Early American Squash Pie (1841)

 "Pare, take out the seeds, and stew the squash till very soft and dry. Strain or rub it through a sieve or collander. 

"Mix this with good milk til it is thick as batter; sweeten it with sugar. Allow three eggs to a quart of milk, beat the eggs well, add them to the squash, and season with:

• rose water
• cinnamon
• nutmeg, or
• whatever spice you like.

Line a pie-plate with crust, fill, and bake about an hour."

More "Lost" Early American Recipes

Acorn Bread (1776)

Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)

(Origin - "Early American Cookery - The Good Housekeeper, 1841" by Sarah Josepha Hale, republished in 1996 by Dover Publications. Sarah Josepha Hale, 1788-1879, was an educator, author, and editor of 2 early American journals for women.)

Williamsburg Coffee Crisp Cookies (1971)

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tspn rum extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tspn baking soda
• 1/2 tspn baking powder
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 2 tbspns instant coffee
• Pecans, chopped or halved

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 10 minutes before cookies at to be put in.

Grease cookie sheet. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and rum extract, and mix well.

Beat in the sifted dry ingredients. Shape dough into rolls 2 inches in diameter, wrap in waxed paper, and chill. When firm, cut into thin slices and top with pecans. Baked on prepared cookie sheet at 40 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Yields 36 cookies.

More "Lost" Recipes from Williamsburg

Williamsburg Banana Buttermilk Cake (1850)

Williamsburg Carrot Spice Cake (1850)

Origin - "The Williamsburg Cookbook" by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg, published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1971.)

Early American Orange Wine (1819)

"Take the expressed juice of eight Seville oranges; and, having one gallon of water wherein three pounds of sugar have been boiled, boil the water and sugar for twenty minutes. 

"Skim constantly, and when cooled to a proper heat for fermentation, add the juice, and the outer rind of the fruit, shaved off. 

"Put all into a barrel, stir it frequently for two or three days, and then closely bung it for six months before it is bottled."

More "Lost" Beverages
Dandelion Wine (1934)

Cherry Wine (1934)
(Origin - "Early American Beverages" by John Hull Brown. Published by Bonanza Books, 1966.)

Alexander Hamilton's Corned Beef in Beer (1788, adapted)

• Corned beef brisket, about 3 lbs
• 3 to 4 shallots, peeled and halved if large, or 1 large red or sweet onion, peeled and cut into crescents or chunks
• 1 tspn black peppercorns
• 1 to 2 large springs fresh thyme or 1 tspn dried thyme
• 1/4 tspn grated or ground nutmeg
• 2 12-oz bottled beer (preferably a lager)
• 3 to 4 medium turnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 4 to 5 medium yellow potatoes cut into large chunks

1. Rinse the corned beef brisket and place it fat side up in a large (5 to 6-1/2 quarts) slow cooker. Place the shallots or onion around the meat, and add the peppercorns, thyme, and nutmeg.

Pour the beer over the brisket, plus enough water as needed to just cover the meat. Cook on high for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours or 8 to 10 hours on low. 

2. Add the turnips and potatoes when about 1 hour is left on high cooking, or 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours left on low cooking. 

More "Lost" Beef Recipes

Chipped Creamed Beef, Southern Style (1931)

Beef Stroganoff with Coffee (1981)

(Origin - "The Hamilton Cookbook - Cooking, Eating & Entertaining in Hamilton's World" by Laura Kumin, 2017. This recipe was adapted from "The Art of English Cookery: by Richard Briggs, published in 1788.) 

Williamsburg Carrot Spice Cake (1850)

• 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2-1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1-1/2 tspns baking powder
• 1/2 tspn baking soda
• 1/4 tspn salt
• 1/2 tspn nutmeg
• 1 tspn cinnamon
• 1 tspn ground cloves
• 1-3/4 cups raw carrots, grated
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• Lemon Glaze (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube cake pan.

Mix oil and sugar together. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Continue to beat, and add 5 tablespoons of hot water. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to egg mixture. 

Reserve 1/4 cup grated carrots for garnish, and stir in remaining carrots and pecans. Fold in beaten egg whites.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan right side up for 15 minutes, then turn out to finishing cooling on cake rack. 

Drizzle Lemon glaze in a circle on top of cake, and sprinkle with reserved grated carrot.

Lemon Glaze

• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 3 tbspns lemon juice

Mix above ingredients together to make glaze.

More "Lost" Williamsburg Recipes

Williamsburg Sweet Potatoes (1801)

Williamsburg Banana Buttermilk Cake (1850)

(Origin - "The Williamsburg Cookbook" by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg, published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1971.)

