President's cakes, pies, jumbles and pudding

Numerous recipes have been named to honor the Presidents including Washington Cakes, which were discussed in a previous posting HERE. Period recipes for Washington Pie, Madison Cake, Jackson Jumbles, Harrison Cake, Tyler Pudding, and Lincoln Cake are given below.  ...

Washington Cake

There were at least three types of Washington Cakes in cookbooks - with raisins and currants, with soda and brandy, and with yeast. In 1838, a confectionery store displayed a Washington cake which they claimed weighed twenty-six hundred pounds. ...

Maple sugaring - 1792

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Rush's fascinating pamphlet An Account of the Sugar Maple-tree, of the United States, and of the methods of obtaining Sugar from it, which may be viewed HERE or at the Library of Congress.

Sugar Production, Sugar Mills, Sugar Plantations

A series of period images show the cutting of the sugar cane, various types of sugar mills on the plantations  (powered by oxen and others by water wheel).  Then the syrup was boiled down in cauldrons then into cones.

Chocolate making equipment

Many period pictures and modern photographs show original and reproduction tools to make chocolate - roaster, metate, and chocolate pots.  Quotes from old books describe the process, and modern suggestions are given in the following post.

Sugar Chest, Sugar Desk, Sugar Table

For bulk sugar storage, some beautiful pieces of furniture were made, particularly in the south.  Links to some detailed online articles [see below]. SUGAR CHEST at left.

Mustard Flour, Mustard Pots, Mustard Casters

After 1720, the processing of the mustard seeds in a mill resulted in a fine flour - the flower of mustard - known commercially as Durham Mustard. Interesting story is below.  Later, when the processing moved to Leeds, the name Durham was retained. The mustard was sold as dry powder or as a "paste"...

Mustard Balls and Cannon Balls

Mustard Balls were made from pounded mustard seeds, spices, and a binder such as wine, vinegar, honey or raisins. The balls were then dried in the sun or warm oven, and thus would "...keep better than mustard-seed or flour [ground mustard] at sea, and are easily dissolved." [Domestic, 1827] To use, thin pieces were sliced and soaked in vinegar, wine or verjuice. Tewkesbury was so famous for its mustard balls that Shakespeare mentioned it in a play. And cannon balls in the kitchen...

Puddin'

Home cooks in the past put bits and scraps of pork in a container and covered with grease/fat after each addition. It was a means of combining scraps and to preserve until ready to use...

Women and Medicine exhibit at the Folger, DC

Beyond Home Remedy: Women, Medicine, and Science exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library borrowed the manuscript book which Karen Hess used to make "Martha Washington's cookbook."  There is an audio tour, below.

Hard Apple Cider

Several heirloom apple orchards offer hard cider workshops.

Molasses Stew

Marion Harland, the pseudonym of Mary Virginia Hawes Terhune, was born (1830) and raised in Virginia. When married she moved north and continued writing fiction, nonfiction and cookbooks. The following is an excerpt from her book, Marion Harland's Autobiography: the story of a long life, 1910. This continues the Candy pulls and Candy stew posting HERE

Candy Stew, Candy Pull and other pull parties

Candy pulls, candy stews, molasses pulls, sorghum-stews, and a taffy-pulling were popular parties in the 19th century.  Numerous descriptions and recipes...

Navy Holiday Menus

There are several menus from ships and on-shore facilities listed at: Holiday Menus. Naval History and Heritage Command. DC Navy Yard 1905-1969

1864 Christmas in the south

Julia Johnson Fisher, 1814-1885, from Camden County, Georgia recounted their 1864 Christmas dinner.

Long neck pumpkins

How to cut a long neck pumpkin to make Pumpkin Pickles.

Hale and making Thanksgiving a national holiday

Last Thanksgiving I wrote a bit about Lydia Child, this time I'll present the more well known connection - Sarah Josepha Buell Hale (1788-1879). She worked for years to get Thanksgiving recognized and celebrated as a national holiday. Her description of a dinner in New England, 1827 and recipes...

Ten Mass. museums, more food history 2010

10  Symposiums, exhibits

Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham

The first time I tasted stuffed ham, I thought there was something wrong with the meat! It didn't taste at all like the ham and curried fruit my Mom prepared for Easter, rather, it had a spicy and a unique taste, not like country ham or corned beef, something different. In St. Mary's County, a corned ham must be used... with or without the bone (folks have their own decided preference about the bone)....

Beets

There are numerous ways to prepare beets. In addition to Pickled, Salad, or Harvard Beets, beets are delicious fried or used in baking. Some past recipes include Beet Pie (1860), Lombardy Tarts (1588), Crimson Biscuits (1727), To Fry Beets (1723), Pink Pancakes (1788) Beet Fritters (1889),  Beet Vinegar (1854) and a Stuffed Beet with rice and pecans (1919). Recipes for these dishes can be found at the end of this article.  The proper way to prep beets and whether to boil or bake...