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Civil War food, Outdoor Recreation & Leisure Through 19th Century America, Soup Through the Ages, Victoria's Home Companion

I appreciate all of you who read my blog and just wanted to thank you for your interest and for the nice notes some of you send me. I’m always happy to know that someone has enjoyed and learned from my research. My books “Victoria’s Home Companion” and “Outdoor Recreation & Leisure Through 19th Century America” are listed on the store page of the blog, and blog readers may order at discount prices. Regular price for each is $25. but email me and tell me you’re a blog reader and you may have your choice for $15. or both for $25. Shipping costs are $3.50 each in the continental U.S.
“Soup Through the Ages” is sold by McFarland Publishing Co. and thus I cannot discount it, but you may order copies from their website.
Blissful reading, thehistoricfoodie©

TEA WITH THE WASHINGTONS©

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ice house, Martha Washington, tea

I found the most delightful book recently, written by an Englishman who spent a year in the U.S. in the summer of 1794 and wrote profusely about everything he encountered, including having tea with the Washingtons. That ties in with my last couple of posts so I will share some of his thoughts with my readers.

“Mrs. Washington herself made tea and coffee for us. On the table were two small plates of sliced tongue, dry toast, bread and butter, &c. but no broiled fish, as is the general custom. Miss Custis, her granddaughter, a very pleasing young lady of about sixteen, sat next to her, and her brother George Washington Custis about two years older than herself. There was but little appearance of form: one servant only attended, who had no livery; a silver urn for hot water was the only article of expense on the table. She appears something older than the President, though, I understand, they were both born in the same year; short in stature, rather robust; very plain in her dress, wearing a very plain cap, with her grey hair closely turned up under it.”

From that description I think I would have liked Mrs. Washington and her unpretentious manner.

While in Philadelphia the author visited a hotel for a glass of cool punch, “and they brought to us with a lump of ice in each glass, which had also pine-apple juice to heighten its flavor.”

He found the heat in and around Philadelphia unbearable yet he was served iced fruit punch and was interested enough in how that came about to ask the proprietor to see the ice house.

“We asked Oeller to shew us his ice-house, to which he readily conducted us himself. We went through his hot kitchen, which seemed like a furnace, and on his opening two doors, we found ourselves in Nova Zembla, or in other words, standing on a huge body of ice, forty feet thick, and twenty feet square. On it he kept his dishes of butter, cold dressed provisions, sallads [sic], &c. It was a vaulted room, under the flight of steps by which you enter his house on the street side: but the chill was too sudden and intense for us to remain long there; we were glad to feel again the heat of the sun, although but five minutes before, we were burning under the fervor of its meridian rays”.

I seriously doubt that the ice was 40 feet thick, and wonder if he either misunderstood or carelessly exaggerated its size. The number could have been a typesetter’s mistake that went unnoticed until after the printing.

After a summer outing in which they visited the illustrious naturalist and author, Dr. Bartram, “We had tea, coffee, syllabubs, cakes, &c. &c. for all which, we paid only half a dollar each, horses’ hay included.”
He thought Bartram’s reception lacking in enthusiasm, and I wondered if, at his advanced age at the time of the visit, if he hadn’t tired of a steady stream of visitors over the years wanting to hear of his exploits.

He left a very good account of what items were found in the markets, their cost, and how they compared to those in England. “I went into the market frequently, and asked the prices of all kinds of provisions. For a round of beef I was asked sevenpence per pound, equal to fourpence per pound sterling, but it was not equal in goodness to our’s; veal, fivepence currency; mutton, sixpence; an ox-heart, elevenpence, or six-pence-halfpenny sterling; for a fine fat turkey, a dollar; pigeons, very plenty and cheap; pork, exceeding fine and good, at three-pence-half-penny and fourpence sterling per pound.”

Tea houses were becoming popular in U.S. cities by the 1790’s and the author took note of them. Of one in particular he wrote, “A Mr. Bailey, of New York, has just built a very handsome tea-drinking pleasure house, to accommodate parties who come hither from all the neighbouring ports; he intends also to have bathing machines, and several species of entertainment. It seems parties are made here from thirty or forty miles distance, in the summer time.” [For more on bathing machines, see my book on outdoor recreation – click on the store page above. Discounts available for blog readers!]

