Historical cooking

Ian M.

New member
You folks really picqued my interest with all this wonderful information. I've always been fascinated by re-enactment groups and seriously considered joining one (Revolutionary era) a number of years ago (pre-marriage, when I still had some folding cash!) but just could never afford to do it and certainly can't right now. Nevertheless, we go camping a lot and any number of recipes are tailor-made for such activities. Nothing in this world smells or tastes as good as breakfast, cooked over an open fire on a chilly morning - yum! Maybe, when Kieran begins school and we're a bit more flush we can finally afford to do something like re-enactments. Fallon is also fascinated by the concept - she sews and could probably make a great deal of the clothing we'd need to have. My Dad has an old flint-lock that would possibly suffice (perhaps someone can clue me in on that particular piece of "fire-power" weaponry as to whether or not it might be acceptable. Anyway, we're looking at a number of years down the pike for this activity but it's certainly something to look forward to!

Ian
 

Rustpot

New member
You folks really picqued my interest with all this wonderful information. I've always been fascinated by re-enactment groups and seriously considered joining one (Revolutionary era) a number of years ago (pre-marriage, when I still had some folding cash!) but just could never afford to do it and certainly can't right now. Nevertheless, we go camping a lot and any number of recipes are tailor-made for such activities. Nothing in this world smells or tastes as good as breakfast, cooked over an open fire on a chilly morning - yum! Maybe, when Kieran begins school and we're a bit more flush we can finally afford to do something like re-enactments. Fallon is also fascinated by the concept - she sews and could probably make a great deal of the clothing we'd need to have. My Dad has an old flint-lock that would possibly suffice (perhaps someone can clue me in on that particular piece of "fire-power" weaponry as to whether or not it might be acceptable. Anyway, we're looking at a number of years down the pike for this activity but it's certainly something to look forward to!

Ian

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This sounds like me about 25 years ago. I was into Historical living / re-enactment but after getting married and having 5 kids it sort of put a halt on my Hobbes. There are still a lot of stuff you can learn and do. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]First off I would suggest you do a search for a club in your area. You will want to pick a time pried you want to get into. If your looking into the Revolutionary era 1760's to 1812 you would want clothing and everyday things for that time pried. Also in this time pried would you have been a wealthy person or a poor person moving west. [by west I mean west Virginia, Kentucky, or Ohio.] Or would you want to be a Mountain man 1820's to late 1840. A flint-lock would have been in use into 1830 and then percussion locks would have becoming the popular lock, in the 1860's. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Flint & steel would have been the method to stare a fire up to about 1850. As you can see there is a lot to this Hobby. Cooking is one of the things that go along with this hobby. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]For example: Porcelain pots, pans, plates, ect... were not around in the 1700's early 1800's, it would have been tin or pewter. Cast iron would have been used for pots or frying pans. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I would also suggest going to yard sales & flea-markes to look for stuff. But, again, do research. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Next time your camping, start your fire with flint and steel. Here is how.[/FONT]




[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What you would need:[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]File[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif], [you can pick up and old used file at a yard sale or flea-market for just a few bucks. Unless you already have one] [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Flint[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [It's all over the world. Take a file and pick up rocks, strike file if you get good sparks you have flint.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chard cloth[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif], To make chard cloth you will need a can that can be made air tight. Punch a hole in the lid of can with a nail or ice pick. You will need 100% cotton cloth, cut into [a bunch] into about 1” X 1” square. Pack these cotton cloth squares into can, place lid on can and place can into hot coals of a fire. Smoke will pour out of the hole you punched into lid. This is what you want, when the smoke stops coming of can to the count of : 1-1000, 2-1000, 3-1000, 4-1000. [or 4 seconds) remove can from fire and allow to cool. [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Bird nest; This is just dry grass, or anything that would make a ball like a bird nest.[/FONT]



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Now you ready to start a fire. Hold file in left hand, hold one piece of chard cloth agents file. Strike file with flint so that sparks hit chard cloth. Cloth will start to glow red, place glowing chard cloth into bird nest, fold nest around glowing cloth. Hold bird nest up and blow softly into nest. Keep blowing till bird nest burst into flame, place burning nest into fire wood. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Now cook your camp fire meal. :bbq:[/FONT]​
 

Ian M.

New member
Thanks so much, Rustspot - your post is very interesting and helpful. As to what re-enactment clubs exist up here, it's mostly Revolutionary era - many of the re-enactors participate in the Patriot's Day exhibitions on April 17th. Patriot's day is, in New England rather like Jefferson-Jackson Day down in the South - a time for remembering and re-living events that occured during the Revolutionary War years and re-enactors abound! Every small town and hamlet has it's militia group and encampments are set up all around the area for several days during the time allotted to Patriot's Day festivities. It's always gotten my attention in a big way - I love to talk to the people who are involved and get their perspective on what (and how) they do. My Dad already has the flint lock I mentioned before and, as well, has a set of pewter dishes that he and my mother picked up at an antique barn sale years ago. I'd give my left hind leg to get my hands on that set of dishes but I think one of my brothers already has dibbs on it. But farm tools and things like files and flints are obtainable around here and my wife and I are going to practice building camp fires according to your instructions. As anyone will tell you, I'm "windy" as all get out, so blowing on the bird's nest shouldn't pose much of a problem for me. Again, thanks for your post.

