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.

January 21, 2009

Henry “Harry” Heth was a Confederate Major General in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, commanding a division in General A.P. Hill’s Third Corps.

Heth’s war record was solid but not outstanding, so  he’s not as well known as Lee, Jackson, Pickett and other Confederate icons. Heth’s main claim to fame was that he accidentally started the battle of Gettysburg when he sent some of his men into that sleepy Pennsylvania town to look for shoes.

According to the story that accompanies the recipe, General Heth made this drink in honor of president Grover Cleveland’s election in 1884, then bottled the remainder and served it again when Cleveland (who was the only president ever elected to two non-consecutive terms) returned to the presidency in 1892.

“For 1 gallon, bake well and crisp 8 well flavored apples of medium size. When cool, place in a bowl. Mix 1 qt. of brandy, 1 pt. of arrack, 1 pt. of maraschino; pour the mixture over the apples and add 2 qts. water. Sweeten to taste, grating a little nutmeg. Stir well, but try not to break the apples.”
—Jacquieine Harrison Smith and Sue Mason Maury Halsey, Famous Old Receipts Used A Hundred Years and More in the Kitchens of the North and the South, Contributed by Descendants. Philadelphia: John C. Winston and Co., 1906.

November 17, 2008

“Ground nut” is an early term for peanuts; this soup is a delicacy in some parts of the South, particularly in Virginia.

Modern recipes nearly always call for peanut butter, which makes a much thicker soup than the original recipes (if you use peanut butter, replace the 3 cups peanuts with 2 cups of unsweetened peanut butter).
This recipe is faithful to the originals in use before peanut butter became a staple. It is based on a recipe by Rufus Estes, who wrote one of the first cookbooks published by an African American, Good Things To Eat, As Suggested By Rufus, published about 1911.

Estes was born a slave, and after emancipation became Executive Chef for the Pullman Railroad Car Company in Chicago.

Yield: 6 servings

• 3 cups unsalted peanuts
• 2 quarts water
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 cup heavy cream

Soak peanuts in water for at least eight hours.

After the nuts have soaked, add bay leaves, celery, mace and onion to water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly for four and one half hours, stirring frequently to keep from burning.
Strain soup and rub softened peanuts through sieve or puree in food processor and return to soup mixture.

Return soup to burner and simmer to heat through. Whisk in cream to thicken, adjust seasonings and serve hot with croutons.