Mildly Off-Topic: Victorian Cooking

[ladyskada]

What with Thanksgiving fast approaching & Christmas/Holidays not far behind, I found this story. Mock Turtle Soup.... must remove the brains? Eww!

In 1896, Boston's Fannie Farmer published the best-selling cookbook of the era - The Boston Cooking School Cook-Book. And in 2007 Chris Kimball, the host of PBS's America's Test Kitchen, set out to re-

Comments

[gwenyvere4]

Now I'm thinking, what do steampunks snack on? Lol. My poor brain, just jumping around in there...

[ladyskada]

I'd love to see a meal like this with a Steampunk twist. =)
Come to think of it, I am hosting a Steampunk New Year's Eve again this year....

You may be the death of me.

[horizonchaser]

That's awesome. I collect recipes from about 1600 to 1950, if you need something horrible and yet tasty, let me know.

As for steampunk-y food, I'd recommend either variations on the old Vegetarian diets (which either were raw veggies ground up or weren't actually vegetarian), or other "faddy" diets from the era, Banting, Graham, Kellogg and such. It was more the attitude that went with the diets than the diets.

Or, opt for unusual ingredients in traditional dishes. Rhea instead of chicken, buffalo instead of beef, etc. (Or just say it is. Buffalo and Rhea are expensive!)

[ladyskada]

Rhea? Isn't that like an ostrich?

I may have to nudge you for some recipes. Last year, I kept it to just finger foods for grazing. This year, I'm thinking of getting more adventurous.

And I still have to figure out a dress.

[horizonchaser]

Yesyes, the Rhea is a smaller bird. But still large.

I'd be happy to help out! Just message me, I'll see what I can dig up. You like moose, right? :D

[ladyskada]

~tries to imagine trussing it like a turkey~
Actually, I love moose. I'm a Northern Child, so even though I don't hunt, I know plenty of people who do. And it is that season...

Thank you in advance!

[macaodghain]

My take on steampunk food has always been attacked from two directions: One is to rely heavily on Victorian resources, to which end I have purchased Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management and Buckeye Cookery and The Practical Housewife, both books from the mid-to-late 19th century; The second is to take the tropes of steampunk and apply them to food: Steaming, pressure-cooking, and smoking all evoke the steam-power inherent to the world-view.

[ladyskada]

Have you had luck throwing a party of this sort, then?

[macaodghain]

I'll let you know as soon as I have the time. Being a full-time culinary student and working as a cook on my days off from school precludes a lot of kitchen exploration-I am co-hosting a steampunk dinner party on Friday, but our food isn't going to be super-steamy.

[ladyskada]

Wow. Color me impressed!
FT school & working at the same time was hell on my sleeping schedule. Throwing a dinner party was pretty much beyond me.
Much luck!

[risssssy]

I <3 America's Test Kitchen. I think I need to read this book...

[ladyskada]

The photos + recipes really look amazing.

[luveday]

I read the first chapter of this a few weeks ago and am looking forward to the PBS special. As yet another collector of cookbooks from many time periods, and as a working cook, this is right up my alley!

[ladyskada]

Another skilled culinary expert? I'm thrilled!
Seriously, though, the book looks gorgeous. I'd love to get people together in an online group to figure out a Steampunk twist on meals like this.