves or a small shelf t...

John Derricke wrote in his The Image of Irelande about English victories over the Irish... and described an image of cooking and a feast. ...

By 1850, some sponge biscuits (cookies) were named Ladyfingers. “Fingers, or Naples Biscuits” combined the two names in a recipe by Franca...

During the World's Fair of 1893 in Chicago, the Stollwerck chocolate company of Germany created the Statue of Germania out of a 2,200 ...

There are many styles of stone sinks. This 1740s one by the window is in the Ephrata Cloisters kitchen, Pennsylvania. The second set of imag...

Although Peter Cooper (1791-1883) of New York City may be more well known for designing 'Tom Thumb', the first American steam locom...

Gifts were exchanged on New Year's, and foods included German gingerbread made with honey, aniseeds, almonds in the shape of hearts th...

In 1850 the dresses had become so large that the gentlemen had to serve the wine or jelly on a baker's peel... according to satirist Geo...

On Saturday, December 9, there will be 26 sites open for free with music, activities, and crafts in Frederick and the County. Several homes...

A World War I recruiting poster. Enlist as a group and serve with your "pals" in a Company of Bakers. For experienced or trainee...

Aiken-Rhett House's original stew stove, left. Gov. William Aiken added the stewstove with cast iron top to the kitchen in the outbuil...

Special sweet potato houses or cellars were constructed to be ventilated, heated or smoked to dry out the potatoes. On loft over fire. Cooke...

William Sidney Mount's 1840 painting of cider making in Setauket, Long Island, NY. Lancaster, Pa. cider presses 1778 and 1800.