Historical Irish Pronunciations

I'm working on a character for my third book in my St. Augustine Historical Series and needed to find some information on the Irish brogue. I thought I'd share with all of you some of what I found.

The Irish accent, or brogue, as it is called, is equally obvious with the Scotch, to an English ear; though there are neither so many peculiarities of pronunciation, nor of the use of words in Ireland as in Scotland. Much difference, however, both of accent and pronunciation prevails in the different provinces of Ireland, according as the inhabitants happen to be chiefly of Celtic or Saxon, of English or Scottish origin. In the South and *West, therefore, the language is very different from that in the North and East. I shall first take notice of a peculiarity of pronunciation, which seems to be of Celtic origin, and is chiefly confined to the South, or partially to the Catholic population of other districts; I mean the sounding of "th" like "t," and "t" like "th," wherever an "r' follows or precedes them. It will be most convenient to give these in form of a table.

WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AJ SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Trust. Thrust. Trust.
Truth. Thruth. Trooth.
Troth. Throth. Troth.
Try. Thry. Try.
The Celtic Irish also sound " t" at the end of a word like " rf," and " f" like" as wid for "with;" iv for " if;" bud for " but."
The next mistake which I shall mention, is common to the whole country, and in the instance of some words is also a Scots provincialism, particularly in Galloway, where the vicinity of the coasts has closely assimilated the language to Irish. I refer this remark to the mistake of pronouncing many words with the long open sound of " a" in " fare," which should be pronounced as long "e" in "me." The words of this kind mistaken by Scotsmen, are enumerated at page 226. As in the preceding example of " th" and" t" those sounds are also for the most part confounded so, that we hear both "a" for " e," and " e" for "a," as in the following table :—
WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AS SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Beast. Bayst. Beest.
Beat. Bayt. Beet.

It will be unnecessary to extend this table, as it may easily be enlarged by such readers, as may be interested in it by collecting all the words, having the long open sounds of "a" and " e." In the sound of " o" short, Irishmen are no less apt to mistake, giving it very commonly the sound of " a" in "far." For example, we may hear crass for "cross," acrass for " across," Lard for "Lord," Gad for "God," &c. The following are a few miscellaneous instances, which are very common errors of pronunciation in Ireland.
The words " mamma" and " papa" are pronounced even by the middle ranks in Ireland, as of the "a" at the end of the words were a short "e," as in the word " then," or something between this and a short "a," as in the word "than," whereas the terminating "a" in "mamma,'' and "papa," ought to sound like "a" in " far." To a stranger this Irish sound of "mamma" and " papa" is very offensive. The same offensive Irish sound is given to "a" in "ah," as " ah! now is it?" In some parts of Scotland, this sound of" ah!'' is as common as in Ireland—in Glasgow for example.
There is a peculiar sound of "u" common in Ireland, particularly in the North, as about Belfast, which I have little doubt has been often remarked. It is not easy to explain it, but it consists in sounding an "e" rather slightly before the "u," as de-oo for "due," te-oo for " two," tre-oo for "true," gre-oo for "grew," ye-oo for "yon." This is very vulgar.
The remark which I made relative to the harsh and jarring pronunciation of the letter "r" in Scotland, is equally applicable to Ireland; but I regret to point out a fault, which it is, I fear, impossible in most cases to correct.
With respect to grammatical accent, the only word which I can recollect at present as very striking, is the word "character," which ought to have the stress of the voice on the syllable "char," whereas an Irishman almost invariably puts it upon the syllable "ac" as if the word were written char-eckter. The same word I have remarked, is often pronounced with an opposite fault, as if it were written chareter the sound of " ac" being left out. This error, I should think it almost impossible for an Irishman to commit.
The most remarkable peculiarity of AngloIrish, I think, is the construction of the sentences, derived I have no doubt from the Celtic, though I am not sufficiently acquainted with it to exemplify or prove the derivation.— The peculiarity which I allude to is that of inverting the order of the English construction, and saying that at first, which an Englishman would say last, as in the example," The boy, is it, you mean?" for "Is it the boy you mean?" This inverted order runs through the whole conversational speech of Ireland, and if I had room I should give a table of corrected examples, but I must be contented with this single remark. I may mention, however, that it is the same principle which gives origin to what may be called the paraphrastic phraseology so common in Ireland. For example, " and it is just he sure who is the man that will do it." instead of " he is the man that will do it." No instances, which I can give, will be of much practical utility for avoiding this vulgarity. The reader must, therefore, depend upon his own observations for its correction.
Another of the Irish vulgarities of Celtic origin is, that instead of answering a plain question simply by " yes" or " no," part of the question is repeated. For example, if you put the question " does it rain to day ?" the answer will be " It does" or "It does not," instead of "yes" or "no." If you ask whether the mail has arrived; the answer will be " It has," or "It has not." The words " yes" and " no," indeed, seem to have no place in the AngloIrish vocabulary. In this respect, the Latin is somewhat similar. It would, perhaps, be wrong to assert that this manner of answering questions is always a breach of the English idiom, but when it is uniformly practised, it must be considered an Irish vulgarity.
In asking questions, an Irishman has a great predilection for the word "which," and employs it very often improperly, at least it frequently sounds very awkward, though this may be partly owing to the broad pronunciation, nearly approaching to whuch. It is most out of place when it is used, as it always is by an Irishman, if he do not hear or understand what you say. For example, if you ask indistinctly, what it is o'clock, the Irish cross question, "which ?" seems very awkward; if you remark in a low voice, that "Ireland is a fine country," you will probably hear this perpetually recurring "which?" as a counter-tenor to your bass. The French in similar cases use "how?' [comment ?] which seems no less awkward. The vulgar Scotch say, "what's your will?' and the more vulgar English, "what did you say?"
In exclamations, oaths, and bye-words, the vulgar Irish is very copious; but I must refer to the chapters on those several subjects for the few which I have thought it requisite to mention, in accordance with the plan of this work. It is not necessary, I conceive, to point out such obvious vulgarities, as by the law;— by dad;—sure and sure; Och, and indeed now; at all, at all; Arrah; Botheration; Musha; Honey; Jewel; &c, as none of those, who may read this little book, can require to be told that such expressions are as vulgar as that of using the word boys for " bachelors," or a sprig of shellalah, for a " bludgeon," en purity for " pretty," or once't and twice'I, for " once and twice."
As another instance of the peculiar use of words, I may mention "entire," "entirely," used for "whole," and "altogether,'' which in this sense are quite Irish and vulgar. Thus an Irishman will say, "I have bought the entire or the altogether of it," instead of" I have bought the whole of it;"—and " It is impossible entirely/' instead of " It is altogether impossible." In consequence of the great number of Irishmen engaged in writing for the daily papers, these expressions are beginning to be used, even in England. The word "invite" for " invitation," is also a vulgar Irish expression; for example " I got an invite to visit her," instead of" I got an invitation to visit her; or "she gave me the invite to come," instead of "she gave me an invitation to come." A vulgar expression very common in Ireland, and extremely offensive to an English ear, is used in inquiring about the character of a person. Thus instead of saying, " what sort of a person is he?" the Irish question is, "what kind is he?" This expression must be carefully avoided, as it is only used by the uneducated.
For a few other Irish vulgarities I may refer to pages 12, 17, 39, 42, 60, 65, 75, 76, 77, 94, 95, 96, 98, 102, 155, 174, &c. See also the observations on the use of " shall" and "will," "should" and "would," at page 233, above.
Source: The vulgarities of speech corrected: ©1829

Textile Fibers

Below are excerpts from Scissors & Yardsticks 1872

TEXTILE Fibers are of two classes,—animal and vegetable. The animal fibres comprise SILK, WOOL, and HAIR. The vegetable fibres comprise OOTTON, HEMP, and FLAX. A few others are, however, often included in the latter class of textile fibres, as JUTE, COIR, ABACA or MANILA, CHINA GRASS, SUNN, PINA, PLANTAIN, ALOE, etc.

SILK.
A delicate fibre of great strength used in the manufacture of fabrics of high lustre and great durability. It is obtained from the cocoon of a worm called the silkworm, which obtains its sustenance from the leaves of the mulberry-tree. These worms were first known in China, where silk manufacture was first carried on to any
great extent.
...

WOOL
The fleecy substance which covers a sheep, and some other animals, as the beaver, ostrich, lama, the goats of Thibet, Cachamyr, etc.
Sheeps' wool alone possesse the fulling or felting property. ...
Wools are distinguished in commerce as Fleece wool and Dead wool. The former is obtained from the annual shearing of the sheep. The latter is shorn from dead animals. The dead wool is harsh and weak, and incapable of taking a good dye.
...

COTTON
A soft, downy substance, resembling wool, produced by the cotton-plant.
...

FLAX
Flax is a fibrous plant, called by botanists linum, consisting of a single slender stalk, the skin or bark of which is used for making thread, and cloth called linen, cambric, lawn, etc.
...

HEMP
A fibrous plant, closely allied to flax.
The skin, or bark, is used for making cloth, cordage, etc., and for the same purposes generally as flax.
...

JUTE
Jute is a kind of coarse grass, similar to flax, but much inferior in quality.
...

COIR
The coarse fibre of the Cocoa-nut husk.
It is used in the manufacture of mattings, cordage, etc.
...

