Historical Food Fortnightly, Challenge 4: Foreign Foods

Last entry's chop suey would have been perfect here, and I'm still reading the book (one last chapter to go), but the main reason I decided on doing these challenges was to get more comfortable with nineteenth-century cooking. I decided to return to The Improved Housewife: Or, Book of Receipts; with Engravings for Marketing and Carving by Mrs. A.L. Webster, a married lady. 

I perused the table of contents and found the following terms: Spanish, Scotch, French, Tunbridge, Rousse, East India, and Iceland. I was really excited about the Tunbridge cakes, but further research revealed that Tunbridge was in Vermont, while Tunbridge Wells was in England. There was an intriguing reference to roasting coffee the French way, but I don't drink coffee and my husband was less than enthusiastic about helping with the preparation.

 Eventually, I settled on Spanish Fritters. I'm terrified by yeast, but since I entered the challenge to stretch myself, I figured this would be a good choice. As a bonus, these didn't seem to require kneading. Besides, anything tastes better when deep fried.


Mrs. Webster was quite the plagiarist; the same recipe appears in The Virginia Housewife in 1828. Spanish fritters appear in a number of historic cookbooks, without much in common beyond the frying.

This one from 1758 looks like French toast:
 
This one from 1806 sounds like a deep-fried pate a choux:



This one from 1833 is definitely French toast (an earlier edition dates to 1808):



 This one from 1854 is entirely different:

Anyway, you get the idea. Some kind of dough, deep fried. Yum! Doesn't this look delicious?

Date/Year and Region: 1847, Hartford, CT

How did you make it?: I followed the recipe fairly faithfully. Because it only called for one egg, I couldn't really halve it. I combined 4 cups of flour with 1 packet of yeast, a pinch of salt, and one egg.  I then scalded about 2 cups of milk (the recipe doesn't call for this step, but I knew the milk should be warm for the yeast to rise well) and kept adding milk until the dough had what I thought was a muffin-like consistency (1 1/2 cups). 

I set the dough to rise for an hour, added 2T of melted butter, and set it to rise again for 30 minutes. 

I heated the lard to 375 (the temperature recommended for modern donut recipes) and used a serving spoon to pull off walnut-sized chunks of dough. They tended to be ready to flip after about 1 minute per side.

I sprinkled a few with cinnamon sugar (as in the 1758 recipe) but have yet to try the other sauces.

Time to Complete: I let the dough have a first rise for one hour. Although the recipe didn't call for it, I gave the dough a second rise of about 30 minutes since mixing in the butter caused quite a bit of deflation. Each batch of fritters took about 2 minutes to form and fry up. Total time was probably slightly less than 2 hours.

Total Cost: Out-of-pocket expenses were zero. I happened to have some lard in the fridge and this recipe was a perfect way to clear it out.

How Successful Was It?: Surprisingly only so so. I wasn't expecting them to be so bland. Unlike a donut, there's no sugar in the dough and with my decision to interpret "a little salt" as just a pinch, there just isn't a lot of taste. Both the sauces recommended would be quite strong tasting, however, so perhaps they are merely a vehicle for sauce.  If I got lazy and didn't make my dough walnut-sized, the insides tended to be a bit gummy as well.

How Accurate Is It?:  Very accurate. I did make it "early in the morning." The egg came from our own antebellum-breed, backyard chickens. I used a packet of instant-rise yeast. I did fry them in lard. Period cooks would have fried a bit of bread to check for temperature, but I used a digital thermometer. My favorite bit of accuracy was that I got to use my yellowware dough bowl, which my mother recently passed it to me.  She had used it to make bread when I was a child, and it's clearly a family piece with no markings. Someone at some point dinged it with electric beaters, but I was delighted to set the dough to rise in it.

Dots

The bits and bobs of life have piled up, and I had forgotten how useful dots are to clearing them out of my head. I have ambitions to say more about each of them, but shall fall back on that important axiom of "better done than perfect":

• I finished all of my craft-it-forward projects for 2014 (some neckbows, a dishcloth, some punched paper, a scarf) and decided to pick up a few more reciprocal swaps. At the moment, I am making my fourth attempt at Calorimetry, each time taking out anywhere from 8-16 stitches. I don't see how the designer ever managed to make it with 120 stitches--it's massive in width and height. I'm down to 88 now and think this one will work. Finally. Please god.

