The Culinary Heirloom Project

ONCE in Barre is now a month behind us, and we’re still...

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:06:24 -0400

ONCE in Barre is now a month behind us, and we’re still putting together our documentation of the wonderful results. Keep an eye out for oral history recordings by Liz Donovan, some thoughts on our recipes, and more photos by Alykhan Mohamed. If you have memories of the day that you want to share, do let us know!

Just a couple photos of ONCE in Barre: a table setting, and our...

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:51:45 -0400

Just a couple photos of ONCE in Barre: a table setting, and our afternoon savories before service. Stay tuned for more documentation of yesterday’s incredible Mother’s Day!

Digital exhibition: ONCE in Barre

Sun, 13 May 2012 11:00:58 -0400

Digital exhibition: ONCE in Barre

Sneak peek! Our menu for today’s tea.

Sun, 13 May 2012 10:56:03 -0400

Sneak peek! Our menu for today’s tea.

Marble Cake Light Part is a white cake, dark part is a spice...

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:59:00 -0400

Marble Cake

Light Part is a white cake, dark part is a spice cake!

NOTE: This recipe calls for sour milk, but don’t let your regular supermarket milk go bad and use that! Only raw milk “sours”; pasteurized milk spoils. So unless you have access to raw milk from some happy cows, like the Rice ladies did, use buttermilk instead. In fact, pasteurized milk became common right at the time of this recipe. Want to learn more? Here’s a good overview.

Solving the popcorn cookie mystery: they WERE a variation of the...

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:55:07 -0400

Solving the popcorn cookie mystery: they WERE a variation of the cookies to the left. And they taste like popcorn!

By far one of our favorite recipes so far…introducing mini...

Sat, 12 May 2012 16:34:00 -0400

By far one of our favorite recipes so far…introducing mini Mock Cherry Pies (Mary’s Rule).

FILLING: 1 c cranberries cut in half, 1/2 c raisins, 1 c sugar, 1 tbsp flour mixed in 1/2 c of cold water, 1/2 tsp vanilla

Bake in deep plate with two crusts (be are making mini-versions, so they will look like this instead…)

The caramel sauce recipe didn’t start out so well…we...

Sat, 12 May 2012 16:31:16 -0400

The caramel sauce recipe didn’t start out so well…we fixed it with some warm cream.

final reminder! ONCE in Barre is Sunday, Mother's Day, a few tickets still left.

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:32:20 -0400

final reminder! ONCE in Barre is Sunday, Mother's Day, a few tickets still left.

Edith loves lemon sherbet, so Mrs. Smith sent her a...

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:25:00 -0400

Edith loves lemon sherbet, so Mrs. Smith sent her a recipe.

Recorded by Liz Donovan.

"You know, I just learned an interesting thing about elderberry blossoms. It’s a newly..."

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:21:36 -0400

““You know, I just learned an interesting thing about elderberry blossoms.
It’s a newly discovered wild item and people are messing up bushes, stripping them of the blossoms to make syrup and wine, and then there are no berries for the poor birdies.”

- JJ, after a foraging walk with Russ Cohen

cooking from heirlooms.

Wed, 09 May 2012 21:47:29 -0400

Us: Friends, a Mother's Day mystery for you all. Popcorn cookie: sugar, butter, hot water, soda, and vinegar. We are baffled!

Mark: Perhaps it's a modification for the recipe to the left ("Cookie")?

Us: Could be! A lot of the recipes in the cookbook seem to talk to each other.

Dear “Shish”- This money for the knitting has laid...

Wed, 09 May 2012 12:44:09 -0400

Dear “Shish”-

This money for the knitting has laid here on the table for so long — am sending it up with this. I don’t feel that it pays you for your time — wish I could double it.

And thank you — lots.

When I got my ingredients ready I found I had “much too many” blossoms prepared — and I wondered if you’d like to try a rule of it? Mrs. Allen tells me it is very dela in flavor — pale amber color and well worth making.

They say the wine made from the blossoms is much nicer than from the berries.

From the “sample” I think it will be very nice. Here’s the rule and if you don’t feel like using them — throw them out!

Please excuse writing — very aware is unclear today. Hastily, Edith

Elderberry blossom wine

1 qt elderberry blossoms. Packed tight and some extra.

9 lbs sugar

1 yeast cake

3 gal water

3 lbs raisins - seeded

1/2 cup lemon juice.

Pick blossoms from stems and fill qt measure. Pack tight

Put sugar and water over fire. Stir until sugar is dissolved and let come to boil without stirring.

Boil 5 minutes.

Skim and add blossoms, as soon as blossoms are well stirred in take from fire and cool.

When lukewarm add dissolved yeast and lemon juice

Place in earthen jar and let stand 6 days — stirring 3 times a day

On seventh day — strain through cloth and add raisins — seeded

Put in glass jars and seal. Do not bottle until January.

Edith Rice’s letter to her sister, with a recipe for...

Wed, 09 May 2012 12:41:08 -0400

Edith Rice’s letter to her sister, with a recipe for Elderflower Wine, recorded by Liz Donovan.

Sister Emma comes alive, in this recording by Liz Donovan for...

Mon, 07 May 2012 22:57:48 -0400

Sister Emma comes alive, in this recording by Liz Donovan for the Culinary Heirloom Project.

Elizabeth Donovan studied Oral History in the deep south and learned to tell stories in northern New England. She currently lives and works in Boston, MA. Her work has been featured at the Smithsonian Folkways Festival and on NPR.

Mini-ONCE at metaLAB Harvard’s showcase, complete with...

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:45:10 -0400

Mini-ONCE at metaLAB Harvard’s showcase, complete with lilacs, tea, and of course, ginger snaps.

Making Mother’s ginger snaps from the Edith Rice...

Thu, 03 May 2012 16:23:00 -0400

Making Mother’s ginger snaps from the Edith Rice cookbook. Makes the house smell like Christmas (speaking of which, why do all of these historic recipes feel like holiday sweets?)

rhubarb jelly cooling!

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:47:39 -0400

rhubarb jelly cooling!:

This will be the filling for our sure-to-be-gorgeous ribbon cake.

What’s ribbon cake you ask?

Stay tuned….

This is the oldest recipe in the Rice collection. April...

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:09:00 -0400

This is the oldest recipe in the Rice collection.

April 14 1890

Dear Sister Sara,

Receipt for filling for

cake.

Caramel filling

½ cup Butter, 1 cup Cream

1 cup Brown Sugar

Cook about ¾ hour

Bake nice layer White

Mountain Cake and

Spread the filling between

How is your health now

Hope better. We are well

As usual. Kiss Children

For me. Excuse postal

But so near dinner hour

Not time to write more

Love to you. Sister Em H.

Photo

Tue, 01 May 2012 21:54:18 -0400