May 1863: Instructions to clean a pig’s head begin with “chop off the snout from the head” #cw150

To clean a pig’s head

Chop off the snout from the head and divide it into four pieces, after cutting off the cheeks to salt, saving them to bake with beans. Wash all thoroughly, put in a suitable vessel, and cover with water in which a little salt has been added to draw off the blood. Let soak two days, changing the water each day. The third day, take from the water and scape well, but without attempting to remove the bristle. If bristles do no seem pretty dray after scraping wipe the skin side. Then light a spirit lamp and singe off the bristles. It will take them ff completely, leaving the pieces white and smooth after a slight scraping.

 

Source: Field and Fireside, May 16, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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May 1863 recipe for Rice Cake that “does nicely for a tea cake” #civilwar150

Rice Cake

A quarter pound of ground rice, a quarter of a pound of flour, half a pound of finely powedered white sugar, and five eggs. Beat all well together till it froth; pour quickly into a tin lined with buttered paper; bake three quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. This does nicely for a tea cake. It may be flavored with almond and lemon

 

Source: John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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Recipe to make a blue “Confederate dye” from elderberries #civilwar150

A Confederate Dye

To make a beautiful blue, take elderberries, mash them, and press out the juice. To two gallons of juice add about one ounce of copperas and two ounces of alum. Dip the thread in this thoroughly, air, and the dye is set.

Source: Clarke’s Confederate Household Almanac, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Sunmmerhouse Press, 1997).

 

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Recipe for Corn Beer using corn and molasses, April 11, 1863 #civilwar150 #beer

Corn Beer

Take one pint of corn and boil it soft. Add a pint of molasses and one gallon of water. Shake well and set by the fire, and in twenty-four hours the beer will be excellent. When all the beer in the jug is used up, just add more molasses and water. The same corn will answer for six months, and the beer will be fit for use in twelve hours by keeping the jug where it is warm. In this way, the ingredients used in making a gallon of beer, will cost about $1, and it is better and more wholesome than cider. A little yeast greatly forwards the working of the beer.

 

Source: Field and Fireside, April 11, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

 

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Sassafras Blossom as a substitute for Black Tea #civilwar150

Sassafras Blossom as a substitute for Black Tea

It is said that if the blossom of the sassafras (which will now soon be in full bloom) be gathered and dried in the shade, be used in making tea, instead of the root, it will be found an excellent substitute for tea, which now sells at from twelve to fifteen dollars a pound.

Source: Yorkville Enquirer, April 15, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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A substitute for Hyson Tea in 1863 #civilwar150

A substitute for Hyson Tea – Delicious Tea

Ladies, gather your raspberry leaves and you will have the finest substitute for hyson tea in the world – and when you can’t get raspberies – take the blackberry – it will do. I have tried it.

Interesting Note: Hyson tea was imported from China and represented most of the tea thrown overboard at the Boston Tea Party read more

Source: Clark’s Confederate Almanac, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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Save your old bread, especially when flour is selling for $50/barrel #civilwar150

Save your old bread

Every person may not know what, however, is true. Pieces of old bread, crumbs, &c. being soaked and mixed up with dough, in making new bread, improves it very much. Try it, and you will never allow pieces of any bread to be lost afterward – especially when flour is selling for fifty dollars per barrel.

 

Source: Field and Fireside, March 7, 1863 as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

 

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Recipe for a Cherry Cordial, using a recipe by “Southern matrons” #civilwar150

Cherry Cordial

Method of making cherry cordial by the Southern matrons of the lower country South Carolina (St. John’s) – a most delectable drink at all times, but particularly valuable in the present emergency: Fill the vessel with cherries (not washed if gathered clean). Cover with whiskey. After several weeks pour off all the clear liquor and press the cherries through a sieve. Put into the juice thus pressed out, five pints of brown sugar, and boil with syrup enough to sweeten the whole demijohn. Pour five pints of water on the thick part; boil and strain to make the syrup for the sugar. Blackberry cordial is made the same way; or it can be stewed, strained, sweetened and whiskey added. In the above, the sugar is to be boiled in the water which is obtained from the thick part, as directed.

Source: John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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1863 Recipe for “poor man’s soup” with parsley, onions, and broth #civilwar150

A Poor Man’s Soup

Mince a handful of parsley leaves fine and steam over a little salt. Shred six green onions and put them with the parsley in a saucepan. Add three tablespoonfuls of oil and vinegar, with some pepper and salt. Pour over it a nice beef broth, and it is ready to serve.

 

Source: Field and Fireside, February 7, 1863, as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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Helpful hint for catching moths in your garden from 1863 #cw150

Moths

Wide-mouthed bottles, partly filled with molasses and water, and hung up in a garden, make excellent traps for moths, which are the parent of many destructive worms.

 

**Catherine Edmondston has fought with grubs and other insects in her garden all winter…wonder if she used such a thing?  see this post for her fight to save her peach trees.

 

Source: Field and Fireside, February 7, 1863, as found in John Hammond Moore, ed., The Confederate Housewife (Columbia, SC: Summerhouse Press, 1997).

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