HFF 3.20: Saucy

The Challenge: Saucy: Make a sauce, gravy or dressing.

The Recipe: Cheap White Sauce, No. 1 from Mrs. Rundell's A New System of Domestic Cookery

The Date/Year and Region: Philadelphia, 1844 (originally published in London in 1806)

How Did You Make It: Half-scale. I warmed 1 cup of milk, adding to it half a white onion, a stick celery, two dashes of salt, a dozen whole white peppercorns, and a generous handful of parsley. While this was heating, I melted 2 Tbsp of butter, and stirred into the butter a little flour (~1-2 Tbsp) until it was pasty. I then strained the milk, and poured it into butter-flour mixture. I continued heating the combined mixture over med-low heat, and within a few minutes it had thickened considerably (it was still able to be poured, but awfully close to a solid).

Time to Complete: I need to start timing these better. This went quickly, and felt like a 10-minute task, though it was probably closer to 20 minutes.

Total Cost: All items on hand. 

How Successful Was It?: Very tasty, and I didn't turn it brown this time by over-cooking the roux. I'm a little concerned that the sauce consistency was too thick, but it still served up just fine. The dominant flavor of the sauce was onion, but I didn't find it overwhelming or unpleasant--it went very well with the chicken I served it over, and added a fun savory flavor to the mashed potatoes as well. The half-batch was a little odd to work with, even in my smallest pans, so I think it would be easier to make this at a full batch or even a double batch. 

Best of all, I now have another vegetarian period receipt (albeit containing milk and butter), and a savory one to boot. I always seem to need more savory options. That being said, white sauces seems to mostly be served over chicken and other white meats.  Will need to continue investigating.

How Accurate Is It?: Not glaringly anachronistic that I can tell. It is supposed to be "thick and smooth", which it was, but I wonder if mine ended up too thick (it was nearly as substantial as the mashed potatoes I served it over). As for equipment, I used an electric stove. 

I swear this went from 'milk' to 'frosting' viscosity in
about 30 seconds.

Tasty on chicken and potatoes alike.

Chemisette, c. 1855-60

Three years after throwing this together (and hating the way it fit), I finally finished this chemisette. That is, Elise fixed the shoulder fit issue in a minute of pining, so I finally persuaded myself to finish the remaining edges, stitch the collar in place for real, and add the lace.

Chemisette.

Tuck and lace details.

Fine cotton 'muslin' (pimatex lawn if I recall correctly), with lace from Cotton Lace/Fine French Laces, and twill tape waist tie. All hand-sewn, because I'm crazy it's for wearing with an open 1850s dress (at a site that didn't get a sewing machine until 1862).

Inspiration for the tucked front comes from a chemisette in Patterns of Fashion 1 and this mid-century original in the Met.  The lace-edged collar in conjunction with a tucked front occurs in this c.1860 original and another one, though the lace interspersed with the tucks was my own fancy (example of lace down the center front and along the collar).

Still Life

My new still from Goosebay Workshops

I've wanted a still for some time (it was the best part of O-chem), and finally have the chance to play with a repro one. Huzzah!

The Elements of Materia Medica and Therapeutics (1843) mentions distallation of rosemary with water to recover rosemary oil (used externally as a "stimulating liniment" or perfume); it also discusses rosemary spirits, that is, rosemary essence in an alcohol base (without or without the distillation step) .

Mrs. Rundell's The New Family Receipt Book (1823) describes distilling rosemary in wine spirits to make hungary water, and rose petals in water for rosewater.

A Cyclopedia of Practical Receipts (1846) gives receipts for distilling rosemary, lavender, mint and other herbs in alcohol or vinegar.

The Dictionary of Practical Receipts (1848) includes "rules for the distillation of simple waters", without specifying particular herbs.

The Magazine of Science and Schools of Art (1842) uses rosemary as the example herb for co-distillation with water; it also gives instructions for cinnamon, peppermint, orange peal, orangeflower, and jasmine, among others.

The Domestic Dictionary (1842) goes into more detail about water-herb distillation, but does not list specific herbs. Between these last three, I'm feeling fairly historically justified in applying the technique to everything in the garden.

First attempt was made with fresh-cut lavender.
By visual approximation, there were
about 3 dry quarts of flowers and stems.

Still set up on the stove. The damp towel helps cool
the condensing cone, while an ice-water bath is used
to keep the collection cup from heating up.

Approximately 3 cups of lavender water was made.
It's definitely been my most successful herb.

I've tried lemon balm, and rosemary as well (yielding 1 cup and 1.5 cups from similar quantities of herbs over a similar time). The rosemary smelled nearly as strong as the lavender, while the lemon balm was relatively insipid. Here's hoping the mint works well!

HFF 3.19: Balance

The Challenge: Balance. Make a dish that is somehow 'balanced' for the fall/spring equinox. I chose a recipe using weight rather than volume measures, and which called for equal amounts of the two ingredients.

The Recipe: Delicious Red Currant Jam from Eliza Acton's Modern Cookery in All its Branches

The Date/Year and Region: London, 1846 (2nd ed)

How Did You Make It: Using the second option, I took equal weights (2 lb 2 oz) of currants and sugar, and brought them to a boil for 7 minutes over medium high heat. 