This is a very short summary of a long and detailed account of his visit, but I hope the reader has found it entertaining. Henry Wansey (ca. 1752-1827) is best known for his work on Hoare’s History of Wiltshire. He was keenly interested in antiquities and social reform and was elected in 1789 a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He had one child who died young. Blissful Meals, all.©

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF TEA: Debunking the Myth of the Tea Brick

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18th century tea, bohea, green tea, tea bricks

This post is extracted from a historical article that was published in “The Magazine of Magazines”, Feb. 1757. The author prefaced his account by saying the effects of the tea plant put some people into vapours, affected their complexion, spirits, and nerves, so as to apprehend themselves either dying, or dangerously ill, gave others the cholic or gripes, and affected not a few with tremors, &c. while it enlivened the mind, eases the stomach and bowels, and helps to brace the nerves of others. His statement, “though it is almost universal in use”, gives testament to the commonality of tea drinking by the mid-18th century.

He described in great detail the plant, how it grew, and the method of drying and rolling the tea leaves. “The leaves should never be gathered before the bush is three years old. “

Only the small uppermost leaves were harvested. “These leaves are scarce fully opened, being only of two or three days growth: but they are accounted the best, fetch the best price, and are called the Flower of Tea…” Older leaves were classed and sold, “according to their size and goodness. The greater quantity imported into Europe is of the third, or grosser sort…”.

Some accounts indicate it took up to three years from the time the leaves were picked, dried, and rolled for them to arrive by ship in the colonies. By then a great deal of the flavor was lost. Consider also, that because tea was still somewhat of a luxury, early accounts speak of using the same tea leaves up to a half dozen times, and we begin to comprehend its value.

“After the leaves are gathered, they are, the same day, carried to the workhouse, and roasted over a slow fire in an iron-pan: and that they may be thoroughly and equally dried, the roaster keeps them constantly stirring with his hands: then takes them out with a shovel like a fan, and commits them to the rollers, who roll them with the palms of their hands, in small parcels, till they are equally cooled, and the sharp, yellow, and greenish juice is quit discharged; if not, they are roasted and rolled a second and third time till it is: and then they are poured upon a mat, and sorted a second time into different classes according to their goodness; and those that are less curled or burnt are taken out.

As soon as this prepared Tea is quite cold and sorted, the Chinese put it into boxes of coarse tin, inclosed [sic] in wooden chests, and carefully stopped in all the clefts with paper, to preserve the Tea from the effect of the air. These boxes, tubs, or chests contain about one hundred and twelve pounds each, and are the same in which the East India Company imports their Tea into the port of London.

It is commonly said, that the Dutch were the first importers of Tea into Europe, about the year 1606, for which they exchanged dried sage with the Chinese. And tho’ the English did certainly, about the same time, gain a knowledge of this shrub; we do not find that the government took any cognizance of it till the restoration, when in 1660, a duty of eight pence per gallon was laid on the liquor made and sold in all coffee-houses, and attended with the inconvenience of an excise officer’s survey, who was not obliged to attend above twice a day”.

[It is possible the date 1606 is a printing error and should have read 1660 as Londoner Samuel Pepys wrote in his journal that he first tasted tea in 1660, or the author may have been mistaken in his information.]

The author praised the quality of Japanese tea and noted it was also grown in Siam but made no comment as to its quality.

“The Tea commonly imported amongst us, is only of two sorts, green and Bohea. At first the Europeans mostly used the green: but since the Japan trade is lost, and we have traded most with the Chinese, who, when they are weak, chiefly confine themselves to Bohea, and ascribe to it a singular virtue of healing, and preventing diseases, and applaud it as the balsam of life to the human machine, we have introduced the use of Bohea-tea very much; tho’ Green tea is still the favourite of nice palates, and persons of high rank”.

The Bohea teas were named Pekoe, Congo, and Common. “The Pekoe is a very small black leaf, and has many small white flowers mixt with it. It has the most pleasant and delicate flavor…The Congo is of a larger leaf and a deeper brown…The Common Bohea is blacker and larger leaved than either of the former, and smells and tastes faint, and not unlike dried hay…

Green tea is distinguished by the names of Hysson…imperial, common, and ordinary”.