Williamsburg Banana Buttermilk Cake (1850)

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 1 tspn baking soda
• 3/4 tspn salt
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-x-5-x-3 inch pan. 

Sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, and add shortening, milk, mashed bananas, and buttermilk. Beat together for 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.

Add eggs, and beat for 1 more minute. Stir in nuts.

Pour into prepared cake pan, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cake tests done when pressed lightly in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out on rack.

More "Lost" Banana Recipes

Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake (1973)

Charlie Brown's Banana - Peanut Butter Cookies (1969)

(Origin - "The Williamsburg Cookbook" by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg, published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1971.)

Williamsburg Beef Broth with Tomatoes and Okra (1850)

• 1 soup bone
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb stewing beef
• 3 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 large bay leaf
• Pinch of oregano
• 3 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 cup okra, cut
• 2 tbspns cornstarch
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Put soup bone, ground beef, stewing meat, celery, onions, bay leaf, and oregano in a kettle with 2 quarts water, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours uncovered.

Remove and dice stewing meat. Strain the stock and dice stewing meat.

Add the diced stewing meat, tomatoes, and okra to the strained stock, and return to heat.  Mix the cornstarch with a little water, and stir into stock until evenly blended.

Add seasonings, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve very hot.

More "Lost" Williamsburg Recipes

Williamsburg Rum Balls (1850)

Williamsburg Sweet Potatoes (1801)

(Origin - "The Williamsburg Cookbook" by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg, published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1971.)

Martha Washington's Nutmeg Custard Pie (1770)

• 2 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tspn vanilla extract
• 3/4 tspn ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tspn salt
• pastry for 9-inch pie

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry.  Flute edge, and prick bottom and sides with fork tines. Bake in pre-heated hot oven (425 degrees) for 7 minutes. Remove pie shell.  Reduce oven temperature to slow (325 degrees).

In a medium saucepan, scald milk with bay leaf and cinnamon stick. In a bowl, thoroughly combine eggs with egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and salt. Strain scalded milk over egg mixture, and mix well.

Pour into pie shell. Bake in a slow oven until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room Temperature with whipped cream, sprinkled with nutmeg, if desired  Serves 8.

(Origin - Clipping from unknown local cookbook, circa 1980. Martha Washington lived from 1731 to 1802. Recipe from Melinda Ruddell.)

More "Lost" Historic Recipes
White House Peach Fritters (1887)

Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)
Abe Lincoln's Butter-Browned Steak with Coffee-Mustard Sauce (1837)

Popcorn Bread Pudding (1887)

"Crush 5 quarts of popped corn with a rolling pin. Run it through a coffee mill to make it fine. This will make 5 pints of coarse meal.

"Mix this with 4 pints of sweet milk and set on the back of the stove to soak for 2 hours or more. Add 2 beaten eggs, sugar, raisins, and spices to taste. Also add salt and vanilla to taste.  

"Boil a few minutes, stirring well to mix all the ingredients well. Pour into baking dish and bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Serve hot.

"In making this dish, I would proceed as though making a custard. I rather imagine it would be good cold as well as hot. The "back of the stove" is, of course, the old iron kitchen range.

"This recipe is taken from an 1887 pioneer Nebraska cookbook. I was born at Long Pine, Nebraska, October 9, 1910."

(Origin - "Cookery Now and Then - 1776 to 1976" by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Sacramento chapter, 1976.  Recipe was by Mrs. D. Beverly Hughes of Elk River, Idaho)

More "Lost" Recipes from before 1900
Acorn Bread (1776)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Classic Spinach a la Bechamel (1896)

Kentucky Bourbon Stew (1805)

Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)

White House Sweet Strawberry Cake (1887)

Acorn Bread (1776)

• 1 cup acorn meal
• 1 cup white wheat flour
• 3 tspns baking powder
• 3 tbspns sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbspns oil

Sift together the dry ingredients and add the liquids, stirring just enough to moisten.

Pour into a greased pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

To Make Acorn Meal

"To make acorn flour, the initial task is to gather and shell the acorns. They are still usable if they have begun to sprout... The easiest method... to shell them is to literally cut the shell off with a pair of sharp scissors. It may be necessary... to split the shell by whacking them on the pointed end with a hammer, and peeling off the shell.

"The fastest method is to place the shelled nutmeats in a pan of water, and boil them until the water gets dark tea-colored, then drain and add more boiling water.  Keep this up until the acorns are sweet (approximately 2 hours). The length of time depends on how many acorns are being done...

"When done, drain the acorns and spread them in a pan. Dry in a warm oven overnight. Finely grind the acorns by running them through a grinder, sifting and regrinding the large particles."

