“Colonial” Thanksgiving, 2016

So as you may have seen in previous years (2014, 2015), our family has started doing a “colonial” Thanksgiving celebration. I use the quotes because it’s far from strictly colonial in terms of preparation and authentic recipes, but we do try to keep things mostly historical, and then we use only candles and oil lamps once it gets dark. I also have grand ambitions to grow everything we eat. Maybe if I really get the vegetable garden sorted out next year! In the meantime, we’ll settle for locally grown.

This year, my mother is gung ho to make a stew outside over a cookfire, which I think will really take the whole thing to the next wacky level. Our house was built in 1795, but due to some remodels and a fire, doesn’t have that classic brick kitchen oven setup, or you could bet your breeches I’d be using that.

The biggest change this year is that we won’t have a turkey. I made many, many tasty turkeys during the WoW Cookbook process, so it turns out that nobody in the family is quite ready to eat any more just yet. I think there’s still some in the freezer, waiting to be made into soup. But that’s actually pretty traditional. Just take for example this account from 1748 New Hampshire:

“Our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter. We have mussels … at our doors. Oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs. Here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of tree sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson; abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed… These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.” -William Haywood’s journal, Charlestown, NH

Or this account, from 1779 Connecticut:

“Of course we could have no roast beef. None of us have tasted beef this three years back as it all must go to the army, & too little they get, poor fellows. But, Nayquittymaw’s hunters were able to get us a fine red deer, so that we had a good haunch of venison on each table. These were balanced by huge chines of roast pork at the other ends of the tables. Then there was on one a big roast turkey & on the other a goose, & two big pigeon pasties. Then there was an abundance of good vegetables of all the old sorts & one that I do not believe you have yet seen. Uncle Simeon had imported the seed from England just before the war began & only this year was there enough for table use. It is called sellery & you eat it without cooking. It is very good and served with meats. Next year Uncle Simeon says he will be able to raise enough to give us all some. It has to be taken up, roots & all & buried in earth in the cellar through the winter & only pulling up some when you want it to use. Our mince pies were good, although we had to use dried cherries as I told you, & the meat was shoulder of venison instead of beef. The pumpkin pies, apple tarts & big Indian puddings lacked for nothing save appetite by the time we had got around to them.”

I don’t know about you, but those descriptions definitely set my mouth watering!

Here’s the current plan, which always changes at the last minute. I’ll hopefully be posting any new recipes that turn out well:

Flair

Hand washing water – (also makes the house smell nice)
Beeswax and bayberry candles
Pewter, linen, antler, and assorted other period dishware

Appetizers

Pemmican – traditional
Indian slapjacks, with acorn and cornmeal – 1796
assorted local cheeses

Main

Venison Stew – traditional, 1749
Cod in Coals – traditional

Sides

Cranberry Chutney – 1767, with some tweaks
Blueberry Chutney – ad lib, homegrown
Roasted Squash with homemade maple syrup
Cabbage, onions, and bacon

Dessert

Pumpkin Pie – 1653
Mother McCann’s Lemon Pie – pre-1891, from a family cookbook
Cider Cake – 1881
Apple Tansy – 1754
Gooseberry Hops – 1792

Drinks

Birch Wine – 1691
Elderberry Wine – 1861
Syllabubs – 1796

Sources used:

The First American Cookbook, Amelia Simmons, 1796
The Compleat Housewife: or, Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion by E. Smith, 1754
Vinetum Britannicum, J. Worlidge, 1691
Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mrs. Beeton, 1861
The Way to a Man’s Heart, various authors, pre-1891
Dr. Chase’s Receipt Book, Dr. Chase, 1887
Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery, Karen Hess, 1749

The Verdict?

As my mother put it, “Why would anyone settle for turkey when they could do this?!” We had an absolute blast, and the extra smoky flavors from cooking over the fire put everything right over the top. From shaking up cream to make our own butter, to toting that giant cod to and from the firepit, it was a holiday to remember. My mother prepped the cod by wrapping it in cabbage leaves and clay (8 lb turned out to be a lot of fish), and baked some bread in her woodstove. The star of the day, the venison stew, was rich and hearty, with chunks of meat, sausage, and root vegetables swimming in a flavorful broth. The handwashing water was a big hit, and while the lemon pie didn’t quite set right, it was tasty enough to perfect- more on that later. We concluded the evening, as always, with dramatic readings in the livingroom, by candlelight.

