Author: sandramervillehart

Blackberry Blanc-Mange Recipe from 1877

/ sandramervillehart

I found a recipe for Raspberry Blanc-Mange in an 1877 cookbook that had been submitted by Mrs. J.P. Rea of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mrs. Rea suggested that other fruit could be substituted for raspberries. Since I had fresh blackberries in the fridge, I used blackberries.

Blancmange is a new dessert to me. I’d never made or eaten it. This sweet dessert is usually made with milk and sugar. Cornstarch, gelatin, and Irish moss—a seaweed found near Ireland—are used to thicken the blancmange.

The dessert is traditionally white, but this fruity recipe is a rich burgundy color.

As with most of the recipes in the 1877 cookbook, there is a lot of guesswork. It didn’t suggest how much fruit to “stew” in the first step.

I washed 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) of fresh blackberries and put them in a medium saucepan. I added a cup of water, which ended up being a good amount for this amount of fruit.

These cooked on a medium heat. After they began a slow boil, I cooked them around 8 – 10 minutes, long enough to extract the flavorful juices from the blackberries.

Strain the fruit. Discard the blackberries and return the juice to the pan. There will be a little more than the amount of water added in the beginning.

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per pint of juice. Mine made a little over a cup, so I used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. To this add twice the amount of water—2 tablespoons of water for mine. Stir and set aside.

Mrs. Rea suggested sweetening the juice to taste. Having no idea how sweet blancmange is, I stirred in ¼ cup of sugar. When this mixture begins to boil on a medium heat, drizzle in the reserved cornstarch mixture. It thickens immediately.

Whisk constantly while it continues to boil for another minute or two. Remove from heat.

Rinse molds in cold water and add the blancmange. Chill for at least 2 hours to allow the dessert to set.

Twelve ounces of blackberries made 2 servings. Adjust the quantities for the number of servings desired.

Turn the mold onto a serving plate. Mrs. Rea suggesting eating it with cream and sugar. I liked it plain.

Though it didn’t turn out overly sweet, I will reduce the amount of sugar next time to 2 tablespoons for 2 servings.

I loved the rich color of the blancmange. I like blackberries and the refreshing taste took me back to summer days of eating cobblers and jams. I will reduce the amount of sugar next time to 2 tablespoons for 2 servings.

I’d love to hear if you try this recipe with other fruits.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

“Blankmange,” Wikipedia, 2018/01/13 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blancmange.

Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 1877.

 

 

 

Great White Hurricane of 1888

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

Heavy snow and wind gusts as high as 85 miles per hour brought whiteout conditions to New York City at midnight on Sunday, March 11, 1888.

Snow drifts had reached the second story of buildings in some areas, yet folks in that city braved the snow on Monday morning to get to work. Many of the elevated trains were blocked by snow drifts, stranding about 15,000 people.

Most city residents who made it to work or school left early—then had a treacherous journey back home.

Railroads and streetcars shut down. Roads were impassible. Train passengers were stuck for days. Two hundred ships wrecked because of the storm.

Telegraph wires fell. Gas lines and water lines—all above-ground—froze.

The storms historic three-day snowfall reached 55 inches in Troy, New York. Snow and high winds affected all those living along the Atlantic coast. About 25% of Americans lived from Washington D.C. to Maine, the area affected by the storm.

Stores ran out of fresh meat, canned meat, and salt meat. Scarce food was sometimes sold to the highest bidder, not to loyal regular customers.

Over 400 people died as a result of this Great White Hurricane—200 were in New York City.

Mark Twain, the beloved author, was stranded at a New York hotel. P.T. Barnum, also stuck at a hotel, entertained other folks likewise stranded at Madison Square Gardens.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

History.com Staff. “Major Blizzards in U.S. History,” History.com, 2018/01/07

http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/major-blizzards-in-u-s-history.

History.com Staff. “March 11, 1888: Great Blizzard of ’88 hits East Coast,” History.com, 2018/01/07

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/great-blizzard-of-88-hits-east-coast.

“Surprising Stories: The Great White Hurricane of 1888,” New England Historical Society, 2018/01/07

http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/great-white-hurricane-of-1888/.

 

 

Last Stop, Cordelia by Lisa Carter

/ sandramervillehart

The Rails to Love Romance Collection

 The action begins with the first paragraph!

Neil MacBride risks his life to save Cordelia Cochrane, but is she grateful? No, the feisty reporter actually has the nerve to tell Neil that he should have let her remain in danger—she’d get a better newspaper story.

