My friend Amy told me about a new book entitled Fannie’s Last Supper: Re-creating One Amazing Meal from Fannie Farmer’s 1896 Cookbook by Chris Kimball, the host of America’s Test Kitchen and the editor of Cook’s Magazine. Yippee, I thought! A book about Fannie Farmer and a cook who spent two years (!) recreating Fannie’s twelve-course Christmas supper from 1896. My heart beat so fast I could barely contain myself. I immediately bought the book and dove right in.

Kimball’s premise was that after buying his 1859 Victorian townhouse in Boston he became so fascinated with the lifestyles of the era. Around the same time he found an old copy of a Fanny Farmer cook book. This lead him to wonder about the cooking of the era.

As I read the acknowledgments, I realized this man obviously has just a bit more access to cash then I do. His wife began to restore their town house and fill it with the proper antiques, he was able to hire a researcher, a man to restore his Number 7 cast iron cookstove, a test cook (can’t this man cook?), five sous-chef (again can’t this man cook?), two people to clean up, and six wait staff. Oh, and lets not forget Yvonne who engineered the Mandarin Cake and Andrea who “played” with the jellies and homemade calves foot gelatin. Phew! Naw, I’m not envious I promise. But I’m still questioning whether this guy can cook.

More than just a family over for dinner!

Anyway, after getting through those details I dug into chapter one on Victorian punch. I got kind of worried after reading on page 11 this “Victorians were also less apt to invite friends over for dinner. Dining in someone else’s home was an intensely personal event, and an invitation was the “highest form of social compliment.”  Uh,oh. I found no foot note for this interesting, and slightly erroneous piece of information, (and I quickly learned that the bad editing job on the book meant that the few footnotes he does have do not match with the page numbers). Victorians of a higher social status often ate out at each others home and yes, it was a form of social compliment. But you did it often. Did he notice all those ways of setting the table in the Fanny Farmer cookbook? It sure wasn’t just for Ma, Pa, and the kids……

On page 15 I realized that Mr. Kimball is no objective historian. He writes “Where does one start planning a twelve-course Victorian menu? By the late nineteenth century, home dining was a culinary mishmash, from a simple supper of leftover cold meat and prunes to birds in potato cases and Gateau St. Honore. It was the end and the beginning of an era – everything was up for grabs.”  Well, not exactly Mr. Kimball. What this means is that there were two types of dinners in Victorian times. One was the formal dinner for company that included fancy dishes elegantly prepared, and the other were simple dishes for a Sunday night supper after church when you didn’t want to cook. This was the norm, not a culinary mishmash.

Victorian punch bowl - photo by Joey Day

This chapter also dealt with Victorian punch, or at least it tried to. Mr. Kimball decided  to serve alcoholic punch to his guests while they arrived before dinner. This is despite the fact that Fanny’s Christmas Dinner did not mention a punch. His chapter goes on to detail an interesting history of punch mainly from the 17th and 18th century. Here we see again Mr. Kimball’s strange bias against Victorian cooking and Fanny Farmer in particular which will be oddly laced throughout this book which is supposed to be a book that celebrates her!

He writes, “Things started to go seriously wrong with punch recipes in the early twentieth century. What had been a simple, strong alcoholic drink became a rather revolting cooler, the sort of thing that a modern teenager who was trying to achieve alcoholic oblivion might appreciate.” He goes on to say, “Another recipe,this one from around the turn of the century, suggested adding sliced bananas to the punch bowl. No words can describe the horror.”

I’m sorry Mr. Kimball that bananas in a punch bowl in 1919 brings thoughts of horror to you, but the point is that is what they drank. I’m sure 100 years from now when people read your recipes some one will find your recipes equally horrifying! That is not the point of history. Sigh.

I will be making some of these horror producing punch recipes once I’m back from vacation next week. They look quite good to me. Here’s two that I’m going to try from Fanny’s cookbook.

Ginger Punch

• 1 quart cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 lb Canton ginger
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Chop ginger, add to water and sugar, boil fifteen minutes; add fruit juice, strain, and dilute with crushed ice.

Cider Punch

• 1 quart new or bottled cider
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• Sugar
• 1 quart Apollinaris water
• ice

Mix cider and lemon juice,, and sweeten to taste. Strain into punch-bowl over a large piece of ice. Just before serving add Apollinaris.

My latest issue of MaryJanesFarm Magazine has a whole article on “Bringing Back the Holiday Punch Bowl.” It seems that punch is hot, hot, hot right now with bars in larger cities selling punch bowls and glasses to share with friends.

I’ll report back on the punch experiment and on next week’s book chapter in which is doesn’t deal with Fanny’s oysters – a first course for most formal Victorian meals.

