Making Dinner in 1820s America - Winter, 1823 

Justine's Cat Taxi at your service for all of your feline transportion needs! You can find images of the original recipes (or reciepts as they used to be called) at the end of the video. If you have any questions please drop them below and I will try my best. Probably the most commonly asked question that I get is, "how would they have had lemons in Missouri?! Lemons don't grow in Missouri, especially in winter." To that question I wish to present one back to you. Do lemons grow in Missouri even in 2024? If not, then how are you able to buy them at the store, even during winter? It is the same now as it was back then. Lemons, which ship exceptionally well and can last for months when storred properly, are grown in warm climates such as Florida and are then are shipped up to wherever they need to go. You would then purchase it from market. In our modern age citrus fruits are often picked 6 months before they even make their way to a grocery store. Also, while it may be cold up here, down where such fruits are grown it is not so cold and it is still possible for produce to be grown throughout the winter season. Many of the cookbooks that I source these recipes from are published in Boston or London, places of whom are even farther from tropical climates than Missouri. In fact, the cookbook that this pear tart is sourced from was published in London in 1822 and was intended to be purchased by those of the "middling class" (which is the time's equvilant to the middle class that we have today). It is titled, "The Frugal Housewife" and mentions the word lemon 54 times throughout its pages. Mashed Trunips (The Frugal Housewife, 1822) 2 Turnips, peeled 2 tablespoons of Butter Salt to taste Peel and remove the heads off of your turnips. In a pot cover them with water and boil till soft, or around half an hour. They are done once a fork easily passes through them. Mash well with salt and butter. Pear Tart (The Frugal Housewife, 1822) 3-4 medium sized pears, cored & sliced 1 lemon 2 tablespoons of sugar A top & bottom pie paste Gently simmer your cored and sliced pears in water with the zest of 1 lemon until tender, or about 10 minutes. Remove the pears from the water but be sure to keep the water that they were boiled in. Lay a paste at the bottom of a tart pan. Sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of sugar. Now lay in your pears. Over the pears squeeze in the juice from half of a lemon and sprinkle over it 1 additional tablespoon of sugar. Lay a top crust over it and crimp the edges. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. To Stew Red Cabbage & Sausages (American Domestic Cookery, 1823) 1 head of red cabbage, cored & sliced into ribbons 1 tablespoon of butter 2 tablespoons of vinegar Salt & pepper to taste Sausages. The quanitity of your choice In a skillet over medium heat melt some butter then fry up your sausages in it till done. Remove the sausages from the skillet, reserving the drippings. In the same skillet, again over medium heat, add your cabbage and cook till soft. Once soft add salt, pepper & vinegar. Cook for an additional minute only then serve.

I couldn't imagine having to do all this being pregnant or have 3 or 4 toddlers running around or feeling sick.Yet women do this daily still around the world.

I would love to see you clean up after dinner ( washing dishes, drying) and getting the kitchen ready for the next day

All of my skillets are cast iron. Some were passed on to me from generations of passing down. I use them daily! You're right about being heavy. I'm 4'11" and weigh 95 lbs. I can sling those things all over the kitchen. Oh and I'm 70.

Who else is watching this at bedtime to wind down?!👋

Ron and his sneaky, sheepish smile after taking some of the food when Justine wasn't looking 😅 so cute!

Justine you are truly a lady of the old west as you fought that skillet ❤

😂That kitty has a Sweet Life.Simply Beautiful ❤️❤️❤️

I watch your videos and my BP goes down. Thanks you!

I know turnips were a staple because they were easy to grow…as I little girl on my granny’s old farmstead in Arkansas, I never liked cooked turnips but I loved to eat them raw. Drove that poor woman NUTS!

LOL - No words needed. Wonderful sight and sound of cooking the old American way. Thank you.

Mish Mish sure is one spoiled putty tat! 😊 Erm, anyways, a meal like this looks and sounds absolutely perfect right now! We just got done having four days of nonstop rain here in southern California, and nothing goes better with that cloudy, chilly weather than large plates full of warm, heavy food! 😋 Thank you both as always for all of the work you put into your videos! It's deeply appreciated it! EDIT: 11:33 Ron, you sly dog! 🤣

HAHAHA Ron being on the sly with the bite of sausage and then smiles to the camera!! Adorbs! Nice move.

That meal looks BEYOND delicious!!!!

Everything looks really good-especially the pear tart-it’s nice to Ron helping out with the cooking😄

Thanks for another great video and a wonderful looking meal!

Such a classic pear tart. Timeless, beautiful and I’m certain delicious. Thank you Justine.

My night-time viewing is complete, love your content. Best wishes from the UK

My family’s dog just passed away today and I’m watching this before bed to calm myself down, thank you guys 🧡

You must be so warm with fire chilly today looks so delicious too!❤😊

Thank you for the great videos as always!