An account was published in 1725 stating that the first crop leaves were never sold in Europe, they being reserved for the princes of the land and never leaving China, whereas bohea (second, third, or even fourth picking) was imported into Europe. That distinction between the first tiny leaves (green tea) and subsequent gathering of leaves at varying seasons (bohea) was published as early as 1725. [A New Theory of Physick and Diseases. 1725. London]

Initially only the affluent could afford real tea, and those of lesser means tried to make a similar infusion from locally grown plants, primarily from veronica, red whortle-berry, rose, betony, nettles, agrimony, coltsfoot, eyebright, strawberry, scabious, cow-slips, golden-rod, cherry-tree, peach-tree, wall-rue, sharp-leaved plantane, fanicle, liverwort, lungwort, brankurfine, balm, sage, rosemary, &c. In times of scarcity, as during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, Americans again brewed tea-like beverages from those and other ersatz plants. [The Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences. Vol. 3. 1766. London]

For those of means tea was being referred to as, “an habitual Drink in England” by 1747. [James, Robert. Pharmacopoeia Universalis. 1747. London]

Tea was purchased from an apothecary or chemist, in loose-leaf form in Europe and America. It was taken from a large container in the shop and sold in whatever amount the customer asked for. The source above, and numerous others from the early to mid-18th century, made no mention of compressing the tea leaves into bricks for shipment to Europe or America. When speaking of tea bricks, they were being shipped to Tibet, Russia, or Siberia or used as currency in earlier times. Tea bricks shipped to Tibet were boiled with butter or milk and salt and the tea eaten under the name buttered tea. No thanks, gentle reader, I’ll stick with drinking it. Blissful Meals, all©

Tea Bowls and Saucers©

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18th century cups and saucers, tea bowl

The photos above show tea bowls and saucers from the first half to early 3rd quarter of the 18th century as found on various museum collections online, primarily the Metropolitan and the Victoria & Albert. Notice the shape and depth of the saucers. The first photo is a vintage photo of cups from Jamestown. The boxed tea set is French in origin.

Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary in 1660 that he’d had a cup of tea for the first time and he was among the first Londoners to have the pleasure. By June 28, 1667, it was common enough he wrote he’d returned home to find his wife making tea, “a drink which Mr. Pelling the Pottecary [apothecary] tells her is good for her colds and defluxions”.

Some of the first teapots and drinking vessels for tea came as give-aways when one purchased tea because it was a new and novel concept and few people outside China had any notion of how to prepare or serve it.

Tea cups are found from the 18th century with and without handles. Researchers agree that the earliest tea cups had no handles and were referred to as tea bowls while early coffee and chocolate cups did have handles from their earliest form. The tea bowl grew larger as tea became more widespread and by 1800 most were being made with handles although some handle-less versions were still made into the mid-1800’s. Cups weren’t produced in huge quantities until about the middle of the 18th century.

The shape of cups, whether for chocolate, tea, or coffee, was much the same other than the presence or absence of handles, and they were decorated in much the same way. Motifs were often florals, outdoor scenes, and some variation of an oriental scene ranging from simple to quite detailed. Color could be basic blue and white or more elaborate with multiple colors on the piece.

Collectors prize pieces made in the factory at Meissen, near Dresden. The facility was founded about 1710 and is still in business today. It was the first to make hard-paste porcelain products outside of China. Pieces can be dated by using the maker’s mark.

True 18th century saucers, especially from the first half of the century, are usually very deep compared to today’s rather flat saucers giving rise to the belief that the tea was poured from the cup into the saucer and drunk from the saucer.

Cups and saucers could be purchased by the “set” which consisted of, “half a dozen cups and saucers, a small tea-pot, a slop-bason, a sugar-dish, and tea-canister”, which in Europe [Franconia, “called by the Germans Frankenland”], 1765, cost twenty dollars.

Eighteenth century estate inventories often list cups and saucers but rarely describe them, and when one finds a published inventory from the first half of the 18th century, the deceased was wealthy enough to garner attention, therefore, was not representative of the common person.

For example, Thomas Warren [1732] listed, “11 cups and 12 saucers, 3 tea pots, one slop bason, sugar dish and cover…some odd cracked coffee cups…a parcel of tin tea canisters…”.

A similar inventory for Richard Wooley [1732] enumerated, “8 China Cups, 7 China Saucers, a China Tea-pot, 2 white stone Tea-pots…[in another room] a Tea-Table with 12 Cups, 12 Saucers, 6 Chocolate Cups, a Tea-pot, Slop Bason, 2 large Saucers…”. The word China was italicized as shown in the original source.

