Abby Murphy

  • Fried Parsnips

    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… Continue reading

  • 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?… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading

  • 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… Continue reading