New Years Goodies!

Looking for the perfect thing to celebrate New Years with? Look no further than our knowledgeable ancestors for traditional fare for the inspiring holiday!

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, 1850

Domestic Cookery, 1869

2014: A Year in Review

I used to do these on my other blog- but I thought my readers here would like to see how much this past year had in store!

January

It snowed a lot here in NC! It seemed to keep coming- but made for some beautiful pictures! 

February

I had this image struck for DH as a valentines gift! 

March

Small, local events! This one was at a restored plantation home. 

April

April brought 150th Bermuda Hundred, we portrayed the US Christian Commission with some great friends!

May 

Not much happened in May- but I did get my new favorite cup! 

June 

DH & I celebrated 3 years of marriage! We spent a few days at the beach for the first time in years! 

July 

We had some pretty nice pictures taken in the summer!

August

We announced that we were expecting our first little bundle in March! 

September

We moved out of our apartment into a house in a small town- here is a rather dark picture of our living room. The curtains were the one thing that DH & I agreed on and based the room on! 

October

One of my favorite events happens every year! The civilian program at Bentonville!This year- I made stew for 100 people! 

November

I voted! 

December 

We will ring in the holiday season one last time with only 2 stockings on the mantle! 

So, there are only a few highlights from my 2014! I look forward to what 2015 has in store! It's already shaping up to be a busy- event filled year! 

A Range of Skill

I had the great pleasure of cooking at the 1897 Poe House this past Sunday. The E. A. Poe House (brick maker, not author) is part of the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex.

I had a wonderful time cooking on this 1902 stove. The stove had been restored when the museum got it and it worked like a dream! It took a while to get the oven hot enough- but was easy enough to keep hot! There was almost a constant supply of wood going in the firebox to keep the range hot enough for baking.

Keeping the fire box hot!

The cooking demonstration was part of the annual Holiday Jubilee that celebrates a Victorian Christmas with period decorations, carols, hot cider, and more! I was able to dig up a great Gingerbread cookie recipe from the 1912 Mary Frances Cookbook!

While the original recipe calls for lard, I had none on hand- and just doubled the butter! To 4 tablespoons of butter I added the warm molasses that warmed on the stove almost all day giving the kitchen a great smell! Then the baking powder and flour/spice mixture. I cannot tell you how much flour I used for the entire batch- since I was adding as I was talking to visitors- but it was somewhere around a cup to 1 1/2 cups in addition to the 1/2 cup added with the spices.

Dough being mixed up!

 The dough is very soft- and rolls out very easily on a well floured surface- be careful it will stick if you do not have enough flour down on your rolling surface! I was using a large cookie cutter (think big biscuit size) so I was able to get about 6 cookies out with each batch. I have no photos of the rolling/cutting out since I was trying to take them while there were no visitors in the kitchen. I did however snag this one of me from the museums page!

I should make better faces for photos!

The cookies went into a 300-350* degree oven for around 10-ish minutes- I checked them before removing them since you lost heat from the oven every time the door opened.  Out would pop 6 fresh cookies! They were cut and served up for the visitors to sample! There were many positive comments on how they turned out!

Fresh cookies!

Did I mention that I had a great kitchen helper come with me? My dear sweet husband ended up staying all day and helped out in the kitchen!  I had planned on make a Christmas pudding from and 1897 recipe I had found. But, after discovering I had left part of the ingredients at home (over an hour away) we improvised (SSSSHHHH...)

DH working on the pudding!

We started with a butter/sugar base and added 2 eggs. From there about 1 tablespoon of molasses- then about 2 cups of sifted flour with some cinnamon and nutmeg. There was some milk added and raisins- I have to admit I just started the mix- and DH finished it- so there were no exact measures and we mixed until it "looked right". There was about 1/2 cup of apple cider added as well (think about my cider cake).  We ended up with a thick cake batter and into the oven it went. DH also set out to make a sauce to over the pudding- it was mostly milk & powdered sugar with a little butter and molasses added.  What ended up was something amazing!

