The Washington herald., 1907-02-24
MT. VERNON COOKING
that MiniStered to
Washingt0n's Palate.
FROM AN 6LD COOKERY BOOK
English Influence shows in the
Pages, which Were Compiled by
Martha Washington's MOther-in-
Iaw--Hoyy Mincemeat Was Made "a
Century AgO-stFange Condiments.

Remembering " aSlllBtJu KING nc2Tt,
his dignity during humiliation and suffer
ing. his modesty when world-honored, IL
seems too trihing for any American to
call February % "Hatchet Day or for
children to think it smart TO twist
the words Wasiingtons Birthday into
Birthington's Washday7
In reading of his public services one IS
prone to neglect or TO forget mis- home lie
at Mount Vernon. and the young folks of
to-day might do well to remember the
courteous bearing Of the great general to
ward his guests and to follow his wife's
example. who was an excellent house
keeper, says the PhiiadelDhia Ledger.
George Washington took tea with his
own hands TO a guest at night He
counted no worthy act unsuited to a
man, and considered hospitality incumbent
on every household. He always strove
that people should be well fed, for he
knew the terrible contrast between wars
privaticBs and the abundant tables Of
Virginia. At the Springs in summer ne
quietly paid the local baker to deliver
bread 10 the poor. and NJ Mount Vernon
maintained a boat and seine for the free
use Of inland communities so that they
could get winter supplies Of fish from the
Potomac.
Martha Washington was a good house
keeper. looking we'll after the ways Of
her household, keeping the tally Of hams
in the smOkehOuse and attending 70 all
the needs Of the humble folks on the
estate, as we'll as directing a suitable
table for the distinguished companies Of
Americans and European nobility that as
semOled constantly at Mount Vernon.
If we want TO know what was served
there. We have but io consult the nulncr-
Gus accounts of life at Mount Vernon.
For the especial recipes used by Nartha
Washington 30 is possible 10 learn much
from a written cookery book carefully
preserved by the Pennsylvania Historical
Society. This old lcather-bound volume
was compiled by the mother Of Martha
Washngtuu's first husband, AIRS Gusts.
Nellie Custis' Cook Book.
Nellie GUSTS has written on one cover
that It was given 20 her by her Beloved
Grand Mama, Martha Washington, for
merry Mrs. Daniel Custis. on the other
cover she records that it was written by
Mrs. Frances Parhe Gusts. wife to john
Gusts. and eldes, daughter and co-heiress
of Col Daniel Parke. aide TO the Duke
Of Marlborough ut the battle Of Blea-
helm"
Colonial life even TO the cookery was
decidedly English. The pages are full Of
old-time eiegancies, even giided orna-
meats for formal dinners and bah sup
pers-birds. beasts. and fruits. with di-
reCtioas how TO cutler your artificial
fruit after the life" With ''vermnuon1 and
sap green
Leaving aside strange recipes with inn
possible ingredients In the way of herbs
and plants not generally grown, and con-
dimcnts such as musk and "eivet" and
''aWbergreece," no longer used iu cook
cry. a survival even in Martha Washing
tons time. doubtless. we ind many scnsi-
Die recipes with "a penCilcd cross beside
them. These were evidently the favored
oues, FOR venisoa. beef, poultry. little
pigs, haggis. pies. puddings, pastry. cake
and breakfast breads with one whole
section devoted 10 sWectmeats and pre-
SERVES which are very novel
Old Recipe for Nincemeat.
Take to 4 pound Of yo flesh of a Leg
81 Vcale. or meats tongue. pound of
beers suet, pound OF raysons stoned *
sbread. g pound OF cur5ans. halle q pound
o. more Of sugar. 3 quarters Of an ounce
OF cloves. mace, nutmeEs & cinnamoa
beaten, halfc a dos'n apples shread. some
rose-water. quarter of a pint of uus-
kadine or sack. some candied orringo.
Leamon & citron pills minced.
'Shread We meat 4 suet very fine &
mingle all together Tor PLANE mined pies
leave out ye Fruit and pat ia blancl d
Almonds mined small"
Since muscadine wine is hard To get,
use port or madeira And for tie ''or-
riugo pill' (pecD use the customary crys-
talIizcd orange peel, although in many Of
the recipes the 'orrias3' and ''or7inse'
called for means a eaadied sea plant then
highly esteemed. but never heard of now,
viz. ErynEium maritimUm.
Since French aTtchokcs are fash
iOuablc. perhaps Martha Washington
recipe may be liked for artichCbe pie.
Take i hartychoak bottoms It are
good and large. after you have boyled
them take them cleere from Ne leaves &
cores. Season them with little pepper
* salt & lay them in coffin Of paste,
with a pound OF butter. < We marrow
Of bones in bigg pieces, then close ii up
& set on ye oven. then put halfe a pinte
Of veries q some powder of cinnamon
* gingcr-boyle these together & when
ye pie is halle baked put the liquor in.
q set IT in We oven againe till it be quite
baked
ArtichOkc Pics.
II is plain that the globe or thistle art-
choke is meant-not the tuber known as
Jerusalem artichoke. To make this pie
for an eatrce get canned artichokcs 1T
any goed grocers, or in the Italian quar-
ter. All the other ingredients are easily
btainable-marrow, butter. and spices.
The "verjes'' is the only novelty. It is
the juice Of green grapes. grcen crab
apples, green currants, green ounces, &c,
used for giving a desirable acid taste
to sauces in place of lemons or sour wine
or vinegar. Take some sour apple juice.
rhubarb or lemon juice; q very little
quantity is called for, you viii see.
do not let the word coffin" deter you.
1t was the common term when this book
was written. Look at Shakespeare. Does
mo- vi uNiiio 1dil d eu,-dAu pIO d NOiiiii .
Should either Of these pies prove too
hearty. try some after-dinner mint candy
from the same historic source:
Take a pound of sugar finely beaten
& put to It or 4 spoonful5 Of mint
water & boyle 1t UP to a candy, then
take some mint & shread it small s put
it 60 We candy and drop it as YOU did the
rose cakes, and set them in ye sun or a
stove TO dry"
other cakes were made Of gum arabic
softened in rOsewater thiCEened with
sugar. Into this powdered sweet mario
ram was beaten with q pestle. Finally.
these little sweet herb candies were dried
slowly. In reality, they were not cakes.
but lozenges.