A Thyme to Discover: Early American Recipes for the Modern Table
152
A Thyme to Discover: Early American Recipes for the Modern Table
152Hardcover
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Overview
From their voyage on the Mayflower to the days of the American Revolution, early American settlers struggled to survive in the New World. Join us as we travel through time and discover how our forefathers fed their families and grew a nation, from eating nuts and berries to preparing fantastic feasts of seafood and venison, and learn how you can cook like them, too!
With gorgeous and whimsical hand-drawn illustrations from beginning to end, A Thyme to Discover, spanning the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, is an illustrated historical cookbook for foodies, history buffs, and Americans alike. Cohen and Graves reimagine old original colonial recipes from pilgrims, presidents, and Native Americans, and modify them to suit modern palates and tastes. Arranged chronologically as the English settlers cooked and ate their way into becoming Americans, these deliciously historical recipes include:
Including a "Tipsy Timeline" of New World alcoholic beverages, the menus of the oldest taverns in America, and other bite-sized tidbits to satiate your curiosity and hunger, A Thyme to Discover revives forgotten culinary traditions and keeps them alive, on your own dinner table.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781510721791 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Skyhorse |
| Publication date: | 11/21/2017 |
| Pages: | 152 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.80(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
1620 to 1650s: A Time of Survival
The Arrival of the Pilgrims
QUICK! HIDE THE BEER
As one could imagine, the trip on the Mayflower was not exactly a high-end culinary experience. We will spare you the gruesome details of the food and not-so-fine dining conditions. Trust us, you do not want to hear about it.
The ship left England in September of 1620 and arrived in November that same year. On board were 102 passengers. One child was born during the trip and one passenger passed away. The group consisted of a mix of Separatists, indentured servants, and orphans looking to start anew in America. They were paid by The Virginia Company to establish a new British colony in Virginia, but that didn't go exactly as planned. The intention was to arrive in New York, but weather forced a landing in Cape Cod. Eventually, they made their way to Plimoth and dropped anchor on December 18, 1620.
The Mayflower captain and crew were eager to head back home to England and even more anxious to get the passengers away from the beer they were stockpiling for the return trip. As a result, the new colonists were forced to get the hell off the boat and figure out where to set up camp. Well, they ran out of beer anyway since, due to widespread illness, the Mayflower and its crew were unable to head back until April 5, 1621.
The passengers and crew made the most of what they had and choked down dishes such as:
Ship cakes or ship biscuits: large, round, hard biscuits made of flour and water
Dried peas
Ox tongue
Lobscouse: soup made with dried peas and salted beef
Burgoo: a boiled mix of hot oatmeal and molasses
Upon their arrival, they did discover mussels, but, uh, ate a little too much. We will leave it at that. We have put together a lovely, well-portioned mussel recipe for you instead.
WAIT ... YOU CAN EAT THAT?
It is important to note that these people did not know how to survive in very foreign lands. The first few months were filled with harsh conditions, sickness, food shortages, fear of Native American attacks, and lack of resources, tools, and hunting skills. Foods that were native to the land were difficult to understand and prepare as the Pilgrims had never seen them before. This included corn; pumpkins; squash; various nuts, herbs, and berries; as well as venison and ... mussels.
Pea and Mint Soup
Vibrant and fresh, this is a much better version than what they would have served on the Mayflower.
INGREDIENTS
1½ Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups leeks (white portion only), cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable stock
39 oz young peas (about 3 bags), thawed and drained
6 oz baby spinach
1/3 cup mint leaves, chopped Zest, 1 lemon Juice, 1 lemon
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 small container crème fraiche
1 tsp ground coriander
DIRECTIONS
[??] Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and leeks, cooking until they soften.
[??] Add the flour, and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Be careful not to let the flour burn.
[??] Pour a small amount of the stock into the Dutch oven, and stir to prevent lumps. Add the rest of the stock and raise the heat to medium-high. Once the soup starts to boil, add the peas, spinach, and mint leaves. Lower the heat to simmer. Add the lemon zest and juice.
