Cook Book
 

These recipes are in no set order and come from the various issues of TR!LM.

Recipes

From June 1994 issue
Dandelions?!?!? No, not again!!!
They appear in the most immaculate of lawns. People now wage chemical warfare on them, and physically challenge themselves to remove the weeds, without a second thought.
However, many "old timers" know the benefits of the dandelions, and more importantly so do the agriculture specialists.
Dandelions are more nutritious than spinach or broccoli, and have been in use by more cooks than you can shake a dandelion gone to seed at!
Though the weed is no doubt bitter, simple techniques can truly ease this slight bite. The easiest is to allow the greens to soak in water overnight. Another way is to serve them on bread, which significantly reduces the bitterness.
To properly gather dandelion greens, you must do so before the flower buds appear. This early spring harvest gives mild greens, while waiting until after the flowers gives most people a bad taste.
At most reenactments you will find some dandelions, but a word of caution is urged. Pick dandelions away from traffic corridors, especially where gas powered vehicles go. These dandelions may contain the heavy metals and leads our vehicles produce.
During the Civil War (I know, the War between the States) many of the soldiers used the various parts of the plant - coffee from the roots, greens for roughage, and even the white resin for sealing paper!
The simplest preparation for the greens is butter fried with salt and pepper.
Another way to serve them is with hot bacon dressing.
Here are two other tasty recipes for you to explore.

Dandelion Omelet
4 eggs
2 Tbs. butter
1 cup dandelion flowers
salt and pepper to taste
Pick the dandelion bulbs which are showing yellow halfway down the bud. Remove them from the stems and wash them, until you can get 1 cup full.
Take the dry-drained buds and put them in the melted butter to sauté. When they start to pop open, add the slightly beaten eggs.
Flip it when it has cooked to firmness all around but is still soft in the center.

Dandelion blossoms and honey
1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1 egg
.5 tsp. of baking powder
.5 tsp. of salt
honey
fully opened dandelion blossoms.
You will need to find fully opened blossoms, making sure you remove all of the bitter stem. Combine the ingredients above, with the honey being made to suit your tastes.
Dip the blossoms into the batter, and place into hot oil over a medium heat source.
Fry the blossoms until they are golden brown, drain, and serve hot or cold!
This last recipe is extremely good on those long car trips where you want a finger food to enjoy, and you are getting tired of the french fries and onion rings.

December 1992
Turkey Leftovers
In addition to that recipe, here's a quick one to get rid of even more of the leftover turkey. My grandmother made it, and it's a excellent recipe. You are going to take the leftover turkey and cube it now you are going to make a turkey gravy. After you have made this prepare some waffles and pour the gravy mixture over it. Although it it short and sweet, it is a great tasting meal in a pinch. Next month I will be going over bear steak marinates. Until then--good journey.

February 1993
A taste to remember by...
Greetings from the kitchen again. I have been asked why I put recipes in the magazine. Simply answered, because they help us recreate history. Certain folk have a want to create the smells and tastes of a period, to help the ambience of the scenario. Take for instance this month's recipes- wine & Scottish dishes. At a Highland festival, or certain SCA and Renaissance faires you would expect to find these things. If they were missing, the veteran would notice the oddity, and the novice would miss out on a group of senses which would have helped create a better mood. I pray that answers your question.
Now, on to the cooking!

The first recipe comes from the Colonial days. It is called Cherry Shrub.
You will need the following:
Brandy
Sugar
Black Cherries (stemmed)
The first thing you will have to do is extract the juice of the cherries (See July 92 - Berries plus, how do you get all the juice?) For each pint of juice, add a half pound of sugar and three-quarters brandy. Heat gently for about a half an hour, then let cool. You will then bottle it, making sure to securely seal the top (I use paraffin) It will be ready in three to six weeks.
While I am in the Colonial / Revolutionary mood, let us continue with one other wine.
Cherry wine. It was a favorite (or so I have been told) in New England.
You will need:
4 pounds of cherries (stemmed)
1 quart of water, and sugar.
You are going to crush the cherries in a jar or keg (Use common sense when it comes to the size, as you will be adding the following) Get the water to boiling, and then pour it over the cherries. You will let it stand overnight, stirring it once. The next morning, you will strain it and measure your liquid. For each quart of liquid use 1 1/8 cup sugar. Cover tightly and let it stand for three months, undisturbed. Bottle it after the three months, and enjoy!

