Sandra Merville Hart

Women in the Civil War by Mary Elizabeth Massey

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This nonfiction resource book is about the effects of the Civil War on women of the North and South.

Massey studied diaries and letters from over a hundred people who lived during the war. She begins by exploring education and employment opportunities available to women thirty years before the war.

During the war, some women stayed in or near army camps. Officers’ wives and families sometimes stayed in camps. Laundresses, cooks, and prostitutes were also there, as well as soldiers, nurses, and spies.

Massey gives examples of a few of the women who disguised themselves as soldiers on both sides.

Great book for Civil War research and history lovers.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Feather Cake Recipe from 1877

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I’d never heard of feather cakes until stumbling across this recipe in an 1877 cookbook. After I made it, a quick search on the Internet showed that this old-fashioned recipe can still be found—and it’s baked in a loaf pan. I baked it in a springform pan—whoops!

Oh, well. You will know before baking. 😊

Since I simply wanted to try the recipe, I halved the ingredients. Double the ingredients for a larger loaf.

Cream ¼ cup butter with 1 cup sugar. Add 2 eggs. Add the zest of 1 lemon.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder. (The recipe doesn’t call for salt but add ½ teaspoon of salt if using all-purpose flour.)

Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, alternating with ½ cup milk.

As mentioned above, I baked this in springform pan but it is traditionally baked in a loaf pan.

Bake at 350 until done, about 25 to 30 minutes.

I served this cake with a glaze drizzle (powdered sugar mixed with a little water.) Yummy!

I expected a “feather cake” to have a lighter consistency. It was dense and sweet with a nice hint of lemon.

This recipe is from Mrs. E. I. C. of Springfield.

I’d love to hear if you try it.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

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

 

Confederate Surrender at Appomattox Court House

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Food supplies awaited Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Station. He needed them—his men were hungry.

On April 8, 1865, Lee arrived in Appomattox County. Union cavalry reached the supplies first and then burned 3 supply trains. Union General Ulysses Grant wrote to Lee, requesting his surrender. Lee refused, hoping for supplies in Lynchburg.

The next morning, the Confederates, under Major General John Gordon attacked Union cavalry troops. He stopped the attack when he realized that two Union army corps supported the cavalry.

They were cut off from provisions. Lee is famously quoted as saying that he’d “rather die a thousand deaths” than go talk to General Grant about surrendering.

Grant arrived for the meeting in a muddy uniform. Lee came in full dress attire. They met in Wilmer McLean’s parlor at 1 pm on April 9th.

The generals awkwardly greeted one another, then Lee asked for surrender terms.

All officers and men would be pardoned—they’d go home with their personal property. The officers were to keep their side homes. Lee’s hungry soldiers were to receive food rations.

Lee signed the surrender.

Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia disbanded after being paroled. The war in Virginia had ended. Lee’s surrender was the first of several Confederate surrenders over the coming weeks.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

“Appomattox Court House: Lee’s Surrender,” Civil War Trust, 2018/03/19 https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil-war/battles/appomattox-court-house.

History.com Staff. “Appomattox Court House,” History.com, 2018/03/19 https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/appomattox-court-house.

You’re the Cream in My Coffee by Jennifer Lamont Leo

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A Roaring Twenties Novel

This novel drew me in immediately.

Marjorie Corrigan still mourns that Jack, her first love, didn’t come home from the war. Listed as missing, she still hopes to see him again after ten years.

Yet, time marches on, and she agrees to marry a successful young doctor. With the wedding just months away, she starts having fainting spells that send her to Chicago for medical testing.

Then she spots a man at the train station who looks just like Jack.

This novel is a page turner. Marjorie makes many decisions that lead the small-town girl down an unfamiliar path. I kept reaching for this novel to find out what happened next. Sometimes I wanted to shake her and say, “Wake up!”

Written in first person, characters struggle with losing themselves in the pain and heartache. It tugged at my heart.

This is the first book in a series. I also read and enjoyed the second novel,  Ain’t Misbehavin’.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas:  https://www.shoplpc.com/product/youre-the-cream-in-my-coffee/

– Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Cake Recipe from 1877

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I was surprised to see “Baker’s chocolate” listed as an ingredient in an 1877 recipe. I researched and found that Dr. James Baker bought a chocolate company from Mrs. John Hannon. Her husband didn’t return from sailing to the West Indies and she sold it in 1780.

Dr. Baker changed the name to Baker Chocolate Company. How fun that the company still thrives today!

Since I simply wanted to try the recipe, I halved the ingredients. This gave 2 thin layers. Double the ingredients for normal proportions.

Grate 5 tablespoons of unsweetened Baker’s chocolate. (This is a little over an ounce—not enough for this chocolate lover. I’d suggest increasing this to 2 ounces.)

Cream ½ cup of butter with 1 ½ cups of brown sugar. Add 3 egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and the chocolate. (The recipe doesn’t call for salt but add a teaspoon of salt if using all-purpose flour.)

Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, alternating with ½ cup milk.

I made this into a thin 2-layer cake, but a single layer or an 8 x 8 pan will work fine.

Bake at 350 until done, about 25 to 30 minutes.

There were no suggestions for icing so I made a buttercream frosting.

This cake did not have a strong chocolate flavor. The amount of brown sugar made it a very sweet cake. I will at least double the chocolate next time. Instead of grating the chocolate, I will melt it with the butter and then mix in the sugar.

The look and texture of the cake more resembles a spice cake. It goes to show how tastes have changed over the years.

This recipe is from Mrs. Frank Woods Robinson of Kenton.

I’d love to hear if you try it.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

“Baker’s Chocolate,” Wikipedia.com, 2018/03/25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker%27s_Chocolate.

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

 

Saratoga Letters by Elaine Marie Cooper

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I enjoyed this novel!

This is an unusual story. It begins in the Revolutionary Battle of Saratoga. Abigail is patriotic to the colonies in 1777. The recent death of her father leaves her at the mercy of a cruel uncle who forces her to nurse wounded British soldiers.

William Carpenter is one of the British soldiers. The officer falls in love with his beautiful nurse who needs his protection.

The second half of the story is set 200 years later. Abby Carpenter travels to Saratoga for the 200th anniversary celebration of the battle where her ancestor fought.

Constable Ian Thacker has flown from his home in England to honor his ancestor who fought in the battle. Though the pair are historically on opposite sides, they find much in common. Abby finds she needs Ian’s protection from those who mean her harm.

I loved this story. The author has intricately woven the two stories together across the centuries in a fascinating way.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas  – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

Agnes Hopper’s Apple Nut Cake

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Today’s post is written by fellow author, Carol Heilman. She’s in the midst of a move and has taken time to share a recipe from her newly released novel. Thanks, Carol, and welcome to Historical Nibbles!

This recipe was taken from an apple cookbook I picked up at the First Baptist Church annual garage sale. I found the book in a box of shoes and handbags and such. Tattered and torn, I never would have given it a second thought, but it was resting on top of a red purse that had caught my eye. Well sir, I tucked the book underneath one arm while I purchased that purse, which was genuine leather and soft as a baby’s behind, and the saleslady said I could have the cookbook for free.

Apple nut cake became my Charlie’s favorite, and he especially liked it warm, along with a cup of strong, black coffee. I hope you enjoy it as much as he did.

2 C Sugar

1 C Vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

3 C Flour, plain

1 teaspoon Baking soda

½ teaspoon Salt

6 Medium apples, peeled & diced. Granny Smith works well or any tart, firm cooking apple.

1 Cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts and toast them in the oven first)

2 teaspoon natural Vanilla.

Hint: Homemade vanilla is the best. All you need is a couple of vanilla beans, vodka, and a jar with a tight lid. A mason jar will do, but you have to plan ahead. It takes about two months for the vanilla to reach its peak. And remember to shake the jar every few days.