At this point, it should have thickened into a jam. Instead, I had fruit in syrup. I've made period jams before, which don't add extra pectin and just rely on cooking down the fruit with a lot of sugar,  but these currants just didn't want to thicken. I canned the pseudo-jam (3 pints), using a water bath and modern glass jars. I then changed my mind, re-boiled the jam in an attempt to thicken it, and after a further 25 minutes finally saw a change in consistency.... upon pouring, however, I found that I had reduced the volume by 1/3 (2 pints only), and candied the syrup. It still tasted fine, so I processed the cans and marked them for potential use in molded jellies and ices (which sometimes call for melted preserves) rather than as jam.   

Time to Complete: About an hour for the first round, including processing.

Total Cost: All items on hand. 

How Successful Was It?: This year has been cursed for jam. The currants tasted great, but they definitely weren't jelling after the prescribed 7 minutes: the product instead resembled whole berries in a fruit syrup. I ended up boiling a second time, but still saw no thickening until 25 minutes had passed. Upon pouring that into jars, I discovered that 1) the sugar has candied, and 2) the volume had reduced by 1/3.

These might still be salvagable for flavoring fruit ices and jellies, but not as jam. :(

How Accurate Is It?: I followed the recipe (I thought) closely, though I did use an electric range, as well as modern glass jars and water bath canning techniques. I've tried using period ceramic jars before, and while the technique works, it doesn't meet modern food safety standards (and I prefer not risking food poisoning). 

Red flowering currants. I think they look more black.
Tasty, but not particularly sweet.

Candied currants that should have been jam.

Upcoming Conference Registration Deadlines

Guess who's speaking at two conferences next month?

This odd person!

Manifest History registration closes this Sunday, September 15.

Early bird registration for ALHFAM Western Regional Conference ends on Monday, September 16. Regular registration will be allowed through October 9.

Come to Manifest History if you want to hear about my thesis work on 1850s-1860s Puget Sound dresses, and gets some ideas for your local costume research. Come to ALHFAM to hear more than you ever wanted to about straw plaiting. Come to both, and I'll probably teach you some tragic and/or bawdy songs from the era of your choice.

HFF 3.18: Eat Your Veggies

The Challenge: Eat You Veggies! Make a vegetable-based, -themed, or -shaped dish.

The Recipe: Stewed Vegetable Marrow in Dutch Sauce from The Cook's Oracle: Containing Receipts for Plain Cookery by William Kitchiner

The Date/Year and Region: Edinburgh, 1836 (1st edition 1822 or before) 

How Did You Make It: I pared one marrow (over 1 3/4 lb, exact mass unknown), cutting it into 1 inch slices, then quartering those and removing the seeds and rind. Placed in a sauce pan, covered with water, and added 2 tbsp of butter, 1 tbsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice (having no lemons on hand). I heated this over the hottest part of the fire until the marrow pieces were tender.

Meanwhile, I chopped up two generous handfuls of parsley, and put them on the stove (further from the fire) with 3/4 cup butter, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp whole allspice. The recipe is vague on amounts, but mentions that the parsley and butter together comprise their own sauce (my frantic notes missed the part about boiling the minced parlsey in water with salt before adding it to the butter; I did note the flour for thickening it, but completely forgot to do so while actually making it). 

Time to Complete: Unsure (in historic kitchen without a clock), but it seemed to go pretty quickly. Just stewed the marrow until soft, and the sauce cooked at the same time.

Total Cost: All ingredients on hand. I picked this because there's a ton of marrow in the root cellar, and parsley in the garden.

How Successful Was It?: Well-received by my colleagues (seconds were had!). The marrow mostly tasted like butter to me, but the parsley seemed to have taken up the tart vinegar-lemon flavors, and nicely flavored the whole thing. It's not the most interesting dish I've cooked, but it tasted nice, and will make a useful vegetarian side dish for period dinners (as well as a pleasant way to use all that marrow).

How Accurate Is It?: Mostly. I made mistakes with the parsley and flour (as noted), but the only tweaks I'd like to make (using crushed allspice, maybe adding more of it and a little more salt) don't conflict with the recorded instructions.

Vegetable marrow. And some apples
not appearing in this dish.

Cutting, peeling, and coring.
I tried cooking a few whole circles,
and the marrows made their opinion known.

On the stove. Bessy cooperated today!

Served. Thicker sauce could have been nice,
so next time I'll try to remember the flour.

Plaited Straw Crowns

For our harvest queen and king! Bands of 9-strand flat plait, with decorations of 3-strand whole plait and rye heads.

Seattle Style: Fashion/Function

If you haven't been yet, the fashion exhibit at MOHAI is well worth a visit.

Says I, a highly-biased party.

You want to see the only REI Zip-All in its full glory, do you not? What about Lindy West's wedding dress? Kurt Cobain's sweater? Evening dresses by Madame Thierry and Helen Igoe? John Doyle Bishop's multi-patterned green suits?

The exhibit runs through October 14, and there are special programs throughout September.

Original: White Empire Dress, c.1815

Woman's dress of figured cotton, USA, c.1815
LACMA

I like the diagonal stripe on the bodice, and the overall aesthetic of simplicity.