Being out in the middle of the Wyoming Territory with a group of former Civil War soldiers turned rail workers, Cordelia grudgingly decides to accept Neil’s help. She only cares about furthering her career.

Neil is ambitious, too. The Union Pacific worker is determined to lead his team, who are laying tracks daily. He’s been without family for a long time yet there is something about Cordelia that captivates him.

I loved this novella. I fell in love with Neil before Cordelia did!

The dialogue in the story is especially good. The couple have meaningful conversations from the beginning. The secondary characters, hardened by war experiences, are also lovable and believable.

Definitely recommend this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Mulligan Stew Recipe

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

 

One of my favorite meals that my grandmother made was Mulligan stew. She had no patience to teach anyone how to make it. Fortunately, my brother also liked it. He observed her preparations for the stew and then wrote them down.

3 pounds stew beef

6 to 8 medium-to-large potatoes

2 medium onions, chopped

1 cup tomato catsup

3 to 4 tablespoons chili powder

Salt to taste

Butchers often slice beef into two-inch square chunks. That’s too large for a spoon and gave me lots of trouble as a child eating this in my soup.

One thing I do (that my grandmother didn’t) is cut the stew beef into bite-sized portions before cooking.

Rinse the meat and add to a large pot. Cover with cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt or season to taste. Cook over medium heat until almost done, about 45 minutes.

I use 8 potatoes because I love them in this stew. Peel and cut potatoes into spoon-sized portions.

When the meat is almost done, add potatoes and onions. Stir in a cup of catsup. If you add too much, the stew has a sweet taste. (You may prefer that taste. I modify recipes all the time. I’d suggest trying this amount of catsup the first time and see what you think.)

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of chili powder. I used closer to 4 tablespoons in mine. Stir well.

Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender.

If you cook this in a crock pot, add all ingredients at the beginning and stir well.

I served the stew with rolls.  My grandmother served them with bread. Some people prefer crackers.

My brother asked me to make this stew on a recent visit. He said it was seasoned perfectly. High praise from someone who remembers my grandmother’s stew!

I’d love to hear if you try this recipe. Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

 

Civil War General Lee Sends a Frightening Message

/ sandramervillehart

 

Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family lived in the executive mansion in Richmond, Virginia. Citizens grew accustomed to hearing artillery fire in nearby Petersburg after months of fighting. With General Robert E. Lee in command, they felt safe.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis didn’t feel quite as secure. By the morning of April 2, 1865, he had already sent his family away from the city.

Still, when Davis received a message during church services on Sunday morning, April 2, color drained from his face. He immediately exited the church, leaving the congregation to wonder what momentous event had occurred to warrant his haste.

The telegram was from General Lee. He advised Davis to leave Richmond that night.

Davis issued orders to evacuate the Confederate government, though citizens were not given notice for hours. However, the sight of official documents burning in front of government buildings warned of terrible events.

Citizens learned that the government was evacuating at 4 pm. Officials and other prominent citizens abandoned the city rapidly. They exited by train. They rode out on horseback, carts, and carriages. They boarded canal barges and boats to avoid the Union soldiers.

Davis arranged to leave by train at 8:30 pm yet continued to hope it wouldn’t be necessary. He and three cabinet members delayed leaving until 11 pm. Confederate soldiers crossed the river on pontoon boats.

Chaos reigned in Richmond. City officials ordered men to destroy kegs and bottles of liquor from saloons and warehouses. They poured them into street drains, attracting crowds. Folks scooped up whiskey in boots and hats to gulp it down.

Richmond’s military commander, Lieutenant General Richard Ewell, stayed behind with a few soldiers to burn the city’s supplies of cotton, tobacco, and food. These were set afire inside buildings with the fire department nearby to keep it under control.

The stocks of meat, coffee, and other staples enraged starving citizens. They grabbed the food and then began looting stores. Fires blazed out of control. Arsenals on ships exploded.

Fires still burned the next morning when Union cavalry arrived.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Source

“Reaction to the Fall of Richmond,” Civil War Trust, 2017/10/29 https://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/reaction-fall-richmond.

 

The Depot Bride by Amanda Cabot

/ sandramervillehart

The Rails to Love Romance Collection

Eugenia Bell is more interested in photography than in Chauncey Keaton, the man her rich and powerful father wants her to marry. When her father invites Mason Farling to Cheyenne to write a book commemorating the new depot that will include Eugenia’s photographs, she is thrilled.

