Colonial Times Menu for 4 to 6
The Menu
Ham and Egg Pie
Sour Cream Salad Dressing
Stewed Mushrooms
Walnut Gypsy Stew
Molasses Cake
The Recipes
Ham and Egg Pie
Martha Washington’s Egg and Tomato Bake
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
The notion of serving appetizers and first courses is a modern convention unknown to early America colonists, and dishes similar to this were customarily served along with the rest of the dishes - both savory and sweet - all at the same time. Nowadays we would probably call this dish by its French name "quiche," and would serve it as a first course or light luncheon dish.
4 eggs
1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups (500 ml) cooked ham, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
1 9-inch (23 cm) pastry pie shell
Beat the eggs, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the ham, cheese, and milk and pour into the pie shell. Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes.
Sour Cream Salad Dressing
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (375 ml).
In colonial times a "salad dressing" would more likely have been used to dress cooked vegetables rather than the raw leafy greens we think of as salad nowadays. Use this old-fashioned dressing any way you want.
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup (250ml) sour cream
1 tsp (5 ml) mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
Combine the egg yolks, sour cream, mustard, salt, and pepper in a pot and place the pot over - not in - a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Whisk in the vinegar and olive oil.
Stewed Mushrooms
Serves 4 to 6
This rich dish is representative of the cooking of colonial America, back when flavor mattered more than health concerns.
1 lb (450 g) mushrooms
2 cups (500 ml) milk
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine the mushrooms and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash the butter and flour together with a fork to make a smooth paste. Stir the butter mixture into the mushroom and cook until thickened. Stir in the beaten egg and bring to a simmer - do not boil. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Walnut Gypsy Stew
Serves 4 to 6
In colonial times it wasn't unusual to add dried fruits and nuts to savory meat dishes, and I think you'll agree that we should try doing this more often after tasting this simple, rustic dish.
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
1 1/2 lbs (675 g) ground veal or beef
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped walnuts or pecans
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat and brown the ground meat. Stir in the flour, mixing thoroughly. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the walnuts, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.
Molasses Cake
Serves 6 to 8
This cake is reputed to have been a favorite of James Oglethorpe, the first Governor of Georgia and founder of the city of Savannah.
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml) molasses
1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda dissolved in
1 Tbs (15 ml) hot water
3 cups (750 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
Cream the sugar and butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the egg, molasses, buttermilk, cinnamon, ginger, and baking soda mixture, stirring to combine. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the batter, stirring just enough to thoroughly combine. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan and bake in a preheated 350F
(180C) oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
The Menu
Ham and Egg Pie
Sour Cream Salad Dressing
Stewed Mushrooms
Walnut Gypsy Stew
Molasses Cake
The Recipes
Ham and Egg Pie
Martha Washington’s Egg and Tomato Bake
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
The notion of serving appetizers and first courses is a modern convention unknown to early America colonists, and dishes similar to this were customarily served along with the rest of the dishes - both savory and sweet - all at the same time. Nowadays we would probably call this dish by its French name "quiche," and would serve it as a first course or light luncheon dish.
4 eggs
1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups (500 ml) cooked ham, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
1 9-inch (23 cm) pastry pie shell
Beat the eggs, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the ham, cheese, and milk and pour into the pie shell. Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes.
Sour Cream Salad Dressing
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (375 ml).
In colonial times a "salad dressing" would more likely have been used to dress cooked vegetables rather than the raw leafy greens we think of as salad nowadays. Use this old-fashioned dressing any way you want.
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup (250ml) sour cream
1 tsp (5 ml) mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
Combine the egg yolks, sour cream, mustard, salt, and pepper in a pot and place the pot over - not in - a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Whisk in the vinegar and olive oil.
Stewed Mushrooms
Serves 4 to 6
This rich dish is representative of the cooking of colonial America, back when flavor mattered more than health concerns.
1 lb (450 g) mushrooms
2 cups (500 ml) milk
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine the mushrooms and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash the butter and flour together with a fork to make a smooth paste. Stir the butter mixture into the mushroom and cook until thickened. Stir in the beaten egg and bring to a simmer - do not boil. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Walnut Gypsy Stew
Serves 4 to 6
In colonial times it wasn't unusual to add dried fruits and nuts to savory meat dishes, and I think you'll agree that we should try doing this more often after tasting this simple, rustic dish.
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
1 1/2 lbs (675 g) ground veal or beef
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped walnuts or pecans
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat and brown the ground meat. Stir in the flour, mixing thoroughly. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the walnuts, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.
Molasses Cake
Serves 6 to 8
This cake is reputed to have been a favorite of James Oglethorpe, the first Governor of Georgia and founder of the city of Savannah.
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml) molasses
1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda dissolved in
1 Tbs (15 ml) hot water
3 cups (750 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
Cream the sugar and butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the egg, molasses, buttermilk, cinnamon, ginger, and baking soda mixture, stirring to combine. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the batter, stirring just enough to thoroughly combine. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan and bake in a preheated 350F
(180C) oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