The thing I love most, perhaps, about approaching a holiday like this is that it takes away so much of the pressure that can do in what should be a festive time. Nobody was worried about the turkey prep, or whether their cranberry sauce would hold up to Aunt Mabel’s scrutiny. Instead, it’s about the adventure of the cooking, and having fun together. And because we try to make the dinner with all local or homegrown ingredients, it gives us a proper appreciation for the effort that goes into growing and preparing the food. Looking back in time, it’s easy to marvel at the amount of hard work that went into keeping a family alive and fed. Here’s to all the hunters and housewives that have gotten us to where we are today!

And speaking of that, I’m thankful for the years you all have spent here at The Inn with me, and I hope you’ll join me for many more to come!

Highgarden Apple Roses

Thoughts:

The people have spoken, and the winner of my recent Twitter poll for the next recipe’s region was overwhelmingly Highgarden. I guess we are all in the mood for some green growing things and flowers after winter, huh? :)

These stunning little show-stopping desserts are actually easier to make than you might guess. You may remember seeing them as part of Margaery Tyrell’s ideal meal from last summer, but I’ve never quite stopped thinking about them since. They’re just beautiful as an addition to a feast spread, but they’re also a nice surprise dessert to a simple dinner.

The variations presented simply by the choice of jelly are numerous- personally, I really love a version with apple cider jelly, but consider also a rosehip jam (perfect for Highgarden), or a redcurrant, or even a thin layer of lemoncurd. Try them out, and see what you think!

Highgarden Apple Rose Recipe

Makes: about a dozen, depending on size

Prep: 45 minutes Baking: 20-25 minutes

Pie dough:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick salted butter
cold water

Ingredients:

2-3 apples
1 cup water
splash of cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg
3 tablespoons jelly
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Start off by making your pie dough so it has time to chill: combine the flour and sugar, then rub in the butter until you have only small pieces remaining. Gradually add in the cold water until you have a dough that comes together. Fold over on itself several times to encourage layering, then wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a standard muffin tin, and/or a mini muffin tin (I like making at least two different sizes for a nice look on the plate).

Combine the water, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Slice each apple in half down the stem end, the scoop out the core using a sharp knife or the small end of a melon-baller. Slice the apples as thin as you can, then pop them into the prepared pan on the stovetop to keep them from browning. Stir the apple slices as you cook them for around 5-10 minutes, until they are starting to turn translucent but still hold their shape. Strain them out of the pan, and set aside to cool somewhat.

Take the pie dough out of the fridge and roll out half at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4″ thick, and about 10″ wide (you can do shorter strips, or cut long strips in half if using a mini muffin pan). Cut into long strips about 1 1/2″ wide. Spread a very thin layer of jelly on each strip, then begin layering the apple slices on the top half of each strip, as below:

Fold the bottom of the strip up over the top, then gently coil the apples and dough into a cinnamon roll shape, which should give you that lovely rose shape on the top. Move each finished rose to the prepared muffin pan, then continue until all the dough and apples are used up.

Bake for around 25-30 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn golden. These apple roses are best served warm, and are also delicious with a little ice cream or custard sauce on the side.

Apple Rose with custard and redcurrants

Artichoke Pie with Cheese and Herbs, 1570

Thoughts:

Whenever I feel like I’ve lost some direction when it comes to historical cooking, I like to sit down with some of my favorite old cookbooks and flip through until something inspires me. In this case, it was a pie from the 1570s Italian cookbook by Bartolomeo Scappi, and specifically an artichoke pie, which piqued my interest.

This recipe is in the section for crostata, from which I pulled another recipe for a peach crostata. This, like that one, calls for Scappi’s signature coil of dough around the outside of the pie. This time around, I spent more time trying to figure out what the heck one is supposed to do to make the dough “right”. I’m still not positive that I’ve nailed it down, but I can tell you that the pie was fantastic, regardless.

