You may have recently heard of eating “nose to tail,” meaning to eat the whole animal, not just cuts of muscle meat like we usually see at grocery stores. These parts of the animal are usually called “offal,” which includes the intestines, liver, heart, lung, kidneys, brain, etc. In the 1800s, there were many recipes for cooking brain, usually beef brain. But brain from other animals can be used. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO PREPARE BRAINPut the brain in…
In the 1800s, rice was grown in the states of South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana. Of course quick-cooking “minute” rice or packaged rice mixes weren’t available yet. Recipes below include Rice with Cheese, Rice with Cabbage and Cheese, Rice-Water, Rice Croquettes, Rice Soufflé, and Rice Milannaise. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO BOIL RICE Wash half a pound of rice in water and drain it. Put it in a saucepan with one quart of broth taken from the top of the…
A canape is half of a sandwich. Slices of bread are cut into fancy shapes, toasted or quickly fried in hot oil, or they may be spread with butter and browned in a quick oven. One slice only is used for each canape. The mixture is spread on top, the top garnished, and the canape used at once. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS Cold canapes are placed always among the appetizers and served before the soup. They are made of…
Gravy is traditionally a sauce made from meat drippings and combined with some type of thickening agent. It was especially used in French cooking and became popular in the U.S. in the 1800s. Gravies other than those made from meat include cream or white gravy, mushroom gravy, onion gravy, giblet gravy, vegetable gravy, and more. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS MAKING GRAVIESNever toss “that carcass” of fowl, or the ham, or mutton-bone, “with next to nothing upon it,” to the…
Before commercialized fats were produced, people used beef suet, pork lard, dripping from cooked meats, and butter to fry food. FROM AN 1800s COOKBOOK: “Frying, though one of the most common of culinary operations, is one that is least performed perfectly well.” GENERAL RULES FOR FRYING Since fat, when heated, reaches such a high temperature, the kettle in which it is heated should be made of iron. The Dutch Oven is a very convenient utensil for small things. A Frying-Pan…
In the 1800s, you had to be careful of your cook ware or it might crack or warp. And if you used copper ware, it might even poison you! INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS NEW OVENS New ovens, before they are baked, should be heated half a day. The lid should be put up as soon as the wood is taken out. It should not be used for baking until it has been heated the second time. If not treated…
Mushrooms were a food people could forage for as long as they knew which ones were safe to eat. The flavor helped give variety to their meals. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS PICKLED MUSHROOMSTake the small round mushrooms that are pale pink underneath, with white tops, and peel them. Put them in a jar with a little mace, white mustard seed, and salt. Cover them with cold vinegar and tie them close. If you put in black pepper or cloves,…
Herb, spice, and flower essences sold in stores are usually made by distilling. But the instructions below from 1800s cookbooks say to use alcohol to dissolve the plant oils and resins. Although not mentioned in these old cookbooks, you can also make essences with food grade liquid glycerine, although the process takes longer than using alcohol. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS ON ESSENCES The essences or essential oils sold for general use are, or ought to be, obtained by distillation….