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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
People who lived during the 1800s ate fresh fruit in season, but they needed ways to preserve fruit for other times. Apricots, nectarines and large plums were also preserved in the same ways as peaches. There are two types of peaches; freestone and clingstone and several varieties within each type. Freestone peaches are easy to eat out of hand, since the pit (stone) easily pulls away from the fruit once you bite or cut into the peach. The flesh of…
Sauces may be a little more trouble to add to a cooked meal, but they can certainly enliven a plain dish. Although we can buy ready-made or powdered packets of sauces at the grocery store, they can easily be made at home once you get the hang of it. It will not only be cheaper, but you can flavor it any way you want. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS RECIPES FOR WHITE SAUCEThree white sauces are commonly used for…