(Origin - "Foods of the Frontier - 1776 to 1976" by Gertrude Harris. Published by 101 Productions, 1972)

More "Lost" American Breads
Southern Beaten Biscuits (1857)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Buttermilk Corn Bread (1876)

Traditional Steamed Boston Brown Bread (1950)

White House White Ginger Biscuits (1887)

• 1 cup of butter
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of sour cream or milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tspn of soda, dissolved in 1 tbspn of warm water
• 1 tbspn of ginger
• 1 tspn of ground cinnamon
• 5 cups of sifted flour

"Combine all, and roll out.  Cut out rather thick, like biscuits.  Bake in even, moderate oven.

"Brush over the tops while hot, with the white of an egg, or sprinkle with sugar while hot.

"The grated rind and the juice of an orange add much to the flavor of ginger cakes."

(Origin - "The Original White House Cook Book" by Mrs. F.L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann, 1887.)

More "Lost" Biscuit Recipes

Toll House Rum Biscuits with Frosting (1948)

Southern Beaten Biscuits (1857)

3-Layer Coffee Biscuit Torte with Viennese Mocha Filling (1967)

New Orleans Bouillabaisse with White Wine (1891)

Bouillabaisse:

• 6 slices red snapper
• 6 slices redfish
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 sprigs thyme, chopped or 1 tspn dried thyme
• 3 sprigs parsley, chopped
• 3 bay leaves, crushed
• 1 tspn allspice
• 2 tbspns olive oil
• 3 mild onions, chopped
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 6 large ripe tomatoes, fresh or canned
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tspn saffron
• Salt and pepper
• Cayenne
• 12 slices, French bread
• 1/2 stick butter

Court bouillon:

• Head of red snapper
• 1-1/2 qts boiling mater
• 1 onion, sliced
• Bunch of herbs (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)

To make the court bouillon:  Place the red snapper head in boiling water with the bunch of herbs and sliced onion.  Cook over a low heat, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 1 pint.  Strain and set aside liquid.

To make the Bouillabaisse: Sprinkle the slices of red snapper and redfish with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Combine garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and all spice, and sprinkle ovef fish slices.  Let stand for 30 minutes to permeate the fish.  

Heat olive oil in a large heavy kettle, add chopped onion, and cook over a low heat until limp.  Lay fish slices on top (do not overlap), cover, and cook slowly for 5 minutes.  Turn slices, and cook for another 5 minutes.  Carefully transfer fish to a platter.  

Add wine to kettle, then add the tomatoes (sliced, if fresh ones are used), lemon slices, and court bouillon set aside.  Cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half.  Return fish slices to the liquid, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  

Meanwhile, dissolve saffron in a little of the hot liquid from the kettle. Set aside.  Saute slices of French bread in melted butter, and place on a large, deep serving dish.  Put a slice of fish on top of each piece of bread, and spread the saffron mixture over the fish.  Pour hot broth over all , and serve immediately.  Serves 12.

Variation Note - To the simmering bouillon, add 1/2 pounds large uncooked shrimp and 1 pound lobster tails. Cook 5 minutes, then remove from liquid. Set shrimp aside. Do the same with lobster tails. Unshell after cooking.  Cut lobster meat into small pieces. In a separate pan, steam open a dozen cherry stone clams and 1/2 pound mussels. Before serving the Bouillabaisse, add shrimp and lobster to liquid. Place clams and mussels in the serving dish with the slices of sauteed bread.

(Origin - "The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating and Drinking" by the editors of American Heritage magazine, 1964.)

More "Lost" New Orleans Recipes

New Orleans Sweet Potato Pone (1932)

New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding (1984)

New Orleans Gingerbread with Orange (1883)

New Orleans Shrimp Remoulade (1975)

New Orleans Oysters A La Poulette (1932)

Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)

• 2-1/2 cups macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2-1/4 cups milk
• 1 tspn salt
• Dash pepper
• 2 cups grated cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions until tender, then drain thoroughly.  While macaroni cooks, melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour until smooth, and cook a minute or two.  Add milk, a little at a time, and cook, stirring constantly until sauce bubbles.  Add salt and pepper.

Arrange alternate layers of macaroni and grated cheese in a medium-sized baking dish or casserole, reserving some of the cheese (about 1/4 cup) to sprinkle over the top.  

Pour hot sauce over all, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and dot with bits of butter.

Bake 35 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. Serves 4 to 6. 

(Origin - "The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating and Drinking" by the editors of American Heritage magazine, 1964.)