• I have been obsessed for some reason with a mystery dishcloth KAL. I've done every one since August and have been stocking up on solid-colored, cotton yarn. I don't even use knitted dishcloths, so my obsession makes no sense. Still, last night we got invited to a last-minute birthday party, and I was able to grab two cloths as a small gift. 

• I saw Franklin Habit speak on Weldon's Practical Needlework. It wasn't quite what I had hoped for, but it was an enjoyable evening.

• I've committed to do a bit of charity knitting (bibs or hats for an orphanage in China) and am considering a charity sock monkey KAL as well.

• I did a KISS (keep it simple) valentine swap, which called for a card and a project only.  I opted to make a crocheted heart dishcloth, but now am beating myself up when I see all the creative projects coming in. My swap idea board is here if you are looking for a quick valentine project.

• I got this very cool project bag all the way from Canada.  The fabric is sort of a poly-blend twill with a really nice hand, and I love how it isn't all pinky-pinky. I asked for the pattern, but my partner just winged it, she said.

• Speaking of pinky-pinky, I made this project bag for a book club attendance prize. As a teacher, I can be quite punitive about attendance and preparation, but for grown-ups whom I can't grade, I'm a firm believer in bribes. Pattern by mairuru. She does hers by hand, but by leaving room for seam allowances, I was able to do this one by machine.

• I finished and mailed my Jane Austen swap, which I'll save for another post. I also finished reading Sense and Sensibility for the first time.

• In spite of my tendencies towards quicky projects, I decided to sign up for a Celestarium KAL. It's a beaded pi shawl with the beading laid out as a star map of the Northern Hemisphere. Ambitious, but some knitters have taken it father and used different sized beads to indicate order of magnitude and knitting in a band for the milky way. Simply following the pattern shall be enough for me. I've ordered my yarn, picked out my beads, and it all gets started on March 1.

• I sold a knitted cap online, so I've got a little paypal funds to play with. I bought this hat pattern, which I fell in love with on Pinterest.

• I caned my panniers last night and had to rope LB into the task. It was a royal pain in the butt, but today if the house ever warms up, I hope to finish the waistband and be done. This chemise (third down) is up next as soon as I get paid and can buy the pattern and linen.

• I spontaneously decided that Steu's nosework trainer needed a snood for her standard poodle. She'd posted a photo of him after the groomers, and he just looked so magical and snowy white that I knew he needed a unicorn snood. Steu helped model.

• And here is the beautiful recipient, looking like the magical creature he truly is. The trainer comped me a free class as a thank you, so crafting it forward was wonderful all around.

FOs

Behold the last FO of 2012 and the first of 2013:

My friend Tempest Tea gave me some beautiful Plymouth Bazinga for Christmas, not knowing that I already had one ball in my stash. I was able to get this shawlette out of the three balls.

The other item is half of a pair of nineteenth-century undersleeves, suitable for second mourning if needed. I've made three pairs in this pattern now and really like it.

Needling the Inventory

Last week, I sat down and did a needle inventory, which ended up taking several hours. In the process, I forced myself to deal with my UFOs, something I'm still grappling with. I darned a pair of socks for LB and  made myself frog several items, which felt great.

Pitched or frogged and re-integrated:

• Blue Whale by Steven West. I ran out of a OOAK yarn, found a solid to make it work, but with every stitch, I knew I wasn't happy. Yes, my gauge was off a bit, but I have serious doubts about whether this project was ever possible with the yardage recommended.
• cashemere hand-dyed. I was improvising a neckwarmer, set it aside and forgot what I was doing.
• charity hat, which sat out in the open too long. I stripped it off the needles and tossed the yarn. No creepy crawlies allowed!
• a ballet sweater in chenille. I ran out of yarn on the sleeves and need to do some re-thinking. There's enough for a sweater, but not a ballet sweater. 
• A giant yellow shawl in lumpy bumpy Pagewood. I had done this on 50s, knew I'd never wear it, and subsequently picked up a lime & purple yarn which will look great with it. 
• A mitten shaped like an alligator foot. Really? I threw away the finished one months ago for sitting out in the open too long.
• A tiny teddy bear. I picked up this kit during a visit to Iowa. What the hell do I need a tiny teddy for?
• A hemp tank. It wasn't working for me, then I thought I'd turn it into a tote. Now it's frogged and I'll probably make some dish cloths, towels, etc.

