A History Of American Cuisine

A History Of American Cuisine


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Cooking throughout the colonies depended greatly on your economic set. The upper classes hired European trained chefs, while the lowest classes relied on the mistress of the house to prepare one-pot dinners. What was similar throughout all of the classes, however, was what was prepared in the kitchen was only what was in season. The colonial chefs had to be very judicious with their food; a chicken could not be killed for dinner unless it would be eaten for breakfast and lunch too. To kill food was not an option. Especially with the novel and ever-changing seasons of the Americas, the chefs had to accomplish the most out of what they could acquire their hands on, and store and sustain what they could, as winters could be brutal.
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Being the chef of the household wasn't as easy as turning a knob on the stove as it is now. To have a chicken for dinner meant going out in the morning and killing it yourself, plucking and dressing it. Starting a fire and keeping it going throughout the day. The organs of every animal were also considered a delicacy, fruits and vegetables were always cooked, never raw. The drinks were made especially sweet, and the punch had reliable amounts of alcohol. The meat also often came to the table with the head and feet detached attached and the rolls served for sopping up the juices and gravy. Cooking was a difficult, all day job in Colonial America and a first-rate cook was sometimes worth his weight in gold.
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The Governor's Palaces always maintained the best European trained cooks. While they were considered servants, they were the highest paid in the household. The palace even kept a number of cooks in the kitchen at once as each had a specialty. Many of these cooks had their backgrounds in French cuisine, which was considered the very upper crust of the time. These cooks also had the best tools to cook with, including numerous copper pots.

The gentry offered the next best in the colonial kitchen; while they weren't French trained, their meals were often modeled after passe English cooking. Meats and sweets were standard with every meal, and while these households customary slaves for their cooks, many were so expedient they were often able to gather their freedom based upon their cooking skills.
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The middle class came below the gentry in the colonial kitchen. While they attempted to match the cuisine of the gentry on special occasions, there every day food was remarkable simpler. A lot of these homes collected relied on a slave to do the cooking, while some relied only upon the talents of the mistress of the house.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
The lower classes offered the most basic in colonial cooking. These households did not consume slaves; and nearly every meal was a one-pot meal. Porridges and soups were approved, and hominy was most often prepared, which is made of corn, cured pork, vegetables, and salt. The meal was accompanied with whatever meat they could earn their hands on, which many times, was none.Colonial Cooking - A History Of American Cuisine
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
Cooking throughout the colonies depended greatly on your economic station. The upper classes hired European trained chefs, while the lowest classes relied on the mistress of the house to prepare one-pot dinners. What was similar throughout all of the classes, however, was what was prepared in the kitchen was only what was in season. The colonial chefs had to be very judicious with their food; a chicken could not be killed for dinner unless it would be eaten for breakfast and lunch too. To end food was not an option. Especially with the unusual and ever-changing seasons of the Americas, the chefs had to acquire the most out of what they could net their hands on, and store and preserve what they could, as winters could be brutal.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
Being the chef of the household wasn't as easy as turning a knob on the stove as it is now. To have a chicken for dinner meant going out in the morning and killing it yourself, plucking and dressing it. Starting a fire and keeping it going throughout the day. The organs of every animal were also considered a delicacy, fruits and vegetables were always cooked, never raw. The drinks were made especially sweet, and the punch had marvelous amounts of alcohol. The meat also often came to the table with the head and feet peaceful attached and the rolls served for sopping up the juices and gravy. Cooking was a difficult, all day job in Colonial America and a superb cook was sometimes worth his weight in gold.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
The Governor's Palaces always maintained the best European trained cooks. While they were considered servants, they were the highest paid in the household. The palace even kept a number of cooks in the kitchen at once as each had a specialty. Many of these cooks had their backgrounds in French cuisine, which was considered the very upper crust of the time. These cooks also had the best tools to cook with, including numerous copper pots.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
The gentry offered the next best in the colonial kitchen; while they weren't French trained, their meals were often modeled after stale English cooking. Meats and sweets were standard with every meal, and while these households traditional slaves for their cooks, many were so righteous they were often able to net their freedom based upon their cooking skills.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
The middle class came below the gentry in the colonial kitchen. While they attempted to match the cuisine of the gentry on special occasions, there every day food was mighty simpler. A lot of these homes mild relied on a slave to do the cooking, while some relied only upon the talents of the mistress of the house.
http://secretsrecipe.blogspot.com/
The lower classes offered the most basic in colonial cooking. These households did not employ slaves; and nearly every meal was a one-pot meal. Porridges and soups were renowned, and hominy was most often prepared, which is made of corn, cured pork, vegetables, and salt. The meal was accompanied with whatever meat they could acquire their hands on, which many times, was none.