I was reading through some cookbooks last night and happened upon this grocery list from 1773 for the Earl of Dunmore (from the Williamsburg Art of Cookery book) but I’ve typed it in more modern English. Huzzah! Looks like party time at the Dunmores:
15 Dozen bottle of Strong Beer
15 Dozen of Ale
3 Hogsheads of Porter
12 large chesshire Cheese
2 Dozen Gloucester cheese
100 lb. Currants
50 lb. Jar Raisins
4 lb. Mace
2 lb. Nutmegs
1 lb. Cloves
1 lb. Cinnamon
24 lb. Black Pepper
6 lb. Jamaica pepper (I’m guessing that’s a hot pepper)
2 Boxes Hand Soap
2 Casks of Barley
24 Bottles Mustard
20 lb. Isinglass (no clue?)
100 lb. Rice
100 lb. split peas
50 lb. Maccaroni (Yankee Doodle!)
20 Dozen Packs of Cards
1 Barrel of good Vinegar
1 Dozen Wine and Beer Cocks (maybe corks or crocks?)
30 lb. Almonds
12 Bottles of Olives
6 Bottles of Capers
4 Dozen pint Bottles of best Oil
12 Bottles small pickled Onions
12 Bottles of small pickled Cucumbers
12 Dozen Wine Glasses
6 Dozen Tumblers
6 Dozen Quart Bottle Decanters with Handles
3 Dozen 2 Quart Decanters
Does anyone know what the cup measurement would be for a recipe calling for a teacup, a large teacup and a coffee cup?
Hey, I have that cookbook too. May years ago we were stationed in Yorktown Va. I don’t think I have ever cooked anything out of it.
If you are into real old cookbooks and the like -check this link out:
http://www.foodtimeline.org/
Warning: you could be on that site for hours looking around - I was - and now I wish I didn’t remember it because I’m being drawn to it again-—drat:>)
Isinglass is a substance obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish. It is a form of collagen used mainly for the clarification of wine and beer.
A beer cock is essentially what we call a ‘tap’. In Dunmore’s time, they were gravitic; the keg or barrel had to be above the cock. You can see old beer cocks in numerous beer museums and/or on a tour of an old-time brewery. I know they’re part of the tour at the Urquell brewery in Plzen and the Carlsburg brewery also have them, I think.
Yep sounds like a big card party for sure. A hogshead is 63 three Gallons so they ordered 189 gallons of porter and 180 bottles each of beer and ale.
I googled it and found that Jamaica pepper is nothing more (or less) than the king of spices, my beloved allspice. If I had to limit myself to one spice, I would take allspice even over black pepper.
Mostly used as a sweet spice, it is also in most corned beef spice packets. It gets along very well with beef and other meats. Try dropping a dozen of the berries (contained in a spice ball or cheesecloth) in bean or pea soup.
I have a pepper mill I have dedicated to the grinding of whole allspice berries, which I would think is what I am sure they are talking about.
If they meant dried Jamaican peppers, they would mean chiles, and six pounds of those would be a huge amount.
Isinglass Looks like it is a brewery item.