TOPPING

1 C brown sugar

½ C (1 stick) Butter

¼ C milk

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or spray 9×13 baking pan or dish.
  2. Mix sugar, oil, & eggs in large bowl. Beat well.
  3. Add flour, baking soda, salt. (I mixed the dry ingredients together first.) Add apples, nuts, & vanilla & beat with large wooden spoon until combined thoroughly.
  4. Scrape batter into pan. Bake 1 hour. (Mine took 55 minutes.)
  5. TO MAKE TOPPING: Boil together, brown sugar, butter & milk for 2½ minutes, right before you take cake from oven.
  6. When cake is done, immediately poke long tines of a fork down through cake & pour topping over cake. Serve warm or let cool.
  7. Freezes well

-Carol Heilman

Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar, Book One

Recently widowed, Agnes Hopper’s small farmhouse burns to the ground. She, along with her pet pig, Miss Margaret, moves in with her daughter. After six months they agree they cannot possibly live together. Agnes then moves into a local retirement home, Sweetbriar Manor, but she soon realizes the administrator runs a tight ship for sinister reasons. Can Agnes find another place to call home? Or will she stay to become the voice for her new friends?

Agnes Hopper Bets On Murder, Book Two

Feisty Agnes has a spending addiction that could leave her penniless and homeless.

When she visits the cemetery to talk with her husband, Charlie, she discovers the dead body of his best friend. The local sheriff declares the man died of natural causes, but Agnes promises Charlie, she will uncover the truth. She becomes a senior sleuth while she and her friends try to save Sweetbriar Manor from being sold and turned into a halfway house.

Can Agnes curtail her spending and stop the sale while looking for a murderer?

Or will the murderer stop her first?

Author Bio

Carol Heilman, a coal miner’s daughter, married her high school sweetheart, a farmer’s son. She began writing family stories for newspapers and magazines. One day her mother said, “We don’t have any secrets anymore!”

 

Carol’s book series, Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar and Agnes Hopper Bets on Murder, was inspired by her mother’s spunky spirit and her dad’s humor.

Buy her book at Amazon

Five Brides by Eva Marie Everson

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Five women share an apartment to save expenses in the 1950s. They are each so busy that they barely know each other—that makes the rare treat of a free Saturday all the more special.

The roommates enjoy a fun day together. Little do they know that one spontaneous decision they all make that day will bind them for life.

The five independent women are very different from each other. They choose different paths yet all want to—eventually—find the man of their dreams.

I was delighted to discover in the “A Note from the Author” that one of the girl’s stories was basically true with parts fictionalized.

Knowing that, I leave it to you, the next reader, to try to figure out which romance is based on truth. Read the story and then read the author’s note.

This novel is a page-turner!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

1841 Seasonings for White Sauces, Fricassees, and Ragout

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I found a Seasoning recipe for white sauces, ragouts, and fricassees in an 1841 cookbook.

Ragouts are highly-seasoned meat stews. White sauce, made from white roux and milk, is the base of other sauces. Fricassees are stewed meats or vegetables that are served in a white sauce.

Select a small mixing bowl.

1 tablespoon white pepper

1 tablespoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon mace

1 tablespoon dried lemon peel

Mix ingredients together.

Store in closed container until needed in white sauces, fricassees, and ragouts.

To try out the seasoning blend, I made baked macaroni and cheese using the Basic White Sauce Recipe from Taste of Home. I prepared the sauce as directed and then added cheese. I added about ¼ teaspoon of the seasoning mixture to the sauce and baked as usual.

The extra flavors changed the dish enough that it did not taste like macaroni and cheese to me, but wasn’t bad.

It’s also worth a try in stews, which often benefit from extra flavor.

I’d love to hear if you try this recipe in your cooking.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Gelzer, Lois. Taste of Home, 2018/01/21 https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-white-sauce.

Hale, Sarah Josepha. Early American Cookery: “The Good Housekeeper” 1841, Dover Publications, Inc., 1996.

 

Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Jennifer Lamont Leo

/ sandramervillehart

This novel captured my interest immediately.

Dot Rodgers’ desire for a singing career previously led her to a job in a speakeasy where she dated the owner. Since she narrowly escaped jail, Dot doesn’t want that life anymore. She’s been dating her roommate’s brother, Charlie, but he doesn’t like her friends.

Charlie loves Dot yet a party with her friends shows him how stodgy and boring she must view him when compared to the glamorous crowd.

Neither feels worthy of the other, leading to twists and turns that are realistic to life and to the Roaring Twenties.

This novel is a page turner. I loved learning more about the time period. The characters are real with honest struggles and heartaches. It tugged at my heart.

This is the second book in a series. I also read and enjoyed the first novel,  You’re the Cream in My Coffee.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas   – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!