Actually, it is an old cook book revived.
I just received it as a gift for no real reason from Steve and Viv (my terrific brother and sister-in-law).
Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book was written over 200 years ago and is a collection of his “historic recipes discovered.”
A Virginian accustomed to traditional ham, fried chicken, Brunswick stew, greens and batter bread, Jefferson acquired a taste for more exotic fare in France. He was sent to Paris in 1785 as Minister Plenipotentiary to the court of Louis XVI.
Plenipotentiary? Huh? I had to look that one up.
The definition is:
A diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative (ambassador extraordinary).
Anyway, while TJ was in Paris, he spent a great deal of time studying the culinary arts and writing down recipes. And he brought his notes back home. His little granddaughter, Virginia Randoph, carefully copied the recipes as well as his favorites from Monticello and the White House and the collection became a family treasure-book to be handed down through the generations.
Isn’t it amazing that the first American recipe for ice cream is in the writing of a president of the Unites States?
Well, here that treaasure-book is again in my eager hands. They say the dishes are as good today as yesterday and adapted with permission of the family to modern use. Yes! I can just imagine inviting guests to a dinner party “via Thomas Jefferson.” The problem is, I hate to cook.
“But if it’s simple I can make it.” That has always been my brave mantra when it comes to cooking. How complicated could a 200 year old recipe be anyway?
So I flipped the pages and stopped at any random spot, kind of like throwing darts. The first hit was was “Potatoes” under his notes for handling vegetables.
O.K., I’m not that great with potatoes. In fact, even though Bill raves about my mashed potatoes, he has forgotten they are of the microwave variety. So I can use all the help out there for cooking potatoes – even if it’s from as far back as the 1800’s!
Here’s what Thomas Jefferson said:
“Potatoes may be wrung in a cloth after they are boiled.” Huh?
“This is good when they are small or indifferent.” Indifferent potatoes? Does this mean they just don’t care?
“When” they are small, several can be wrung together. They may be mashed, with milk and butter added after they are boiled. Serve them thus, or form into cakes, and fried like salsify.” Now I know some of my erudite blogger pals will know what salsify is but I am turning the page to a more understandable recipe!
The next hit was a recipe for Gumbo:
“Put 2 tablespoons of fat in a skillet and stir in gradually 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley and 1/2 an onion minced fine.” So far, so good.
“When the flour is brown, add 1 fowl which has been disjointed, and let it brown. Wait a minute! Disjointing a fowl sounds like cruel and barbaric punishment!
Then he goes on to say, “add sassafras leaves, dried and pounded according to the amount of liquid in the pot.” Sassafras leaves? Where will I find them? And if I do find them will they already be dried and pounded?
Uhhhhh.
I will get back to you on this.
Meanwhile, here is an invitation to dinner as Thomas Jefferson would have penned it:
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Dor and her favorite blogger friends,
and requests the favour of his company to dinner
on Saturday next at half after three o’clock The favour of an answer is requested.
The menu?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Note: I’m sure there are other fabulous recipes in this little gem of a book – like many for custards! The darts just didn’t land there.
Darling Dor, some cookbooks are meant just to be read, I’m convinced. Immerse yourself in the wonders of colonial Virginia, imagine the aroma of whatever salsify is ( an herb?), block the image of disjointing a fowl from your mind, and afterwards zap those potatoes in the microwave with a clear conscience.
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Perhaps the library would like your copy and give you a tax deduction.
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What fun to see how times have changed!
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Interesting and funny. Bon appetite! 🙂
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Just be glad you don’t have disjointed potatoes and indifferent fowl! 😉
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I just checked on my potatoes, and they’re looking a little indifferent. Poor things :(. LOL!!! Great post Dor.
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Hahahaha! You give the best advice Barbara. Back to microwaved potatoes – the ones that Bill says are the best he’s ever eaten. They are neither indifferent nor disjointed but come in a tub pre-cooked, take 6 minutes to prepare and nary a lump to be seen. There are some distinct advantages to living in this century. 🙂
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Nay! As disjointed and useless as this cook book seems on the surface, I have a feeling there are some recipe gems hidden there. And I’m now driven to find them.
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Yes – from the unprocessed and indifferent to the processed fat-producing ease of modern cooking. 🙂
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Blahahaha! I love the transposition! 🙂
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Try the pre-cooked microwave variety. TJ would have swooned. 🙂
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Merci! Merci! 🙂
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I’m not indifferent to cooking. I think it’s a smashing idea, Dor. 😉
If you only knew how many cookbooks I have – or had – because I fell in love with the photographs in them. I have a few tried and true cookbooks that I turn to again and again. Best wishes to you as you cook up a storm.
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TJ also would have swooned over the powdered mashed potatoes that they sell at Costco. You just boil water, pour in the powder, and stir. I couldn’t believe how amazing they are :).
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Thank you Cindy! A new revelation. Costco here we come! 🙂
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I am starting a cook book you might add to your collection. Every recipe has less than six ingredients and takes less than six minutes to prepare! 🙂
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You are very welcome :). Not only do they taste fantastic, but they are made with real potatoes.
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I just about hurt myself when I read your remark about indifferent potatoes. Old cookbooks can be quite entertaining, and I’m so glad God chose to put me here in the age of microwaves and grocery stores. He knew I’d have starved to death chasing down a chicken!
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Heigh Sis:
Glad you like it and I as well was befuddled by some of the language. Was attracted to the gumbo as were you (must be genetic). I’m going to give it a try and hope the grocer’s disjointing would meet with TJ’s approval. Will let you know.
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Oh dear! As captivating as that cookbook might be coming from TJ (my hubby would be interested in that as he seems fascinated by all things Jeffersonian), I’m afraid after attempting any recipe in it, I would not have just ‘wrung’ the potatoes, I would have wrung anyone’s neck who happened to be nearby. And yes, I’m not that great of a cook either. So how the heck do potatoes get wrung anyway??? Oh, one more thing. My potatoes DO look indifferent – they get rotten too quickly! 😉
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Sounds like a very interesting cook book, Dor 🙂
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How funny is that!!!! I love to cook: a grilled cheese!
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You are my kinda girl! 🙂
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Makes for good reading – not sure about good cooking. 🙂
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I met a lady today who said her Mom used to “wring” potatoes in like a cheese cloth to get the moisture out before making patties or adding the cream and butter to mash them. Why? Who knows? I never heard of such a thing.
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Heigh back little brother! I wonder what your grocer/butcher will say when you ask to have the fowl disjointed. What a hoot. I do love the little book though and will try something else. Lemme know how the gumbo turns out and if you find out where to get pounded sassafras. 🙂 Love you, Dorfy
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And what in the world would you do after you caught it? 🙂
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