ABACA, OR MANILA-HEMP
A fibrouse material, obtained from a plant allied to the banana, growing in the Phillippine Islands. The outer layer of fibres is called VANDALA, and is used for cordage. The inner layer is called LUPIS, which is used in weaving delicate fabrics. Between these are intermediate layers of fibre, called TUPOz, used in weaving fine cloths and guazes.
...

CHINA-GRASS
A long, fine grass, from Canton, Hong-Kong, and Asam. Three crops are produced yearly. The first is coarse, and the others are very fine, and are used in the manufacture of delicate fabrics.

SUNN
A kind of fibrous flax, resembling jute.
It is cultivated in the same countries, and used for the same purpose.

PLANTAIN
The fibre of the banana tree, which is a species of Manila-hemp, but coarser.
...

PINA
The inner fibre of the pineapple tree. It is very fine, and spun like flax. It is also very expensive, as it can be obtained only in small quantities. It is used in the manufacture of muslins, and other fine fabrics.

ALOE
A Fine, silk-like grass, from Turin, of which very fine and lustrous fabrics are woven. It is not very durable.

Van Camp's & Canned Foods

Today Van Camp's is producing canned beans. However, the company was started in 1861 by Gilbert Van Camp and it was his son, Frank who was credited with the canned beans & pork.

In this ad (which I forgot to note the year) you'll note they sold condensed soups and one canned served 8 for .10 cents. They also mentioned mac and cheese with tomato sauce.

Below is a tidbit regarding the Van Camp's and their history of canning and refrigeration.
In 1860 he removed to Indianapolis, where he became associated with Calvin Fletcher and Martin William, under the firm name of Fletcher, Williams & VanCamp, for the introduction of the cold storage process of preserving fruits, meats, etc. Mr. VanCamp, as manager of the firm’s business, erected a warehouse with walls three feet in thickness, with a filling of cut straw, the inner surface being lined with galvanized iron and the outside covfired with sheet iron. This was the first satisfactory and successful experiment in the nature of cold storage warehouse...
In 1882, with Gilbert C. VanCamp as president, a position which he has held continuously to the present time. His son Frank is treasurer and general manager. As suggestive of the magnitude of the business it may be stated this company used six million tin cans in its operations last year, shipping its products to every state and territory of the Union and to Great Britain and the Continent of Europe.
Source: Encyclopedia of Biography of Indiana, Volume 2 ©1899

1865 Fashions Part 2

Continuing with last weeks 1865 fashions here are a few more images from that year.

Dresses

Bonnet

Head Dress

Smoking Cap

Cloak

Purse

Coachman's Ads from 1875

This might spur some of the creative juices for some of you. Enjoy!

And if a coachman sparks a flicker of a character for you, you might be interested in this little tidbit called the Road Game.
HE ROAD GAME.
The chances are a hundred to one that in these days the reader never saw or heard of the 'road game,' which was sometimes also called 'road piquette;' and when I have informed him what it was, he may probably consider it a slow proceeding, and hardly worth the name of an amusement to pass the time. In these days of rapid movement, when one goes so fast that one can hardly count the telegraph posts or distinguish how many wires there are, the 'road game' cannot well be played, and with newspapers and books to read in the train it would be a slow proceeding. But on a coach, doing nine or even ten miles an hour, instead of forty, time sometimes hung rather heavily on hand, and we were glad to have a game of any sort to beguile the hours that were sometimes rather tedious. Though there were generally plenty of incidents along the road, still if incidents did not present themselves just when wanted, the 'road game' was sometimes played; and I have seen as much amusement and jollity over it, and I may say excitement, as if there had been a pack of cards and whist inside a railway carriage. The coachman, for instance, and the person sitting beside him would have a game, tossing up for taking choice of which side of the road they would have. A donkey counted seven, a pig one, a black sheep one, a cat five, a cat in a window ten, a dog one, a magpie one, a grey horse five; and there was one thing by which game might be got at once, but it was connected with what I cannot venture to describe, and it was a very rare occurrence. Once in my life, and only once, I saw this feat performed, and it elicited a shout of ' Game, by Jove!'
Source: Down the Road', Or, Reminiscences of a Gentleman Coachman ©1887

Nut Butters

If you're like me you probably learned in school that George Carver Washington was the inventor of Peanut Butter. So, that's what I was expecting to find while I was doing a quick search as to when he invented peanut butter. However, I soon realized that there is more to the history of this wonderful nut spread than was skimmed over while I was in school. To clarify George Carver Washington was the inventor of what we primarily know as the type of peanut butter we know today. However I found a recipe for Peanut Butter cookies dating back to 1848.

