Sweet corn (also called green corn) is harvested when the kernels are soft and sweet, making it ideal for eating. If you grab an ear of field corn and try to take a bite, you’ll probably break your teeth. It’s hard and dry (and only tastes good to cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys and some wild animals). INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS The seeds of the maize plant, or Indian corn, especially the variety known as sweet corn, are eaten as…
The navy bean, haricot, pearl haricot bean, boston bean, white pea bean, or pea bean, is a variety of the common bean native to the Americas, where it was domesticated. It is a small, dry white bean which is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape. Wikipedia Cooking dried beans in the 1800s wasn’t much different from cooking them today except with no electricity, housewives had to keep a fire going the…
The seeds of the maize plant, or Indian corn, are eaten as a vegetable when they are immature. They grow on a woody cob, and when they are green, they are soft and milky. But when they become ripe, they are hard and are then ground as grain.
When the contents of the kernels is still in the liquid form, the corn is at the milk stage, and generally considered to be too young for table use.
On the other hand, when the liquid in the kernels has become thickened, the corn, which is then at the dough stage, too old for use as a vegetable.
To be ideal for culinary purposes, it should be just between the milk and dough stages.
On the other hand, when the liquid in the kernels has become thickened, the corn, which is then at the dough stage, is thought to be too old for use as a vegetable.
To be ideal for culinary purposes, it should be just between the milk and dough stages. Then, if it is in good condition, a most satisfactory vegetable is the result.
The selection of carrots is a simple matter because they keep well and are not likely to be found in a spoiled condition in the market. When small, summer carrots are purchased, they should be fresh and have their tops on. Winter carrots should be as nearly uniform in size as possible and should not be extremely large. Those which are too large in circumference are likely to have a hollow in the center. Carrots of any kind should be without…
Cream soups are a great way to use fresh vegetables and incorporate milk and cream into a meal. no matter what the season. Even though these recipes are from 1800s cookbooks, you should be able to recreate them today. The cream of lettuce and cream of lima bean soups sound interesting to me. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS: CREAM OF LETTUCETake two heads of nice, fresh lettuce, wash and drain and chop fine with half a small white onion. Put…
Turnips were brought to American colonies by early European settlers and grow best in cool climates. Spring varieties don’t keep very long, but winter varieties can be stored in a cool place for a couple of months. So early Americans were able to enjoy turnips and other root vegetables during the cold winter months. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS Turnips have a strong flavor, which is disliked by many persons and disagrees with some. However, much of this can be dissipated…
Parsnips have a peculiar, sweetish flavor that is objectionable to some persons. Those who are fond of this flavor find that parsnips afford an excellent opportunity to give variety to the diet. Parsnips can be used during the summer when they are immature, but are usually allowed to mature so that they may be stored and used as a winter vegetable. The parsnip is much sweeter and richer in flavor when left in the ground until spring. INFORMATION BELOW FROM…
When I was young, my family lived near St. Louis, Missouri. Each summer, we took a vacation to southern Illinois, where most of our relatives lived. My Aunt Helen had a good-sized vegetable garden and canned most of the vegetables. She always cooked a big lunch for us when we visited and I loved her green beans cooked with onions and bacon grease! INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS: VARIETIES OF STRING BEANS There are two general types of string beans:…