Mustard was a useful plant in the 1800s; the leaves, seeds and flowers are all edible. Although some grocers sold condiments, especially in the latter part of the century, it was easier and cheaper to make your own. Today mustard seeds are sold whole, ground, or bruised, and most are white, brown or black. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS MUSTARDAs all these made mustards contain spices or herbs which lose much of their aroma by exposure to the air, they…
In the 1800s, people could only eat food in season unless they preserved it. Around 1860, home canning become popular because a tin smith, John L. Mason invented a glass jar with a threaded lip and a reusable metal lid: the Mason Jar. This new canning jar allowed people to safely can fruit, pickles, relishes, and sauces like ketchup. However, canning low-acid vegetables and meat was still too dangerous. SOURCE INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS PICKLING TOMATOES Scald* and peel a…
Curry powder recipes and dishes were popular in 1800s cookbooks. Prepared curry powder could be purchased, but making it yourself was considered superior. However, ingredients were often hard to find at the grocer’s or too expensive. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS CURRIES UNDER VARIOUS NAMES Curries can be made from anything. The ingredients indispensable to all curries is a very pungent powder called turmeric, which has a peculiar flavor of its own. In India there is always something acid in…
Horseradish is in the same plant family as broccoli, mustard, wasabi, and cabbage. The horseradish root has hardly any aroma when it’s pulled from the ground, but when it’s cut or grated, it produces an oil which affects the sinuses and eyes. Horseradish was brought to North America during the European colonization. George Washington mentions it in his garden accounts. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS THE HORSERADISH This has been, for many years, a favorite accompaniment of roast beef, and…
Many recipes from old cookbooks called for mushroom ketchup – especially meat recipes. I had never heard of mushroom ketchup before and haven’t found it in any health food or specialty food stores. I did discover that the Geo Watkins Company makes Mushroom Ketchup and you can order it online. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO MAKE MUSHROOM KETCHUP Look out for mushrooms from the beginning of September. Choose full-grown mushroom-flaps and take care they are perfectly fresh-gathered when the weather…
Black walnuts should be gathered while very young and tender, so that you may pierce them through with a needle. Make walnut catsup, sauce, or pickle from the beginning to the middle of July, when walnuts are in perfection for these purposes. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS BLACK WALNUT CATSUP Gather them green, prick them with a large needle, and let them lie three days in an earthen pan, sprinkled with a handful of salt, and very little water. Mash…