158. Peanut Butter Cookies I
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup lard
2 cups peanut butter Mix all ingredients adding flour last 2 eggs (well beaten) with soda and water. Drop on cookie
2 teaspoons baking soda sheet with teaspoon, press with fork. dissolved in Bake in 375° oven.
4 tablespoons warm water
3 cups flour added
Mix all the ingredients adding flour last with soda and water. Drop on cookie sheet with teaspoon, press with fork. Bake 375 degree oven.
Source: Random Recipes ©1846

So from this and other recipes we know that peanut butter has been quite a bit during the 19th century. From my next post we find that there were other 'nut butters' around but this publication is from the last year of the 19th century.

NUT BUTTER.
THE production of nut butter is a very simple process. The peanut and almond are the nuts that are chiefly used for this purpose; but the Brazil-nuts make a very fine butter. All of the nuts can be ground, but as they can not be blanched, they do not make a nice looking butter. The Spanish peanut has proved the most satisfactory for butter making, although some people prefer the Virginia variety. The first essential thing is to have a nut-grinding mill.
PEANUT BUTTER.
The first step is to roast the peanuts to a nice brown, being careful not to over-brown or scorch them, as too much cooking spoils the flavor. They can be roasted in an ordinary oven, but can be better done in a peanut roaster made especially for this purpose. As soon as they are roasted and cool, the skins or bran should be removed by rubbing them in the hands, or what is better, a coarse bag; or take a square piece of cloth and fold the edges together, forming a bag of it. The chaff can then be removed by the use of an ordinary fan, or by pouring from one dish to another where the wind is blowing. The process of removing the skins is called blanching. Next look them over carefully, remove all defective nuts and foreign substances, and they are ready for grinding. If a fine, oily butter is desired, adjust the mill quite closely, and place in the oven to warm. Feed the mill slowly, turn rapidly, and always use freshly roasted nuts; after they have stood a day or two they will not grind well nor make oily butter. If the butter is kept in a cool place in a covered dish, and no moisture allowed to come in contact with it, it will keep several weeks; and if put in sealed jars or cans, will keep indefinitely.
RAW PEANUT BUTTER.
Heat the peanuts just sufficiently to remove the skins, but do not allow them to get brown; prepare them as described in a former recipe, and grind in a nut mill. Although the raw peanut butter is not as palatable as the roasted butter, it is considered more healthful and easier of digestion. It is also preferable to use in making soups and puddings, in cooking grains, and in seasoning vegetables. Food seasoned with this butter does not have that objectionable taste that the roasted peanut butter imparts; and if it is properly used, the peanut taste is almost entirely eliminated.
ALMOND BUTTER.
Almond butter is more difficult to make than peanut butter because the skins can not be so easily removed. Roasting does not loosen the skins of the almond as it does of the peanut. They have to be soaked in boiling water from two to five minutes; then the skins become loose and can be pinched off by pressing on the nut with the thumb and finger; the skin will crack and the kernel pop out. But by this process the nuts have soaked up some water and become tough. They must then be dried in the oven until quite crisp, but the oven must not be hot, or they will brown. Then run them through a loosely adjusted mill or a sausage grinder, and place on a cloth stretched over the stove until perfectlydry; then grind them in the nut-butter mill, quite tightly adjusted. This makes excellent butter if the almonds are first-class, and sweet.
Source: Guide for Nut Cookery: Together with a Brief History of Nuts and Their Food ©1899

Then I stumbled upon this interesting tidbit:
While nut meats are generally eaten without any previous preparation, they may be used in a variety of ways. Chopped nut meats are much relished for sandwiches, and nut salads arc not uncommon, while certain nuts are often used as stuffing for roast fowl. The use of nuts in cakes, confectionery, creams, etc., has already been alluded to. Many attempts have been made to prepare nut foods and to extend their use in various ways. Peanut butter, as it is called, is marketed to a considerable extent. This is said to consist of the kernels ground, with or without the addition of a small proportion of water.
The nuts, particularly the peanut and chestnut, afford interesting opportunities for the housewife skilled in adding to the list of " good things." Attention has been called to the fact that nuts form a very concentrated food. They should therefore be eaten with [more bulky] foods and, except in the case of the peanut, with those richer in protein.
There are no reliable data regarding the digestibility of nuts. The belief in their indigestibility seems to lie widespread, and perhaps has some basis in fact. It is quite probable that if the nuts were properly prepared and eaten at proper times much of this prejudice would disappear. Our present practice of munching them at odd hours, or as a dessert, when sufficient food has been taken to meet the requirements of the body, overtaxes the digestive organs and places the nut under a reproach that in. at least in part, undeserved.
There is a widespread belief that salt aids in the digestibility of nuts, and experience seems to bear out this opinion.—c. F. Lang-Worthy.
Source: Farmers' Bulletin, Issues 101-125 ©1899

No Post today, sorry

Hi all,

I'm afraid my computer died last night so there will not be a post from me today and possibly for a few days. I'm hoping it is repairable at the very least my research material recoverable, sigh.

