Sunripe Summer Berries 2009 Cookbook Fanshawe Pioneer Village 2609 Fanshawe Park Road East, London, Ontario N5X 4A1 Telephone: (519) 457-1296 Fax: (519)457-3364 E-mail: info@fanshawepioneervillage.ca
What is a Thresherman s Dinner? Harvesting crops is a time sensitive endeavor whether you are harvesting in 1870 or 2008. Today s modern farming equipment combines 3 processes into one allowing modern farmers to do the work of ten men in earlier years. In the past farmers had to rely on neighboring families for the extra labor to harvest crops on time. Neighboring farmers would form a threshing crew of 10 to 12 farmers. This crew would travel throughout out the area to different farms and work as a team cutting 5 to 6 acres a day. They worked one to two days at each farm and then moved on to the next. Threshers started first thing in the morning and worked late into the evening. Two meals would be provided by the hosting farm. The farmers wives started their day as early as 5 am in order to have food prepared for the threshing crew. Women made their pies and bread first so that the oven would be free to cook the meat for the noon meal. As the pies baked, breakfast was prepared, and the children were awakened and dressed. With the children cared for, the women tackled their duties of digging potatoes, picking vegetables, gathering eggs or picking fruit for future pies. The remainder of the day was spent preparing the two hot meals for the hungry threshers. This was then followed by clean-up in addition to other regular household duties. Historic recipes and research for the threshermen s dinner indicate that we should plan for one loaf of bread and one pie for each man of the threshing team. That is for the day I hope! I m grateful to the Tri-County Heritage Club and our other volunteers for curbing their appetites to a more obtainable level! Julie Bedford, Domestic Coordinator
Bread! cries my daughter; and Drink! my son, And thus a woman s work is never done. And when my pottage-pot is read to hoil, I must be careful all the while; And for to cum the pot is my desire, Or else all the fat will run i th fire. But when th leven o clock bell it doth chime, Then I know tis near upon dinner time: To lay the tablecloth I then do run, And thus a woman s work is never done. When dinner time is gone and over-past, My husband he runs out o th doors in haste; He scarce gives me a kiss for all that I Have dealt and done to him so lovingly; Which sometimes grieves me to the heart, To see him so clownishly depart: But to my first discourse let me go on, To show a woman s work is never done. There s never a day, from morn to night, But I with work as tired quite; For when the game with me is at the best, I hardly in a day take one hour s rest; Sometime I knit, and sometimes I spin, Sometimes I wash, and sometimes I do wring. Sometimes I sit, and sew by myself alone, And thus a woman s work is never done. All you merry girls that hear this ditty, Both in country, and in the city; Take good notice of my lines I pray, And make the use of the time you may: You see that maids live more merrier lives, Then do the best of married wives: And thus to end my song as I begun, You know a woman s work is never done. Source: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-songlyrics/womans_work_is_never_done.htm Mixed Pickles (Recipe: Better Homes, 1930) 10 pickling cucumbers cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 pounds) 6 green peppers cut into strips 6 green tomatoes cut into wedges ¾ cup pickling salt 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into strips (4 cups) 4 cups sugar 2½ cups cider vinegar 3 tablespoons celery seed 3 tablespoons mustard seed 1 tablespoon pickling salt 2 teaspoons turmeric Preparing: In a large nonmetal container cover the first 3 ingredients with a mixture of the ¾ cup salt and 6 cups water. Cover; let stand in a cool place overnight. Drain; rinse. Place in a large kettle. Cook carrots in boiling salted water 5 minutes; drain. Add carrots to cucumber mixture. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables. Bring to a boil. Water-Bath Canning: Fill hot, clean pint jars; leave a ½-inch headspace. Wipe rims; adjust lids. Process 10 minutes for pints (start timing when water boils). Makes 6 pints.
