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Category: Miscellaneous

a plate of fried potatoes
Hearty Family Breakfasts for Autumn

Hearty Family Breakfasts for Autumn

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People in the 1800s usually ate a hearty breakfast because they worked hard physically. They didn’t waste any food, either. Food left over from the night before was often used for breakfast. Note that none of these recipes use eggs as the main dish. Chickens lay less eggs in autumn and winter, so eggs were scarcer during those times. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS AUTUMN BREAKFASTS DURING the early part of the autumn, and indeed until late in the…

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vegetarian sandwiches
Vegetable Sandwich Recipes

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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pumpkin puree with rosemary and paprika
How to Make Tasty Vegetable Purées

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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old cookbook and wooden spoon
Cooking Hints and Advice from the 1800s

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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Onions, garlic and herbs
Flavorings to Enhance Foods

Flavorings to Enhance Foods

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I have a variety of spices in my kitchen but seldom use more than salt and pepper .And when I do decide to use spices, onion, garlic or other flavorings, I tend to add too much, overpowering the dish rather than enhancing it. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS When our sense of taste is not benumbed or destroyed by harmful accompaniments, we are in a condition to keenly enjoy the thousands of fine, delicate flavors that can accompany wholesome…

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heating wood to get ready to bake
To Bake Bread in a Brick Oven

To Bake Bread in a Brick Oven

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Cookbooks in the 1800s were vague on how to heat a brick oven (and even a wood burning stove). People had to know what type of wood and what size pieces to use to make the heat needed for cooking various foods. There were no cooking thermometers in those days, so people had to learn from experience, or if they were lucky, learn from their their mother or grandmother. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO BAKE IN A BRICK OVENIf…

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Variety of herbs to use for illnesses
Medicinal, Herbaceous, and Other Drinks for Invalids, etc. 

Medicinal, Herbaceous, and Other Drinks for Invalids, etc. 

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Cookbooks published in the 1800s often contained household hints and medical advice. Of course, this advice is from over 200 years ago! I discovered a comprehensive online document called “Glossary of Medical Terms Used in the 18th and 19th Centuries“ to help me identify some of the diseases mentioned below. In the 1960s, our mother used to dose us with Father John’s Cough Syrup when we were young. It was made of cod liver oil. I remember it being thick…

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Farina Recipes for Breakfast or Dessert

Farina Recipes for Breakfast or Dessert

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Farina is made from the germ and endosperm of hard wheat. It’s finely ground and sifted to become similar in texture to flour. Usually cooked as a hot cereal, it has a bland taste, although other ingredients are often added for flavor. Farina can also be used to make flummeries, puddings, and other dishes. Three popular brands of farina in the U.S. are Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal, and Farina Mills. Click to read an interesting article on “What is Farina?” INFORMATION…

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