INFORMATION BELOW FROM 1800s COOKBOOKS

“Drinks for young children are best made of milk and water, whey, barley water, pearl barley water, apple water, and toast and water. All stimulating and fermenting liquors are not only unnecessary, but positively injurious. By increasing, to an improper extent, the circulation of the blood, they induce fever, indigestion, inflammation, or convulsions.”

PREPARING DRINKS
As all these preparations become flat and good for little by long standing, it is better to make only such quantities of them at a time as will soon be used. Repeated warming injures the nutritious quality of every thing.

When it can be avoided, it is better not to set things on the fire to warm them up, but to place them before or on the side of the fire. Care however must be taken not to let them dry and scorch, as it makes them very strong and unwholesome. Some earthenware vessel should be used for this purpose, as less liable to produce an injurious effect. A very good method of warming things is by setting them in a basin over boiling water, or by placing them in it.

TOAST AND WATER
Toast and water is made of a slice of white bread toasted quite dry, and of a dark brown color. It is then put into a jug, and spring water poured upon it. After an hour it is fit for use.

MILK AND WATER
Put one third of new milk to two thirds of spring water. This is best drunk cold; but if it must be warmed, it should be by putting warm water to cold milk. It ought not to be made more than milk warm. 

WHEY
Take a quart of new milk before it is cold, and put in as much rennet* as will turn it to a clear whey. Let it stand till it is properly turned, and pour it off through a cheesecloth without pressing the curd, that the whey may be the purer. It may be drunk cold, or just warmed by setting it before the fire for a little while. If new milk cannot be had, other milk must be warmed to the degree of new milk.

*rennet – the rennin-containing substance from the stomach of the calf, used to curdle milk, as in making cheese, junket, etc.

BARLEY WATER
Barley water is made of a handful of common barley well washed, and simmered in three pints of water till of a proper thickness for use. But the longer the barley boils, the thinner the liquor will become. 

PEARL BARLEY WATER
Pearl barley* water is made of an ounce of pearl barley, heated in half a pint of water over the fire in order to clean it. The water is then poured off, and a quart of fresh water added to the pearl barley. Simmer it half an hour and if it appears too thick, add more water, but let it be kept warm, as any quantity of cold water would damp it too suddenly, and thus tend to spoil it. Both this and barley water may be used cold, or milk warm.

*pearl barley – whole grain barley that has had the fibrous outer hull removed.

RICE MILK
To four large spoonfuls of whole rice, washed very clean in cold water, add a quart of new milk, and stew them together very gently for three hours. Let it stand in a basin to cool before it is used. Another way of making rice milk is boiling the rice first in water, then pouring off the water, and boiling the rice with milk. A better way perhaps is, after washing the rice well, setting it over the fire for half an hour with a little water to break it. Add a little at a time some warm milk, till it is sufficiently done, and of a proper thickness. Let it simmer slowly, and season it with salt and sugar; but for children the sugar had better be omitted.

GROUND RICE MILK
Mix a large spoon of ground rice into a batter, with two or three spoons of new milk. Set a pint of new milk on the fire, and when it is scalding hot, stir in the batter, and keep it on the fire till it thickens, but it must not boil. It should be carefully stirred to prevent its burning, and cooled by standing by in a basin.

MILLET MILK
Wash three spoonfuls of millet seed in cold water and put it into a quart of new milk. Simmer it gently till it becomes moderately thick, and cool it in a basin till wanted for use. All those preparations which require some time in doing, also require the precaution of being carefully stirred, to prevent their burning.

APPLE WATER
Slice into a jug two or three sound ripe apples and pour on them a quart of scalding hot water. Let it stand to cool, and it will be fit for use. The apples should not be pared,* as it takes off their spirit.

*pare – to remove the outer covering or skin of a fruit or vegetable with a knife.

There are drinks easily prepared for children, which they love much better than tea and coffee, for no child at first loves these drinks till trained to it. As their older friends are served with green and black tea, there is a white tea to offer them, which they will always prefer, if properly trained, and it is always healthful.

WHITE TEA
Put two teaspoons of sugar into half a cup of good milk, and fill it with boiling water.

BOY’S COFFEE
Crumb bread or dry toast into a bowl. Put on plenty of sugar or molasses. Molasses for sweetening is preferred by most children. Put in one half milk and one half boiling water. To be eaten with a spoon, or drank if preferred. 

Image from Deposit Photos

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What drinks do you allow your children to have? Please leave a comment below.

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