Sir Joseph Eyles’ estate [1740] was listed the following: six fine tea-cups and saucers, teapot, milk-pot, sugar dish and basin with the brown edge; a red tea-pot, a sugar dish, bason, milk-pot, 8 cups and saucers; a “curious colour’d tea pot, sugar dish, and 6 cups and saucers; a blue and white tea pot, bason, sugar dish, plate, 6 cups and saucers, a fine old tea pot”; six old chocolate cups; a tea-pot, bason, sugar dish, milk pot, plate, tea canister, 6 cups and saucers, and 6 coffee cups.

In Europe and the Colonies, only the wealthier late 17th and early 18th century residents would have had high quality tea sets, and perhaps not even all wealthy colonists had separate cups for chocolate, coffee, and tea or a matching tea set. In inland areas where European goods weren’t always available, colonists may well have used redware cups and mugs for whatever beverages were at hand.

Pittsburgh Press, Oct. 1973. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Victoria & Albert Museum. Warren, Thomas. A True and Exact Particular and Inventory of All and Singular the Estate Effects Whatsoever of Thomas Warren. 1732. London. Fenning, D. A General Description of the World. 1765. London. ©theHistoricFoodie

Thinning the Beets

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beet greens, pickled beets

It was time to thin the beets so they will produce nice roots for pickling, so frugal me washed the ones I pulled up, gave them a ride in the salad spinner, and tomorrow I’ll be having the tastiest and freshest, not to mention prettiest, salad in town. The red streaks add so much color to the baby beet greens. If you haven’t had beet greens you’ll find them to be vastly under-utilized. As the photo shows, small tender ones are a salad-lover’s dream and larger leaves can be cooked by themselves or mixed with any other green. They cook up nice and tender with outstanding flavor.

This is just one of hundreds of plants and dishes researched for my upcoming book. Believe me, its been some delicious research! There is still time to plant vegetables and having no space is no excuse. If I can garden in raised beds and pots in my tiny yard anyone can be successful at it. As always, Blissful Meals! – the Historic Foodie

Update: My salad was so fresh and clean, vaguely earthy, and so tasty I ate every sprig. If I hadn’t already done it last night, I’d be planting more this afternoon. How can you lose? A cup of beet greens has only 39 calories and NO fat yet they supply 220% of our daily allowance of Vitamin A and 60% of vitamin C. The two containers I planted last night are just for the baby greens. I won’t worry about thinning them because I’ll be harvesting the leaves and won’t be concerned with the roots having enough space to grow. Today I truly enjoyed a Blissful Meal!

Ladies at Tea, Ft. Toulouse

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18th century ladies, edible flowers, violet jelly

I enjoyed co-hosting and visiting with everyone at the tea during the Ft. Toulouse F&I event (1760′s). The highlight of the day was watching William start to crawl so he could reach a piece of gingerbread. Soon he’ll be coming and going under his own power and mom and dad will be trying to keep up!

Deb’s tea selections included jasmine, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and a peach flavored tea which was especially nice. It may run a close second to Earl Grey as my favorite.

Food included Irish bread with violet jelly, gingerbread with orange curd, finger sandwiches with fresh herbs, and apple nut small cakes. The platters were all decorated in keeping with the theme of edible flowers and the violet jelly served with the Irish bread was an example of what can be made from flowers.

The gentlemen joined us for a bit of a repast and fellowship after the ladies finished their tea and the day was quite lovely. Until next time, I bid you Peace & Blissful Meals. – the Historic Foodie

Eat Your Way to a Manicured Lawn

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foraging, greens, plantain

Today’s dinner will be BBQ ribs and plantain cooked with bacon, salt & pepper, a dollop of honey for sweetness and a tablespoon or two of home-made apple cider vinegar for tang. If you aren’t familiar with plantain, chances are you either have it in your yard or you’ve paid a lawn service to eradicate it.

Plantain is the broad-leaf weed that puts up in spring and together with another edible, dandelion, is the scourge of those who want a manicured lawn. Never fear though – if your gardener can’t get rid of it just put the young tender leaves in a pot.

Plantain is not native to N. America – you can thank your ancestors for bringing it over as a salad ingredient and potherb. It was cultivated in gardens but quickly escaped its confines and ran rampant over the land leaving traces as it dashed through one village after another.