Have a great day!
Lynn

Wedding Reception Tidbits

Paul and I had a very casual wedding reception, held in my family home (which could easily handle over a hundred guests). Personally, I enjoyed a more casual event. However, our daughter had a sit down reception in a restaurant. Everyone does or has a reception based on what they want. Below are some tidbits from 19th century wedding etiquette books.

At the wedding reception the parents of the bride stand a little beyond the newly wedded couple and receive the guests as they pass beyond the bridal group. The parents of the groom, if present, are near them and are, of course, recipients of similar attentions on the part of the guests. Sometimes the bridal company are stationed in one room and the elder couples in another, this division being a wise one when a large number of guests are invited and there is liability of overcrowding the space about the bride, who is, of course, the centre of attraction.
The refreshments at a wedding reception may be as simple or as elaborate as desired. They are usually served from the buffet, and guests may go at any time during the reception to the refreshment room, where they are helped by the attendants, the ushers exercising surveillance over this part of the entertainment to the extent of seeing that ladies unattended by gentlemen are invited to go in. Tea and coffee or other hot drinks are not considered essential, but bouillon in cups is usually provided in winter, wine being offered or withheld according to the scruples of the entertainers. Salads, birds, ices, jellies, fruits, cakes, etc., contribute to the beauty and add to the satisfying qualities of the feast, slices of wedding-cake being put in small, dainty boxes and placed where each guest may take one ere departing.
Our terse American way of designating the style of service which does not include the regular seating of all the guests at table is to call it a "stand-up" affair, and this is by far the most general method of serving; but several small tables are usually spread, and at these the bridal party and special or elderly guests are seated by the ushers, whose duty it is to see that they are properly served.
Source: Good Manners ©1889

Brides and bridesmaids should wear their wedding dresses at the wedding-reception.
Dress Of Guests At Wedding-reception.
The guests at an evening reception should appear in full evening-dress. No one should attend in black or wear mourning. Those in mourning should lay aside black for gray or lavender.
For a morning reception the dress should be the richest street costume, with white gloves. If the blinds are closed and the gas lighted at the morning reception, then evening-dress is worn by the guests.
Source: Manners and Culture Dress ©1891

Wedding-reception Card.
Accompanying it is the wedding-reception card issued by the parents of the bride, which is in the usual form of ceremonious invitations, with the exception that "at the wedding-reception of their daughter" takes the place of the ordinary phrase relating to dinner-party or soiree. It also gives the hours during which the reception is held.
In the same envelope with the invitation and reception-card may be a card announcing the reception-days of the bride and bridegroom; their form
may be simply as follows:
Reception, Wednesdays in March. 1756 Arch Street.
Usually accompanying these are smaller cards bearing the names of the bride and bridegroom.
Upon the wedding invitations may be the letters R. S. V. P. (repondcz s'il vous plait), signifying that an answer is requested. In this case a prompt answer, accepting or declining the invitation, should be returned.
Still another card—a card of admission to the church—is now found necessary.
Wedding-reception.
At the wedding-reception, held at the bride's parents, the guests offer their congratulations. On going forward to congratulate the happy couple they should address the bride first if they have had any previous acquaintance with her, then the bridegroom, then the bridesmaids, and after them the parents and family of the bride and groom. If they are acquainted with the bridegroom and not with the bride, let them address him first, when he will introduce them to his bride. They should congratulate the bridegroom and give their good wishes to the bride.
If there is a breakfast, dinner or supper, the bride does not change her dress until afterward.
The Wedding-feast.
The refreshment-table is made brilliantwith flowers. The wedding or bride's cake is an important adjunct of the feast. If there is no regular breakfast given, cake and wine are passed among the guests.
Dress At A Wedding.
One should not wear mourning at a wedding. Even when black is habitually worn, it should give place, for the time being, to gray or some neutral tint.
Weddings, parties,
If parties are given to the newly-married couple, the bridesmaids and groomsmen are also invited, and all may, if they choose, wear their weddingdresses.
Wedding-calls. Wedding-calls should be returned within two or three weeks by all who have received weddingcards.
Wedding-presents. It is customary for the bride to make her bridesmaids a present on the morning of the marriage. It is imperative that they shall make her a bridal-gift.
Source: The Ladies' and Gentlemen's Etiquette ©1877

THE CONGRATULATIONS.
At wedding receptions, friends who congratulate the newly married couple should address the bride first, if they have any previous acquaintance with her, then the bridegroom, then the bridemaids, and after that the parents and family of the bride and groom. They should give their good wishes to the bride and congratulate the bridegroom. If they are acquainted with the bridegroom and not with the bride, let them address him first and he will introduce them to his bride.
Source: Our Deportment Or, the Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined ©1882

1865 Fashions

It's Historical Fashion wednesday and we're viewing 1865 fashions from publications from that year.