At its heart (small pun intended!), this is a very simple tart- crust, cheese, artichoke hearts, and a few mild spices. The combination of these ingredients, fresh and warm from the oven, is just lovely. The cheese melts into the nooks and crannies of the artichoke hearts, making each forkful a gooey delight. Although you can’t quite tell from the photo, the outside crust is a coil of dough layered with herbs and parmesan cheese, which means that the pie is tasty right through the last bite. It’s going on my list of staples for vegetarian guests, and I look forward to making it again this summer for interesting picnic/potluck foods!

Where in Westeros?

I’m guessing somewhere around the middle or southern end of the continent. It strikes me as a very King’s Landing dish, for whatever reason, but since artichokes thrive in warmer climates, the Reach would also be a strong contender.

Recipe for Artichoke Crostata

“Get artichokes in their season, as is said in the Second Book, on Prepared Dishes, at Recipe 213, and cook them in a meat broth or in salted water. Take the heart, which is their best part, and clean it well. If it is big, slice it and make the crostata or pie of it with the same ingredients as are used with the field mushrooms…” -The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi, 1570

Cook’s Note: I went light on the sugar in the dough, since this is a mostly savory dish, but enough sugar layers might result in a nice crispy sort of a dough, similar to that amazing sweet croissant-like pastry whose name currently eludes me, but whose taste haunts me…

Prep: 30 minutes Chilling: 1 hour Baking:45 minutes

Makes 1 pie, or roughly 8 servings

Dough Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chilled butter or lard, plus ~2 Tbs. melted for brushing
2 egg yolks
cold water, about 1 cup
1/4 cup sugar (turbinado or demerara are best)

Ingredients for filling:

2 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts
2 medium balls of mozarella (or provatura, if available)
2 Tbs. grated parmesan
1 tsp. each dried mint and marjoram
dash of verjuice, or wine vinegar

Begin by making your dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, then roughly cut in the butter until it is about the size of small peas. Add the egg yolks (the whites can be saved to make custard sauce for dessert- my favorite!), followed by just enough of the cold water to bring the mixture mostly together. Divide into two pieces, then wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Once the dough is chilled, take one half of it and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangular shape. Brush the middle of the dough with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar, then fold one side over like a letter. Brush this third with butter, sprinkle with sugar, and fold the last side over. Repeat this process at least once more- it creates layers in the dough- with this and the other half of the dough. Place the first half of layered dough back in the fridge while you work on putting together the pie.

Roll one half of the layered dough out to about 1/8″ thickness, and cut out a circle the same size as the bottom of your pan, and place it in the pan when you’re done (I used a springform pan, but a pie pan should work too). Take the scraps from that cutting and roll them out into a slender rope that is long enough to go around the outside of the pan. Roll it flat, to a few inches width, and spread with melted butter, and sprinkle with about 1 tsp. of the crushed herbs and 1/2 Tbs. of the parmesan. Roll up as you would a cinnamon roll, then give the whole coil several good twists to help keep it from unrolling. Lay the coil on top of the disc of dough in your pan, pressing to the edge of the pan slightly.

Now the fun part- the filling! Preheat the oven to 350F. Sprinkle the bottom of the pie with half the remaining crushed herbs, then a layer of artichoke hearts. Top this with a layer of sliced mozarella and the rest of the herbs, then more artichokes. Repeat this layering until you’ve used up all your ingredients. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan, then set the pie aside.

Roll out the other half of the layered dough and cut into decorative shapes to cover the top, making sure to leave air vents. Brush the top of the pie with any remaining melted butter you have left. Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the top of the pie starts to turn a nice light golden color. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

*If you have a lot of dough scraps, I suggest brushing them with butter, covering with cinnamon sugar, and baking until cooked. They make an amazing, easy, totally delicious dessert, especially if you used those two egg whites to make up some custard sauce!*

Pigeon Pie, version 2.awesome

Pigeon Pie with Bacon and Artichoke Hearts

Our Thoughts:

We couldn’t have made up a better pie than this. It’s absolutely incredible. AND it’s historically authentic. Utter win.