The texture of it is much like collards and the flavor is even somewhat like collards. As long as the leaves are tender you probably wouldn’t notice much difference. The smallest of leaves can pop into a salad bypassing the cook pot. Although its edible at any stage, the older the leaves get the tougher and less desirable they get. The Mister doesn’t like greens period – wild or tame, but that’s OK, more for me. Blissful Meals, yall.

Edible Flowers

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edible flowers, violet jelly

I’ve been researching plants for a new book and I’m also trying to remember some of what I wasn’t particularly interested in growing up relating to the use of wild plants. The theme for the tea at Ft. Toulouse’s French and Indian event this year was edible flowers. The food was garnished with a variety of edible flowers from my garden and the featured item on the table was violet jelly made from the petals of wild violets.

Picking the violets is time consuming and tedius, but the actual making of the jelly is pretty simple. It took Deb, Laura, Annabelle and me picking to get enough violets, but it turned out really pretty and is pretty tasty as well.

To make the jelly you need 2 heaping cups of wild violet petals, 2 cups of boiling water, 4 cups of sugar, a half cup of fresh lemon juice, 1 pkg. of liquid pectin.

Place the petals in a heat-proof container and pour the boiling water over them. Cover, and let steep at least 2 hours or overnight if you wish. If keeping overnight place in refrigerator after a couple of hours. Strain out all the petals which will have given up all their color. Don’t be alarmed at the dark blue color of the infusion. It will lighten up later.

Combine the infusion, lemon juice, and sugar and place over med heat. Bring it to a rolling boil, and stir in the packet of liquid pectin (Certo). Return to a hard boil and boil 2 minutes. While hot place into clean jars. As the jars are filled place, wipe clean at the top, and place a flat canning lid on the jar and screw down the ring. (The flats should be in very hot, but not boiling water prior to placement on the jars). Refer to standard canning instructions.

Now, allow the jars to sit, undisturbed until they seal. As they seal you will hear a pinging sound as the flats become depressed. Wipe the jars clean, and store in a cool dry place. This recipe will make about 5 half pints.

Photos: The violet jelly in the jars; a bit left over put into a saucer, the jelly in the pan while it was coming to a boil, and Miss Annabelle helping pick the violets. Blissful meals, enjoy the fruits of your labor.

TRUE AMERICAN TEA©

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American Classic Tea

Outsourcing jobs is one of the main reasons many Americans have lost faith in their government and why thousands of people who want, and are qualified for, employment can find only part-time employment with no benefits. With the loss of tax cuts and lack of raises many who are employed full-time are actually making less than they were a few years ago. I applaud efforts being made to provide jobs for Americans and boost the American economy so I’d like to share an American product.

A friend gave me a box of American Classic Tea’s Charleston Breakfast tea and I did some research on the company and the process whereby the tea is grown, harvested, and sold. Frankly, I’m pretty impressed.

The plantation is currently owned by the R. C. Bigelow Co. of Fairfield, CT, founded by Ruth Bigelow in the late 40’s, and employs some 350 people in blending tea. Bigelow sells many varieties, but the American Classic Tea is the only American-grown tea.

The Camellia sinensis plant is said to have been introduced to the U.S. by the French botanist, Francois Andre Michaux in 1799 when he presented plants to Henry Middleton of Charleston. The tea was planted in the garden at Middleton’s plantation where growing conditions seem to be just what the doctor ordered.

There are currently 127 acres of tea plants which are processed on-site producing six flavors: American Classic, Charleston Breakfast, Governor Grey, Plantation Peach, Rockville Raspberry, and Island Green Tea. American Classic Tea has been the “official” tea of the White House since 1987. The first families and their guests can support American-grown tea, but they can’t seem to extend that appreciation for, “Made in America”, much beyond that.

Still, it’s pretty impressive to know something like tea is growing on American soil and that it has found its way into stores in 17 different states. Perhaps, like Carolina Gold rice, it will find a ready market among foodies who appreciate high quality products and support the concept of American jobs for Americans.

Blissful Meals, yall, try the American Classic Tea and if you’re in the area, take a tour of the site and learn about how the tea is grown and processed.

PICKLED BEETS AND EGGS: A Bit of Pennsylvania in Alabama©

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beets and eggs, Pennsylvania Dutch food, pickled beets

I’ve recently done some genealogy for Martin and discovered some very interesting people and learned a great deal about their German roots and the places they settled after immigrating to Pennsylvania in the early 1700’s. Places we’ve visited or passed through took on a new significance as I was able to connect actual people to the establishment of various towns and churches.

