Relish

[Pat Young]

Relish is described as a "highly flavored condiment" It is a condiment that usually contains vinegar, salt and sugar. The word relish first appeared in 1798 and comes from word "reles". Relishes came out of the desire to preserve vegetables and use them during winter months.

The types of relish are:

Chow-chow which is an American term from the 19th century and refers to mixture of pickled vegetables. It was mentioned in 1837 in publication on recipes and was called a recipe for "Yellow Pickle" or "Axejar".

Picccalilli which is a sour pickle relish usually made with sour pickle and other vegetables.

Chutneys which were introduced to American by schooner captains who were involved in the spice trade.

Pickle Relish which is a relish made with sweet pickle, bell peppers and onion. These can also be made with dill pickle. This is the most common commercial relish in U.S.

Information from:
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/relish

We called it chow-chow as kids. Picadilli was relish mixed with a little mustard.

 

[nitrofd]

We called it chow-chow as kids. Picadilli was relish mixed with a little mustard.

Picadilli was a relish that my aunt made the best.wow,long time ago.

 

[Shannon Wolf]

I have a recipe for both peach relish and pickled peaches at home. I was hoping to find it online but the only one I can find has Vidalia onions in it and those were not farmed according to the history till 1930. Which I find odd because Vidalia isn't an actual variety of onion, they taste the way they do due to a lack of sulphur I think in the soil....

 

[Shannon Wolf]

This is the modern version of it. I have another recipe that uses sorghum syrup somewhere in one of the boxes that I haven't unpacked. That recipe was taught to me by my Sunday School teacher when I was younger. I suspect it's a war recipe because every other version I've encountered uses sugar. The relish recipe I usually don't use the crushed red pepper ( I can't handle spicy things) and I think the recipe had bay leaves originally.

Pickled Peaches

4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Whole Cloves
5 3 inch cinnamon sticks
4 lbs fresh peaches peeled and blanched

Combine the sugar, vinegar and water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Press one or two cloves into each peach, and place into the boiling syrup. Boil for 20 minutes, or until peaches are tender.

Spoon peaches into sterile jars and top with liquid to 1/2 inch from the rim. Put one cinnamon stick into each jar. Wipe the rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal, or consult times recommended by your local extension.

Peach Relish

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup gin

• 2 tablespoons salt

• 1 tablespoon ground mustard

• 1 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

• 3 pounds onions, finely chopped

• 3 pounds fresh peaches, peeled and chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Step 1
Bring canner half-full with water to a boil; simmer. Meanwhile, place 10 (8-oz.) jars in a large stockpot with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Place bands and lids in a large saucepan with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Remove hot jars 1 at a time using jar lifter.

Step 2
Bring water, sugar, vinegar, gin, salt, mustard, celery salt, dried crushed red pepper, to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, peaches, and garlic; boil, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

Step 3
Pour hot mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Remove air bubbles, and wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands (snug but not too tight). Place jars in canning rack, and place in simmering water in canner. Add additional boiling water as needed to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Bring water to a rolling boil; boil 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner, and let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Test seals of jars by pressing center of each lid. If lids do not pop, jars are properly sealed. Store in a cool, dark place at room temperature up to 1 year.

Step 4
Peach & Onion Refrigerator Relish: Omit Steps 1 and Prepare recipe as directed in Step Let mixture cool completely (about 2 hours). Store in airtight containers in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Hands-on time: 1 hr., 10 min.; Total time: 1 hr., 35 min.




Step 3
Pour hot mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Remove air bubbles, and wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands (snug but not too tight). Place jars in canning rack, and place in simmering water in canner. Add additional boiling water as needed to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Bring water to a rolling boil; boil 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner, and let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Test seals of jars by pressing center of each lid. If lids do not pop, jars are properly sealed. Store in a cool, dark place at room temperature up to 1 year.

 

[Legion Para]

 

[donna]

Shannon Thanks for adding the recipes.

 

[Shalom Hobbitess]

I love relishes but haven't made any. Love home made catsup and only made that back when hubby grew many much tomatoes. I've always thought relishes -- and some of the best relish recipes -- were born of gardens overwhelming the gardening family's ability to eat the produce. Maybe if hubby took up gardening again we'd make relish....

I poked around a bit trying to find a Cranberry Relish recipe from the antebellum 1800s, didn't find much, but I was surprised that The Kentucky Housewife, by Lettice Bryan (1839), and The Carolina Housewife, by Sarah Rutledge (1847) both had cranberry recipes in them. You can't grow cranberries in the South, and supposedly the market back then was pretty local and limited. They didn't develop the "wet" method of cranberry harvesting (where they flood the cranberry bogs) until the 1930s, meaning harvesting cranberries was pretty labor intensive in the nineteenth century so if cranberries were available, I'm guessing they were pricey. They were also very seasonal, and perhaps even more prized than fresh local raspberries are today, and apparently enough people in the South had access to them that cranberry recipes were common.

Here's a Cranberry Relish recipe that I doubt goes back very far, but it sounds interesting:

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120545671

 

[mofederal]

I have eaten relish of all kinds and I love it. I have had Cranberry relish (modern) and Cranberry Mustard on a hot dog. As I said I love all kinds of relish.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Cranberry Relish is mentioned in Colonial times. I am looking for an older recipe. This recipe for Cranberry Relish from 1900 .

2 cups cranberries
1/2 orange
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ginger, cloves, and cinnamon

Cut cranberries in halves, and add all ingredients except spice, and cook until thick. The raisins and orange are chopped fine. Add spice and cook five minutes. Put in hot sterilized glasses and when cool cover with paraffin.

Always delicious with turkey and ham.

National Cranberry Relish Day is November 22.

NATIONAL CRANBERRY RELISH DAY - November 22

When National Cranberry Relish Day rolls around on November 22nd, you know it's time to get ready to set the table for company!

nationaldaycalendar.com

 

[donna]

Was looking for some relishes. Found this one from about 1920 for Piccalilli. It some different from my Granny's recipe posted in this thread.

20 large tomatoes
4 large stalks of celery
6 large onions
4 tablespoons of salt
2 cups vinegar
1 red pepper
3/4 cups of sugar

Chop vegetables. Add salt and vinegar. Boil 2 hours. Add sugar and boil 3 minutes.

Hope others add some additional relishes. There is time on our hands to make them.

 

[donna]

Apple Relish (!860-1880)

7 lbs apples
2 lbs raisins
1 pint vinegar
3 1/2 lbs sugar
2 oranges
1 teaspoon powdered cloves
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon

Chop the raisins and out them in kettle; add apples, chopped and unpeeled; the juice of the oranges; the sugar,vinegar and spices. Boil steadily for half an hour.

 

[donna]

It time for making all kinds of relish. Thought bump this thread.

 

[donna]

Thought add this recipe for Pear Relish. Not made often but very tasty.

Pear Relish

1 peck pears
2 pounds brown sugar
3 onions, chopped
1 pound raisins
2 cups vinegar
spices

Pare and chop pears. Combine with other ingredients, adding spices to taste. Mix thoroughly. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until thick.

 

[donna]

Was re reading about different favorite foods during Civil War Era. Relishes were a definite favorite. Though bump this thread.