The Christmas Pudding

Sadly, DH and I both know that we will never be able to replicate what came out of the oven and on to the plate- but it was a glorious pudding! It was similar to a cake- but that sauce on top is what made it divine! There was nothing left of it by the end of the demo- everyone was amazed and how nice it was!  

The day ended with the stove cooling off and the dishes being washed- but all in all it was a great day for baking!

To Feed Hungry Mouths: Civil War Refugees

"It is not unusual for us to have nothing but sweet potatoes and corn bread for days at a time." This sentiment expressed by refugee Frances Fearn of Louisiana could be echoed across the South during the war years.  

Hundreds, if not thousands, of citizens in the South were displaced from their homes when armies tore through the land that they had once called home. As a result, many were left with little to live off of, and even less to eat. The blockade, inflation, and shortages all played their part in the Southern diet during the war. While some areas seemed "untouched" by war the women and children at home felt the effects if they had to purchase goods such as flour, sugar, and coffee. 

Refugees often left their homes not knowing when they would return, or if they would return. Many families packed their belongings and moved on not knowing what was ahead of them.

Refugee family with belongings in a cart

Refugees often depended on the locals for food supplies. Relying on what was in season around them and what was available from the local for purchase. 

 "Yesterday I drove for twenty miles with Jack in the wagon drawn by four horses, carrying with me several hundred dollars with which to buy provisions. Imagine my despair and disappointment when I returned at night with one pint bottle of milk, a dozen eggs, a small sack of corn meal, and one chicken to feed twenty hungry mouths! What really saves us from starvation is a beautiful clear stream that runs through this forest. In it are the most delicious freshwater trout, at least they seem so to us." (Frances H Fearn, "Diary of a Refugee", 1910) 

Later Fearn notes that their food supplies were "limited to smoked beef and corn bread and tea..."

Frances H Fearn

Katherine Polk Gale (daughter of Gen. Leonidas Polk) sought refuge in Asheville, NC during the war and notes the generosity of their new neighbors. After her father had sent "twenty excellent negro men & their families" from the plantation in Mississippi, the family hired them to neighboring farms with their wages to be paid in "Bacon, wheat, flour, potatoes, etc." Gale explains that this is how the family was able acquire their food supplies. 

Sara Rice Pryor published her memoirs after the war noting "With all our starvation we never ate rats, mice or mule meat. We managed to exist on peas, bread, and sorghum. We could buy a little milk, and we mixed it with a drink made from roasted and ground corn." 

Mary Boykin Chesnut

Even famed Mary Boykin Chesnut was driven from her South Carolina estate and felt the pain of shortages and want for food. She notes one night she dined only on cold asparagus and blackberries. While in her refugee state  in February 1865 she notes, "I am bodily comfortable, if somewhat dingily lodged, and I daily part with my raiment for food. We find no one who will exchange eatable for Confederate money; so we devour our clothing."
She also observed in Columbia "Men, women, and children have been left homeless, houseless, and without one particle of food- reduced to picking up corn that was left by Sherman's horses or picket grounds and parching it to stay their hunger."


While many of these instances are based on women that came from "affluent" families at the beginning of the war, it shows that women of all classes were affected by the war. It is always a good idea to research the local area where you will be portraying a refugee. 



Sources: 

Chesnut, Mary Boykin. A Diary from Dixie,1905. New York. 

Fearn, Frances Hewitt. Diary of a Refugee, 1910. New York. 

Gale, Katherine Polk. Recollections of Katherine Polk Gale, undated. Gale and Polk Family Papers, UNC Chapel Hill. 

Massey, Mary Elizabeth. Refugee Life in the Confederacy, 1964. Louisiana. 

Pryor, Sara Rice. My Day Reminiscences of a Long Life, 1909. New York. 

A fall day- and a lot of soup!

The 10 gallon soup pot

Is there a better way to spend a crisp fall day than with friends? Yes, with friends in funny clothes! This past Saturday I had the great pleasure of hosting some of the best people I know at my site (Bentonville Battlefield) for our annual Fall Festival & Living History. This year there was an added night tour component as well, which meant I was set to cooking for the 100ish people that were coming for that.
So what goes into a pot that big? A lot of soup! I used a combination of beef stew recipes from Elisa Leslies Cooking in its Various Branches. It has become a go-to for me, and when feeding a big crowd- stay with what people like.  So into the pot went 25 pounds of beef, 20 pounds of potatoes, 10 pounds of carrots, 5 pounds of onions, and bit of celery. Whew! That was a lot of cutting!

