Cooking Facts and Links

The actual subject of cooking is beyond the scope of this website. And since none of us were cooking in the 1800s, we can only relate what we have read or had passed down to us. Whatever style your ancestors cooked by, whatever cuisine they enjoyed - it was a hot and tedious chore to put three meals on the table each and every day!

Just imagine an actual camp fire blazing away in your house and the heat it would generate. (not to mention the danger) Then add several layers of clothing. Take away anything but the basic foods unprepared in advance, and you can imagine a bit of what a chore cooking really was!

How To Extinguish a Fire in the Chimney

So many serious fires have been caused by chimneys catching fire, and not being quickly extinguished that the following method of doing this should be generally known (noted in journal from frontier period).

Powdered Brimstone - should be thrown on the fire in the grate, or ignite some on the hob, and then put a board or something in the front of the fireplace to prevent the fumes descending into the room. (powdered brimstone was actually sulfur). The vapor of the brimstone, ascending the chimney, will then effectually extinguish the soot on fire.

Salt - can also be thrown on the fire if no water is available, or a handful of flowers of sulfur, as soon as you can obtain it.

Keep all Doors and windows tightly shut, and hold before the fireplace a blanket, or some woolen article, to exclude the air.

This is not a modern day solution! Call the Fire Department!

How to start a Coal Fire - Make sure that fireplace and grate are clean. Adequate venillation is the key to a brisk fire. Lay a few cinders on the grate and a few lightly crumpled pieces of newspaper over these. On top of the papers, lay some loose soft wood, or kindling. On top of the kindling, lay some moderate sized coals, making sure to leave plenty of room for air. Check the damper to make sure it is open. Then light the fire with a long twisted newspaper page. You need to get all the kindling and paper lit, and matches do not last long enough. (Now we have fireplace matches!

ACTUAL PIONEER COOKBOOKS

Although none of these books are titled cookbooks, as was the custom of the day, they contain recipes, household hints and general housekeeping advice. I was unable to locate any copies online at any antique bookstore.

• Dr. William Kitchiner's Housekeerper's Oracle (1829)
• Housewife's Directory (1825) by John E Watson
• Home and Its Duties by James W Laurie (1872)
• Warnes's Model Housekeeper by Ross Murray (1876)
• The American Woman's Home by Catherine Beecher (1869)
• The Young Housekeeper's Friend by H M Cornelius (1869)
• Practical Recipes by Dr. A W Chase (1874)

Hygiene in the Kitchen (In PDF Adobe format)

COOKING LINKS

• Healthy Fridge
• Cooking Light
• The Busy Cook
• Home Cooking
• Cooking with Kids
• The Kitchen Link
• Kids Cook
• Cooking Ahead
• Down Home Southern Cooking
• The Cooking Articles
• Goodwin's Guide to Cooking
• Easy Gourmet
• Healthy Cooking
• Science of Cooking
• Epicurius
• The Popcorn Factory
• Plow & Hearth - Great Country Recipes!
• Cooking School/Classes Search cooking schools and cooking classes. Le Cordon Bleu certification.

COOKBOOKS WE RECOMMEND:

• The Produce Bible - Essential Ingredient Information and More than 200 Recipes for Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs and Nuts. March 2007



• World's Healthiest Foods - 500 new recipes and tips to help prepare meals in a minimal amount of time without compromising taste. Most of the recipes take 7 minutes or less to prepare - 2007



• Rachel Ray's No Repeats - 30-minute magic to create an entire year of delicious meals without one repeat. 2005