I Gotta Cook Where?
Today’s recipe: “a very good kind of family biscuit.”
By: Sherry Monahan 01/01/2009
Biscuits
for Today’s Cook
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 c. water
4 T. butter or shortening
1/2 c. milk
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or two knives. Add the water and stir just to mix. Do not over beat the batter, because the biscuits will become tough. If the dough looks too dry, add more water. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on heavily floured surface. Cut the biscuits with a biscuit cutter and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, or until done.
“A very good kind of family biscuit can be made in the same way as the bread, by using a less quantity and only adding a little shortening, either of butter or lard—a table-spoonful of lard, or two of butter, will be sufficient for as much dough as will make a large loaf of bread, and that will suffice for a family breakfast or supper.”
—Josiah T. Marshall in The Farmers and Emigrants Complete Guide, 1855
Comments (2)
Hi Vickie,
Thanks for the question. Most of the time the pioneers didn't have time for a "full meal" and ate what was practical. Quite often, the big dinner meal, which was eaten at noon, was started in the morning if they were having beans.
Unless they were stopping in one location for a day or two, which sometimes happened, they didn't have time to wait for roasts.
The pioneers tended to cook what could be made and prepped in the short time they had when they stopped to eat.
How did they cook a full meal (like dried beans or a roast) after setting up camp? A roast takes a minimum of 3 hrs in a modern oven? How could they cook and have it ready in time to eat?
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