[??] Cook until the spinach wilts and the peas are soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
[??] Add soup to a blender, in batches, to blend and puree the vegetables. Strain the pureed soup through a sieve and pour it back into the Dutch oven.
[??] Turn the heat to low, and add the pepper, salt, crème fraiche, and coriander. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve.
Ship Legs Need Mussels — and Beer
Mussels drowning in beer and herbs.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb mussels
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
8 oz Belgian beer (we used Stella Artois)
1 Tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup Madeira wine Brioche bread, for dipping
DIRECTIONS
[??] Rinse and stir mussels under cold, running, fresh water. For any mussels that do not close after rinsing, tap their shells or lightly squeeze them while running under the water again. For any mussel that still does not close, throw it away — this is a sign that it is not safe to eat.
[??] Melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a deep pan, on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add shallots, and cook until translucent. Watch the shallots to ensure they do not burn.
[??] Add the mussels, and then pour beer over the mussels. Stir to coat and cover with a lid. Turn the heat up to medium-high for 5–7 minutes. Shake the pan periodically to move the mussels around instead of opening the lid and releasing the steam. When the mussels are open, you are ready to proceed.
[??] Remove the lid, and lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 4 Tbsp butter and herbs. Stir to ensure that all the mussels have been coated with butter and herbs. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and place in a deep bowl. Lightly tent with aluminum foil. Keep the juices in the pan.
[??] Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the Madeira wine. Stir and cook the sauce down for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the aluminum foil from the mussels. Pour the sauce from the pan over the mussels.
[??] Toast slices of brioche and cut into triangles. Arrange the triangles around the mussel bowl for proper dipping.
Skillet Flatbread
This simple name is perfect for how easy this recipe is. Do you ever find yourself in a position when you are short of a bread item for dinner or an impromptu guest? This simple flatbread uses common ingredients, can be whipped up in 20 minutes, and is versatile.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup self-rising flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2½ Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2–4 Tbsp water, lukewarm Lard (or whatever cooking fat you choose to use)
Optional topping:
½ stick unsalted butter
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced Flaked salt, to sprinkle
DIRECTIONS
[??] Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the Greek yogurt and oil, and combine (use the back of a wooden spoon to help). Add the water until the dough is able to come together and has the ability to be rolled into a ball with your hands. The dough should stick together, and be lightly tacky. The appearance will not look silky and smooth like bread dough, so don't panic if it looks rough. Wrap the ball with plastic wrap and pop in the refrigerator for 10 minutes at least.
[??] Remove chilled dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Slice the dough in half (the dough makes 2 flatbreads). Using your hands or a rolling pin, stretch and flatten the first piece of dough. We prefer to keep it ¼- to ½-inch thick — the thinner the dough the crunchier it is, and we like it a little less crunchy.
[??] Heat a cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add lard (or butter or oil). Lard cooks at a high temperature, does not burn very easily, and provides a subtle flavor. Once the pan is hot and the lard has melted and warmed, gently place one of the dough rounds in the pan. If your pan is really hot, it should take no more than 2 minutes to get golden brown in spots, or a little longer if you are cooking at a lower temperature. Flip the dough over and cook the other side.
[??] Optional topping: Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add rosemary and garlic. When the dough is cooked, brush this butter mix on top and sprinkle with flaked salt.
Lobscouse
This classic stew has been a traditional sailor's meal for hundreds of years. Hearty and full of flavor, our version will delight all those on land and sea.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper, divided
2 lb stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used beef chuck)
4 Tbsp butter, unsalted
5 cups chicken stock
1 bottle of Belgian beer (we used Stella Artois)
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed (we used russet potatoes)
1½ cup carrots, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 soup bones*
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS
[??] In a plastic bag, mix flour, salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Add meat in batches until all the meat is covered with the flour. Discard the bag of flour.
[??] Heat butter in a Dutch oven, over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the meat and then remove. Set aside.
[??] Pour 1 cup chicken stock into the pan. Using a wooden spoon, stir up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Pour remaining chicken stock and beer into pan, and stir. Raise the heat to medium-high to get the liquid to boil. Return the meat to the pan, along with the potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, soup bones, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, and add remaining 1 tsp pepper.
