~VINEGAR~
Today, as I was shuffling books from one room to a place in the hallway,
a PIONEER COOK BOOK didn't leave my hand and I carried it to the Family room to thumb through.
There are recipes for flavored vinegars and vinegar frosting.
I've never heard of VINEGAR FROSTING before.
Have you?
Will share.
I knew beforehand that there are health benefits from vinegar.
This book reveals a few more great attributes that VINEGAR offers.
VINEGAR was almost as important to the pioneer family as WATER and WOOD. It not only extended the life of many of their fruits, vegetables, and meats through the long weary winter and spring months, but it also enhanced the cooking and cleaning chores of the plucky woman who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband in making a life for the entire family on the plains.
PLUCKY....I had to look that one up.
A day of firsts.
plucky [ˈplʌkɪ]
adj pluckier, pluckiest
having or showing courage in the face of difficulties, danger, etc.
pluckily adv
pluckiness n
Early plains homemaker, whether she came by covered wagon or on a train, had few condiments, herbs, or extracts that are taken for granted by today's housewife.
Because of this lack, the early homemaker made one item do the work of many. The use of vinegar is an excellent example of this ingenuity. To make a lemon pie, the sod house dweller used VINEGAR, because lemons were not too plentiful on the plains.
VINEGAR was the main ingredient in spicing fruits and pickling vegetables to preserve them for winter. Various meats were pickled with VINEGAR in the same fashion as fruits and vegetables.
To add variety to meals, VINEGAR was prepared as celery VINEGAR, chili VINEGAR, horse radish VINEGAR, onion VINEGAR, rhubarb VINEGAR, terragon VINEGAR and cider VINEGAR.
VINEGAR was important and still is, for that matter, in preparing relishes, pickles, as well as such childhood delights as piccalilli and salad dressings.
In addition, VINEGAR was used by MRS. HOMESTEADER for other purposes such as crisping vegetables or to clean those cherished pieces of ornate glass ware, brought west in the covered wagon. She learned that VINEGAR, placed in a bowl, when cooking cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sauerkraut, fish or other odoriferous foods, picked up the odor and kept the air pure of these pungent smells.
A little VINEGAR added to the water negated the lingering odors left by the foods whether it was in a pot, pan or dish.
For washing windows and mirrors, VINEGAR was a boon that is still used by today's housewife.
MRS. PLAINSMAN soon found that VINEGAR was good to clean meats by taking and immersing a cloth in some, wringing it out and wiping. She found that VINEGAR also tenderized the tougher cuts of meats.
VINEGAR proved to be a godsend when a gargle was needed; it also proved to be the ingredient to get floors cleaner and provide a coating to prevent rusting of cast iron kettles, pans and pots.
And now without further ado is a Pioneer Recipe for vinegar frosting!
~VINEGAR FROSTING~
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 stiffly beaten egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup water
Combine white sugar, brown sugar, cream of tartar, vinegar, and water in cooking pan. Mix together well and boil to about 238 degrees (soft ball). Beat and pour slowly in stiffly beaten egg whites. Add vanilla then beat until thick and creamy.
God Bless,
d
plucky Mrs. Homesteader here
joining FOODIE FRIDAY
So glad you stopped by for a visit.
Hope you have a good week-end.
God Bless,
d
plucky Mrs. Homesteader here
joining FOODIE FRIDAY