There's still a few more items to tally up, but in the name of accountability, here are the UFOs so far:

• a purple and green scarf out of alpaca lace. I've really lost interest, but am not far from finished. If I can find the pattern, I may make this a car project.
• sock yarn blankie, which is clicking along. I got some more nubbins from Ann today, a few from Rachel last week, and am feeling more energized.
• silk ribbon necktie. This yarn came to me from Dr. Knitter and I just got side tracked. It's a cute project and I have no excuse for setting aside. That said, I sort modified a pattern, so I don't know if I can remember where I was.
• Mardi Gras shrug in cotton. I am really close to being done on this one, but also haven't worked on it for ages. I know I bought the yarn 3 yarn crawls ago.
• Swan's Down Hood in white lace weight. I started this on a whim and decided there was a pattern error (it's a Civil War pattern). I will probably frog.
• Doug's mitts. A favor for a friend, which I've needed to finish for ages and ages (as in y.e.a.r.s.)
• a sock in Dyeabolical Bling. I only did the cuff and lost interest in the pattern. I am wanting to do some new things with pooling yarn. I will probably frog.
• shrug in Caliope. It's a boucle yarn and really hard to work with. That said, Rachel is dying ribbon and this closes with ribbon ties. That fact alone may be enough to make me restart.
• a sock flat. LB really likes long socks and hates when nubbins are left over. I decided to do this one toe-up, which practically made knee socks. One is done, but it looks like I added some increases in the calf, so I'll have a tough time figuring out what the hell I did.

Trust me, there's more to deal with, but I am feeling like the UFO pile is a little more under control.

Hot Springs

Last month I was down in Hot Springs for a couple of rock star gigs. While the band was rehearsing, I explored the town. LB swears we spent a few hours there on our honeymoon, but I have no recollection of ever being there before. It was a lovely honeymoon, but there's no way I was that starry-eyed as to forget the awesomeness that is Hot Springs.

Anyhoo, with the assistance of the internet, I managed to score six pressed pennies, but totally without the use of the internet, I managed to find a relatively new yarn store, Knittin' on the Corner. I'm amazed I even stumbled across it because it's not on a corner; it's tucked up on the back of the second floor of a little shopping complex.

It was a lovely, airy shop, with heavy stock  in Feza, Plymouth, and Tahki.

After looking and looking, I came up with this wildly exciting skein of brown yarn.

I actually am excited about it as I had been looking for a worsted weight in a natural sheep color for a thrummed cap.

Also while there I checked out a Civil War exhibit and spotted this beautiful dolly.

Family history says she came from France to Memphis in 1850. Later, the owner gave the doll to her niece in Pine Bluff, Ar. Check out the wee knitted hose.

The weekend gave me the chance to do my thing is this gorgeous ballroom. Here's hoping I get to go back next year.

Old Times (part 2 of 3)

After the event, we toured the Hunter-Dawson home and I photographed a few gems, including this blue glass darning egg (prob. 20th century, but still lovely)

There was a beautiful silk embroidered doily (likely also from the early 20th century)

This 1840s portrait of the owner and her son shows one of my favorite accessories: a coral necklace.

Upstairs were some exquisite little baby things (perhaps from a variety of mid- to late-19th century dates)

Just look at the details on this tiny coat

One room had some mourning items, including this necklace

and this watch fob

The tiny little man got a chance to display himself as a font of knowledge and I got to see a a few of the garments he had made for the display. He has a coarse hand and has fortunately given up sewing.

... more to come ...

Old Times (part 1 of 3)

One of my first events this spring took place down in New Madrid, and I am finally getting around to posting the pix.