Mason appreciates the ingenuity in Eugenia’s photographs immediately and he’s excited for the opportunity to work with the talented beauty.

Mason captures Eugenia’s attention in a way that Chauncey never did.

The characters are likeable and believable.

This historical romance novella is a quick read yet it grabbed my attention.

Recommend! Will look for more by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Black-Eyed Peas for New Year’s Day

/ sandramervillehart

Growing up, my dad insisted we eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. I didn’t like them. He said we had to eat them for good luck in the New Year.

Of course, forcing down a spoon of the peas seemed a small price to pay for a year’s worth of good luck so I always ate them.

This year I decided to search for a more exciting way to cook them than just seasoned with salt and pepper.

I made Black-eyed Peas and Rice, a recipe found on the Food Network.

I didn’t have any curry powder so I didn’t add that seasoning. I also used a whole 15-ounce can of black-eyes peas instead of making 8 ounces from dried peas. I just wanted to try out the recipe ahead of time to see if I wanted to make this on New Year’s Day. Otherwise I followed the recipe as is.

Using canned black-eyed peas worked great. I love rice dishes and this one didn’t disappoint me. I tasted the peas along with the strong flavor of the soy sauce.

I will be making this dish for supper.

What traditional dish will you eat to begin the year?

-Sandra Merville Hart

“Black-eyed Peas and Rice,” Food Network, 2017/11/26 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/black-eyed-peas-and-rice-recipe-1937541.

 

 

12 Christmas Songs Children Love

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

by Sandra Merville Hart

I start listening to Christmas music in November. Christmas carols put me in the mood for holiday baking, decorating, and shopping.

Children love to sing. They may sing in school and church programs around the holidays. There are so many Christmas songs that children love that I had difficulty narrowing it down to twelve. Hope this list includes some of your favorites.

12)  “Mary’s Boy Child”

11)  “Frosty the Snowman”

10)  “Christmas Time is Here”

9)   “Twelve Days of Christmas”

8)   “Jingle Bell Rock”

7)   “Jingle Bells”

6)   “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

5)   “Holly Jolly Christmas”

4)   “Silent Night”

3)   “Deck the Halls”

2)   “Little Drummer Boy”

1)   “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

What is your favorite Christmas song?

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Merville-Hart/e/B00OBSJ3PU/

A Royal Christmas Wedding

/ sandramervillehart / 4 Comments

The Royal Wedding Series

Avery Truitt is thrilled to return to Brighton Kingdom where her sister is married to the King of Brighton. Yet her heart aches for her lost relationship with Prince Colin, whom she dated while in high school—the one who stood her up for her prom five years ago.

Prince Colin has never forgotten Avery. He followed her impressive volleyball career, flying over to attend tournament games without her knowledge. But his dad was right. Colin needs to focus on his career with the family business.

Meeting Avery again reminds Colin why he loves her and how much the broken relationship hurt.

Yet there is a long-standing Brighton tradition for royal weddings. Could the ringing of the tower bell actually be for Avery?

A modern-day Christmas romance that will steal romantic hearts. This is a wonderful story to read during the Christmas holidays. I will look for more novels by this author!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Jesus Cake

/ sandramervillehart

The tradition of birthday cakes for Jesus began over 500 years ago when desserts were a rare treat.

Children looked forward to baking a cake to celebrate Jesus’s birthday. Moms often hid little gifts inside the batter. Children found tiny toys like marbles or even a coin in their servings.

The cake itself contains special meaning. White cake symbolizes the sinless life of Jesus. I followed a yummy vanilla cake recipe from the Food Network for my white cake recipe.

The cake rises while in the oven to represent His resurrection.

Red icing reminds folks that Jesus died to save us from our sins. I made a basic buttercream frosting and tried to dye it red using red food coloring. The icing became bright pink.

My sister, who sometimes decorates cakes, suggested using red paste, which is available at cake and candy decorating specialty shops. Next time I will purchase this paste to create red icing.

The light of a single candle reminds us of the star the Wise Men followed to Bethlehem. Candlelight also means that Jesus is the light of the world.

I wrote “Happy Birthday, Jesus” on my bright pink frosted cake. I gave the children red and green M&M’s to decorate their own piece. It was a hit.

Merry Christmas!

-Sandra Merville Hart

“Basic Vanilla Cake,” Food Network, 2017/11/01 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/basic-vanilla-cake-recipe-2043654.