In the 1800s, there were two varieties of eggplant – white and purple. I’ve never seen a white eggplant, which is round rather than oblong. I’ve always wondered where the purple eggplant we see in stores got its name. Eggplant was definitely a seasonal vegetable since it was so tender, it couldn’t be stored. I’ve never come across any information that it was pickled or dried. One recipe, though, said that eggplant is sometimes eaten at dinner, but generally at…
Although you could dry or can vegetables for winter, it was nice to have some fresh ones, too. Vegetables both had to be protected from freezing winter conditions, but also stored so they wouldn’t spoil before spring. People usually had a cellar underneath their house or a root cellar outdoors for food storage. INFORMATION BELOW COMPILED FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS SQUASHES should never be kept down cellar when it is possible to prevent it. Dampness injures them. If intense cold makes…
In the 1800s, vegetables were mostly picked from gardens, bought fresh from the market, or stored in cellars for future use. People couldn’t afford to waste food, so advice on preparing and cooking vegetables was certainly appreciated. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS GREEN VEGETABLES – Wash green vegetables first in warm water to remove insects. Then rinse in cold water. Or put a pinch of borax in the water. It will bring any live insect to the surface at once….
Pumpkin is a common term for mature winter squash, of which there are many varieties and sizes. They are a hot weather crop and need a long growing season. Commercially canned pumpkin puree is usually made from different varieties than those used for jack-o’-lanterns. Pumpkins grown for food in the 1800s were the smaller sized ones. Did you know a pumpkin is not actually a vegetable, but a fruit? Anything that starts from a flower is botanically a fruit and…
If you’ve never eaten sauerkraut before, you may not like the taste or texture. But as with any new food, you can get used to it, especially if you use it in recipes rather than eating it plain. I especially like raw sauerkraut over the canned variety. It’s easy to make yourself and you can make a small batch or enough to preserve. All you need is cabbage and salt (kosher or pickling). That’s it! INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS:…
Hominy is made from dried corn (maize), soaking the corn kernels in a weak solution of lye. Then it can be cooked or dried for later use. Ground hominy is known as masa or grits, and it can also be ground more finely to make flour. Today’s canned hominy is already cooked and ready to eat. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS MAKING HOMINY Use field corn to make hominy; yellow dent, flint corn, and Indian corn are all good varieties….
Cauliflower wasn’t very popular during most of the 19th century because it was expensive to buy. In the latter part of the century, though, when hot houses became common, cauliflower became more affordable. The recipes and advice below are from cookbooks published in the 1800s. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS CAULIFLOWER Cauliflower is similar to cabbage, but its flavor is a little more delicate. The cauliflower possesses a most agreeable flavor and is sufficiently delicate to be served at the…
In cookbooks from the 1800s, corn meal was called Indian corn (maize). Corn was native to America (U.S.), and was used for many recipes. In Great Britain, however, Indian corn was considered only fit for feeding animals. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS CORN CAKETake a pint of sour milk or buttermilk, break an egg into it, stir in a spoon or two of flour, and add Indian meal enough to make a thick batter. Put in a teaspoon of salt,…