Friday, November 4, 2016

FLOUR --- On the Road

     Suppose you lived in Colonial America.  You have just finished a dinner of either chicken, lamb, or some sort of game with a carrot pudding and creamed onions.  Now what would you have for dessert?  Maybe something light like a Shrewsbury Cake! My attention was drawn to these little cakes, actually cookies, last week when my husband and I visited Colonial Williamsburg and I purchased a copy of Recipes from the Raleigh Tavern Bakery, A Collection of the Most tasteful and Approved Recipes in Virginia Cookery.
     This baking guide, published in 1984 by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, presents instructions to make an assortment of 13 cookies, pies, and sweet treats.  The preface reminds the reader that diners from the eighteenth century enjoyed sweets then as we do now.  Each recipe has been modified for our tastes today, but includes the colonial version as well, for an interesting exchange of information.    

Shrewsbury Cakes (Sugar Cookies) and Molasses Crinkles
     I decided to make the Sugar Cookie recipe modified from the earlier one for Shrewsbury Cakes.  This prior version comes from England and received its name from a town there.  The recipe is very much like any other sugar cookie recipe you probably already have.  Common ingredients are sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, flour, egg, and cream of tartar.  I liked that the contemporary recipe included orange zest which gave the cookie a light citrus taste.  You roll this dough into small balls and roll them in sugar before baking.  I chose not to flatten the cookies because of  my personal preference of a softer center bite, even though you still experience the crispness on the outside from the cream of tartar.
     So I salute you Colonial Williamsburg and its Foundation for publishing this book of bakery sweets.  I appreciate learning more about our nation's history, even in the form of a dessert.
     For another person's view concerning this same cookie and its recipe, I am including a link to her story.  I do so only to reinforce the authenticity of the historic and amazing Colonial Williamsburg site.  I do not know the author nor does she know me.  www.sugarpiesfood.com/2009/09/williamsburg-shrewsbury-cakes.html
     Lastly, I included the Molasses Crinkles in my photo because I know this thick rich main ingredient has been used since colonial times.  I also included this recipe because it is wonderful this time of year to enjoy a few of these with a cup of tea in the afternoon.  These cookies were not included in the Raleigh Tavern Recipes, but molasses was used in its instructions for Gingerbread Cookies and Oatmeal Cookies.  Molasses Crinkles are also made in a similar way as the sugar cookies, rolled in sugar and flattened with a glass before baking.   There are several recipes for these on the internet.  The one at this link is very similar to what I used.  Again, I gain nothing for sharing this link. www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/molasses-crinkles/9cd5e260-bb56-4b41-baac-f42830d14f76



& FLOWER--- then and now

     I was walking down one of the streets in Colonial Williamsburg last week when I looked up and noticed this fruit tree pictured below.  I assumed the fruit was apples until I looked more closely and discovered they were instead pomegranates.  The lighter red color got my attention as well as their size.  I didn't think about finding such a tree in this colonial city until I learned Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at his beloved Monticello in 1771.  Then it made sense that Williamsburg could have pomegranates growing there as well.  I also read where an attempt was made to introduce pomegranates to England in the previous century, but they would not bear fruit there.  Fruit production was however successful in southern America, where Williamsburg, VA is located.


Pomegranate tree


     Below is a photo of a patch of purple asters growing in Colonial Williamsburg.  They would be hardy in my planting/growing Zone 7.  Two drawbacks would be their sensitivity to too little or too much moisture and their preference to cooler evening temperatures.  However I do like their dainty, daisy-like quality.


Purple Asters

     Here I am below seriously eyeing as many things as possible to purchase from the Colonial Nursery.  There are several things for sale: plants indicative of that era, seeds (which I bought), bulbs, clay pots, jams and preserves.  They do a great job of displaying how plants of that time were grown in neatly bordered beds.  Last week I saw the use of cloches or glass bell jars there, which help plants maintain moisture, heat and offer protection. 

Colonial Williamsburg Nursery -- That's me near the fence!




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