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Category: Fruits

Fresh Oranges
Orange Recipes: Butter, Chips, Pudding, Wine, and more…

Orange Recipes: Butter, Chips, Pudding, Wine, and more…

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During the 1800s, oranges were a seasonal crop and not available year-round. “The first orange crop of the season usually reaches the market about the end of October. The early Floridas are first and they are closely followed by the Arizona navels, and just before Christmas, comes the bulk of California and Florida oranges.” INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO KEEP ORANGESOranges may be kept fresh for weeks by placing them in a vessel of cold water in a very…

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Old Fashioned Strawberry Soup
Making Soups from Fruit

Making Soups from Fruit

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I never tasted a soup made from fruit until a couple of years ago.  I was at a local restaurant in southern Illinois, and they had cantaloupe soup on the menu.   Since I like to try new things, I ordered it and was surprised at how good it was. Many of the recipes below are from Mrs Mary Wilson’s Cookbook published 1920. Even though this blog is based on 1800s cookbook recipes, I thought you might like to try…

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Rhubarb is an early spring fruit.
Ways to Cook Fresh Rhubarb

Ways to Cook Fresh Rhubarb

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Rhubarb has a sharp, tart taste, but only the stalks are edible; the leaves are poisonous. Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable, however in 1947, a New York court in the United States ruled that it counted as a fruit for the purposes of regulations and duties. (Tariffs were higher for vegetables than fruits). RECIPES BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS STEWED RHUBARBWhen rhubarb first comes into season it is small, tender and of a bright red color. When stewed, it makes a…

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Lemons in Basket
Lemon Recipes – Pickle, Puffs, Cream, Custards, and more

Lemon Recipes – Pickle, Puffs, Cream, Custards, and more

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In the 19th century (1800s), lemons were being planted commercially in Florida and California. Lemons have to be picked by hand and can’t be picked when wet. They are picked when the peel is green, but as they’re cured, the peel turns yellow, becomes thinner, and the pulp gets juicier. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS GRATING LEMONS The object of using grated rind of lemon is to obtain the fragrance and flavor, which differ very greatly from any extracts, however…

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Red ripe apples on tree
A Variety of Ways to Cook Apples

A Variety of Ways to Cook Apples

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Apples were introduced to North America by colonists in the 17th century, (the 1600s). The only apples native to North America are crab apples which were once called “common apples.” Apple trees are large if they are grown from seed, but most apple trees are grafted onto rootstocks, which control the size of the resulting tree. Source INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS NOTE: There were no oven thermometers in the 1800s. Cooks learned how to heat their ovens and how…

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Canned Pears in Mason Jars
Home Canning: Fruits, Juices, Mincemeat, Cider

Home Canning: Fruits, Juices, Mincemeat, Cider

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Commercial canning (in tin cans) was fairly common in the U.S. by the mid-1800s. In 1858, John L. Mason invented a glass jar that had a screw thread around the outside rim. This allowed a reusable metal lid to be screwed on, rather than having to use sealing wax. It became much easier for people to preserve their own pickles, relishes, sauces, and fruit. Later, people also began to can vegetables and meats. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO STERILIZE…

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