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Category: Vegetables

Fresh Jerusalem artichokes on wooden background
Jerusalem Artichokes Were a Popular Vegetable

Jerusalem Artichokes Were a Popular Vegetable

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Have you ever tasted a Jerusalem artichoke? It is a root vegetable and sometimes called sunroot, sunchoke, or earth apple. It’s related to the sunflower and native to central North America. The name ‘Jerusalem’ is derived from the Italian word for sunflower, ‘girasole’. Jerusalem artichokes have very thin skins and bruise easily. This is why you won’t find them in grocery stores. I often go to Farmers Markets and have never seen any there, either. Maybe I haven’t have been in…

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Seasonal Vegetables in the 1800s

Seasonal Vegetables in the 1800s

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For most of the 1800s, people in the United States lived in rural areas. But by 1890, 28% of the population was living in urban areas. Since people who lived in towns and cities weren’t able to grow many vegetables, they had to plan their meals based on what was in season. It wasn’t until 1850 that commercially canned vegetables became available. Peas were the first vegetable canned, with beets, corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers (for pickles) available later. INFORMATION BELOW…

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sliced eggplant (aubergine)
How to Cook Eggplant (Aubergine)

How to Cook Eggplant (Aubergine)

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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…

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Harvest of garden vegetables
To Keep Vegetables for Winter

To Keep Vegetables for Winter

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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…

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A variety of raw vegetables
Best Ways to Prepare Vegetables for Cooking

Best Ways to Prepare Vegetables for Cooking

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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….

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Bowl of pumpkin soup on a wooden cutting board.
Pumpkin Mush, Pudding, Chips, Parmesan, Soup

Pumpkin Mush, Pudding, Chips, Parmesan, Soup

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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…

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canning sauerkraut
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut

How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut

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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:…

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A Bowl of Hominy
How to Make and Cook Hominy

How to Make and Cook Hominy

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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….

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