Ancestral food for the holidays

The holiday season is upon us here in the states.  Thanksgiving is this week and then there are all the holidays that fall between now and January for the countless religions found here.  One thing that always strikes me during this time, and makes me especially proud and thankful, are the service members who give up their time with their families.

After I left for college my mom would volunteer for holiday duty.  It was just her and dad, no kids at home, and even if I did show up for a visit my experience was not ruined because she pulled call at the hospital.  I got it.  She did what she did so those other doctors could have time at home with their children and make memories.

Last Thursday I gave a lecture to the Fairfax Genealogical Society on using naval records for genealogical use, particularly those from the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC).  In the course of my research for the lecture I found a little gem tucked away in their digital archives.  Menus from the 20^th century of holiday and special occasion meals that were served on ships or bases.  I was in heaven for a few hours as I read through what there sailors and other personnel ate on those days so many years ago.

I love looking at the social history and this, the food, can be one of the biggest social history finds!  What our ancestors ate was nothing like what we eat today.  Something they considered staples we avoid like the plague.  Below are a few of the "Menus From Ship to Shore" I found that I thought were particularly interesting.  I hope you do too!

U.S.S. Kentucky, 1907

Thanksgiving Dinner

Oyester Soup, Crackers

Roast Turkey, Giblet Gravy

Oyster Dressing, Cranberry Sauce

Celery

Sliced Smithfield Ham

Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Corn

Green Peas, Mince Pies

Ice Cream, Fruit Cake

Apples, Bananas, Grapes

Coffee

Mixed Nuts, Raisins

Cigars, Cigarettes

Cider

U.S.S. Arizona  29 November 1917

Thanksgiving Dinner

Oyster Cocktail

Soups:  Cream of Chicken, Tomato

Relishes: Celery, Sweet Pickles

Entrees: Spiced Virginia Ham, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Caper Sauce

Roasts: Princess Anne Turkey, Giblet Gravy, Oyster Dressing, Baked New Potatoes, Asparagus Tips, Cranberry Sauce

Salads: Combination Fruit, Mayonnaise

Desserts: Mince Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Oranges, Apples, Bananas, Assorted Nuts

Coffee

Cocoa

U.S.S. Case, Navy Yard, Philadephia, PA, 1929

Thanksgiving Dinner

Roast Vermont Turkey

Sweet Pickles, Fancy Celery

Cream of Celery Soup

Giblet Gravy, Oyster Dressing

Cranberry Sauce, Creamed Pes

Candied Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes

Mince Pie

Erick Ice Cream, Cake

Mixed Nuts

Oranges, Apples

Grapes

Cigars, Cigarettes

Demi Tasse

U.S.S. Craven, 24 November 1938

Thanksgiving Day

Stuffed Olives, Sweet Pickles, Sweet Relish

Cream of Tomato Soup

Crackers

Roast Tom Turkey, Sage Dressing

Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Sauce

Candied Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes

Creamed Peas, Buttered Asparagus

Lettuce Tomato Salad

Ice Cream, Fruit Cake

Cigarettes, Mixed Nuts, Cigars

Coffee

U.S.S Iowa, 25 November 1943

Thanksgiving Dinner

Citrus Fruit Coctail [sic] Maraschino

Hearts of Kalamazoo Celery, Pimento Stuffed Olives

California Ripe Olives

Essence of Tomato Bouillon, Lemon

Saltines

Jellied Fruit Mold

French Dressing

Roast Young Vermont Turkey

Cranberry Jelly, Piquant Dressing

Giblet Gravy

Snowflake Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes

New Peas in Butter

Hot Cheese Biscuits

Old Fashioned Mince Pies

Coffee

Naval Air Station Norfolk, 27 November 1958

Thanksgiving Dinner

Chilled Tomato Coup

Turkey Gumbo Soup, Backed Spiced Ham

Whole Cranberry Sauce, Hawaiian Pineapple Sauce

Apple and Rasin Bread Dressing

Country Syle Giblet Gravy

Snow White Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes

Buttered Golden Grain Corn, Tender Asparagus Tips

Individual Salad Selections

Assorted Olives, Sweet Mixed Pickles

Raw Salad Bar

Hot Parker House Rolls, Butter Chips

Pumpkin Pie, Fruit Cake, Glazed Mincemeat Pie

Chilled Fresh Fruits

Assorted Mixed Nuts

Hard Candy

Cigarettes, Cigars

Hot Coffee, Fresh Milk, Chocolate Milk

Fearless Females: Favorite Recipe

 Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen.  Why is this dish your favorite?

My mom doesn't cook, she burns water.  No really, she is an excellent surgeon but unless it is baking (very similar to lab experiments) or can be microwaved my mom is pretty useless in the kitchen.  However, her mother was a fantastic cook.  Homemade noodles, soups, roasts, you name it she could cook it.

One of my favorite recipes, and my mom’s too, was grandma’s Shrimp Creole.  I have begged for this recipe for years, after I lost my first copy, and finally got it from my dad this past December.  One of the last times I remember grandma cooking for our family she was making this dish. 

