History Makers

History Makers welcomes explorers, ages 8-12, to venture into the lives of early New Englanders with the dedicated theatre educators of History Alive, Inc. Together we’ll enjoy colonial dance lessons, crafting, story-making, journeys to places of the past and more. Here you can find additional resources and activities to continue learning on your own. Your grown ups can ask questions at: historymakers@historyalivesalem.com.

Build a Character

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Cook the Food - 17th Century Recipes

Cucumber Sallet

2 cucumbers
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
pepper to taste
sugar to taste, optional

Peel cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and slice the cucumbers into half moon shapes about 1/4 inch thick. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the cucumbers. Cook for 1 minute and drain. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 tbs salt and cool. Combine water and vinegar in a bowl. Pour over cucumbers and let soak. Season with sugar and additional salt, if desired.

To make the Orange pudding.

Take the rind of a small Orange, paired very thin, and boiled in several waters till it be very tender, then beat it very fine in a morter, then put to it four ounces of fine sugar, four ounces of fresh butter, the yolks of six eggs, and a spoonfull or two of cream, with a very little salt; beat all these together in a morter while the oven heats then bake it in puff-paste.

Source: The Cooks Guide: Or, Rare Receipts for Cookery, 1654. As transcribed on http://www.godecookery.com/engrec/engrec.html

A Carrot Pudding

6 ounces Breadcrumbs
4 Egg Yolks
2 Egg whites
1 cup Milk
1-2 tablespoons Honey
2 ounces Sack (Sack refers to wine, but apple cider is a good alternative)
Pinch of Nutmeg
8 ounces Shredded Carrots
2 ounces Melted Butter

Mix together eggs well beaten, milk, honey and Sack. Add nutmeg, carrots, and breadcrumbs. Add in melted butter and enough milk to make the consistency of batter. Pour into well buttered dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Source: The Compleat Cook: Or, The Secrets of a Seventeenth Century Housewife by Rebecca Price. As described on https://savoringthepast.net/2016/03/08/carrot-pudding/

Snake Fritters (A sweet pastry)

a few saffron threads
3 oz white wine (or substitute apple cider)
4 oz butter
1 oz raw sugar
1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
oil for frying

Soak the saffron in the wine until the wine (or cider) is nicely coloured.

In a saucepan, heat the wine (or cider), butter and sugar gently and simmer until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Take the saucepan off the heat and add the flour and baking powder. Combine well with a spatula until the mixture comes away from the pan and forms a ball.

When the dough looks silky smooth, it is done. Scoop the dough into a piping (icing) bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy-based saucepan until it reaches (315 degrees F), or until a tiny bit of dough dropped in the oil turns golden brown in 30–35 seconds.

Carefully but swiftly pipe a long snake of the pastry into the hot fat. Fry until golden and transfer to sheets of paper towel to absorb some of the fat. Sprinkle with sugar just before serving, or leave plain.

Source: Pride and Puddings by Regula Ysewijn as described on http://www.missfoodwise.com/2016/09/great-british-bake-off-batter-century-recipe-17th-century-snake-fritters.html/.