Search Results for: cookery

“The buckwheat cake was in her mouth. The tear was in her eye.”: Early American Cookery and Women’s History

Ever wonder what Susanna was chewing on in Stephen Foster’s famous folk song?  Curious about how women occupied their days at home in early America?  Interested in learning more about the relationship between early American housewives and their maids?  Whether you are interested in the history of American cooking, women’s history, domestic history, or the … Continue reading “The buckwheat cake was in her mouth. The tear was in her eye.”: Early American Cookery and Women’s History

‘To Which is Added’: The History, Structure, and Conservation of New England Primers at the American Antiquarian Society

In the summer of 2023, while completing my MA in book conservation at West Dean College in Chichester, England, I undertook a 10-week internship at the American Antiquarian Society, working alongside Chief Conservator Babette Gehnrich and Library and Archives Conservator Marissa Maynard. In between my time spent writing a thesis, attending a week-long course on … Continue reading ‘To Which is Added’: The History, Structure, and Conservation of New England Primers at the American Antiquarian Society

So you think you can bake? Nineteenth-Century Edition

The Art of Confectionery title page

Kristina Bush is a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College. She majors in medieval studies and minors in public history, museums, archives, and digital humanities. Kristina is currently working at the American Antiquarian Society as a summer page in readers’ services. Being an avid book-lover and history nerd, Kristina has greatly enjoyed her time at … Continue reading So you think you can bake? Nineteenth-Century Edition

Oil of toads and the perishable arts

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As visions of baked goods dance through the pages of holiday Instagram, we bloggers at Past is Present have decided to take a look at some of our historical manuscript cookbooks to see what early American bakers were cooking up instead. Like our fellow bloggers at Cooking in the Archives and the experts at Colonial Williamsburg, … Continue reading Oil of toads and the perishable arts

Christmas Cooking, North & South – 150 years ago

We are going to brave the waters of wartime Christmas. In the next few days, there will be three posts examining Confederate-printed items in the Society’s collection. This season of festivities is also one of commemoration and reflection as we are squarely in the War’s sesquicentennial. A glance over the pages of the nation’s most … Continue reading Christmas Cooking, North & South – 150 years ago

Cooking the Old Colony Cake

So the Old Colony Cake didn’t turn out too bad!  While the ingredients were identical to traditional cake recipes, the ratios were a bit different.  The result was very thick batter and a dense cake, but the lemon added a much needed bright flavor.  Not sure which way to add the lemon, I added both … Continue reading Cooking the Old Colony Cake

The Acquisitions Table: The First German-American Cookbook

David Whitesell, curator of books, reports on a recent acquisition: Die Wahre Brandtewein-Brennerey, oder Brandtewein- Gin- und Cordialmacher-Kunst:  wie auch die a?chte Fa?rbe-Kunst, Blau, Roth, Gelb und Gru?n zu fa?rben, auf Baumwalle, Leinen, und Wolle … [Reading, PA?: Gottlob Jungmann and Carl Andreas Bruckmann?], 1802. Very rare third of four recorded editions of what might … Continue reading The Acquisitions Table: The First German-American Cookbook

Recipe Squashed!

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving feasts!  Hopefully you didn’t overload too much on pumpkins, squash and sweet potatoes.  If you can still stomach thinking about food, read on about the results of my historical pie adventure.  I chose to follow the pumpkin pie recipe (from The White House Cookbook, 1877), but to mix … Continue reading Recipe Squashed!

Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkins, and Squash … Oh My!

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is less than a week away.  So for all of you hosts and hostesses out there, I thought I’d share a menu to make your worries seem a little less overwhelming.  Perhaps you, like me, are already stressing about the big day, planning and shopping and worrying about how to … Continue reading Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkins, and Squash … Oh My!

You scream, I scream Part II: We all scream for parmesan ice cream?

So I must confess.  I didn’t make the chocolate ice cream.  I had my eggs and cream and, well, not the best French chocolate, but chocolate nevertheless, ready to go, when I read an even more intriguing recipe that I just couldn’t pass up.  Fellow AAS staff member Paul Erickson sent along the following recipe … Continue reading You scream, I scream Part II: We all scream for parmesan ice cream?

The Mince Meat Throwdown, Part II

The Mince Meat Throwdown was a success!  Unlike the chowder made from Mrs. Bliss’ cookbook, the mince pie actually held its own as a main course.  The recipe could have easily worked as a dessert pie, being as sweet as it was.  Even though there was beef in the pie, it certainly didn’t taste like … Continue reading The Mince Meat Throwdown, Part II

The Mince Meat Throwdown

MincePies

Per a suggestion on a previous post, my next adventure into historic cooking will be with a mince meat pie. (Thanks for the suggestion, David!) While I can’t say whether or not I would recommend this recipe, hopefully the results will speak for themselves. Having never had mince meat pie before, I feel I may … Continue reading The Mince Meat Throwdown