This is completely unlike any meat pie I’ve previously tried. The artichoke hearts are sort of a baffling yet intriguing addition. Because there are so many other ingredients, the pigeon doesn’t really get a chance to shine in its own right, but the spices help bring it forward. We used a very flavorful bacon, which was one of the strongest elements, while the egg yolks and meatballs just added some depth and body.

Overall, much more interesting and dynamic than our original Pigeon Pie recipe, but definitely for those more adventurous epicureans.

Medieval Pigeon Pie

After ye pidgeons are made fitt to put into your pye season them with grose pepper, salt, mace & nutmeggs then lay ym into your Pot; you must have palatts ready boyld and cut into what bigness you like and lay over your pidgeons with ye yolk of hard egg, e marrow and balls of meat, made of ye lean of a legg of veal. Beat in a mortar with beef suett and some bacon amongst it when ye meat is a small as for sausages. Then add as much spice as is agreeable to your taste and a few sweet herbs. You may put in artichoke bottoms. This pye must be baked in a patty pan. -Lucayos Cookbook, 1690

My Changes: I, personally, did not include the tongue from the original recipe. However, many people swear by it as a tasty ingredient, so if you would like, feel free to add it, and let us know how it turns out! I also swapped out the beef suet and marrow for a dash of grease left over from cooking the bacon.

Ingredients:

1 springform pan with high sides
Pastry dough (get the recipe)
5 pigeons
1/4 tsp. each pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg
boiled palatts (tongue! – optional)
3 hard boiled egg yolks
3 large meatballs, preferably of veal (cooked or uncooked)
1/2 cup cooked chopped bacon
artichoke hearts
1-2 Tbs. bacon grease
1 egg for glazing

Roll out pastry dough and drape over the pan. Gently press the dough into the pan to make sure it molded to the sides and bottom. Trim the excess dough and reshape into a ball- this will be your lid.

Put your pigeons in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer for around 45 minutes, or until the meat can be easily pulled from the bone. Remove all the useable meat and discard the bones.

Season the meat with your spices, then lay in the bottom of the pastry. If using tongue, lay over the pigeon meat. Crumble the egg yolk over top of the meat, then flatten or crumble the meatballs to form the next layer. Sprinkle the bacon over that, then lay sliced artichoke hearts on the very top. Pour the bacon grease evenly over the top.

Roll out the remaining pastry dough and cut into a circle the size of the bottom of the pan. Lay this circle over the pie filling, brush the edges with water, and roll the outside dough down until it touches the top crust. Pierce the top of the pie in several places to vent the steam, flute the edges in a decorative pattern, and brush the whole thing with beaten egg.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the crust is golden.

Pigeon Pie

“‘My uncle hasn’t eaten his pigeon pie.’ Holding the chalice one-handed, Joff jammed his other into Tyrion’s pie. ‘It’s ill luck not to eat the pie…” (Storm of Swords)
Pigeon Pie

Thoughts:

This makes for a rich, hearty meat pie. Pigeon meat is dark like duck, although not nearly so fatty. The silky texture of the meat is the real show stopper, wonderfully soft and tender, complimenting the light flaky pastry crust. Although I used the suggested spices from a medieval pigeon pie recipe, I made mine much the same as a chicken pot pie, so it oozes with vegetables and a creamy sauce. Because of the richness of the pigeon, a small slice will satisfy, and it’s best paired with additional sides. All in all, a delicious dish, and a wonderful new addition to any feast table, especially for a wedding! ;)

This recipe went into the cookbook, but shortly after making it, I found another amazing medieval recipe for pigeon pie, with artichoke hearts, and bacon. Check out that recipe here.

Beef and Bacon Pies

“Part of him wanted nothing so much as to hear Bran laugh again, to sup on one of Gage’s beef-and-bacon pies, to listen to Old Nan tell her tales of the children of the forest and Florian the Fool.” -A Game of Thrones

Medieval Beef-and-Bacon Pie

Thoughts:

Both of these pies are delicious, but they are very different; the medieval pie is sweet, the modern is savory.

The sweetness of the medieval pie comes from added fruit and honey. As the pie bakes, the fruit melts, giving a lovely counter-taste to the tart vinegar and salty bacon. The fruit flavor fades into the background and what remains is a sweet, rich meat pie with an easy medley of flavors.