Ian :whistling:
 

Rustpot

New member
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Bread trenche[/FONT]

When king and Nobel men would put on a feast, the Royalty would eat from a bread trench were many flavored foods with herbs & spices would have been eaten from. Latter these bread trenchers that would have been soaked full of these flavored foods herbs & spices would have been pasted out to the peasants in order to give them a taste of the herbs & spices that only the royalty could afford.

These days it is made to be eaten, but if you want, you too can eat your stew or other meal in a plate or bowl made from bread.

You can buy a ready made loaf and hollow it out to create a bowl. Round loaves of crusty bread work best.
Or, you can make your own.

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Bread Bowl Recipe[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 (.25 ounce) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]packages active dry yeast[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 teaspoons salt[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 tablespoons vegetable oil[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]7 cups all-purpose flour[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 tablespoon cornmeal[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 egg white[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 tablespoon water[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2. Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]3. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]4. Punch dough down, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 inch round loaf. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]7. To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch thick slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4-inch-thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately. [/FONT]
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I recently got a good cookbook called Cook Like A Cowboy which is a collection of old recipes from the 1800's that have been updated so measurements are easier to read. Other than that they have the old and new side by side to cross reference. I've yet to try any since I just got it but looking forward to a few of them.
 

Rustpot

New member
I think on one outdoor show I saw guys cooking hotcakes on a shovel. Talk about multitasking!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I know the things I use my shovel for, and I dont think I would cook on it. :yuk:[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hoecake [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]According to the [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oxford English Dictionary[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif], the term hoecake first occurs in 1745, and the term is used by American writers such as[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] Joel Barlow [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]and [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Washington Irving[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]. The origin of the name is the method of preparation: they were cooked on a type of iron pan called a hoe. It is a myth that they were cooked on the blades of gardening hoes.[/FONT]​
 

Rustpot

New member
I recently got a good cookbook called Cook Like A Cowboy which is a collection of old recipes from the 1800's that have been updated so measurements are easier to read. Other than that they have the old and new side by side to cross reference. I've yet to try any since I just got it but looking forward to a few of them.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sounds like a dandy of a find. When you do use the recipe from the book, cook the meal on an open fire, it will taste better. [/FONT]​
 

Rustpot

New member
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hardtack (or hard tack) is a simple type of cracker or biscuit, made from flour, water, and sometimes salt. Inexpensive and long-lasting, it was and is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages and military campaigns. The name derives from the British sailor slang for food, "tack". It is known by other names such as pilot bread (as rations for ship's pilots), ship's biscuit, shipbiscuit, sea biscuit, sea bread (as rations for sailors) or pejoratively "dog biscuits", "tooth dullers", "sheet iron", "worm castles" or "molar breakers". Australian and New Zealand military personnel knew them with some sarcasm as ANZAC wafer.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A Sailor's Diet[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick oats. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]3 cups unbleached flour. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 1/2 teaspoons salt. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 teaspoon baking soda. [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In a separate container, mix: [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 1/2 cups buttermilk. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]3 tablespoons honey. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 cup melted shortening. [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Combine the two sets of ingredients. When the dough is thoroughly mixed, roll it out on a floured board to a thickness of about a quarter inch. Cut out circles of dough with a large drinking glass dipped in flour and put them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 5 1/2 minutes at 450° F. Let the hardtack cool on a wire rack.[/FONT]



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Traditional Recipes[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2 c Flower [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 tb Salt (optional) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 tb Sugar (optional) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1/2 c Water [/FONT]




[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mix together in an electric blender at medium speed until it has the consistency of playdough. Roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1/3" or so, the thinner [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]the crisper, then cut it into 3 x 3 inch squares. I use the barrel of a ball point pen to punch 16 holes (4 x 4) in each square. Bake at 375° F on the first side for 20-25 minutes or until it turns a light brown color, then turn them over and bake for another 15-20 minutes.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]




[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hard Tack Recipe [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]4 cups flour (preferably whole wheat)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]4 teaspoons salt[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Water (about 2 cups)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Pre-heat oven to 375° F[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Makes about 10 pieces[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add just enough water (less than two cups) so that the mixture will stick together, producing a dough that won’t stick to your hands. Mix the dough by hand then roll the dough out. Cut the dough into squares about 3 x 3 inches and 1/2 inch thick.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Note: if the dough is to thick it will not dry properly.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]If dried well it will keep up to a year.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]After cutting the squares, press a pattern of four rows of four holes into each square. You can do this by using a bamboo skewer. Do not punch through the dough. The appearance you want is similar to that of a modern saltine cracker. Turn each square over and do the same thing to the other side.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Place the squares on an ungreased cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crackers should be slightly brown on both sides.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Fresh crackers are easily broken but the more they dry the harder they get. [/FONT]


[/FONT]
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
These recipes are pretty cool, Rustpot!

