Recipes from the Past
From "The Family Doctor" 1859
Calf Foot Jelly [we call this gelatin. where did you think gelatin came from?]- Calf's-feet jelly is of great value in cases of sickness or convalescence, while its preparation is very easy. Well clean two calf's-feet, boil them in a gallon of water till it is is reduced to a quart. When cold, skim off all the fat, and carefully take up all the jelly quite clean, put it into a saucepan with half a pound of loaf sugar, a pint of sherry wine, and the juice of four lemons. Then take the whites of six eggs, well beaten up, and having stirred all up well, let it boil for a few minutes. Pour the whole into a large flannel bag, and having put some thin lemon peel into a large basin, drain the whole off, and when cold it is fit for use. The lemon peel greatly improves both color and flavor.
From "Directions for Cookery" 1850
A Farmer's Rice Pudding - This pudding is made without eggs. Wash half a pint of rice through two cold waters, and drain it well. Stir it raw into a quart of rich milk, or of cream and milk mixed; adding a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Put it into a deep pan, and bake it two hours or more. When done, the rice will be perfectly soft, which you may ascertain by dipping a teaspoon into the edge of the pudding and taking out a little to try. Eat it cold.
From "The Everyday Cookbook" 1860
To Make
Lard - Take the leaf fat from the inside of a bacon hog, cut it small, and
put it in an iron kettle, which must be perfectly free from any musty taste; set
it over a steady, moderate fire, until nothing but scraps remain of the meat;
the heat must be kept up, but gentle, that it may not burn the lard; spread a
coarse cloth in a wire sieve, and strain the liquid into tin basins which will
hold two or three quarts; squeeze out all the fat from the scraps. When the lard
in the pans is cold, press a piece of new muslin close upon it, trim it off at
the edge of the pan, and keep it in a cold place. Or it may be kept in wooden
kegs with close covers. Lard made with one-third as much beef suet as fat is
supposed by many persons to keep better.
From "Six Little Cooks" 1881
Soft Candy - One pound brown sugar, three tablespoonfuls water; while boiling add a quarter of a pound butter; when thick and ropy, take it from the fire and stir till it grains; then pour into buttered plates. For nut candy make the above recipe, stirring in nuts while it is still over the fire.
From "What to Cook and How to Cook It" c1900
Corn Fritters - Use two cups of grated corn, two eggs beaten together, one-fourth cup of flour and one teaspoon of baking powder. Season with salt. Drop by spoonfuls in deep, hot fat and fry a delicate brown-
Hamburg Steak [what we would call a 'hamburger'] - Grind lean beef, season with a little onion, pepper, and salt. Roll into a flat mound about an inch thick. Put it on a very hot griddle, turn it when done and pour over it melted butter. Or you can make it into little cakes and broil.
From "Directions for Cookery" 1850
Fricasseed Rabbits - The best way of cooking rabbits is to fricassee them. Take a couple of fine ones, and cut them up, or disjoint them. Put them into a stew-pan; season them with cayenne pepper and salt, some chopped parsley, and some powdered mace. Pour in a pint of warm water (or veal broth, if you have it) and stew it over a slow fire till the rabbits are quite tender; adding (when they are about half done) some bits of butter rolled in flour. Just before you take it from the fire, enrich the gravy with a jill [1/4 of a pint] or more of thick cream with some nutmeg grated into it. Stir the gravy well, but take care not to let it boil after the cream is in, lest it curdle. Put the pieces of rabbit on a hot dish, and pour the gravy over them.
From the "Frugal Housewife" 1833
Chocolate [what we would call 'hot chocolate'] - Many people boil chocolate in a coffee-pot; but I think it is better to boil it in a skillet, or something open. A piece of chocolate about as big as a dollar is the usual quantity for a quart of water; but some put in more, and some less. When it boils, pour in as much milk as you like and let them boil together three or four minutes. It is much richer with the milk boiled in it. Put the sugar in either before or after, as you please. Nutmeg improves it. The chocolate should be scraped fine before it is put in the water.
From the "Kentucky Housewife" 1839
Fried Squirrels - Prepare them as for the stew, season them with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, dredge them with flour, and fry them a handsome brown, in lard or butter. Stir into the gravy a spoonful of flour, one of tomato catchup, and a glass of sweet cream, and serve the squirrels with the gravy poured round.
From "Six Little Cooks" 1881
Baked Apple Dumplings - Prepare a regular "dumpling-crust"; roll it out, cut into squares and in the center of each lay a juicy, tart apple, pared and cored; bring the corners of the square neatly together and pinch them slightly. Lay in a buttered baking pan, the joined edges downward, and bake to a fine brown. When done, brush over with beaten egg and set back in the oven to glaze for a few minutes. Sift powdered sugar over them and eat with sauce.