My 1895 White House Cookbook arrived ~ Wow very fragile here is a snipet of advice

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diannecerkvenik64

Well-known member
When a beefsteak or mutton chop has been kept too long and becomes somewhat slimy, if it is well washed in cold running water, mopped dry with a soft cloth and broiled over a very hot fire, you would not know if from fresh.

or.....

A scrap jar should be in every room. We knew of an old lady who was visiting an elegantly furnished house, and she complained that she carried an orange peel all day in her pocket, because there was no stove, or open fireplace, nor any other place to put it.

What is strange is they state NO OVEN TEMPERATURE ~ just medium or high flame or fire place setting.

They also use teacupful or half a teacupful for measurement.

This cook book is fascinating and I will add more recipes as I go along. There is one for squirrel soup ~ actual squirrels AND a way to keep their annoying little bones out of your food when done.

Amazing

 
I've worked in restaurants that rinse their slimey meats and fish.

Unfortunately, things really haven't changed that much from the 1800s. What goes into stockpots? Only the Lord knows!

I gotta say, though, I sure wish squirrel was considered a delicacy. I'd be rich. I've got hickory trees in my yard and those little creatures never stop working those trees. When we first bought the house it was amusing, but now I'd like to make stew out of 'em.

 
"Borned on a mountaintop in Tennessee. Greenest State in the land of the free..."

"...Raised in the woods so's he knew ev'ry tree... Kilt him a b'ar when he wuz only three."

You know the rest.

Michael

 
BRUNSWICK STEW

My semi-ancient Gourmet Cookbook says:
“Wild squirrels abound everywhere, and their white flesh is tender and delicious. They can be cooked like rabbit or chicken (that oughtta open a few doors), and only a very old squirrel (did you card ‘em first?) is tough enough to require marinating.”
The only recipe they give specifically is Thomas Jefferson’s favorite.

Cut 2 plump young squirrels into serving pieces. Dredge the pieces in well-seasoned flour and brown them in fat with 6 onions, thinly sliced. Transfer the meat and onions to an earthenware casserole and add 3 cups boiling water, 6 tomatoes, peeled and sliced, 3 red peppers chopped, and a generous pinch (I dunno; any pinch I give is generally pretty mean) of thyme. Cover the casserole and simmer the stew for I hour.
Add 2 pounds each of lima beans and okra (starting to sound like brick soup to me.... these poor rodents are gonna be lost amongst the competition), the kernels scraped from 6 ears of green corn (I think nobody’d complain if you substituted a cup of frozen shoepeg corn), and 1 tbs each of chopped parsley and Worcestershire sauce. Cover the casserole and simmer the mixture until the meat and vegetables are tender. Thicken the sauce with equal amounts of flour and butter kneaded together and serve in the casserole.

Or you could just find a nice chicken or rabbit recipe.

 
I had squirrel stew when I was around 12. My best friend's mom had it simmering

on the back of the stove and my friend told me to try it - she didn't tell me what it was. She was really disappointed when she told me it was squirrel and I said "So? It's good! (And it WAS!)

 
I had the same reaction the first time I had frog's legs and calamari... just don't tell me

what I'm eating FIRST! smileys/smile.gif

 
You know those kebabs that smell so good?

The street vendors in NYC make these kebabs that smell fabulous, a while ago someone somewhere took the meat to a lab...

yep, it was... they are free in Central Park, after all

 
Stone soup! What was that short story about the starving village?

Somehow they managed to feed the entire village. Great story.

 
I left my back door open one day, turned around in the kitchen and one was sitting up begging!

 
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