Blog - Vintage Recipes and Cookery

The Creation of Margarine and Other Butter Substitutes

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Margarine was created in the late 1800s as a cheaper substitute for butter, which is made from the butterfat of milk. Originally, margarine was made from beef fat, and then from lard and various seed oils. Margarine wasn’t accepted right away, and there was often deception in its manufacture. Today, of course, the food industry is much more regulated. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS BUTTER SUBSTITUTESIn about the year 1870, through a desire to procure a cheaper article than…

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Vegetable Sandwich Recipes

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In the 1800s, sandwiches were not a common item for meals. Bread was usually homemade and all bread, even from bakeries, had to be sliced. Pre-sliced bread wasn’t available until 1928. The bread was almost always buttered prior to adding the fillings in order to keep the ingredients from soaking into the bread and making it soggy. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS Certain vegetables may be used with bread and butter to make very appetizing sandwiches. The vegetables most…

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How to Properly Cook Fish

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When I buy fish, I often pan-fry it in butter, rather than deep fry it. Sometimes I’ll bake fish, but I’ve never boiled it. I like fish a lot and need to cook it more often and in different ways. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS DRESSING FISH In dressing fish of any kind for the table, great care is necessary in cleaning it. It is a common error to wash it too much, and by this means the flavor…

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The Best Tea and Coffee at the Grocer’s

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It wasn’t until the late 1800s that there were true grocery stores with more than just the basic staples. Then there were many more teas and coffees to choose from. But the buyer had to learn how to tell quality goods from inferior, as well as identify if a product had been adulterated. There were no government food inspectors in those days. THE INFORMATION BELOW CAME FROM A BOOK CALLED: GROCER’S GOODS: A Family Guide to the Purchase of Flour,…

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How to Make Tasty Vegetable Purées

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A purée is a cooked food, usually made from fruits or vegetables. The cooked food is pushed through a sieve, or put in a blender or food processor to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency. Of course, in the 1800s, only sieves were used since blenders and food processors run on electricity. Purées can be similar to cream soups, which are made with a base of cream or milk. Cream soups usually are made with vegetables, too, which are cooked until tender, then…

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Ways to Use Nutritious Bone Marrow

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When we buy beef at the grocery store, the bone is often removed and the fat trimmed away. But in the past, people used all parts of the animal, both because they didn’t want to waste anything, but also for the nutrient value. Marrow bones are either the femur, shank or tibia bone of a steer that is cut for eating. The femur is the largest bone in the animal and has the best marrow to bone ratio. TruBeef Organic….

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Cooking Hints and Advice from the 1800s

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Most cookbooks published in the 1800s also contained cooking and household advice along with their recipes. Remember that these were the days before electricity and refrigeration in homes. Some of the advice may not be recommended today according to modern food safety standards, but I find them interesting to read. COOKING ADVICE BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS To keep pie bottoms dry after baking a squash or pumpkin pie, never put it on a flat surface. Set it on a…

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Dried Mushrooms, Mushroom Powder, and Mushroom Liquor

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I love mushrooms, but only buy them fresh. Of course, I have to use them fairly soon so they don’t get slimy. Having some dried mushrooms on hand would be handy for making soup. And the taste of mushrooms in powder or liquid form would enhance many other dishes. TO DRY MUSHROOMS Wipe mushrooms clean, take away the brown part, and peel off the skin. Lay them on sheets of paper to dry in a cool oven, when they will…

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