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wooden barrel to make vinegar
How to Make Your Own Vinegar

How to Make Your Own Vinegar

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Vinegar was an important household item in the 1800s, especially for preserving food. Many people made their own vinegar; often a year’s supply. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS TO BUY VINEGAR Much of the vinegar that is offered for sale is excessively and disagreeably sharp; overpowering the taste of every thing with which it is combined. This vinegar is deleterious in its effects and should never be used; it is made entirely of drugs. Oysters and pickled vegetables have been…

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Forcemeat Balls to Accompany Meat
What is Forcemeat?

What is Forcemeat?

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Forcemeat is made by mixing finely chopped lean meat with fat and adding other flavorings. Forcemeat can be used as a stuffing, made into balls or patties, or formed into flat square or oval pieces. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS: FORCEMEAT This article makes a considerable part of good cooking by the flavor it imparts to whatsoever dish it may be added. Exact rules for the quantity cannot easily be given, but the following observations may be useful. The selection…

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mixed vegetable soup
A Good Cook Never Wastes

A Good Cook Never Wastes

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“A GOOD COOK NEVER WASTES” “It is her pride to make the most of everything in the shape of food entrusted to her care, and her pleasure to serve it in the most appetizing form. In no other way can she prove her excellence, for poor cooks are always wasteful and extravagant. The day has passed for regarding cooking as a menial and vulgar labor; and those who give some thought to their daily food usually gain in vigor and…

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Roast goose with apples
Roast Goose and Christmas Goose Pie

Roast Goose and Christmas Goose Pie

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“A goose must never be eaten the same day it is killed. If the weather is cold, it should be kept a week before using. A goose, from its profusion of feathers, looks like a large bird when walking about, but when plucked and prepared for the spit, it will be found very deceptive. It is much more hollow than a turkey and except for the breast, there is but little eating on it. In large families, it is usual…

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vintage jell-o box
Gelatin Dessert Recipes

Gelatin Dessert Recipes

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In 1894, Charles Knox saw how much work his wife had to do to make gelatin, and decided to find an easier way. The gelatin he created was made into dried sheets and Knox hired salesmen to show women how to use them. In 1896, his wife, Rose, published Dainty Desserts, a recipe book using Knox gelatin. Then in 1897, Pearle Bixby Wait trademarked a gelatin dessert, called Jell-O. He and his wife added fruit flavoring to granulated gelatin and…

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pumpkins in grass
Pumpkin Loaf, Indian Cakes, Marmalade, Pie, and Tart

Pumpkin Loaf, Indian Cakes, Marmalade, Pie, and Tart

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Pumpkins were a popular crop in the 1800s. They were easy to grow and if stored properly in a warm, dry place, could be kept all winter. Recipes from old cookbooks used fresh pumpkins, but if one called for stewed pumpkin, it’s like the plain canned pumpkin we buy today. Recipes often did not include baking times or how hot to make your oven.  You were supposed to know or learn through experience.  INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS Deep colored…

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sweet fritters
Recipes for Sweet Fritters

Recipes for Sweet Fritters

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Even though these recipes are from cookbooks published in the 1800s, they can easily be followed today. If you don’t have access to lard or don’t care to use it, there are many other cooking oils you can use. Fritters can be pan fried or deep fried, and you’ll want to use an oil with a high smoking point (refer to article from “Serious Eats)”. Also, don’t put too many fritters in the oil at once; it’ll lower the temperature…

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pieces of stale bread
Never Waste Stale Bread

Never Waste Stale Bread

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“Never waste stale bread, as it may be used to advantage in many ways. The economical housewife carefully inspects the contents of her bread box every morning before planning her meals for the day.” INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS SAVORY FRIED BREAD Cut slices of stale home-made bread about half an inch thick. Soak the slices in a rich, well seasoned vegetable stock until nearly saturated with it, but don’t allow them to become too soft. Then dip them in…

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