Veggies ready to be cut up

However, I was lucky to have plenty of help during the day! I am so grateful for their help!

Helping cut the never-ending veggies

The day was not all full of cutting and stewing. We did have a great picnic lunch. What a spread it was too! There was ham, bread, pickles, cake, sausages, cheese, corn fritters, biscuits, slaw, nuts, pickled cauliflower, and lemonade- I am sure that I have forgotten part of what was included- but it made for a great midday meal with friends.

Part of the picnic spread

Morning prep for the big pot of soup!

Some of the guys resting

 It was such a great day to spend with such great friends! These small events are where I really get a chance to see how much the public enjoys period demonstrations.

After hours of cooking a pig pot o' soup it was time to serve everyone! While I am still not sure how many people were served, I do know that there was almost nothing left when were done.

Serving Begins

Out of 10 loaves of bread and 10 loaves of pound cake there was only one left! It was a long day, but worth it!

Of coarse, we also have fun with the hospital props! 

Pound Cake

Pound cake. Pound Cake. Pound cake. A staple for family reunions, holidays, and church dinners.  I think everyone's family has a recipe handed down from grandma that is a go-to. Our family variety includes raisins and nuts and dumping your flour into your sugar box to measure it - yes that's how my great-grandmother wrote it- and that's how we make it.
This round of pound cake is a little more traditional than my great-grandma made it (shhh... don't tell my family) and it is as easy as it sounds. Let's look at some receipts.

American Cookery, Amelia Simmons, 1789

The Virginia Housewife, Mary Randolph, 1838

Practical Cook Book, Mrs. Bliss, 1850

So while I did not use an exact recipe- I guess you can say I followed Amelia Simmons the closest. One Pound Flour, One Pound Sugar, One Pound Butter, One Pound eggs, and some Vanilla. 

Start by getting your eggs and butter at room temperature- most bakers will tell you this- it allows your ingredients to incorporate better. Also, if you can find good butter, buy good butter! The best butter you can get! I prefer Kerrygold, Irish butter- yes it is a bit pricey- but it makes all the difference. 

My favorite butter to bake with

Now, cream that butter!!! With your sugar- one pound of sugar- yes one pound- weigh it. Really cream the butter and sugar together- they will be almost white and very, very fluffy. I run mine for 6 to 7 to 8 minutes on medium- just watch it. 

Fluffy butter and sugar! 

Now, that that is combined add  one pound of eggs-lightly beaten and one pound of flour- yes one pound of each. If you do not already have one-invest in a kitchen scale for serious baking- and other things. One pound! This is a pound cake after all!

Weight=1 pound!

Now, this make take a little while. Add your eggs and flour alternately in thirds, mixing well. This is where I add my flavor as well- Amelia  Simmons suggests Rose Water, and while it is in my pantry, these cakes are for a big group of people, so I stuck with vanilla- but I sometimes I wish I had put in the Rose Water for that "true" flavor. By now you should have a pretty thick, fluffy batter-isn't it lovely?!? I  used two loaf pans for mine, but a regular pound cake pan will work just fine. 

Start with a cold oven turned to 275*, bake for 15-20 mins, turn cakes and crank oven to 350* for about 30 more minutes! This will make a lovely crust (which is my favorite part!) 

Ta-da! Lovely Cake!

I know this is not the "period way" to do it with a stand mixer, but I was pushed for time ( and had to crank out 10 of these babies!)- but you can follow all of the steps with a period tools and techniques. The recipe has been unchanged for years- but as I said earlier- every family has its various flavors, as is also evident with the historic recipes. 

Now- enjoy your cake! 

Material what?

Material culture: noun, 
the aggregate of physical objects or artifacts used by a society.

