Correct Period Edibles

SUBJECT: Correct Period Edibles (how's that for a title).



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This is a collection of edibles that our forefathers had from Jefferson's time. "Organic farming & stone ground products reference done in the manner of our forefathers".

As you do your research on edible foods, wild and planted, you will find that a large number of the available varieties came from Pennsylvania Germans, who brought them from their home lands in Europe from as early as the 1500’s.

References: "Jefferson Garden Book"

The more looking we did the more we found on documented edibles from Washington, Jefferson, Adams to the Native Americans. I had no idea of the volumns of information still available.

Field Seeds

Flax: Has been grown in the colonies as early as 1560’s, used for linen cloth and a number of other cloth by products. Ariane Flax seed is available today......................

Spelt: A form of wheat with a little difference in texture, was originally from Europe but found its way to the colonies when settled. Spelt Mills were popular during the 1800's in ..............

Gourds: In colonial America, old Mexico and parts of Europe, gourds have been used for a number of storage vessels. They have been cooked, fried, boiled or any other way you can ...........

Vegetables

Beans: Beans were often planted with corn and squash, called "Three Sisters" plantings, the colonists used this Indian method as early as the 1650's. Fisher, Smith, Hutterite and Jacob's ..............

Beets: Native to Europe and N. Africa, their first appearance in N. America is not clear, but reference has been made of them in journals dating to the early 1600's.    .................

Carrots: Member of the parsley family, came to South and North America from Europe and Asia, in the form of animal fodder, with the colonies employment in the early settlements ....

Herbs

These herbs are used as medicine, seasonings or just for decoration, all have been dated earlier than 1800.

Caraway: Has some medical uses, licorice taste used on rye bread by early colonists.............

Horehound: Used in teas, candy for sore throat problems .............

Sweet Cicely: Licorice flavor used in cooking for seasoning.

Apples

Baldwin Woodpecker: Found in history around the mid 1700's in southern part of Massachusetts.

Fameuse-Snow Apple: From Canada originally brought there by seed from France around 1600.

Jonathan: A New York farm apple grown as early as 1800.

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Shown are the approximate documented and dated time that the item became available in North America. We have found some items earlier than those listed, but not that common for the working class or local trade.

* Pennsylvania German - before 1750.
** Before 1700 - trade item.
*** Before 1800 - trade item.
@ Northeast - before 1820
# Southwest - before 1830.
+ After 1845.
++ used in a raw state for centuries (no time frame found).  Now available in handy capsules after 1850.

GRAINS & SEEDS
** Wild rice (lg. broken).
* Barley-pearled.
* Lentils.
* Smith beans.
*** Rice (India Import-white).
* Rye-kernel.
* Split pea-yellow.
* Split pea-green.
* French pop-corn.
* Corn yellow (open pollen)
* Corn white (open pollen)
** Corn mult-colored (Native American)

CEREALS & MEALS
@ Blended meal.
* Barley grits.
* Rye-rolled.
* Corn grits.
@ Oats-rolled.
* Oats-steel cut.
* Wheat-course.
* Corn meal.
* Millet meal.

FLOURS
* Barley
* Buckwheat
* Rye
* Wheat
* Corn

PASTAS
A common trade item on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in the late 1700's, but as John Curry and several others agree, it was available for the ones that could afford the price. Not an item a traveler or hunter would likely have. More of an item found in the settlements or at a fort trading post.

** Vermicelli-coils.
** Fettuccin.
** Straw twists.

OILS
* Walnut oil-haines.