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Category: Vegetables

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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head of fresh cauliflower
Cauliflower Recipes from the 1800s

Cauliflower Recipes from the 1800s

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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…

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Corn meal in a bowl
Cooking with Indian Meal (Corn Meal)

Cooking with Indian Meal (Corn Meal)

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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,…

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bowl of turnips
Unusual Salads from the 1800s

Unusual Salads from the 1800s

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People made appetizing salad dishes from foods that were in season. Many of these recipes are quite imaginative and include foods I never thought to combine. INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS BUTTER BEAN SALADLightly mix together one pint butter beans (canned or cooked), one cup chopped celery, one tablespoon finely chopped onion, and one tablespoon finely chopped green pepper. Garnish with grated cheese, and serve with French dressing. DANDELION SALADPick the young tender leaves of the dandelion, wash, and lay…

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Raw celery on cutting board
Cooked Celery Recipes, Vinegar, and Essence

Cooked Celery Recipes, Vinegar, and Essence

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Celery is valuable for its mineral salts and bulk. The chief use of celery is as a relish when it is eaten raw, but it is also valuable for flavoring soups and making salads, pickles, and various other dishes. When celery is in season and can be purchased at a reasonable price, it should be cooked to give variety to the diet.  INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS BAKED CELERY Cut two bunches of celery, the best stalks only, into inch-lengths,…

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