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Colonial Cooking
It’s Time to EAT
By Kathy Snyder
The Colonial Pantry
Everyone who arrived during the early 1600s had to
become accustomed to three foods available in this new
land. These foods included corn, pumpkins, and beans.
In New England waters, seafood was plentiful-- especially lobster, clams,
oysters, and cod fish. A popular soup made from seafood was fish chowder.
The term "vegetable" was not used in the 16th century. Edible plants were
called "sallets." The most widely used sallets included onions, artichokes,
carrots, turnips, cabbages, and beets.
Some of the animals eaten were deer, duck, turkey, rabbit, geese, and
pigeon.
The Colonists found a number of native fruits that included blueberries,
cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, and gooseberries.
Gardening in the Colonies
Williamsburg
Dear Friend,
Spring is surely upon those of us who toil in the Colonial Garden, thus on a rainy day I write to
share with you the Fruits of our labours. While I cannot \send you the Flowers, Vegetables or
other Products from our cultivation of the Plants, it is my hope to interest you with some of the
Knowledge we have gleaned.
have again had a lesson of the importance not to defer one task in favor of another. Wesley
Greene worked mightily through January and dunged the upper vegetable bed in a timely
manner. I began the lower bed in March, exhausted our supply of Dung and now must finish
the bed with leaf Mold while trying to plant spring seeds. Next year I must complete the
spading of the vegetable beds in January and February.
Despite my procrastination we are posssessed of Peas planted from March first, along with
Onions begun from bulblets and transplanted Brassicas nurtured under glass. Tender Seedlings
of Broad Windsor Beans and Salsify planted on March 17th stretch heavenward. Of course we
still impress visitors to our garden by sharing a taste of the Peas and Lettuce planted in the
Hotframe at the start of last December. The second hotframe is currently occupied with
seedling Melons and Cucumbers growing in Pots or Baskets for transplanting to the garden in
a few days.
We are near the middle of the Spring flowers. The Crocuses, Daffodils, and Narcissus have
nearly left us for this year, but the Tulips are near their peak. Many of the smaller bulbs still
reveal their glory, such as the Spanish Squill, the Anemone and the Grape Hyacinth. The early
perennials such as the Cowslip, Candytuft, along with natives such as Green- and-Gold, Spring
Beauty, and Foamflower are spreading carpets of color.
The Flower Stall vendors find it easy to interest visitors in their goods when the plants are
busy displaying their qualities. A Dogwood, Lilac, or Redbud is worthwhile to buy as a young
whip when its more mature brother or sister is grandly draped across the fence. Further, I
impress upon you Friend, the flower merchants have expanded their wares this year with
many new plants to sell, along with Seeds, dried flowers, and an assortment of garden
Utensils.
Wesley and I renewed acquaintance with a family from the Upper Chesapeake this week.
They had visited our garden last September and returned to share the culmination of that
encounter. While they were here we had given the children a Chrysalis attached to one of the
plants. They took it home, kept it warm until the Butterfly emerged, and brought it back to
release it in the garden. 'Tis a wonder indeed how such a small act on our part can encourage
others to admire Nature.
I hope to be able to inform you of the progress of our oeconomy in the future. Much More I
have to say but I will tire you no Longer but only to assure you that I am Your sincere Friend
Terrance Yemm, Gardener
Mixing the New and Old
There were native foods available to the
early American colonists; game, fish,
berries and Indian crops (corn, squash,
pumpkin). It took some time for the
colonists to change their old eating habits
and adapt to the new foods available.
Settlers brought wheat and rye seeds
with them to grow in America but found
these crops were difficult to grow in the
soil along the coast. Corn, a Native
American crop, was easier to grow. They
adapted their bread and pudding recipes
to use corn instead of wheat and rye flour
Help From A Cookbook
The first cookbook printed in the colonies, The
Compleat Housewife contains popular recipes, as
well as directions for painting rooms and
removing mildew. In addition, Smith includes
home remedies for treating several different
ailments, such as smallpox and consumption.
The Compleat Housewife was a massive
undertaking for Williamsburg printer, William
Parks, who, aside from his government and
newspaper work, had previously only produced
small pamphlets. He printed and sold this 228page cookbook, then in its fifth London edition,
believing that there was a strong market for it with
Virginia housewives who wished to be current
with the London fashion. Advertisements for The
Compleat Housewife appeared in The Virginia
Almanack and in The Virginia Gazette, the
weekly newspaper for the colony. Twenty-four
years later, this cookbook was still popular in the
colony. There are six known copies of the
Williamsburg edition of The Compleat Housewife.
Meat Recipes
Dessert Anyone?
Turning Up the Heat
Hot water was heated in a pot hanging
from the pot hook and some other
cooking was conducted from a
hanging pot as well. However, Plimoth
settles also had three-legged pots,
and frying pans, and grills. All of these
were used in front of the fire. Food
was either cooked from side heat -the heat falling on the side of the pot
from the fire -- and or from embers
shoveled out of the fireplace under,
and even on top of a pot lid.
Setting the Table
Many Plimoth homes had richly detailed
interiors. Here, a carpet covers a table,
and dishes are kept on a simple open
shelf.
Family Time