Thanksgiving- A look into the 19th Century meal!

"The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth" Jennie A. Brownscombe, 1914

     Once a year we all sit down and enjoy a great feast with our friends and family in November. This national holiday is often a time to be grateful for all that we have. In recent years however, it has become cluttered with the stress of setting the meal out on a massive table topped with manicured centerpieces and the looming cloud of Black Friday shoppers. The images of Pilgrims & Indians dance in our heads as we sit down to eat the traditional meal of Turkey, dressing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pie- you know just what they had in 1621! Okay, so maybe I am painting a false picture. Let's take a look back.
     Thanksgiving was made a national holiday in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln, not 1621! We have one lady to thank- Sarah J. Hale. While Thanksgiving had been celebrated sporadically before the 1863 proclamation, it was not an annual occurrence. Hale had lobbied for years to get a day for national Thanksgiving, in the midst of the Civil War, after the victories in Gettysburg & Vicksburg, Lincoln conceded and made the proclamation for an annual national holiday.
     Traditional foods have been served for centuries, but where our "menu" comes from is a bit sketchy. I would assume that a lot of the first thanksgivings used what was available, usually meaning wild game & seasonal vegetables. Some of the first "pilgrims" list fowl, venison & fish for the meal, and not much else is mentioned. It could be that the sides were a common staple and not worth the mention.
     When Sara J. Hale wrote Northwood in 1827 she included an entire chapter about the Thanksgiving Meal, giving detailed information about the food that was included- with the turkey taking the center stage. She also references a chicken pie that should be as large as the host's gratitude for the party. Another reference to a Thanksgiving menu can be found in Buckeye Cookery in 1877.

     You can see that many of our traditional favorites are mentioned including roast turkey, baked sweet potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and  pumpkin pie!   There are other references to what should be served at a Thanksgiving meal that include chicken pie, pork loin, pickles & sweetmeats! There seemed to be a lot of variety in the meal, much like there is today from table to table.
     Meat pies were common in the 19th Century, as I have tried on here, there are many varieties for each meat pie, chicken, pork, mincemeat, etc. the possibilities seems almost endless. The chicken pie seems to be a staple on the 19th century kitchen table. Sara Hale describes a simple pie made from the best parts of the chicken then flavored with butter & put into a puff paste- like a pumpkin pie. The dish below taken from  Jennie June's American Cookery Book, 1870 is more complex- including three meats & boiled eggs.

Roast turkey- the center piece of every meal- including a nice stuffing & gravy from the  Practical Cook Book-1850. Suggested sides include boiled ham & cranberry sauce.

Cranberry sauce is often served with roast turkey & other fowl.

Directions for Cookery, in Its Various Branches- 1844

The side items seem to be an endless list of potatoes, squash, salads, pickles, breads, and relishes. Almost any in season vegetable could be dressed and sent to the table to accompany the meats.

Desserts were plenty to chose from as well- the lists of cakes, pies and puddings could meet the need of any sweet tooth.
There are many- almost too many- reference to pumpkin pies & puddings- check out this post for pumpkin goodies.
 Indian Pudding- a dish made with corn meal and molasses- was an item most tables had seen throughout the year, and of course was brought out on Thanksgiving as well.

Directions for Cookery, in Its Various Branches, 1844

Mince pies are often thought of as a traditional Christmas dish but seemed to have been served around Thanksgiving as well. This is a common recipe combining beef & apples with raisins and spices to make a great savory pie!

The New England Economical Housekeeper, 1845

So on this Thanksgiving, sit aside the Sales ads & the Christmas ornaments & make a delectable meal for the family- enjoy it with the ones you love! Maybe take the time to read Thank You, Sarah: The Woman that Saved Thanksgiving ! Remember, Thanksgiving would not be the holiday that it is today without a great influence from the 19th Century!

Red Potatoes

We are slowly getting unpacked and organized in our new home. Slow progress, though I have managed to get the kitchen unpacked! Still deciding if I like where everything is. This is a significantly smaller kitchen than I had before, so I am making do with what is there. I am so happy that I can cook again!! Last night was the first "real" meal I had made in a while. We had hamburger steak with homemade gravy, red potatoes, corn & squash. I was so happy, my kitchen was happy, my husband was happy (thought that could have had something to do with his love of gravy)!

So, the red potatoes, very easy, very period! Cut up about 3 pounds of red potatoes, add enough water to scantly cover, flavor to your preference ( I used salt, pepper, thyme & butter). I used my lidded cast iron pot for these. Place in a 350* oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Pull them out of the oven & let them cool for a bit before serving- they are VERY HOT!  They were so good!!!

This would be a very easy dish to fix in camp that required minimal "babysitting", just sit the pot near the fire, rotating it occasionally.  You can cook these plain, or add some more veggies (onion, carrots, etc.) for more flavor & variety. You could also leave off some of the seasoning for the picky eaters and have each person season them to their own taste. 

While I do not have an actual "recipe" for these, I cannot imagine any of our ancestors would not have done such a simple dish!

Happy Cooking! 

A Soldier's Kitchen

Corey, Taylor, Craig & I next to the kitchen. 

This past weekend soldier's descended on Bentonville Battlefield for the 148th anniversary program. On Sunday, my dear husband and a few other of Uncle Billy's Boys took over the kitchen. This opportunity led them to dig through their haversacks and find what they had available to cook. Between them they had rice, pinto beans, potatoes, some ham, and bit of cheese. They went to work. Well, my husband went to work while the other 2 gambled.....

The potatoes were sliced the fried in some ham grease. The rice and beans were dumped into a pot with a  ham hock.  I have to say the potatoes were some of the best I have ever eaten!

Although there were no recipes followed, this shows how soldiers used what they had to eat in the field. These soldiers were a lot better off than most in 1865, but it sill shows how a everyone can pull together what they have to make a great meal!