The Bradys count among their maternal ancestors Patriots from the American Revolution and soldiers from the American Civil War and that patriotic duty continues through Martin and his brothers who served in the USMC.

His mom is an amazing lady with a big heart and a keen sense of humor. I enjoyed learning about her family and their contribution to Pennsylvania history. I couldn’t be the historic foodie without an inherent curiosity about the foods of various cultures so after documenting births, deaths, marriages, baptisms, military service, census and immigration records, my attention turned toward the foods the families ate.

This post on pickled beets and eggs is a tribute to Martin’s Pennsylvania Dutch heritage and reflects the culinary traditions of his Zartman, Swartzbaugh, Weisensale, Teal, March, and Shanabrook ancestors. Pickled beets and eggs just happen to be one of our favorite things to have on hand both for eating and for adding to salads. Combining the pickled beets and boiled eggs is an excellent opportunity to use those wire-bail and vintage blue jars and other containers which look so pretty on the table as they can be made with pre-pickled beets and don’t go through a heat process.

I have a nice stand of beets in the raised garden beds Martin made for me, and if all goes well, I expect to have beet greens in a few weeks and also add several quarts of ruby red pickled beets to my pantry about June. As we open them we’ll add a dozen boiled eggs and let them marinate for a few days in the refrigerator and enjoy a refreshing cool snack when the blistering heat of the Deep South summer kicks in. I think his ancestors would approve of our thriftiness and self-reliance.

Pickled eggs minus the beets are commonly found in the cookery books of England and I found mention of them in Ireland (The Brady half of Martin’s ancestry). John Timbs wrote in 1847 that seasons when eggs were plentiful was the time to lay in a supply of pickled eggs which were, “a relishing accompaniment to cold meat”. I suspect his Irish ancestors were well acquainted with the addition of the eggs once they had immigrated to Pennsylvania. – Manual of Domestic Economy. 1847. London.

Lettice Bryan and others used mashed beet root to naturally color pickled eggs even when the beets weren’t intended to be served as a pickle. They do make a stunning presentation. – The Kentucky Housewife. 1839.

Pickled eggs were recommended for sea stores because, “they will keep any length of time”. Indeed, though most modern recipes say the eggs will keep a few weeks in the refrigerator, I have kept them for extended periods without refrigeration and they did just fine. [The reader will kindly assume any responsibility for doing so.] – Domestic Economy and Cookery. 1827. London.

Hannah Peterson’s receipt is a good one to look at first. Note her book was published in Pennsylvania where beets and eggs are served at home and on restaurant tables.

“Boil your beets till tender, but not quite soft. To four large beets, boil three eggs hard, remove the shells; when the beets are done, take off the skin by laying them for a few minutes in cold water and then stripping it off; slice them a quarter of an inch thick, put the eggs at the bottom, and then put in the beets with a little salt. Pour on cold vinegar enough to cover them. The eggs imbibe the color of the beets, and look beautiful on the table”. – The Young Wife’s Cook Book. 1870. Philadelphia.

Authors suggested dropping hard boiled eggs, “in pickled blood beet juice until the whites become colored. Cut lengthwise and serve as a relish”. – The Philalethean Cook Book. 1921. Montrose, CO.

Richard Bradley (1732), John Nott (1723), Elizabeth Cleland (1755), Hannah Glasse and several other 18th century writers advised using slices of pickled beets as garnishes for various foods because the color is so festive and the flavor lends itself to the enjoyment of the dish.

Charles Carter’s receipt for pickled beets predates sealable glass canning jars. The beets were pickled in a stone jar with an animal bladder stretched over the top to exclude the air and keep out unwanted dust or insects. The beets would “keep” so long as they were submerged under the brine, usually accomplished by placing a plate or other weight on top.

“Set a pot of spring water on the fire, when it boils, put in your beets, and let them boil till they are tender; then peel them with a cloth, and lay them in a stone jar, take three quarts of vinegar, and two of spring water, so do till you think you have enough to cover your beets. Put your vinegar and water in a pan and salt to your taste. Stir it well together, till the salt is all melted, then pour them on the beets and cover it with a bladder. Do not boil the pickle”. – The London and Country Cook. 1749. London.

Robert Smith included unspecified spice in his receipt and, like some others, instructed pickling turnips with the beets. – Court Cookery. 1725. London.

Try some this summer, you may just like them. Blissful meals, Yall.