The kitchen garden was a common thing for many households in England with a bit o’ land, particularly after the medieval era made them popular for physic uses. By the Regency era, the use of herbs and spices for their culinary properties would have been common practice, particularly as Imperialist expansion saw the import and … Continue reading
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Regency Dish: Biscuits
Travelling through Britain as a child, I always thought the term “digestive” before biscuit was hilarious. But today it got me thinking. What exactly is the history of the biscuit? The etymology of the word is a combination of bis (twice) coquere (cooked). Originally, biscuits were first baked and then slow cooked in an oven. … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Recommendations for a Fast
The Art of Cookery is so wonderful, Glasse has even including a menu “For Lent, or a fast dinner”. Here are some of her recommendations: A green pea soup Onion soup Eel soup Crawfish soup Rice pot Apple fritters Ms. Glasse recommends spices, butter and fat for most of her dishes. Nutmeg is featured prominently … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Breath Mints
In 1780 London company Smith & Company released a new stomach aid called Altoids. Smith & Company merged with confectioner Callard & Bowser in 1837. By this time the curiously strong mints were being promoted more as a breath mint than as a digestive aid. The original packaging was said to look very much like … Continue reading
Wacky WordPress: Regency Dish
WordPress has been wacky the last several days. Coupled with the final book of Harry Potter calling my name from its spot on the nightstand, I have been terribly naughty, dear gentle reader, about reporting the latest on hist-ro and all things Regency. But never fear, Harry Potter has at last been finished and I … Continue reading
Regency Recipe
Oh dear, gentle reader. I have been so remiss. Alas, the final Harry Potter book had long been sitting near the nightstand calling my name. But finally finished with it, I am now back in action and ripping through the rest of the “First Comes Marriage” Mary Balogh Series. Stay tuned for more. In the … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Ragout
I once had the most delicious chicken ragout in Amsterdam, served in a crepe (British pancake). While living in the UK, I became an expert at making crepes/pancakes, but have since sadly lost the skill. However, on a stormy day like today (freak weather, alright!) I started thinking of might whet my Regency appetite…and thought … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Beauty Products ala the Mirror of Graces
Just as a modern women’s magazine gives us potions and poisons to age-defy, beautify, and shine, the cits of Regency England were given an insider scoop to haute ton beauty recipes by A Lady of Distinction. Published in 1811, historians speculate that the author was most likely a governess or ladies maid…on the fringe of … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Drinking Water
In an age where water is worn as a fashion statement, it is hard to imagine a world where drinking the water was taking a risk with one’s health. In 1804 the first municipal water filtering facility was sited in Paisley, Scotland. However, by 1854, a London cholera outbreak was traced to sewage contamination of … Continue reading
Regency Dish: Drinks and their glassware
Mrs. B’s The Art of Cookery gives us plenty of delicious recipes for brewing and made-wines. Raisin wine, Orange Wine, Elderberry Wine, Gooseberry Wine, Currant Wine, Cherry Wine, Birch Wine…for every native berry there seems to be a recipe to distill it into wine. Largely consisting of water and sugar, these wines would have made … Continue reading
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