Wow girl! That tart in the Dutch oven, inside, and the way you handled the fire…Impressive!! You are such a good cook!! And you pull off looking pretty while you do it too 👏

Your so skilled! I can tell that you love what you do and we love learning from you! 🌷🌷🌷

Justine's Cat Taxi! So funny.

I got your Christmas reply the other day. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to everyone. So kind of you. 😊 Erin Stover

Justine, you are amazing as usual. I love the channel! Keep up the good work!

I absolutely love your channel. Thank you!

Turnips are awesome!!!! And of you leave them in the ground until after a hard frost, they're sweeter! I love them raw, cooked, mashed....maybe I should try them roasted!🤔

I love, love, love this channel! I really love history, and this is so well done. Close to a time machine.. The sounds of the cooking and the fire are so nice. And the food always looks delicious.❤😊

Back in the day when FOOD WAS FOOD!! And everything looks so delicious!

Love the new episode guys ! Always a true pleasure to watch and learn and reflect on a better time

Wonderful meal! But I tend to think thats why ladies rarely smiled when picture taking, just cooking a meal was even hard!!! Plus congratulations on your marriage to each other, cant wait to watch ! 💞

your channel brings me peace ❤

Nice! Love mashed turnips during the winter. A great alternative to tired potatoes, with a slight kick and more nutrients. Also, great roasted with just simple salt, pepper, and a bit of roast beef.

Another great cooking video, you make it look so easy but I know it’s anything but. Thank you for all your hard work, I really had no idea how people cooked 200 years ago until I started watching your videos. I like the way you’ve added Ron helping with the cooking, seems only fair that he gets to help seeing as how he loves to eat on the chew and chat. 😆😂😁God bless.

I love to see Ron cooking too! I work while my husband does the cooking and hes so good at it! Ron also looks like he can cut a mean cabbage!! Lol. Justine makes me laugh how she can add a bit of humor handling that heavy pan!! I just love her. What a great couple!! Thank u for fantastic videos

Hello, you two made my evening and the sweet 🐈. The fun, scenic, peaceful atmosphere and delicious food is just so inviting to watch! Thanks for posting these videos! Take care & blessings!🙂

The food looked really good. Stay awesome.

Imagine all of the wonderful meals cooked in that old skillet!

Love cabbage so much will even eat sauerkraut cold.

Love this looks delicious ! ❤

Yummy. This meal looks delicious. Think you for sharing it! ❤😊❤

Love your cat taxi and mmmmm those sausages look really good!

Boy...They ate very well back then!

Sausage/cabbage, pork/cabbage, bacon/cabbage omgosh it's so good! I go home to Hawaii my mom knows I want Sausage ( Portuguese) and cabbage, love you mom R.I.P..

This looks like a very filling meal!! I think Ron will enjoy it also! Blessings.

A hearty winter feast! Tried and true recipes that last the test of time.

you go girl , thanks for the great video's

WOW !!!! You make everything look so delicious and easy.😊

My Oma used to make this for us all the time. i love it. didnt think that the recipe was that old. awesome !

Not a fan of turnips but that recipe will work for other root vegetables for me… the red cabbages and sausages is one of my favorite meals! Looks delish!🥰💕❤️👍👍

That dinner looks devine! So colorful. I’m going to make it and add sauerkraut on the side!!! Thanks❤️.

What a perfect meal! Prepared with such care and love.

Loved how Ron breaks the fourth wall when Justine is acting a little agitated. What are you reading, girl?😂❤

With all due respect Ron you have yourself quite a beautiful lady and her cooking is set apart . I bet her meals taste as good as they look. Take care you two , God bless . I sure enjoy these videos you all put together.

This all looks so good. EXCEPT the cooked turnips. I LOVE turnips raw, but I can't stand them cooked. And yes, my mom was a good cook and she fixed them a lot, but I never would eat them so she always let me have some raw. 😉 But then again, I have never eaten them mashed, so who knows?? Maybe🤔

I thought maybe I was an odd ball loving these videos so much until I looked at how many people subscribe to your channel!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine telling a family from 1820 that people subscribe to watching people live their lives how they did every day and become so fascinated with it. They would be like 😳🙃.

This meal looks absutely amazing! Great job, Justine!

So,so enjoyable....thank you!

I've just discovered y'all... WOW! One of my favorite vacations was Old Williamsburg. That was 30+ years ago. We need to return. I just LOVE watching y'all and the crackling fire just makes it feel like I'm right there. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it up please!!!!

Justine, my kids and I never miss an episode! We ❤️ your content!!

I love Mish Mish so much! He reminds me of my kitty, Lovey, that was all black and lived to be 19. I think black cats are good luck and wonderful! I also love how happy you always seem when you cook. You can tell its a labor of love and not just for viewers benefit. I have an antique cookbook from early 1900's, that was my great grandmother's. Thank you for what you do!!!

