1860s Period Foods - Including Good Down Home Eatin'

[Laurie Verge]

We have two huge catalpa trees at Surratt House. They are beautiful when they bloom, but dirty when the faded blossoms fall - and those pods (we call them cigars) drive us crazy.

In this area, we have an abundance of honey locust trees. Their wood is great for fence posts, but their white blossoms also make a delicious wine that we used to call "poor man's champagne."

[BettyO]

Have found some wonderful period cookbooks - the first is Mrs. Goodfellow's Cookery as it Should Be, 1865, published by T. B.Peterson Brothers - the very same firm which published the Conspiracy Trial Transcript! This is a FREE PDF -

http://books.google.com/books/about/MRS_...G8ibYsE_EC

(Anyone who wants a copy of this - I have it in PDF format if you can't download it for any reason....just let me know!)

Also - another good book (eBook is cheapest) is Lincoln's Labels which details the period products which still exist today and were popular in Mr. Lincoln's time - http://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-Labels-Am...1889020281 I own this one and it's a good one.....


Think that I'm gonna buy this one for $3.99 -

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076PH...B0076PHDXY


This site is wonderful -- curious as to what they even <ahem> drank? Includes some "buzz" receipts as well! And yes, "Potato Chips" or "Crisps" existed during the Civil War!!

http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/cookbook.htm

[RJNorton]

I know nothing about this topic, but just in case our very own Donna McCreary's book has not yet been mentioned....here's the link. I believe it's also carried by Surratt House.

[BettyO]

Thanks, Roger!

I was unaware of Donna's Lincoln Cookbook -

I DO have her Fashionable First Lady - the Victorian Wardrobe of Mary Lincoln -

I'll have to pick this one up when I'm back up Surratt House!

[Gene C]

Surratt House should sponser a cooking presentation from the past. You could call it "Hanging around the Kitchen with Mary".
On second thought, that might not be a good title, but we have several good recipes and names for some new conconctions in other threads.

Each week or month have a special guest who prepares a meal from the past and an interesting history lesson at the same time.

[Laurie Verge]

We have produced two Surratt House cookbooks to date. When we did the first one about thirty years ago, we actually had an open house with free taste testings of some of the recipes. Both cookbooks have food-related history also.

[Donna McCreary]

Surratt House should sponser a cooking presentation from the past. You could call it "Hanging around the Kitchen with Mary".
On second thought, that might not be a good titile, but we have several good recipes and names for some new conconctions in other threads.

Each week or month have a special guest who prepares a meal from the past and an interesting history lesson at the same time.

It may not be politically correct, but I'm still laughing.

[L Verge]

Reference the "Hanging Around the Kitchen with Mary," I have tried for years to convince my gift shop manager to sell t-shirts with a noose motif around the neck and the words "I've Been Hanging Around Surratt House." So far, no luck. Unfortunately, in this day and age, I'm betting they would sell like hot cakes.

Since the late-1970s, we have sold both t-shirts and sweatshirts with a map of the Booth escape route on the back and the words Following in the Footsteps of an Assassin. They are quite popular, and Michael Kauffman even usurped that phrase as the title of his latest publication.

[Donna McCreary]

Reference the "Hanging Around the Kitchen with Mary," I have tried for years to convince my gift shop manager to sell t-shirts with a noose motif around the neck and the words "I've Been Hanging Around Surratt House." So far, no luck. Unfortunately, in this day and age, I'm betting they would sell like hot cakes.

Since the late-1970s, we have sold both t-shirts and sweatshirts with a map of the Booth escape route on the back and the words Following in the Footsteps of an Assassin. They are quite popular, and Michael Kauffman even usurped that phrase as the title of his latest publication.

In Springfield, I have seen T-shirts with Mary Lincoln's image and the words: "I'd be crazy to live anywhere other than Springfield." There was one with AL's photos and the words" "I'd rather be shot than be anywhere other than Springfield." This may not be the exact wording, but close enough.

Thanks for mentioning Lincoln's Table. For those who have a sweet tooth, try the Southern Lemon Cake. It is one of my favorites.