Extracts from: A Woman s Work is Never Done This English broadside ballad, still sung today as a folk song, dates back to the early 17th century. Certainly an 18 th, 19 th, and early 20 th century woman could still relate to the sentiment. Here is a song for maids to sing, Both in the winter and in the spring; It is such a pretty, conceited thing, Which will much pleasure to them bring: Maids may sit still, go, or run, But a woman s work is never done. As I was wandering on the way, I heard a married woman say That she had lived a solid life Ever since the time that she was made a wife. For why, quoth she, my labor is hard, And all my pleasures are debarred: Both morning, evening, night and noon, I m sure a woman s work is never done. For when that I will rise early in the morn, Before that I my head with dressings adorn, I sweep and cleanse the house, as need doth require, Or, if that it be cold, I make a fire: Then my husband s breakfast I must dress, To fill his belly with some wholesome mess; Perhaps thereof I eat a little, or none, But I m sure a woman s work is never done. Next thing that I in order do, My children must be looked unto; Then I take them from their naked beds, To put on their clothes and comb their heads: And then, what hap soever betide, Their breakfast straight I must provide. PICKLED BEETS (Recipe: Better Homes Cookbook, 1930) 1/3 cup vinegar ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup water ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 2 cups sliced, cooked beets or one 16 ounce can sliced beets drained In medium saucepan combine vinegar, sugar, water, cinnamon, salt and cloves Bring to boiling, add sliced beets Return to boiling, reduce heat Cover and simmer 5 minutes, cool, Chill 8 hours and serve Makes 2 cups
ORANGEADE 4 oranges 3 lemons 4 pounds white sugar 2 ounces citric acid Grate the yellow skin [not the white part] of the oranges, add the acid and sugar, and scald with 2 quarts boiling water. When cool, add the juice of oranges and lemon. Let stand 24 hours, strain and bottle. For drink purposes, take 1 tablespoon to a cup of water. COLESLAW (Recipe: Julie Bedford) 4 cups of shredded cabbage ½ cup shredded carrot ¼ cup finely chopped onion ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup vinegar 4 tablespoons of brown sugar 4 tablespoons of oil 1 teaspoon of salt Lemon to taste LEMON SYRUP 2 pounds brown sugar 6 lemons 1 ½ pints water 2 ounces tartaric acid Mix together vegetables Mix wet ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Pour over vegetables and toss. Cover and chill. Boil sugar and water to a thin syrup, then add lemon juice. Let boil a little, and while boiling remove from stove. Bottle when cold. Will keep well. For drinking purposes in hot weather, take 1 tablespoon to 1 glass of water to taste.
VINEGAR PIE 1 egg 1 tablespoon [heaping] flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 1/12 tablespoons sharp vinegar 1 cup cold water Nutmeg to taste FRENCH SALAD To 1 pint canned peas add 1 pint celery cut finely, ½ cup walnuts chopped finely, ½ cup chopped orange. Serve with mayonnaise dressing on Shredded lettuce. Beat the egg, flour and sugar together. Add the vinegar and the cold water. Flavour with nutmeg and bake with two crusts. MAYONNAISE DRESSING Blend the yolks of 2 raw eggs with 1 teaspoon on mustard, pinch of salt and a dash of paprika. And slowly a few drops of olive oil, stirring rapidly, then more at a time. When thick, add a little vinegar or lemon juice, then more oil and vinegar until ½ a cup of oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the same vinegar have been used.
SUNSHINE PUDDING Dissolve 5 scant teaspoons of gelatine in 2 ½ cups boiling water, and strain. Beat the whites of 4 eggs with 2 cups granulated sugar, then beat the gelatine for 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon cold water, a little vanilla, and set away to harden slightly. Very delicious. MEATLOAF (Recipe: Julie Bedford) 4 Pounds hamburger 2 eggs ½ cup ketchup ½ tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ½ cup of milk I medium onion chopped fine 1 teaspoon of sage 1cup bread crumbs In one bowl mix bread crumbs and sage In another bowl mix eggs, ketchup, brown sugar, onions, Worcestershire sauce and milk Pour wet into dry and mix. Mix well with hamburger. Divide into 2 or 3 loaf pans and cover with foil and bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes. Meatloaf should be firm and knife cuts through center clean. Remove foil the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Baked Rice Pudding (Recipe: Better Homes, 1930) 2 cups milk ½ cup long grain rice ½ cup raisins ¼ cup butter or margarine 3 beaten eggs 2 cups milk ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt Ground nutmeg or cinnamon Light cream or milk In a heavy medium saucepan bring 2 cups milk, uncooked rice, and raisins to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook over very low heat about 15 minutes or till rice is tender. Remove from heat; stir in butter or margarine till melted. In a mixing bowl stir together the eggs, the 2 cups milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Gradually stir rice mixture into egg mixture. Pour into a 10x6x2-inch baking dish. Bake in a 325 oven for 30 minutes. Stir well; sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or till a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled with light cream or milk. Makes 6 servings Zucchini Bread (Recipe: Brenda Sim, Family Recipe) 3 eggs beaten until frothy 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups zucchini (grated) 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ginger 1 cup raisins (optional) ½ cup walnuts (optional) Beat together eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Put into 2 loaf pans and bake at 325 for 1 hour.