I have always been wary of parsnips.When I was little, our dinner vegetables tended toward the traditional: peas, green beans, corn, carrots, salad. For a long time I didn't know what parsnips were. Based on the name I thought they were something like turnips, which I knew all about from reading the Molly McIntire series… Continue reading Fried Parsnips
Author: Abby Murphy
I'm a writer and a history teacher, and I blog about (no surprise here) history, books, and writing.
Snowstorm
Last weekend, Josh and I drove to visit his family in Connecticut. We headed down on Saturday morning, planning to celebrate his birthday with pizza and card games.Except we hadn't reckoned on a snowstorm.It was October, all right? It doesn't snow in October. Especially not when the trees are still full of red and gold… Continue reading Snowstorm
Fried Potatoes
I'm starting to notice something about this project. Are you?There's not a lot of color in prairie food. It's mostly shades of brown. Which could go to a gross place, but I'd rather think of it as a commentary on the limited availability of food and storage out on the prairie. It seems that once… Continue reading Fried Potatoes
Johnny Cake
Back when I was a youthful graduate student, my roommates and I decided to explore the best of Rhode Island. We made it to the Hope Street farmer's market and a harvest festival before papers, reading, and student teaching took over. Then, in May, we emerged from the cave of school. We realized that we… Continue reading Johnny Cake
Stewed Jack Rabbit and Dumplings
Up to this point, I've been playing it safe. The recipes I've chosen have at least mildly resembled something I've eaten in the past. But that all changes today.That's right. I cooked a bunny.I understand that this post may lose me some readers.* That's okay. The nineteenth-century prairie wasn't all dry cornbread and apple turnovers.… Continue reading Stewed Jack Rabbit and Dumplings
Apple Turnovers
These are the two things I've learned so far from this project:1. Pies and pie-like things haven't changed much since the 19th century.2. Animal fat is sinfully delicious.You already know that I'm a salt pork enthusiast. Having only cooked with butter and oil prior to starting this project, the pork was a pleasant surprise. But… Continue reading Apple Turnovers
Fried Fish
Every summer my family spends a few weeks on a small island on a lake in Ontario, Canada. It's pretty rustic--apparently my sister and I just missed the outhouse years--but it's my favorite part of the summer. We spend our days reading on the porch, swimming before every meal, and canoeing around the bay, just… Continue reading Fried Fish
Huckleberry Pie (a.k.a. Hurricane Pie)
Hello again! I didn't get much historical cooking done this past month, due to a tremendous amount of traveling. Josh and I determined that we spent the equivalent of a weekend in the car driving from state to state (and out of the country), and that my pet hamster is now the most well-traveled hamster… Continue reading Huckleberry Pie (a.k.a. Hurricane Pie)
Cornbread
Oh, friends. I knew it couldn't last long. Three tasty meals right out of the gate? It was time for something bad. I just wasn't expecting it to be the cornbread.I love cornbread. I don't have it all that often--it's one of those foods that I forget I like until I find it at a… Continue reading Cornbread
Stuffed Roasted Hen
For my birthday yesterday, I tricked Josh into eating a Laura Ingalls Wilder roasted chicken.It was a good day.While he slaved away on grade reports, I got to work in his kitchen. First I made the stuffing: a savory blend of bread, butter, sage, and salt and pepper. As Walker recommended, I melted a quarter… Continue reading Stuffed Roasted Hen
Abby Murphy 