[??] Lower the temperature to simmer. Cook for 2 hours. About an hour into the cooking process, use a butter knife to loosen the marrow out of the soup bones so it will melt into the soup. Soup bones are often a forgotten ingredient that, when included, add depth of flavor.
[??] Remove bay leaves and soup bones; discard. As always, soup tastes better the next day, but this is certainly delicious on the first day as well. Suggestion: serve with Skillet Flatbread (page 20).
The Harvest of 1621
Or, as We Call It, the First Thanksgiving
The Wampanoag Tribe or "People of the First Light" were a peaceful but cautious group. Their leader, Massasoit, met with the colonists on a few occasions to discuss a way everyone could live and learn from each other. This peaceful union led to a gathering in 1621. Massasoit was invited to celebrate the successful and bountiful harvest (which would have never happened without the help of the Wampanoags). He accepted the invitation and brought ninety men with him. Women and children were sent for later, after it was determined that there was no threat or danger. However, the colonists did not plan on having so many guests and were quite short on supplies for the visitors. Massasoit commanded his best hunters to go out immediately and bring back the needed venison and other game to supplement the feast.
Preparing the food was incredibly labor-intensive (no pre-cut meats wrapped in plastic), but everyone participated and helped with the butchering, plucking, grinding, shucking, roasting, and serving. It was truly a collaborative effort.
The feast went on for three days — not just a single meal, as we have today, but many. They did not just eat and drink; there were also talks of diplomacy, military drills, games, and various types of entertainment. A good time was had by all. The Wampanoags were and still are a people with a strong sense of community and family, so one could guess that this was, indeed, celebratory and inclusive.
Although the modern-day observation of Thanksgiving involves one large meal with family and a traditional menu, this first feast was not filled with turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Instead, food included eels, clams, oysters, cod, sea bass, wild onions, leeks, watercress, duck, geese, venison, dried plums, berries, beans, squash, nuts, wine, and, of course, cornmeal. Just rewards for a year of hard work.
It is a shame that after all this diplomacy, shared knowledge, and peace, a full-scale war developed in 1675 between the natives and the English known as King Philip's War.
The Wampanoag Tribe
The Wampanoag Tribe held territory from Rhode Island up through Massachusetts, inland and coastal, as well as on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Roughly sixty-five villages were scattered throughout New England in the early seventeenth century.
In 1615, the first of several epidemics swept through their villages; it is suspected to have been smallpox or a bacterial infection. The epidemic destroyed families and wiped out entire villages, bringing their numbers down from about 40,000 to about 6,000. As a result, having an alliance with the colonists became imperative to hold their territories and protect themselves from other Native American tribes.
They often cooked in clay pots, and they utilized everything nature provided. Dishes such as nasaump (porridge) are still made today according to tradition, using berries, nuts, acorns, and chestnuts to create a flavorful meal. Other dishes included sobaheg (stew), marachock (passion flower) jelly, msiekquatash (succotash), sautauthig (blueberry cornmeal porridge), and puttuckqunnege (boiled bread).
Hobbamock, or Squanto, was instrumental in the survival of the colonists. With his fluent English, sense of diplomacy, and farming and hunting skills, we modern Americans all owe him a beer or two.
Today, the Wampanoags continue traditions from their early days — storytelling, reviving their language, organizing internal governments, and maintaining respect for nature through ceremonies, dance, and cooking. They have adapted to modern techniques, while passing on the story of their heritage.
Massasoit, the Grand Sachem
Massasoit, along with Samoset and Squanto, is credited for saving the American colonists from certain starvation. He was born in 1590 near what is now known as Bristol, Rhode Island. He was the Grand Sachem, or leader, of the Wampanoag Indians.
Samoset, a subordinate chief, convinced Massasoit that a peaceful alliance with the new colonists would benefit the tribe and protect their territories. Massasoit agreed, and so began a peaceful union. This alliance lasted until shortly after his death in 1661. During the peaceful years, Massasoit shared knowledge and techniques that the settlers were in desperate need of. In return, along with the feast of 1621, the colonists were instrumental in nursing the Grand Sachem back to health in 1623 after a bout of dangerous illness.