LB and I had gone to this event a few years ago and were bored out of our skulls. The organizer, a lovely gent, had planned all these "scenarios," but they were geared towards the military. We spent most of the day hungry and with absolutely nothing to do, except for 10 minutes here and there where we had the pleasure of being accused of spying. All this fun and a five-hour drive too.

This time, I knew what to expect, so I left LB home, took a pile of mending to work on, and made up my mind to create my own good time. Of course, after I got all the way down there, I discovered one of my least favorite reenactors was in attendance: a tedious little man overly fond of complicated scenarios, whom I try to avoid when I can. Still, my resolution stuck, and part of my enjoyment of the event involved spreading period-appropriate rumors about the little man, trying to get him in trouble with the officers.

I had my own projects to work on, but I let it be known ahead of time that, in exchange for shelter from the army, I would be willing to darn socks, an activity I genuinely love to do.

Some were in worse shape than others, but I did the best I could. The one below sparked a discussion about variegated yarns (which this isn't). To match the thickness of the yarn in these socks and mend the toe, I had to hold 3 strands of thinner yarn together. I did what I could with the colors already in my workbasket. I have seen original yarn that was plied together using 2 different yarns (not exactly the same as this), and I'm okay with this kind of fix.

Taking in darning would help explain my presence around the occupying troops and would still allow me to sit and work on the porch of a beautiful antebellum home. It also meant that a local pup, who had been spooked by the thunderstorm the night before and gotten lost, spent the day with me before her owner came and fetched her.

The mornings were very chilly, so I moved from the side porch to the front, chasing the sun as the day went on. I kept my hands warm by drinking some tea out of one of my favorite possessions: a handle-less teacup.

I thought I would amuse myself by seeing if I could read my tea leaves, and look what I got!

The event had a small sutlery, and I sold a few knitted things, which basically paid for my gas and let me buy a few things of my own. I ate the whole box of worm pills in one day and didn't notice any ill effects (they were Good & Plentys, which I love).

...more to come...

On Cage Crinolines and "Sagging" Memes

Last night this image popped up on Pinterest with the following caption:

• "In 1858, crinolines had to be hung outside public transportation to get aboard"

Really? Think about it for a moment. I'll wait.


A fully dressed woman is going to reach up her skirt (or in through the opening), rummage about under two or three petticoats, unhook her cage, and drop it in the street? Really?


And what happens when she gets to her destination? This would be the nineteenth-century equivalent of putting your bra on after you were fully dressed. It can be done, perhaps, but with no degree of dignity. Look again at the image above and imagine her taking off and putting on a cage while wearing that outfit.


I did a quick Pinterest search and at least three people had already shared the image, with the caption taken from a Tumblr post.


What we really have here is a joke image, perhaps part of this series on getting dressed.

How do we know these images are intentionally humorous? First, look how crudely made the cage is; it's clearly a purpose-made prop. Newspapers had plenty of similar jokes in cartoon form because the crinoline was a relatively new fashion. Compare these images to all of today's memes about sagging pants. 

I've seen plenty of original cages and not a one of them is this big. Finally, one of the reasons that cages were so popular is that they collapsed relatively easily. Yes, it would be a squeeze on a carriage, but no more than wearing a bazillion petticoats, which is what was done before the cage.


The average person won't know any of this, however, without looking at a bazillion images of cages and developing a sense of context.

Ranty Pants

Because I have been living a particularly insular life of late, I haven't been able to vent much. Whining is bad, but the occasional vent is good. Releases pressure and all that.

Trouble is, much of my internet life is observed ... by my parents, now both of them; by co-workers or even supervisors; by potential clients, etc. I've had to hold back on quite of bit of venting.

The pressure having built to a critical mass, however, I'm going to allow myself one tiny rant.

At one of my rock star gigs this weekend, people kept coming up to me to tell me about oncoming storms. I was at a reenactment, where there were tents and horses and such, but our part of it was indoors and the people with horses always have someone on picket duty. It had rained heavily earlier in the day, and at that moment we could also all see the gathering clouds out the window.