Dresses

Caps

Children

Cloaks

Jacket

Riding Habit

Bonnet

Baby Hood

Purse

Lamb

I'm not a huge fan of lamb but my characters seem to like it. At least the ones I'm currently working on do. This caused me to seek out some historical recipes for lamb. My story is set in 1871 and finding earlier recipes are a bit more difficult. However, taking into account where my character lives and what is readily available for her to make various rubs and sauces…well you get the idea. Below are some recipes for Lamb that perhaps your characters might want to make some day.

LAMB.
To Roast Lamb.—Lamb requires to be well roasted, as, if not sufficiently done, it will fail to acquire that delicate taste so peculiar to it. It is commonly dressed in quarters. Lamb should be well jointed or chopped by the butcher, as it is such a delicate sort of meat, that it becomes altogether disfigured, if the carver, is compelled to hack and pull it in pieces. In roasting, baste with its own dripping, and after pouring off all the fat, serve it up in a hot dish with the gravy that remains after the fat is poured off. In serving up a fore-quarter, the cook should divide the shoulder neatly from the ribs, and after squeezing the juice of half a.lemon on the ribs, cover the shoulder closely over again. It is usual to send up with lamb/mint-sauce in a tureen.

To Roast a Shoulder of Lamb (savoury).—Score the joint with cuts an inch deep, rub it over with butter first, then season it with pepper and salt, and sweet-herbs; rub over these the yolk of an egg, and roll it in bread-crumbs; roast it a light brown. When sufficiently cooked pour off the fat in the dripping-pan, and make a gravy of that which remains, seasoning with pepper and salt, tomato or mushroom-ketchup, the grated rind and juice of a lemon, thickened with a little flour. Put the lamb on a clean hot dish and pour the gravy over it.

To Boil a Leg of Lamb.—A leg of lamb Sb a delicate dish when nicely boiled. If whiteness is desirable, wrap it in a clean cloth; only the liquor will then be spoiled for broth. Boil one of five pounds gently for about an hour and a half. When you dish it, cut the loin into chops, fry them, and lay round it. Sauce, plain melted butter, or parsley and butter.

To Fry Lamb Chops —Lamb chops may be either simply fried in the same manner as mutton chops, or dressed with egg and crumbs of bread (but with no parsley), as in thecase of cutlets. Gravy made in the pan, as for fried steaks.

A very nice dish.—Take the best end of a neck of lamb, cut into steaks, and chop each bone so short as to make the steaks almost round. Egg, and strew with crumbs, herbs, and seasoning: fry them of the finest brown ; mash some potatoes with a little butter and cream, and put them into the middle of the dish raised high. Then place the edge of one steak on an other with the small bone upward around the potatoes.
Source: The American Home Cook Book ©1864

Boiled Leg Of Lamb.—Choose a ewe leg, as there is more fat on it; saw off the knuckle, trim off the flap, and the thick skin on the back of it; soak in warm water for three hours, then boil gently (time according to size). Serve with oyster sauce. (See Sauces.)
Roast Lamb.—Wash well, season with pepper and salt, put in the dripping-pan with a little water. Baste often with the dripping; skim the gravy well and thicken with flour.

Lamb Steaved In Butter.—Select a nice loin, wash well, and wipe very dry; skewer down the flap, and lay it in a close-shutting and thick stewpan, or saucepan, in which three ounces of good butter have been just dissolved, but not allowed to boil; let it simmer slowly over a very gentle fire for two hours and a quarter, and turn it when it is rather more than half done. Lift it out, skim, and pour the gravy over it; send to table with brown gravy, mint sauce, and a salad.

Saddle Of Lamb.—This is a dainty joint for a small party. Sprinkle a little salt over it, and set it in the dripping-pan, with a few small pieces of butter on the meat; baste it occasionally with tried-out lamb-fat; dredge a little flour over it a few minutes before taking from the oven. Serve with currant jelly and a few choice early vegetables. Mint sauce may be served with the joint, but in a very mild form. (See Sauces.)

Broiled Lamb Chops.—Trim oil most of the fat; broil over a brisk fire, turning frequently until the chops are nicely browned. Season with pepper and salt, and baste with hot butter. Serve on a buttered dish.