This last recipe I received in trade from another Bard(Welsh). She was kind enough to barter this knowledge, and I will pass it on to you. She called it "Diod Fain".
You will need the following:
2 gallons of fresh spring water (tap will destroy the taste)
2-3 lbs of sugar (white is best)
4 lemons
2ounces of yeast
some ginger (the root stem is the best, I use about 1 cup)
Mind you, she gave me the recipe in old measurements (drams, etc) so I have to assume that this is as close as I can get to the original. You are going to take a pan and put the sugar in it. Next you will squeeze out all the juice of the lemons, and I add some of the grated peel, over the sugar. The next step is to bruise (break into the root's juice) the ginger root and add it to the sugar and juice. While this is proceeding, you will have your two gallons of water coming to a boil. Pour this over what is in the pan. Now stir it, and leave it to cool. When it gets real cool, add the yeast (you need it cool as not to kill the yeast) and let it stand for a day. You will then strain and bottle it. It will be ready after about a week. Remember to always keep wine bottles in a cool place and on their side.
Ah, but now we have all this to drink. Man can not live on nectar alone!
(Although there are many out there who would argue otherwise.)
Since the last recipe was from a Welsh, let us make the food in honor of that!
This culinary delight is known as the Harvest Hot Pot (Potes Mis Medi)
You will take:
two tablespoons of butter
brown and fry 1/2 lb of bacon
1/2 lb of lamb.
If you like it truly Welsh, do not drain off the drippings.
Now add a pound of potatoes, carrots, and onions (all peeled and cubed) In addition to this, add 5 leeks, 1/2 lb of turnips, and 2ozs of flour seasonings. Finally add two pints of water. Mix it up and let it simmer gently for two hours.
I was informed that this was often used during the potato picking season in Wales. It could keep for some time over a fire, and is supposedly very good with fresh warm bread.
That is all from the kitchen this time. Until next time, God bless!

From the kitchen.
A recipe sent in from a reader (Thanks T.G.) which looks like a wonderful breakfast.
You will need:
4 slices of Canadian Bacon
4 eggs
8 fresh spinach leaves
pinch of nutmeg
6 teaspoons low-fat butter
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme salt and pepper.
You will preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly brown the Canadian bacon on both sides, then cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Now you will remove the stems from the spinach, and stack 4 leaves at a time and roll together tightly. You will slice it into 1/8 inch wide slivers, which should produce about 1/2 cup. Place 1 teaspoon butter substitute in each circle (ramekin 1/2 cup) 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in oven to melt. Divide spinach among the four, sprinkle each with a pinch of Thyme, and top with a piece of bacon.
Break an egg on top of the bacon in each ramekin. Sprinkle with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Melt the remaining two teaspoons and pour 1/2 teaspoon over each egg. Bake on the center rack of your oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Beats the heck out of an egg Muffin!
O.K., so it isn't exactly a Thanksgiving Day favorite.

Even those of us who immigrated here to the United States enjoy Thanksgiving.  Tis a time of thanks and culinary delight! 

So to aid you in a wondrous taste, I present an old Irish dish.  Its name is given from the Irish tinkers, and this is served at festivals, like harvest and Christmas.
You will need the following:
1 turkey
Stuffing:
1lb. diced onions
4Tbsp mashed potatoes
1lb. dry breadcrumbs
sage (just a pinch)
1 beaten egg
water (to mix)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
You will mix all the stuffing, and place it in the turkey.
*Do not place stuffing in a turkey more than 10 minutes before placing it in the oven.  I would hate to hear of illness over the holiday.  When it is done, remove the stuffing and place in a separate bowl.*
Now you are going to have to brush the bird with melted butter, cooking the bird at 400F for 20 minutes to the lb.
You can also add a spot of wine to the melted butter, which will help keep the golden color of the skin. A blessing to you all on Thanksgiving!

Oyster Rarebit.
You will need the following:
24 drained small oysters
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz grated Cooper cheese
1/4 cup oyster liquor
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1 oz butter
2 eggs
pinch of cayenne pepper
Slightly beat your eggs, while mixing in the cream and liquor.    Over medium heat melt the butter, and then add the cheese and seasonings.  When the cheese melts, add the liquor mix you made earlier.  When the mix is smooth add the oysters. Toast one side of bread, and then ladle the rarebit over the un-toasted side.

COOK BOOK Pages .... 1 ... 2 .... 3 .... 4 .... 5

The original ad for the recipes above in its cookbook for was as followed:

The Reenactor! Lee Manges - Cooking through the ages. 

This cook book has a wide variety of recipes spanning the periods.  Starting with the Dark ages all the way through modern Ethnic recipes, this book covers the historical tastes!  
The recipes have been painstakingly modified and translated to modern American equivalents and measures for ease and convenience, while still giving the feeling of the period from which they are derived.
Among the recipes are: MEAD, Figgie Pudding, Strawberry Soup, Marinated Fiddleheads, Rabbit Soup, Roast Possum, Roast Raccoon, Bear Paws, Bear Steak, Breads, Scotch Eggs, Rendezvouer's Black Butter Eggs, Snake, Hard Tack, and much more!
This wide selection of tastes and temptations can be your for a mere $4.50 a copy (Which includes shipping and handling) 
Many of these recipes can be found no-where-else!  These are original recipes from family Bibles and other written media of the period which they are gleaned form.  Great care and testing went into maintaining their authenticity in taste and preparation while giving you the most forward presentation of the ingredients.  This makes a wonderful gift for relatives who love reenacting or the person who wants a few new recipes to work with. 
The holidays approach quickly, and the Black Walnut Stuffing recipe could be the finishing touch to that turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas day!