Author Archives: Kevin Carter

Salted Meat for a Long Journey at Sea

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Kevin Carter

I recently received an email from a fellow historical foodie, who…well, for efficiency sake, I’ll include his email message while respecting his privacy: Good evening, First I’d like to say that I watch your YouTube historical cooking videos quite avidly, … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century Cooking, Historic Cooking, Recipe | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Christmas Pie

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Kevin Carter

In most English societies, for centuries Christmas has been a time of gatherings, and food, and festivities, and traditions, and family. For many people in the eighteenth century, Christmas was celebrated much differently than it typically is today. Remnants of … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th Century Cooking, Baking, Historic Cooking, Ingredients, Pies, Recipe, Spices, Video | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

A Short Paste, a Delicious Pear Tart, and a Choice of Three Toppings

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Kevin Carter

I’ve mentioned in an early post that there were, for the most part, three types of pastry crusts used in 18th century cooking. This is admittedly a simplification of the goings-on of the old English kitchen. There were other types … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Ingredients, Recipe, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Three Dozen Mince Pie Recipes Later — the Fallacy of Precision

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Kevin Carter

I recently completely a side-by-side comparison of a number of 18th and early 19th century recipes for mince pie — 36 recipes in all from 24 different sources. I have to admit that when I get involved in something like … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Pies | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

An 18th Century Cookbook Dedicated to the Sweet Tooth

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Kevin Carter

Here’s an interesting cookbook by Frederick Nutt, originally written in 1789, called “The Complete Confectioner, or the Whole Art of Confectionery.” Just in time for the holidays, its repertoire of recipes includes biscuits, drops, prawlings, ice creams, water ices, fruits … Continue reading →

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The Complexities and Perils of Baking a Cake

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Kevin Carter

In her 1807 book “A New System of Domestic Cookery; Formed upon Principles of Economy, and Adapted to the use of Private Families,” Maria Eliza Ketelby Rundell offers wonderfully helpful advice to the novice baker, especially when it comes to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Recipe, Video | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A Puff Paste Recipe (with a secret confession)

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Kevin Carter

Our third video series, “18th Century Cooking with Jas. Townsend & Son,” is embarking on a closer look at the three more common types of pastry crusts used in 18th century cookery: the standing crust, the puff paste, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Ingredients, Pies, Recipe, Video | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Read Twice, Bake Once.

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Kevin Carter

When it comes to interpreting 18th century cookbooks, sometimes it pays to go with your instinct when it tells you a recipe may be inaccurate. Take for instance this recipe from the book “The Universal Cook” by Francis Collingwood and … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Ingredients, Pies, Recipe, Spices | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Standing Crust Recipe

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Kevin Carter

The standing crust was probably the oldest form of pastry in English cooking. While it really wasn’t intended to be consumed, it was an ingenious culinary invention designed to serve as a baking dish, a storage dish, and a serving … Continue reading →

Posted in Pies, Recipe | 7 Comments

Spices in the 18th Century English Kitchen

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Kevin Carter

Proper seasoning can make all the difference between a bland chunk of meat and a course fit for royalty. We decided to dig through a collection of 18th and early 19th century cookbooks to see which spices were mentioned. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments