i'm in the studio late tonight... freezing rain tomorrow and snow on tuesday, so i'm cutting wood, painting molding and hopefully will have it sanded before the storm comes tonight...it can get quite cold out there sanding! i came across this 'menu' from the canton historical society, that i wanted to share with you....but PLEASE don't follow the cooking times, or, oh dear, you could make yourself sick...
THANKSGIVING DINNER 1884
BILL OF FARE
Roast turkey with cranberry and apple sauces
Sweet potatoes, roasted.
White potatoes, mashed
Macaroni and cheese.
Celery, pickles, cold slaw.
Rolls and Boston brown bread.
Mince and pumpkin pies.
Sweet cider Raisins and nuts
Black coffee
Our bill of fare is a simple one, and of course as many additions can be made to it as desired. The first article to make on either Monday or Tuesday are the pies.
Make the paste of one quart of flour, one half-pound of sweet, good butter, the same of lard, and one small cup of cold water. Chop the butter and lard into the flour, until as fine as powder, wet into a stiff dough, knead into a ball, and roll deftly and quickly into a thin sheet, always rolling from you. Fit on the pie plates.
For the pumpkin pies take one pint of stewed pumpkin, strained through a sieve, four eggs, one quart of milk, a little mace, cinnamon and nutmeg, and three-fourths of a cup of sugar. Beat well together and bake in a moderately hot oven without a cover. Before putting on the table sprinkle with powdered sugar.
If you have not mince meat already made buy from a good grocer a quart. Fill the pie plates and put on a thin crust.
Before serving place in the oven to heat.
The turkey should be ordered or bought a few days before Thanksgiving. Have him plump and firm, also tender. To test a tender turkey, lift the wings, and if the skin breaks easily he is alright. As soon as you get your turkey home dress it and place it in salt water, first washing it in several waters, and in the last, mixing in a teaspoonful of soda.
Two hours will roast a ten-pound turkey, if your fire is brisk. Make a dressing of bread crumbs, butter, pepper, salt, sage, thyme, sweet marjoram, one egg, and wet with a little hot milk. A little sausage and onion is liked by many. Sew the turkey up tightly, and dredge with flour. Baste at first with butter and water, afterward with the pan dripping.
Fried oysters laid about the dish, when the turkey is served, is an improvement.
The cranberries should be boiled until very tender, then strained and sweetened.
To make them jell, add a very little gelatine dissolved in warm water.
The apple sauce should be made of tart apples, and not sweetened. It may be also stuffed with gelatine, and both, if made the day before Thanksgiving, will save labor.
The white potatoes should be mashed as soon as done, and piled in a pyramid with a tiny tuft of parsley sticking out of the top.
Allow an hour or more to roast the sweet potatoes.
Keep the celery in water until time of serving.
Boil the macaroni in water until tender, then place in a deep dish, mix in a tablespoon of canned tomatoes, grate a little cheese over the layer, then put on another layer of macaroni, and so on until the dish is filled. Cover the top with grated cheese and place in a hot oven for ten minutes. Serve hot. This is a delicious dish.
Serve the cider with pie, and the raisins and nuts afterward, ending with a small cup of black coffee, which is made by taking a tea cup of coffee to a pint of water boil for ten minutes and serve without cream and sugar.--Canton Journal.