The savory modern pie was more what we imagined when we read about beef-and-bacon pies of Winterfell. For all that this is a relatively dense dish, the flavors are fairly light. The beef, bacon, onions, and herbs are all distinguishable, but don’t linger overlong on the palate.

Bottom line? Medieval is sweet, modern is savory. Make both, and tell us what you think! *The Modern recipe is now exclusively in the GoT Cookbook.

Medieval Beef-and-Bacon Pie

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

To make Pyes. Pyes of mutton or beif must be fyne mynced & seasoned with pepper and salte and a lytel saffron to colour it, suet or marrow a good quantitie, a lytell vynegre, pruynes, great reasons, and dates, take the fattest of the broath of powdred beefe. – A Propre new booke of Cokery, 1545

Our changes: We added bacon. Delicious, thick cut bacon, in place of the marrow. We winged the proportions a little on the dried fruit based on what was left in our pantry.

Ingredients:

Pastry dough enough for 9″ pie pan, top and bottom (Recipe)
1 ½ lbs. stew beef cut into small pieces
½ cup bacon, diced or cut small
½ tsp. pepper (or to taste)
½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup prunes, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dates, chopped
~1 cups beef broth
2-3 Tbs. flour

On the stovetop, cook the diced bacon until the fat runs from it; drain off the fat. To the bacon pan, add the beef, spices, vinegar & the fruit. Add enough broth to thoroughly wet the mixture – the final consistency should be runny.

Throw in the flour and cook on low heat until the juices form a sort of gravy.

Let cool. Line a 9-inch pie pan with and fill with the meat mixture. Add a pastry lid or leave open-faced. Bake at 375º F until filling is bubbling and the pastry cooked, approx. 40 minutes.

NB: The cookbook contains a better, more delicious, perfected modern pie recipe, complete with a lattice-woven bacon top.

Pork Pie

“‘If I could fly, I’d be back at Castle Black eating a pork pie,’ said Sam.” -A Clash of Kings

Medieval Pork Pie with Currants

Thoughts:

When we began to make these, we naively thought, “Two meat pies? We’ll surely have leftovers for days!” They were gone within hours. Like many of our modern and medieval comparisons, the resulting dishes were quite different from one another. Here’s the breakdown:

The medieval pork pie is definitely in the sweet category. The amount of eggs in it makes it fluffier than the modern version, and the currants and ginger only add to the sweetness. However, it is a sweetness that really suits the pork. We might leave out an egg or two in the future, just so the meat holds together a bit better.

The modern pork pie is dense, and is very serious about being pork. It could have used a little more salt, but when dipped in either ketchup or BBQ sauce it is rendered delicious. If you do have leftovers, this pie is wonderful for a quick, cold breakfast straight from the fridge.

Bottom line? Modern is savory, medieval is sweet, but both are delicious, and will be a hit with anyone who can get their fork into one.

**NB: The cookbook contains a tweaked version of the Medieval Pie, and a much more dynamic version of the Modern Pie.**

Medieval Pork Pie

A-nother manere. Tak fayre porke y-broylid, & grynd it smal with yolkys of Eyroun; than take Pepir, Gyngere, & grynd it smal, & melle it with-al, & a lytel hony, & floryssche thin cofyns with-ynne & with-owte, & hele hem with thin ledys, & late hem bake, & serue forth. – Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books

Our changes: Instead of boiling down our own pork roast and grinding it up, we used pre-ground pork. Much easier! ALSO! This makes a great pairing with the Cream Swans, because you will be able to use the egg yolks for this, and the whites for that. Win!

Ingredients:

1 9″ pie shell with lid
1 1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 tsp. salt
6 egg yolks
2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped dates

Brown the pork over medium heat. Let cool slightly, and mix well with all the other ingredients – The filling should be very moist. Place mixture in pie shell & add lid. Fold top dough under and pinch edges shut. Cut decorative steam holes in the top of the pastry, and bake at 375° F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a golden brown.

Modern Pork Pie

The new, updated, and totally delicious modern recipe is available in The Cookbook!