About the Blog

I'm a big fan of reading, research, and history. I've been working on a family tree and genealogical research for about ten years and that has led to an avid interest in Cincinnati history.

Pictured: Familial Stomping Grounds Since 1840
That interest took me to the public library local history section. There I found a host of great Cincinnati resources, but one in particular that stuck out, a re-printing of a book called The Cincinnati Cookbook, which was originally printed in 1908. A quick flip through the pages showed that this book was full of, not only recipes, but also tips on cleaning and "housewifing" along with ads. The recipes are varied in length, detail, and clarity. Some are dishes we still eat now and some are things I've never heard of. I love to cook and bake so I thought, I wonder if I can recreate these old recipes and make them edible. I rented the book and this is what came of it.

Some memorable recipes I've found so far include:
- Cucumber Catsup
- 15 lb Fruit Cake
- Ice Cream with a list of ingredients but no instructions
- Piccallili

I start each project by copying down the recipe as written, and then adding in some preliminary notes. I do my research if any is required. The goal is to follow the instructions as written and to not use too many modern conveniences if it can be helped.

Some things I've had to google already:
- how hot were ovens in 1900
- size of eggs over time
- when was instant oatmeal invented
- when was the rotary egg beater invented

Then I write out longer form instructions for myself that are in the style of modern recipes. From there I follow my long form notes and I record how well things turn out. At the end of each post I like to add a dubious fact or piece of advice from the book. The snippet below perfectly captures the tone in which the book is written. It does seem like they could have provided more complete instructions in some of these recipes if the fate of a marriage is entirely dependent on being well fed.

"It is an easy matter for the bride who is a good cook to retain the love of her husband. A man who is poorly, or improperly fed, soon loses his health, and becomes cross and dissatisfied."  - Ad for The Dorsel Company Millers of Newport KY

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