December 24, 2009

A  menu, typical of those found in wealthy Southern homes at the end of the nineteenth century.

CHRISTMAS DINNER.

Decorations Holly.

Celery. Olives. Salted Almonds.

Blue Points. Grand Chateau Yquem.

Green Turtle Soup. Sherry.

Broiled Porapano with Pommes Duchesse.

Roast Turkey. French Peas. Asparagus. Chateau Lafitte.

Terrapin, a la Maryland. Champagne.

Roman Punch.
Red Head Ducks. Fried Hominy. Currant Jelly.

Champagne.

Celery Mayonnaise.

Burning English Plum Pudding, Brandy Sauce.

Ice Cream, a la Noisette.

Fruit. Salted Almonds. Bon Bons.

Cheese. Crackers.

Black Coffee.
Creme de Meuthe, with Crushed Ice.

—Mary Ann Bryan Mason, The Young Housewife’s Counsellor (sic) and Friend: Containing Directions in Every Department of Housekeeping, 1875.

January 22, 2009

“Take five pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, one and one half ounces of stick cinnamon, one and one half ounces of cloves, one ounce of white mustard; boil all together. Pare and quarter eight pounds of apples; put in boiling water; let boil till tender. Then pour the boiling vinegar and spices over the apples.” ––Mrs. Amanda Clay

–The Ladies of the Presbyterian Church, Parish, KY. Housekeeping in the Blue Grass: A New and Practical Cook Book. Cincinnati: Geo. E. Stevens & Co., 1875.

December 13, 2008

Parboil the fish, pick out the meat, and mince or pound it in a mortar until very fine; it will require about fifty crayfish.

Add to the fish one-third the quantity of bread soaked in milk, and a quarter of a pound of butter, also salt to taste, a bunch of thyme, two leaves of sage, a small piece of garlic and a chopped onion.   Mix all well and cook ten minutes, stirring all the time to keep it from growing hard.

Clean the heads of the fish, throw them in strong salt and water for a few minutes and then drain them.   Fill each one with the above stuffing, flour them, and fry a light brown.

Set a clean stewpan over a slow fire, put into it three spoonfuls of lard or butter, a slice of ham or bacon, two onions chopped fine; dredge over it enough flour to absorb the grease, then add a pint and a-half of boiling water, or better still, plain beef stock.

Season this with a bunch of thyme, a bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.

Let it cook slowly for half an hour, then put the heads of the crayfish in and let them boil fifteen minutes. Serve rice with it.
—Lafcadio Hearn, La Cuisine Creole, 1885