Usher in fall with herbaceous sauce September 9, 2018 by Merry Post on Food, Lifestyle September brings the final flourish for the annual herbs in my garden. Thyme, lemon balm, chives, oregano and summer savory will overwinter, but the rest must be brought indoors before first frost or preserved in some fashion. So I have been investigating recipes that make liberal use of my annuals. Herbs were the subject of …
Grüne Sosse (green sauce) September 7, 2018 by Merry Post on Recipes Grüne sosse is an uncooked sauce from the German state of Hesse that can be made with lactose-free sour cream and cottage cheese for those with lactose intolerance. Prepared without any salt or celery, it is also perfect for low-salt diets. It is wonderful on toasted bagels, boiled potatoes, and soups, especially black bean soup. I am indebted to Connie Knuppel for telling me about this use of herbs. — Merry Post
Pass the ketchup August 26, 2018 by Merry Post on Food, Lifestyle The fresh, local tomatoes finally available in the market deserve some special attention. You might want to try making tomato ketchup at home, which allows you to control the amount of salt and sugar and to eliminate corn syrup entirely. If you asked for ketchup in the early 19th century, Americans would not assume that …
Tomato Ketchup August 22, 2018 by Merry Post on Recipes In the following recipe, I relied on Lydia Maria Child’s cookbook for seasoning, but for method I referred to a recipe in “The Household Receipt Book for 1874,” published in Burlington, Vt., as a complimentary marketing piece.
Celebrate summer fruit in simple tart July 27, 2018 by Merry Post on Food, Lifestyle, Recipes Charming summer rentals do not always have well-equipped kitchens, so it is good to know a few equipment improvisations. For example, a roasting or broiling pan flipped upside down can serve as a cookie sheet. Large cooking pots can be mixing bowls. A chilled bottle of white wine works as a rolling pin. Clothespins are …
Old diary entry inspires pie baking marathon June 29, 2018 by Merry Post on Food, Lifestyle In researching what New England women were cooking in the 19th century, I have read a few diaries by farm women who recorded the work they accomplished indoors and out, the weather, their health concerns, visitors and family events. The diary of Jane Briggs Smith Fiske (at the American Antiquarian Society) was a gold mine …
It’s prime picking for rhubarb pie May 24, 2018 by Merry Post on Food, Lifestyle May brings fresh local rhubarb and thoughts of rhubarb pie. One of the first plants harvested in the garden, rhubarb, which is packed with vitamins and minerals, was a traditional spring tonic. New England’s Shaker communities grew rhubarb for pies, preserves, sauce, tea, and even rhubarb wine. They bottled rhubarb chutney to sell. The prolific …
