Welcome to the Foods of the Civil War Forum!

CivilWarTalk

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Please enjoy our new Civil War food forum! This is a place to post and discuss recipes from the American Civil War era.

Also, please welcome Donna, our new Foods of the Civil War Forum Host.

How do I use this forum?

We Recommend Starting a New Thread for Every New Recipe!

Please give the title a descriptive name. Also, choose one of the following thread prefixes for your recipe:

Authentic - right from 1800's era cookbooks, these entries can include a modern interpretation as well!​
Camp Food - use this prefix for simple camping foods, typically prepared without a kitchen.​
Recreated - modern interpretations of authentic recipes, this might be something used at a reenactment or living history presentation when authentic ingredients or methods are impractical/impossible.​
(No Prefix) - Threads with no prefix are for general food and cooking discussions.​

What Layout Should I Use?

Please keep recipes neat by using a standard layout. Start with a prep time, cooking time, and oven temp (but many authentic recipes may not include these), next list your ingredients, any required hardware, and the procedure to prepare.

Optionally you could include a description of the finished dish, adding a photo is always a great touch, and if you can create a video of the dish being prepared, as well as a review of how it tastes, that would be awesome! Get creative!

Can We Discuss the Recipes?

Of course! The first post of each recipe thread should be the recipe itself. Post a reply to start your discussions!
 
Last edited:
Welcome, Donna! This is going to be fun! :bounce:

This is a traditional Indian bread, derived a good deal from US army hardtack. There's always been a type of corn bread, tortilla or other bread good but once the reservations had only the food given out, this became a staple.

I don't know preparation time, cooking times or servings because it took a while to figure out my hand portions! (No measures.) This should come out well.

Fry Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
4 cups shortening for frying

Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water. Temperature of the water is very important! Knead until soft, like a baby's bottom. Let rise about 1/2 hour. Shape dough into balls about 3 inches in diameter. You can make them larger or smaller depending. Pull out with your fingers into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, and make a small hole in the center of each patty.
2. Fry one at a time in 1 inch of hot shortening, turning to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with honey, jam, powdered sugar, or make into Indian tacos or Indian hamburgers. Enjoy!



This Ojibway lady makes it a little differently but she reminds me of my own grandma!

 
Fascinating. The language the lady was speaking? Ojibway? Where are they from originally and where are they today?
 
Yes, they are from the Great Lakes, in Canada and the US. They are still in the same spot! :happy:

I goofed right off the bat and I read the opening instructions. :redface: Ah, well, guess there's a funny bunny in every forum... Sorry!
 
Here is a very old recipe that predates the Civil War that has been handed down in my family, for generations. We always called it Buttermilk Pie, but, it is nothing like southern buttermilk pie (no way near as sweet). Mom always said that some folks also referred to it as Raisin Cream Pie. It reminds me of "mock apple pie".

1 Cup Raisins
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Pint Buttermilk
4-5 TBS Flour (mixed in a little of the milk)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon ( and/or cloves to taste ...we always made it with cinnamon alone)
Double Pastry Crust 450 for 15 minutes; reduce to 350 for 30 minutes more

It is one of my very favorite pies.
 
Welcome, Donna! This is going to be fun! :bounce:

This is a traditional Indian bread, derived a good deal from US army hardtack. There's always been a type of corn bread, tortilla or other bread good but once the reservations had only the food given out, this became a staple.

I don't know preparation time, cooking times or servings because it took a while to figure out my hand portions! (No measures.) This should come out well.

Fry Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
4 cups shortening for frying

Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water. Temperature of the water is very important! Knead until soft, like a baby's bottom. Shape dough into balls about 3 inches in diameter. You can make them larger or smaller depending. Pull out with your fingers into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, and make a small hole in the center of each patty.
2. Fry one at a time in 1 inch of hot shortening, turning to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with honey, jam, powdered sugar, or make into Indian tacos or Indian hamburgers. Enjoy!



This Ojibway lady makes it a little differently but she reminds me of my own grandma!


Oh dear. Thought I was done cooking for today. Living in NM I became hooked on the darned stuff. Diane should post a warning on this one, folks. Now tell 'em how to make Indian tacos! (Green chilies required for us "southerners" from NM)
 
Oooh! Indian taco!

Indian Taco

Fry bread (large)
meat-only chili - medium to very hot
pinto beans
lettuce
onions
tomatoes
salsa - hot
sour cream
cheddar cheese (we like the commodity cheese!)
jalapenos
green chilies
olives
avocado

And just about anything else you can think to put on!

Warning: DO NOT use paper plates. Even the heavy Chinette ones! Watch out your plastic knife and fork - might want to bring your own eatin' tools...

This is one small variety - the combinations are endless!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A7xagg_Hb0c/TXAbsqhK_BI/AAAAAAAAAFE/IsBZQKRTLTQ/indian+taco.jpg
 
Well, I guess I'll be breaking out the cast iron skillet tomorrow! Wish me luck--I've never made fry bread, but I'm willing to try. The Indian taco sounds too good to pass up--and Helen's strawberry "shortcake" looked good, too. What else do people put on fry bread? (Like a taco won't be enough for me:D!)
 
Want to try an Indian hamburger? You just make a thinner, bigger piece of fry bread, put on the hamburger fixin's and fold it over.

My very favorite though is probably sinful. I like to cook up huckleberry sauce and spoon it over the fry bread! Be sure to get the oil nice and hot so the bread isn't lead with it! It makes a crispy crust right off and then the bread cooks inside.
 
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