Recipes of the 19th Century

“The Frugal Housekeeper’s Kitchen Companion, or, Guide to Economical Cookery” is a cookbook written by Eliza Ann Wheeler and published in 1847. It focuses on providing recipes and instructions for American housewives, emphasizing economical and practical cooking. The book includes recipes for various meats, vegetables, cakes, puddings, pastry, and other delicacies, all aimed at those who are “not ashamed of economy”.

🥄 SECTION 1: YEAST & LEAVEN

1. Milk Yeast (Fastest Method)

• 1 pint new milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp flour
  Stir and warm near fire until slightly thick. Ready in 1 hour.

2. Rye Yeast (Easy Method)

• Rye flour
• Cold & boiling water
• ½ pint yeast (for 1 qt liquid)
  Mix rye with cold water, pour in boiling water, stir thin. Cool, add yeast, bottle when foamy.

3. Flour-Based Yeast

• 2 qts water
• 3 tbsp flour
• ½ lb brown sugar
• 4 tsp fresh yeast
  Boil flour and water 30 mins. Add sugar, cool, add yeast. Let ferment 1 day.

4. Yeast with Hops & Potatoes

• 1 handful hops
• 3 qts water
• 6–8 potatoes (or sweet potatoes)
• 1 tbsp each: salt, molasses or brown sugar
• Flour (to make it as thick as cream)
• ½ cup yeast
  Boil hops/potatoes. Mash, mix, add rest. Let stand warm to rise. Bottle and store cool.

5. Preserving Yeast

• Squeeze yeast into cakes using canvas.
• Dry, cut into squares.
• Optionally brush on paper in layers until dried.

6. Substitute for Yeast

• 8 lbs wheat flour
• Water to cream consistency
• Boil 1 hr. Add 1 lb sugar, 1 gill yeast. Let ferment.

7. Cream of Tartar & Saleratus Yeast

• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp saleratus
• Flour and warm water
  Mix to soft dough, knead, bake lightly.

8. Tartaric Acid Yeast

• 2 tsp saleratus
• 1 tsp tartaric acid
• 1 qt flour
  Mix, let rise 15–20 min. For griddle cakes: add acid right before cooking.

🍞 SECTION 2: BREAD

9. Basic Bread

• 2 qts blood-warm water
• Sifted flour (as needed)
• ½ pint yeast
• 1 tbsp salt
  Make thick batter. Rise overnight. Knead with more flour, shape into 4 loaves. Bake 1 hour.

10. Dyspepsia Bread

• 3 qts unbolted wheat meal
• 1 qt warm (not hot) water
• 1 gill fresh yeast
• 1 gill molasses (optional)
• 1 tsp saleratus
  Makes 2 loaves. Bake 1 hr, cool gradually.

11. Rice Bread

• 1 pint soft-boiled rice
• 1 pint leaven
• 3 qts flour
  Mix, rise, divide into 3 parts, bake.

12. French Rolls

• 1½ pints milk
• 1 gill small beer yeast
• 2 qts flour
• 2 oz butter
• 1 egg
• 1 heaping tsp salt
  Rub butter into flour. Mix all. Knead and bake hot.

🧂 INGREDIENT INDEX

How to Make Bread 1840’s Style.

🔥 1. Prepare Your Yeast (at least 12 hours ahead)

Choose a yeast method:

• Milk Yeast if you’re baking within an hour.
• Rye or Potato Yeast for richer, longer-lasting yeast.
• Always let the yeast stand in a warm place until it foams or bubbles, proving it’s active.

📌 Tip: Yeast can be made a day before and bottled loosely (don’t seal tight if still fermenting).

🥣 2. Mix the Initial Dough (the Sponge)

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts blood-warm water (not hot!)
• Sifted flour (enough to make a thick batter)
• ½ pint active yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt

Steps:

1. Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl or pan.
2. Stir in flour until a thick batter forms—not dough yet.
3. Add the yeast and salt.
4. Stir well with an iron spoon or sturdy wooden spoon.

⏱️ Let it sit overnight in a warm place.

Cover with a cloth (not sealed), and make sure it’s protected from drafts but not too hot.

🍞 3. Turn Sponge into Dough (Next Morning)

1. The batter should now be bubbly and risen.
2. Begin adding more sifted flour, stirring as much in as you can with a spoon.
3. When it’s too thick to stir, use your hands to knead in more flour.
4. Knead on a floured board, working in flour until the dough is smooth and elastic.
   ➤ This could take 10–15 minutes.

📌 Tip: Keep it as dry as possible while still pliable.

🔪 4. Form Loaves

1. Cut dough into 4 equal parts.
2. Shape into loaves or rounds by kneading and folding them.
3. Place in buttered pans or on floured baking sheets.

⏱️ 5. Second Rise (Proofing)

1. Let the loaves rise again in a warm, covered area (no drafts) for 2–3 hours, or until they have doubled in size.
2. Some recipes call for letting it rise in the pan for 1 hour if already well-fermented.

🔥 6. Bake the Bread

1. Preheat your oven to a hot temperature (modern equivalent: 375–425°F / 190–220°C).
2. Bake loaves for about 1 hour.
3. Bread should sound hollow when tapped and have a brown, crisp crust.

📌 If your oven has uneven heat, rotate loaves halfway through baking.

🌬️ 7. Cool and Store

• Remove from pans and let cool uncovered on a rack or towel.
• Cooling gradually helps prevent sogginess.
• Wrap in cloth for storage.

Further Reading

This cookbook and its entirety can be found here courtesy of Haithi Trust: Book

Food Timeline is also a wonderful resource in understanding how people the past ate, their section on Bread from the Levent from this cookbook can be found here