Dan and I spent a long weekend in Ticonderoga, New York visiting my former place of employment, Fort Ticonderoga, for their annual Grand Encampment of the French & Indian War. This annual two-day event is the largest French & Indian War reenactment in the country and usually draws around 1,000 reenactors for the weekend and well over 2,000 visitors to the site.

We really miss the encampment so we thought it would be fun to go back, especially since I wouldn’t have to work it! So we loaded up our car with our 18th-century clothes and gear and headed north for the 1,000-mile drive. If you want to read about where we ate along the way check out Dan’s blog.

I’m going to tell you instead about a non-chain shopping experience with a twist. A way you can support local craftspeople and mom and pop vendors while shopping 18th-century style!

The new Magasin du Roi

If you’ve never been to a reenactment, a typical day for a 21st-century visitor to Fort Ticonderoga can consist of any of the following: touring the Fort and its museum, touring the military camp and talking to the men, women, and children as they do their daily activities,

British forces firing on the French

watching a battle between the French and their Native American allies vs the British and their American Colonial forces, eating in the Fort’s Log House restaurant, or shopping among the perhaps 50 or so sutlers in what is called “Sutlers’ Row.”

Sutlers are vendors who come with 18th-century style tents that they set up and fill with all sorts of period-correct goodies you can purchase to take home with you. Some of the vendors sell things only a reenactor might want. These people tend to be the clothing vendors, but it’s fun to go in and look! Whether you watch an 18th-century lady get fitted for her stays (modestly of course wearing them over her chemise!) or for her newest frock, or a man trying on his new britches ,it can be quite spectacular.

Goodwife Spikerman makes the final adjustment

Here’s a photo of Dan getting some final touches on his green silk waist coat made by Goodwife Spickerman. Dan waited several years for her to complete this magnificent coat — and it was well worth the wait. He received many compliments on the coat and many people stopped us for photos!

However, anyone can make awesome purchases in Sutlers’ Row. Here’s some neat finds you might find enjoyable. Smiling Fox Forge is always at the Encampment and this is a lovely pewter Chocolate Pot that would look lovely in a dining room.

Or if you love copper, check out Westminster Forge, where for 25 years they have been making their own beautiful copperware that anyone would be proud to have in their home. We have several of their pieces and they are exquisite! These works of art are heirlooms you will want to pass down in the family!

Three of our favorite sutlers were not at the Fort – in fact two of them don’t travel any more. But you can still purchase their exquisite items on-line so I wanted to mention these vendors. We became friendly with all three, which is what happens when you shop non-chains. And let’s face it, shopping in a canvas tent with someone wearing 18th-century clothing is about as non-chain as you’re going to get!

The Trunk Shoppe is owned by Katie and Steve Freede, and they make, of course, trunks. Oh my, the most beautiful trunks! Trunks you just want to curl up inside and take naps in (except they are kind of small). Here’s a lovely carriage trunk so wonderfully made.

Talk about heirloom! We loved when Katie and Steve came to the encampment too. They were tons of fun. Here’s the Goodwife introducing her Mastercraftsman husband.

Goodwife Katie and Mastercraftsman Steve

Deb's Reverse Glass Painting of a Highlander!

Debi and Cleon Grover own Historical Reproductions. They are wonderful people who share their love of 18th-century history, art, and swordsmanship with everyone. Deb is a wonderful folk artist and has been frequently named to the Early American Life artisan directory. You can see her painting’s better here. She is known for her reverse painting on glass which is a technique that is very hard to accomplish. Cleon makes reproduction swords and they both demo sword fighting and fencing, which is fascinating to watch if you are lucky enough to get to see it.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not include my dressmakers, who, alas, do not travel much anymore. And again, unless you are a reenactor, it’s doubtful you would make a purchase in their establishment. But The Silly Sisters have been too good to me to not include them. Their clothing is carefully researched and documented and beautifully sewn. I am always dressed head to toe in Silly Sisters clothing.

Goodwife Anne and Goodwife Lisa at Fort Ticonderoga

Here I am at Fort Ti with my good friend Mistress Anne (I’m in the black hat). I’m sporting a Silly Sister short gown, petticoat (no that’s not my undergarment), shift (yes, that’s my undergarment) apron, modesty piece, mob cap, and stays. New black hat from Williamsburg. (Here’s a great link that illustrates a woman getting dressed step by step 18th-century style that shows all these layers of cloths and how they should be worn. )

So next time you see a reenactment advertised in your neck of the woods, whether it be a Revolutionary War, Civil War, or French & Indian War one, go check it out and shop Sutlers’ Row for some unusual non-chain purchases while supporting mom and pop vendors and crafters.

Please let me know if you already are a reenactment shopper. Tell us about your experiences – we want to know!