Here's a typical conversation:

Guy comes up to me at the microphone between tunes (never a great time) and holds his iPhone up for me to see.
Me, noticing it's not on: It's black.
Him, thinking he's actually showing me something: Yes, I know, scary isn't it.
Me: No, your phone is black.
Him: Yep, that's quite the storm coming.
Me: Yes, I can see the clouds.
Him: Oh, my iPhone is off. Hold on. [fiddles with iPhone]
Me, in my head: [Dude, I'm trying to run a dance here. What do you want me to do about it?]
Him: Here you go! [shows me the radar on his phone, which confirms what we can all see out the window]
Me, just to get rid of him and get back to my job: Thanks, I'll make an announcement.

I tell the dancers that a storm is coming and that they may want to tend to their tents. A few people glance at the window, but no one leaves. Not five minutes later, another guy (why is it always a guy?) comes up to tell me a storm is coming with quarter-size hail.

Really? Because I just announced a storm. A storm we could all see out the window. Clearly, because you didn't hear me announce it, another announcement probably won't alert anyone, let alone prevent the storm. What else do you want me to do?

The hail, btw, never materialized.

Summer Work

I'm not teaching this Summer, but as of yet no temp work has come through. This week I made bread pudding from a pack of badly freezer burned hot dog buns and some eggs LB brought back from a Civil War event in late spring. Things are getting tight.

Fortunately, since my stash--both fabric and yarn--is so massive, I have been able to keep busy without spending too much or even any additional money. .

I made a cotton shortgown for some eighteenth-century events as my only other one was wool. I also made a new linen petticoat (the red one). I did spend some money on the hat, but I bought an untrimmed one and can decorate it myself if I like.

I also finally finished the linen stays I'd been working on for ages, literally years. The project is old enough that the sociopath helped me with the fitting, back when my Civil War friends and I didn't know better than to try to nurture her. Ah well.

I've also made two dog crate covers. The first one was designed to shield the tiny little dog from visual stimulation at a lure coursing event. Since he could still hear the motor and barked like crazy, the cover represents a lot of effort for nothing. He had to wait out in the parking lot away from the sights and sounds of the course anyway. Still, I'm glad to have it. The print fabric was given to me by a friend and has already appeared as a quilt backing. In fact, as two quilt backings.

The second crate cover was for a costumed Meet the Breed event with a medieval theme. The table is covered with some Mardi Gras brocade fabric I am hoarding, and the dark purple fabric was something I'd bought for Mardi Gras costuming. Ditto the gold, although it's also served nicely as my Oscars party tablecloth for at least three years. Add a few bits of purple ribbon and some safety pins and you get one fancy-pants crate cover. I take zero credit for the dress, as it's my wedding dress, and my mother made it about eight years ago. For the headpiece, however, I looked at some images of Ann Boleyn, took a few more scraps of purple satin, a strand of Mardi Gras beads, some more purple ribbon, and voila.

And in the just-because-I'm-incredibly-bored category, I've also made two tote bags out of chicken feed bags, using this technique with a few modifications of my own. I don't even need tote bags.

If I still have no job, I'm planning on making LB a vulgar, loud, obnoxious banyan

plus a silk mantle (probably the Grecian casaque) for me

I'm also planning on boosting my sewing skills by trying to recreate some of my favorite vintage clothes by using this technique.

Prezzie Post

I've been meaning to do a prezzies post for ages, as people have been really kind about picking up some ephemera and other things they know I like.

First, my friend Mrs. B made me this beautiful punched paper bookmark at a Civil War workshop she attended. I adore punched paper crafts and love doing them. I can't wait to use this.

This spring, LB went to Shiloh and bought this reproduction needle case for me. My friend Miz Lawson sent me this USSC towel.

Silvana picked up this little pamphlet of square dance instruction for me. I actually used it last week when I wanted to check for a different version of a dance I was calling.

Rachel gave me this little notions bag, which holds a blue ton of stuff. Right now, it's hold the swatch for my Rivulet Shrug and some scraps of the custom dyed yarn she made for it.

Finally, my friend Dr. Knitter did some shopping for me at the Brimfield show and bought this wonderful Reward of Merit card for me. Love it!

In fact, I love it all.