This meal looks so delicious! And I love the MishMish taxi service! Lol! 💕😼

Greetings from Montana 😊❤👋🇺🇸 Mish Mish looked like he was an Egyptian god being carried around in his chariot! 😂🤣 Another delicious frontier meal!! Thanks, Justine! 😊🇺🇸😊🇺🇸😊🇺🇸

The sneaky sausage bite… LOL

Everything looks so tasty! And MishMish looks like he enjoyed his ride!❤

Great handling of that heavy skillet!!!! Dinner looks very good. ❤

Looks so good, Justine! Loved every minute as usual. You are glowing and not from the cooking. You'll be a beautiful bride. May you and Ron be blessed and I'll see you next week! xoxo

Beautiful prepared meal🤤 Puts to shame tonight's tuna fish and buttered French bread of mine...

Justine, another beautiful meal . I love your recipes and everything about your channel. I am a super fan and I tell everyone about you. I love mashed turnips, also mashed rutabaga, and mashed parsnips. They are all wonderful root vegetables, all on their own, whichever one one of them I decide to make , I make them the same. I peel them boil them and then use my electric mixer with real butter and salt and pepper. I don't even know which is my favorite, each one is so good. But I also like to make a root vegetable casserole, that is so amazing. And when you made the mashed turnips it made me think of a recipe that I will share with everyone. Peel, slice and partial boil; Turnip Parsnip Rutabaga Carrot Sweet potato. Partial boil so they do not fall apart layer in a large casserole dish. Slice up a stick of real salted ebutter and insert it all into the casserole. Salt and pepper the top. Sprinkle pecans all over top Spinkle brown sugar all over the top (half cup-whole cup depending on how big your casserole is). and a tsp of cinnamon. Some people like a tiny bit of powdered clove like a quarter tsp. Bake at 350 until the vegetables are soft, and break with a fork. the pecans and brown sugar will get a crisp up as it cools a little. The salt and sweet in the casserole and the mixture of the roots, just make an amazing dish.

Looks so good as always. Good to see Ron and Mish Mish in the video. Sneaking food Ron! for Shame! Justine will get sme serious muscles with that pan in the house ❤❤

I just cracked up when you were tossing that skillet. So funny😂

I can’t tell you how much my golden retiever enjoyed this video 😆❤️

Perfection! Absolutely love it. Enjoy!

The sausage and the red cabbage looks delicious! I will have to try. Great video as usual.I like to see Mish Mish riding on the wagon! David Back.

I think I’d try anything you cook. I don’t think I’ve ever had turnips. I love pears so the tart looks wonderful. Watching the chew & chat that I’ve missed again next. ❤

Justine your ASMR cooking videos are the best!

Haha when he snuck a bite. 😂

So pleased I came accross this channel, I love to watch the early methods of cooking., from England ❤

I love you guys and your videos!!

The silent interactions between you and your (soon to be!) husband are so cute!

First time commenting here !!, love your channel and the peaceful and quietness of it, and the cat !!……….. your techniques using the methods of old like you do are really interesting !!!, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding !

A winter comfort meal! I still make this all the time in exactly the same way! Timeless receipts. Thanks Justine. And Ron, everyone saw you sneak a bite of sausage! LOL!

I’ve just stumbled upon your channel today and I already love it. While I love modern convenience, there’s a charm to this.

Love your videos ❤

I don’t know what book Justine was reading, but it sure was driving her mad! Lol. Cracked me up. Also, food looks tasty as always. 😋

Looks great Justine and No doubt, it's delicious. Justine's Cat Taxi...😹

Looks SO Good...

Beautiful! It looks like a delicious meal! I love sausages and cabbage, too.

Love the "SAUSAGE" bite Ron!!! Absolutely classic!!! I bet that was really good!!!

Love watching these videos. I have made a few of the recipes and have been so tasty. I will be trying these. Outside is extremely windy and pouring with rain, so this comfort good will be welcome!

Thanks for this good video,, I love the old recepts greetings from the Nederlands.

Yum.. Love red cabbage with sausage. Turnips are hard to find so I use rutabaga. Such a wonderful hardy meal in winter! Love your cooking videos Congratulations on your coming wedding!

I eally like the way you prepared both the sausage and the cabbage. Never occured to me to brown/fry cabbage with a little butter. Must have riched up the flavor. Cooking cabbage with a little vinegar makes perfect sense. I'll have to try making both your way. Thanks for this video!

Thanks!

Aww a cart ride for Mish Mish! Everything looks delicious! Except the turnips. I know they were used alot back then as an alternative to potatoes, but not a fan.

Nice to see Ron put to work cooking!!

His little smirk at the camera...😂❤

Look at Ron sneaking that bite. Bad, bad, Ron! 😂

I always enjoy watching the full dinner videos. As someone who's often too lazy to cook for myself, these videos help motivate me to get back to cooking full meals again.