There is not a lot of information available about his personal life, but we do know he had five children. He was described as being a man of few words, but when he spoke, you listened!
After his death, more settlers arrived, causing tension as resources were depleted and settlers demanded more land. This all led to a very bloody battle led by Massasoit's second son, Metacomet (who later became King Philip). King Philip's War was one of the deadliest battles in US history, lasting for one year.
Steamed Pumpkin Pudding with Rum Hard Sauce
Don't be confused by the name pudding,which is the traditional name or description for any cake that is steamed, baked, or boiled. This is an incredible moist cake that can be consumed warm or cold, for breakfast or dessert. Or in one sitting ...
INGREDIENTS
Pumpkin Pudding:
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (plus extra to prepare the pan)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¼ tsp cloves
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ cup buttermilk
Rum Hard Sauce:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup confectioners' sugar Pinch nutmeg
3 tsp spiced rum
DIRECTIONS
Pumpkin Pudding:
[??] Set the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan or ring mold with the extra butter.
[??] In a mixing bowl, add 8 Tbsp butter and whip until light. Add the sugar, followed by the eggs, one at a time. You may need to scrape the side of the bowl down before the next step. Now, mix in the pumpkin puree and cloves.
[??] In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.
[??] Have your buttermilk ready for the next step. In the mixing bowl with the butter and pumpkin mixture, alternate adding in the dry mixture with the buttermilk three times, while the mixer is on a low speed. We recommend scraping down the sides at least once.
[??] Add the batter to your prepared pan. Seal the top tightly with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for 1 hour.
Rum Hard Sauce:
[??] Add 4 Tbsp butter to a mixing bowl and whip until light. Shut off the mixer and add the confectioners' sugar. Turn the mixer back on slowly. Once the ingredients are fully combined, mix in the pinch of nutmeg and rum.
[??] When the cake is done, remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the foil. As the cake cools, it will pull away from the sides of the pan, allowing you to easily release the cake from the pan when you invert it over a plate.
[??] Pour Rum Hard Sauce over the top of the warm cake, or on the side, and serve.
Maple and Herbs Acorn Squash
An easy and impressive Thanksgiving side dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 acorn squash Olive oil, for brushing
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
5 Tbsp sliced almonds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp fresh thyme
DIRECTIONS
[??] Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
[??] Brush the flesh of the squash with olive oil, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
[??] Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted and the ingredients thicken.
[??] Pour the mixture into the wells of the squash.
[??] Cook the squash for another 25–30 minutes or until the squash is soft.
[??] Serve warm.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "A Thyme to Discover"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Tricia Cohen and Lisa Graves.
Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction,
1620 to 1650s: A Time of Survival,
The Arrival of the Pilgrims,
The Harvest of 1621,
The Wampanoag Tribeast with Herbed Blueberry Drizzle,
All Hail, Sarah Hale,
More on Mrs. Hale,
Mary Ate a Little Lamb,
1650s to 1680s: Time to Thrive,
Grow and Prosper,
Late 1600s: Bake Away and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth,
Baking Rises to a New Level,
Salem's Plot,
The Virginia Ham,
The White Horse Tavern,
Itty Bitty Rhode Island Packs a Punch,
1700s to 1790s: Building Our Nation,
Let's Have a Tea Party,
The Green Dragon,
Bell in Hand Tavern,
The First Saint Patrick's Day,
Franklin Was a Foodie!,
Coffee, Tea, or Chocolate?,
More Beverages in the New World,
The Birth of Our Nation!,
1769 Forefather's Day,
Oldest Food Brands in North America!,
Washington's Wine,
The Rest of the Story: Fun Food Facts and Delicious History,
Presidential Foodie Favorites,
Polly Want a Quaker?,
Where Are My Olives?,
Native Americans,
Union Oyster House,
Colonial Cocktails,
Sources,
About the Authors,
Conversion Charts,