Breaded Lamb Chops.—Grate plenty of stale bread, season with salt and pepper, have ready some well-beaten egg, have a spider with hot lard ready, take the chops one by one, dip into the egg, then into the bread-crumbs; repeat it, as this will be found an improvement; then lay the chops separately into the boiling lard, fry brown, and then turn. To be eaten with currant jelly.

Lamb Steaks, Fried.—Dip each steak into well-beaten egg, cover with bread-crumbs or corn-meal, and fry in butter or new lard. Mashed potatoes and boiled rice are a necessary accompaniment. The gravy may be thickened with flour and butter, adding a little lemon juice; pour this hot upon the steaks, and place the rice in spoonfuls around the dish to garnish it.
Source: Mrs. Clarke's Cook Book ©1899

1875 Advertisements and Story Starters

From time to time, I'll be looking through historical newspapers and I love reading the advertisements for a variety of reasons. Below are a few. These all come from the Holt County Sentinel, Oregon, Mo. Dec. 17th 1875

Here's 1875 American Stock Journal That was mentioned in the ad.

Farm for Sale

Flour Advertisement

Train Routes East

Possible Story Idea

Ravioli

Below are a couple recipes for making ravioli. Enjoy!

Ravioli, Italian.—Make a little firm smooth paste (see the next recipe). Roll it oat as thin as thick paper, and sprinkle it with as little flour as possible. Make a forcemeat of fowl, veal, or fish, or take a godiveau; lay it in little heaps at equal distances on half the paste, and cover with the other half. With the fingers press the paste down between the little piles forcemeat to make it adhere, then cut the 1 into squares. Put these side by side in a dish and boil them in bouillon for five Serve with grated cheese in a plate.

Ravioli, Italian (another way) Make some nicely-flavoured forcemeat as follows:— Take two ounces of the flesh of roast chicken or game weighed after it has been freed from skis and sinew. Mince it finely, and mix with it a table-spoonful of borage which has been scalded, pounded, and passed through a sieve; failing this, use a table-spoonful of spinach greening. Add an ounce of pounded ham, four cleaned and pounded anchovies, a shallot, three hard and two raw yolks of eggs, a table-spoonful of grated Parmesan, and a little pepper and grated nutmeg. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Roll out half a pound of nouilles paste as thin as possible, cut it into rounds two inches a diameter with a fluted cutter, moisten the edges with water, and lay a small ball of the forcemeat upon each round. Fold the pastry over the forcemeat, and pinch it tightly together. Let the ravioli dry for a short time!1 Butter a saucepan, lay them in it, pour a little boiling stock over them, and let them simmer os£ tho pastry is dono enough. Drain Ukc lay them on a dish, sprinkle a little grated Parmesan over, and lay little pieces of butter here and there upon them. Put them in a brisk oven for a quarter of an hour, poor a little gmgi gravy round them, and serve very hot. To make the nouilles paste put half a pound of flour on a pastry-board, make a hole in tho centre, break two eggs into it, add half an ounce of butter and a pinch of salt, and mix all together to a smooth, firm paste; it is then ready for use. Time to simmer the ravioli, five minutes.

Ravioli Soup.—Prepare and poach the ravioli as in the last recipe. Drain them, and put them into a roup turain. Pour over them two quarts of good strong veal or game stock, add a glassful of madeira, and Berve very hot. Send a plateful of grated Parmesan to table with tho soup. Time, five minutes to poach the ravioli. Sufficient for ten or twelve persons.
Source: Cassell's dictionary of cookery ©1883

Ravioli: Prepare chicken forcemeat precisely the same as for chicken croquettes,— that is, chop your chicken as fine as sawdust; mix thoroughly with some- moistened crumb of bread (about one-third as much bread as chopped chicken), a lump of butter the size of a small egg, one pinch of ground mace, one tablespoonful of Parmesan cheese (grated), one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and two egg yolks. Mix and incorporate these ingredients thoroughly; roll little balls like large marbles, and lay them separately on a plate. Have ready two sheets of nouille-paste (the recipe for which I will give below). Lay one sheet of the paste on your pasteboard, and place the little forcemeat balls on it, about an inch and a half apart. With your finger or a delicate brush moisten with water the spaces between the balls, and lay the top sheet of paste over them. Now take a little paste wheel,— or knife if you have nothing better,— and separate by cutting each of the ravioli. They appear like very little patties. Throw them into hard boiling salted water, and let them boil briskly twenty minutes without once removing the, lid while they are boiling. Unless they are kept "entirely closed while boiling the paste will be tough. So, for that matter, will pot pie, dumplings, or any boiled paste.
As these ravioli are of themselves so rich, I usually pour over them stewed tomatoes, strained, and cover with grated Parmesan cheese. I have seen them served with Italian sauce, Espagnole sauce, and many other rich sauces. But it has always appeared proper to me, not to have a rich sauce for ravioli.
Source: A Few Hints about Cooking, with Remarks on Many Other Subjects ©1887

Lanterns

Below is just one of the images from the "Lanterns and Lamps Catalogue" ©1896. This helpful tool will be a great resource for your writing. Not only does it have images, names of manufacturers, etc. It also has sizes and dimensions. It's a great resource and will give you more information than you possibly will need while writing your historical novels.