She lived with us the last few years of her life and usually she sat in the kitchen talking with my dad as he cooked.  Grandma was a talker.  She could spin a yarn that had you hanging on every word.  One night she decided to make Shrimp Creole, probably as a favor to my mom, and we loved it.  I can still see her sitting at the stove on a bar stool stirring the ingredients, tasting it, adding more, and being completely content. 

I have made this twice in my life.  Once in college for an “adult” dinner (we had friends over and I wanted to have a nice sit down dinner, you know, like adults) in which I learned the value of already peeled and deveined shrimp.  A few years later I cooked it again when I had a craving for shrimp, thankfully I remember the lessons from the previous attempt and the preparation for cooking took a significantly less amount of time.

If you search for it online there are several other versions of this dish out there.  Some call for celery to be added, or different spices   One day I may try these, when I am being more adventurous and not wanting a taste of grandmas cooking.

Hope you enjoy and if you try it let me know if you like it!

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

1 tbs butter

1 tsp flour

½ C water

1 C strained tomatoes

1 C chopped onion

3 lbs peeled and washed shrimp

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 thinly sliced green pepper

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper taste

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Rice

Directions:

Melt butter in skillet.  Add flour to thicken.  Add the ingredients in order listed except Worcestershire sauce.  Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.  Add Worcestershire sauce.  Serve over rice.

Notes:

• 2 or 3 cans of shrimp may be used but just ass long enough to reheat (today I would say this means precooked frozen shrimp since I never remember seeing canned shrimp in my life).
• My grandma and dad both added garlic juice to taste for a more subtle flavor.

Family History Writing Projects

Tomorrow begins the Family History Writing Challenge, and boy I am ready to get this show started.  I have thought, considered, discussed, reconsidered, and finally decided on what my month long project will be.  Actually, it will be 2 projects.  Yep, the over achiever has struck again.

Project 1: Heirloom Histories

I have a lot of items in my house that are not valuable to anyone outside of the family.  Items that include treasured bits of paper, figurines, costume jewelry, and books just to name a few.  However, each has a story and I want to make sure that I am able to write those down before they are lost to the winds. With any luck this will be a project that I can continue building on for a long time to come.

Project 2: Family Cookbook

This is a project that I have been organizing through my mom’s Arvin/Armstrong family for the past few months.  It all started last fall when I went hunting for a recipe for a dish my grandmother used to make.  I couldn’t find it, but luckily my dad found his copy.  You can read the story at my post Family Notes and Good Food. That was the catalyst I needed to get me seriously thinking about a cookbook of family recipes.  I wanted to get them all written down so the next generations can have them too.

Over the next month I will sit down and write a story and/or format a page of the cookbook each day.  My goal is 250 words minimum each day for the story or a recipe completely formatted.  Of course I will share my experiences with you all along the way.  Posting will keep me honest and on track as I complete my daily goals. It is my intention to do a week in review post on Monday mornings that will give you my progress updates, frustrations, how it is all going in general, plus my favorite story that I wrote week before.  You know that I can’t resist telling a good story after all.  If I have more than one story to share I will post them over that next week while I am writing my next set.

Okay, I have a plan…now off to make it happen!

Week 23 of Abundant Genealogy

Week 23: Family Traditions: For which family tradition are you most thankful? How did the tradition start? Which family members have been responsible for keeping the tradition alive and how has it shaped your own family history?

This has been a real stumper for me.  I can't think of any long lasting, multi generational, traditions.  Neither could my husband.  We have been together almost 20 years and we can't think of anything that we do that could be called a tradition.  Unless you count our annual pilgrimage to the grandparents for the winter holidays. 

The few memories I have of anything vaguely resembling a tradition revolves around food.  For example: at Christmas my Grandma Arvin would make a homemade cranberry relish.  My dad makes it on occasion now and then, and so do I.  It always reminds me of her, and many of the funnier moments growing up when you can laugh at someone blowing up a blender full of food all over themselves and the kitchen.

To be honest it is an easy recipe, but the key is letting it stew in its juices.  If you don't it is really bitter.  The longer it sits in the fridge the sweeter it gets.  I am guilty of one too many times not letting it sit long enough.  The pursed lips of my family from across the table and the look from my husband is the first clue that while I like it not everyone does.

Ingredients:
Bag whole cranberries frozen (helps with chopping)
1 large naval orange
1 large green apple
1 quirt lemon juice
Sugar

Directions:
In a food processor (or blender) add the cranberries, and 1/4 of the orange peel.  Chop finely.  Separately slice the oranges and apples (with skin on) into thin pieces.  Add the cranberries, oranges, and apples to a bowl.  Squirt some lemon juice in it and sugar to taste (at least 1/2 a cup).  Stir and let sit for 1/2 an hour in the refrigerator.  Serve cold.

Maybe it will make an appearance at a dinner table this winter... and hopefully not all over the kitchen first.

*Image: Muffet via photo pin cc