HELP! 1860's Kitchen supplies

[EweSheep]

As a Civil War reeanctor, I would like to use some spices and baking items that the women have back in those days and great display items for the public inquiring about cooking.

What would I have in my kitchen?

I am sure there is flour, raw sugar (brown or white), baking soda and baking powder. Not sure if yeast existed then or it would be sourdough type yeast.

As for herbs and spices, I am guessing they had cinnamon, allspice, sage, lavender, salt, black pepper, cream of tarter, nutmet (whole)?, and mint. I do know Watkins did make some spices in tin cans and glass for vanilla.

I have alot of 8 to 16 oz tin containers to put the dried stuff in and some cotton poke bags to put the flour and sugar in.

I am certain they had flour and pancake/buscuit makers back in those days but can not remember the manufactors of "ready made" cakes/griddle/buiscuits, etc. (similar to our Bisquick).

Please help fill my "necessity" box!

OMG! The flour sack towels from WalMart was six dollars! Is that cheap? Or can I find somewhere cheaper?

 

[big brown horse]

Oh wow! This is going to be fun to read. Sorry, I don't have a clue, but I am excited to learn!!

 

[Aidenbaby]

Something tells me that the sugar should be brown in color (think Sugar-in-the-Raw). I don't think they bleached sugar back then to get that white color.

As for the flour sacks, get the material and make the bags yourself. It is ridiculous how much the "old" things cost.

 

[farmerlor]

They did not have baking powder during the civil war-they had something called Saleratus (and that could be spelled WAY wrong) and it supposedly tasted pretty ugh. They DID have yeast however. They kept homemade yeast in a bowl on the counter or in the root cellar at all times depending on the season. Biscuits were started the night before or the yeast was set to proofing the night before so the cook could get up and make biscuits first thing.

 

[farmerlor]

Let's see, they would have had cloves too. One thing a cook wouldn't have been without would have been some brandied fruit. I would imagine that you already have a hand grinder for making sausage but you'll need some intestine to put the sausage in. That was usually cleaned and kept in salt water. Dried raisins, currants, apples....they made flavored "waters" to add to desserts from orange peel, rose petals, and other dried fruits. Smoke house? Bags of wheat, oats and corn to grind. Kinda depends on what kind of household you are representing from the civil war era too. A richer house would have had their grains processed for them and would buy their sausages and hams while farmers and poorer people would make their own or barter for them.
I can do civil war era stuff all day so I'll shut up now. LOL!

 

[hennypenny9]

Until the 1880s, molasses was the sweetener of choice.

Up until the 1880's, molasses was the most popular sweetener in the United States, because it was much cheaper than refined sugar. It was considered particularly tasty with salt pork.

I googled "1860s cooking" and came up with this site. Interesting! http://www.housemouse.net/hkitch6.htm I also believe that pasteurization was invented in the 1860s, but I doubt it would become widespread overnight, and unless you lived in the city, I'm doubtful of how much this affected people.

It would be a fascinating project! I seem to be going more back in time than forward myself.

 

[Aidenbaby]

If you want to know more about pasteurization, you will want to look up Louis Pasteur. He was the French chemist and microbiologist that invented it along with first vaccine for rabies. Brilliant man!

ETA: The first test for pasteurization was completed in 1862.

 

[Blackbird]

Today I would consider Louis Pasteur's pasteurization something annoying. I'm sure it was needing back then when people weren't as aware of how to handle milk..

This will sound silly - but if you have the computer game Oregon trail 4 (I'm sure you can rent it.. pretty easy to figure out how to play) they have little store things you can go into and buy stuff. Its #4 that has more of the items, I remember lard, pemmican, cloves, but there was tons of stuff, the medicines were always very interesting. Maybe the list is online somewhere..

 

[big brown horse]

Cool!

 

[hennypenny9]

Germ theory my fav of his discoveries. I wont even start with pasteurization, or vaccines, although I have no problems with the rabies one. Anyway, here's a picture I found!

http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=330126