Lanterns and Lamps Catalogue from Google books.

This quote is from the Ladies' Companion ©1841 gives a little insight about this handy tool earlier in the 19th Century.
I have often thought of the associations of a lantern. A common utensil:—it has witnessed many a queer and
many a severe joke—many a sad and many a glad tale. It is not of modern origin—whether Noah had one in the
ark or not, is not yet sufficiently ascertained to he affirmed: but, this much I do know, Diogenes had one
which he held in the fnce of every person he met with, while endeavoring to find an honest man on earth; and
the lantern of Demosthenes rests, somewhat opaque to be sure, upon the Acropolis of Athens, at the present
moment. Judas Iscariot, whose price was tho cost of a coat of the present day, betrayed his Saviour by
the light of a lantern. Guy Fawkes endeavored to blow up the parliament of England, King James and all, with
his lantern: and Sir John Moore was huried on the heights of Corrunna,...
"By the struggling moon-beam's misty light,
And the lantern's dimly hurning."

1871 Fashions Part 2

Below is the second part of 1871 Historic Fashions. As I mentioned last week, this is the year in which I set my next book release "Winning The Captain's Heart." The images below come from 1871 sources.

Walking Dress

Walking Dress and Hats

Walking Dress and Bonnets

Carriage Dress

Everyday Clothing (these are harder to find)

Dresses

Children

Hair

Sewing Basket

Cap Basket

Noodles

Below are a couple of recipes for noodles. Today I use my pasta maker to roll out the noodles but the recipes below involved a rolling pin.

NOODLES
Put one cupful of flour on a meat platter or other flat dish, make a hollow in the centre and drop in one-half of a teaspoonful of soft butter, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt and the yolks of four raw eggs. Mix the eggs with the fingers, drawing gradually intothem the dry flour until the whole is mixed to a firm stiff paste which will not stick to the hands. Knead for several minutes, then divide into six or eight pieces; roll each out until as thin as paper, spread out on a board and let rest for fifteen or twenty minutes so as to dry the surface. Cut each piece into strips about two inches wide, lay several of these strips in a pile and with a sharp knife cut them down in fine slices. Shake apart and spread on plates to dry. They may be boiled and served in the same manner as macaroni or spaghetti. If thoroughly dried they may be put away in a cool dry place and will keep for several weeks.
Source: Table Talk ©1899

Noodles
Beat up two eggs, add a bit of salt, a teaspoonful of butter and flour to make a very stiff dough, knead same as you would bread for ten minutes. Roll out as thin as possible, cut in squares and then into straws; or sprinkle with Hour and roll up tightly and with a sharp knife slice one-quarter inch slices from the end of the roll. Let them lie on the bread board nearly an hour to dry, then drop into the boiling soup. Stir with a fork to separate the noodles. The expert German noodle maker makes a batter of flour and egg and with a knife cuts it from the edge of a dish into the soup, which looks much better than the above way, and saves time.
Source: Second Edition of the Ellis Cook Book ©1898

NOODLE Soon-To one cup of sifted flour add two beaten eggs, mix thoroughly for five or eight minutes, and divide into four parts. Roll each part as thin as a knife blade and lay on a clean cloth near the stove to dry.
Do not allow them to become too dry, or they will be brittle and cannot be cut nicely. When dry enough so they will not stick together, take each piece separately, roll up into a roll, and cut into very narrow strips,— not more than one-sixteenth of an inch in width.
Shake these folded pieces out and allow them to dry still more. When quite dry, drop them into hot salted water and boil twenty minutes. Then add one quart of rich milk and one cup of cream. Heat thoroughly and serve. Salt may be added if desired. If you have rolled them thin, cut them fine,
and have not mixed them too stiff, they will be tender, and each noodle will be separate from the others; but if not carefully divided before putting into the water, they will adhere to each other.
Source: Good Health, Volume 27 ©1892

Noodle Soup.
Add noodles to beef or any other soup after straining; they will cock in fifteen or twenty minutes, and are prepared in the following manner: To one egg add as much sifted flour as it will absorb, with a little salt; roll out as thin as a wafer, dredge very lightly with flour, roll over and over into a large roll, slice from the ends, shake out the strips loosely and drop into the soup.
Source: The Dixie Cook-book ©1883