I love the Shepherd's Pie!

Lee
 

Rustpot

New member
These recipes are pretty cool, Rustpot!

I love the Shepherd's Pie!

Lee



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I like lamb but my wife is not much on it. She did, however, like this recipe. [Shepherd's pie][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I like it very much and will make it again. Good camp fire recipe. For a cool night.:wink:[/FONT]
 

Rustpot

New member
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]History of coffee[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]By the late 1600’s the Dutch were growing coffee at Malabar in India and in 1699 took some plants to Batavia in Java, in what is now Indonesia. Within a few years the Dutch colonies had become the main suppliers of coffee to Europe, where coffee had first been brought by Venetian traders in 1615. This was a period when the two other globally significant hot beverages also appeared in Europe. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hot chocolate was the first, brought by the Spanish from the Americas to Spain in 1528; and tea, which was first sold in Europe in 1610. At first coffee was mainly sold by lemonade vendors and was believed to have medicinal qualities. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The first European coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1683, with the most famous, Caffe Florian in Piazza San Marco, opening in 1720. It is still open for business today. The largest insurance market in the world, Lloyd's of London, began life as a coffeehouse. It was started in 1688 by Edward Lloyd, who prepared lists of the ships that his customers had insured.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The first literary reference to coffee being drunk in North America is from 1668 and, soon after, coffee houses were established in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other towns. The Boston Tea Party Of 1773 was planned in a coffee house, “the Green Dragon”. Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Bank of New York started in coffeehouses in what is today known as Wall Street[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You can buy green coffee beans today and roast them in your oven or in a frying pan over an open fire.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]http://greencoffees.coffeebeandirect.com/[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Brass Coffee Grinder [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_61&products_id=690[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Coffee today; If you buy coffee that has not been ground, You want to take out the light colored coffee beans from your bag of coffee. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The white / light colored outer layer of the coffee bean tell you that they are not ripe.” The coffee company's back in the 60's, cut back on the people that picked out these light color beans. Therefor allowing the unripe beans to go in with the good / ripe dark beans, making the coffee a lower grade coffee. Today there are coffee company's that pay a fair wage to people in south America to pick out the light color beans. This is why the cost is a little higher, The coffee bags will say fair triad on them.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Do a test; Buy a bag of whole roasted coffee beans, then pick out the light color beans. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Make coffee with the light colored bean's. Then make coffee with the dark colored bean's. [/FONT]
 

Saliha

Well-known member
Good try for campfire cooking is Rosvopaisti (Finnish lit. “robber’s roast”) is roast meat cooked in a cooking pit.

Rosvopaisti can be made with almost any meat: lamb, mutton, pork, bear, reindeer, elk etc. The pit, preferably soil of sand or clay, is about one metre long, 70 cm wide and a half metre deep where stones or bricks are heated up for several hours. The meat is wrapped in layers of dampened parchment paper, newspaper and aluminium foil. You can also use the bark or birch bark and wide leaves or animal skin (for being more traditional). The coals are pushed aside and placed upon the meat parcel(s) at the bottom of the pit. Then the coals are covered with another layer of soil. It takes approximately between 8 to 12 hours to cook the roast.

In the original recipe, you should at the first steel a lamb... ;)

Sheep wool is cut about one centimeter. Sheep injected and slaughtered. The carcase shall be given a couple of days depend on the temperature. Lamb is not skinned. Dug up the body-shaped deep pit, which is lined with stones. Pit burned trees, until it is full of coals. Clay made a somewhat loose porridge. Sheep salt from the inside. Wool rubbed the clay mass. Clay seeks to 2 to 3 cm layer. Plastered sheep are carefully carbon-free hot pit and shovel the coals of the carcass on the heap. If the weather is beautiful and calm, the roast will cook well, anyway. If the weather is windy and a little rainy, you might want to put coals on top of a bit of the soil and, if necessary, to keep a small campfire site.

It depends on the age of the sheep, when it is ripe. Young 6-month-old lamb cook over three hours, respectively, 5 years old ram requires six hours. Whensheep has buried in hot coals, you will notice that it is inside the clay pot. The pot is split, so that the hairs will stick to the clay. Meat is ready to eat. Before than you cook the whole sheep by this method, you should at least be cooked water bird feathers in the same way.

* Be careful with the cooking pit that you do not light the fires. The sandy earth and bordering the pit with stones is the safest.

Hopely you understand the directions - I used google translation and it might not be the best way to translate anything. :neutral:

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original.jpg


Sources: http://www.kotikokki.net/reseptit/nayta/46056/Metsänvartijan ROSVOPAISTI/

http://www.kokkikolmonen.com/tuotteet.html?id=1/332
 

Rustpot

New member
Very good Saliah:). Being from Miami, The Cubans cooked in a similar way [under ground]. They would place meat in a chicken wire. After meat was cooked / steamed cooked they would shake the chicken wire and the meat would fall off the bone and through the wire onto the table.
 
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