I can’t say it any better than I did back in 2011—Regina and I wish our American readers the very happiest of Thanksgivings. I’m still making that cranberry ginger sauce as posted below (which I’ll have to go do as soon as I post this—it does best if it has a day or two in the fridge before serving) as well as another family favorite Thanksgiving side dish—garlic and rosemary marinated mushrooms.
And speaking of recipes, Book View Café’s BVC Eats: Recipes from the Authors of Book View Café is now available in print as well as in e-book form from all the usual suspects, as well as directly from Book View Cafe.
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Although Thanksgiving was not a holiday that would have been celebrated
by the 19th century British young ladies of our books, Regina and I
certainly celebrate it…and one of the things we’re most thankful for is you, our readers. You’re truly what keeps us blogging every week…so thank you!
Now,
just because Thanksgiving isn’t a 19th century British holiday doesn’t
mean we can’t celebrate it in our own way…so Regina and I would like to
offer you some recipes with a 19th century flavor that might do well at
your own Thanksgiving feast.
This first one is from Beeton’s Book of Household Management,
first published in England in 1861 by Mrs. Isabella Beeton. Remember
that name…you’ll be hearing more about her in the coming weeks. This
sounds like a terrific way to use up leftover Thanksgiving mashed
potatoes:
Potato Rissoles
Mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced parsley
Egg (number depends on how much mashed potatoes is available)
Bread crumbs (likewise)
Beat
the egg in a shallow dish. Set bread crumbs aside in another
shallowdish or plate. Add a seasoning of pepper and salt and a little
minced parsley to the mashed potatoes. Roll the potatoes into small
balls, dip them into the egg and then cover them in bread crumbs. Fry in
hot oil or butter for about 10 minutes. Drain and dish them on a
napkin, then serve. Note.-The flavour of these rissoles may be very much
increased by adding finely-minced tongue or ham, or even chopped
onions, when these are liked.
And here’s a recipe from Queen Victoria’s chief chef, Charles Francatelli:
French Beans with fine herbs
Pick
over, trim, and wash string beans, and boil in lightly salted water
until tender. Put two pats of butter into a stewpan with a tablespoonful
of chopped parsley and also two shallots finely chopped, a little
nutmeg, mignionette pepper [a mix of black and white pepper and
coriander] and salt, and the juice of a lemon; simmer this over a
stove-fire until melted, and then add the beans, tossing the whole
together, and serve.
This last recipe isn’t 19th century, but it makes its appearance every year on my Thanksgiving table:
Pickled Ginger Cranberry Sauce (from Cooks Country Magazine, October/November 2008)
Pulse
one 16 ounce can cranberry sauce (I prefer whole berry myself—gives a
better texture), 2 tablespoons drained pickled ginger, and 1 teaspoon
wasabi powder or dry mustard in foor processor until combined.
Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve chilled or at room
temperature.
Have a pleasant Thanksgiving, full of good food and good company!