In the realm of living history and reenacting there are different levels of enthusiasm, as is the same for most hobbies. However,

the realm of "living history" recreates a specific point in time. I have to say that to some, the material culture of a person/place/time has no impact on their impression. And in my opinion they could not be more wrong ( but I was an American Studies major). For example: Civil War Reenactors (I have the most knowledge of them-but you can sub any "military") will almost everything about the jacket they are wearing or the gun the are carrying- but when you ask them who they voted for or where they went to school- they give a blank look. 

Taking the Census, Francis William Edmonds, 1854

The problem being that every soldier was a citizen- but not every citizen was a soldier. The items they used everyday before joining the military would be very familiar to them. Think about all of the things you use on a daily basis- blankets, cups, plates, napkins, clothing, food, farm equipment, lamps, etc. The list is almost endless, and while no one can expect to know about everything about a particular time period- the resources are available to familiarize oneself with at least some of these items.

Take a look at a few of these things-

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4 

How many of those items do you recognize? They are everyday items that most citizens in the 19th century would have at least have some working knowledge of. 

Item 1- A tin reflector oven. Used to roast meat in the kitchen, these had been around for quite a while, and most folks would at least recognize one. 

Item 2- A tea pot c. 1830. Who doesn't know how to use a tea pot?

Item 3- Ladies slippers.  I will admit these are a bit "fancy" for any impression I have done recently, but the concept is the same- how many of us today know name brand shoes and styles though we are not able to wear them ourselves?

Item 4-  A child's undergarment- commonly called a petti-chemise to combine a chemise & petticoat together. How many men know what a chemise even is in the living history world? Probably not as many that know what a slip is today. 


These are just a few examples of why all living historians should at least be familiar with some part of their own local culture. At least some national events that were in the news constantly. 

Here is another little quiz- who is pictured in this political cartoon?

Louis Maurer cartoon, 1860

The caption may have given it away- it is an 1860 political cartoon depicting the presidential race as a baseball game. Most are familiar with the Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debates- but what about the other two candidates? John Bell and John Breckenridge? Who were they? And which one would you have voted for in 1860? Remember, if you are a woman, you had no choice in the matter, since women would not get the vote for a another 60 years.  Would you have supported your husbands decision? Do you think it is right for women to be involved with politics? ( I recently participated in an event where politics were an issue, and I had to admit that "my husband will make the best decision"- which made me upset just to say- even as 1864 me!) 

These are a few issues that can be addressed either on a local or national level. Like I said- take a morning and aquatint yourself with the items you use for your morning routine- do you know their period equivalents?  Would have had access to them? During the war years would you have been able to afford them? 

Heritage Festival Demonstration

This past weekend I had the pleasure of cooking for the Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Heritage Festival. It was a fabulous weekend, the first real cool weather we had in NC, which made the fire that more comforting. There were many different demonstrations and activities- butter churning, tobacco tying, candle making, the general store was open & more!
Saturday's menu was simple- Chicken noodle soup. The chicken noodle soup is a easy recipe you can find here- its a go to for an easy meal!

The morning started well, after fighting to get the fire started on a very damp morning. I did have a few volunteers from the site helping as well. We started by getting the chickens in the pot and chopping vegetables. The recipe does not call for carrots- but I like them in my soup, and they add some color! 

Everyone is amazed when I start making noodles on site during demos. It is something that everyone enjoys watching- they are SO easy! Mix, roll, cut, dry. And only 4 ingredients! 

After removing the chicken and taking it off the bone- add chicken and noodles to the pot-and I had a BIG pot! 

The soup turned out great! 

Sunday was even cooler than Saturday- which made me the popular demo for the day.I had hot apple cider ready all day! On the menu with cider- fried sweet potatoes!  

Cider & boiling sweet potatoes

Directions for Cookery and its Various Branches, Eliza Leslie, 1844

These fried sweet potatoes were a hit! It is always a good idea to cook what is in season- and right now sweet potatoes are coming out of the NC fields by the truck-load. For more on sweet potatoes- click here.  I was all by myself on Sunday- so the simple menu really helped, but also reminded me of all of the hard work that is done with cooking. 

I did manage to snap one photo of myself! 

Look for a wrap-up of my Bentonville Fall Festival in a few weeks!