More "Lost" Early American Recipes
Abe Lincoln's Butter-Browned Steak with Coffee-Mustard Sauce (1837)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Parsnips Stewed in Dark Beer (1627)

Southern Beaten Biscuits (1857)

More "Lost" Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Classic Macaroni Loaf with Cream, Gruyere (1967)

Macaroni Cheese Souffle De Luxe (1936)

Macaroni and Cheese with Wine (1963)

Abe Lincoln's Butter-Browned Steak with Coffee-Mustard Sauce (1837)

• 4 club or strip steaks cut about 1-inch thick
• 2 tbspns butter
• 4 tspns spicy prepared mustard
• 2/3 cup strong hot coffee
• Salt and pepper to taste

Brown steaks quickly on both sides in the butter in a very large, heavy skillet.  If you like. them very rare, remove at once to a hot platter and keep warm.  For medium rare or medium, turn the heat under the skillet to low and let the steaks cook slowly 5 to 8 minutes longer, then remove to platter.

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, and spread each with 1 teaspoon mustard.  Pour coffee into skillet and bring quickly to a simmer, scraping up browned bits on bottom of skillet.  Pour over steaks and serve.

(Origin - "Recipes from America's Restored Villages" by Jean Anderson, 1975. This recipe was taken from Lincoln's New Salem in New Salem State Park, Illinois.  Abraham Lincoln lived in New Salem from 1831 to 1837 before moving to Springfield "to embark on a career of statesmanship and law.")

More "Lost" Recipes from "America's Restored Villages"

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Wilted Dandelions and Wild Onions (1830)

Parsnips Stewed in Dark Beer (1627)

Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Butter (1860)

Southern Beaten Biscuits (1857)

• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tspns sugar
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 1/2 tspn baking powder
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup mixture of milk, water
• 2 tbspns lard

Sift dry ingredients together, then cut in lard until mixture appears mealy.  Add liquid, a little at a time, to make a stiff dough. 

Knead dough thoroughly, then beat with a heavy mallet for half an hour or run several times through the coarse chopper of a meat grinder until dough is elastic.  

Roll 1/2-inch thick and cut with small biscuit cutter. Prick tops with fork tines and bake on a cooky sheet in a 325 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned.  Makes about 2 dozen.

(Origin - "The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating and Drinking" by the editors of American Heritage magazine, 1964.)

More Pre-1900 Recipes

Old-Fashioned Apple Cider Butter (1860)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

Moonlight Cake (1883)

Fried Jumble Cookies (1883)

Sponge Bread with Olive Oil (1720)

• 5 cups sifted unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup raw sugar or light brown sugar
• 2 tbspns olive oil
• 1 1/2 tspns salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 packages active dry yeast, softened in 1/2 cup warm water

Combine softened yeast, raw sugar, warm water, and 2 cups of the unbleached flour in a large bowl, and beat until smooth.  Cover with a cloth, set in a warm spot, and let rise about 30 minutes until very light and spongy.

Stir in salt and olive oil, then mix in whole wheat flour and 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour.  Again cover with cloth, set in a warm spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.  

Turn out on a very well-floured board (dough will be soft and sticky), and knead in about 1/2 to 3/4 cup unbleached flour until dough is elastic and no longer sticky.  Knead vigorously about 10 minutes, flouring the board and your hands as necessary.

Divide dough in half, knead each half about 25 to 30 times, then shape into round loaves about 5 inches across.  Place in greased layer cake pans, cover with cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.  

Bake in hot over (400 degrees) about 30 minutes until richly browned and loaves give hollow sound when thumped with your finders.  Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks at least 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.  Make 2 loaves.

(Origin - "Recipes from America's Restored Villages" by Jean Anderson, 1975. This recipe was taken from Historic St. Augustine in St. Augustine, Florida, in existence from 1565 to 1821, when Florida joined the United States.)

Also from "America's Restored Villages"

Parsnips Stewed in Dark Beer (1627)

Parsnips Stewed in Dark Beer (1627)

• 1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks (halve the thick chunks from the top of the parsnips lengthwise so that they willk cook tender in about the same time as the thinner root ends)
• 1 cup dark beer or stout
• A 1-inch piece of stick cinnamon
• 2 large blades of mace
• 3 whole cloves
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper

Place all ingredients in a heavy, medium-size saucepan and simmer, covered, 30 to 35 minutes until you can pierce parsnips easily with a fork. Turn heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer until the beer or stout has thickened into a glaze.  

Remove cinnamon, mace, and cloves, and serve parsnips hot as an accompaniment to roast fowl, ham, or pork.

(Origin - "Recipes from America's Restored Villages" by Jean Anderson, 1975. This recipe was taken from the Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in existence from 1627 to 1691.)