Dishes \u0026 Beverages of the Old South by Martha McCulloch-Williams

Dishes \u0026 Beverages of the Old South Reviews

• 
  Susan

  Book published in 1913. Martha McCulloch-Williams was born near Clarksville, Tennessee, and christened Susan Martha Ann Collins. She married a distant cousin, Thomas McCulloch Williams. They moved to New York City where she established herself with regular magazine assignments and publishing short stories, serials, poetry and essays in several magazines, including Harper's Monthly, Harper's Bazaar, and McClure's. In 1913, at the age of 65, she published "Harper's Household Handbook", and the book featured in this collection, "Dishes & Beverages of the Old South". Sometime between 1900 and 1910, her husband passed away; Martha's three sisters died between 1919 and 1920, and after that, she never returned to Tennessee. A fire destroyed her Manhattan home and all her belongings late in life, and she was left destitute, without family. Her friend Dorothy Dix, the advice columnist and fellow Montgomery County native, supported her until her death in a New Jersey nursing home in 1934.
  
  At first, the writing in this book is stilted, as compared to contemporary writing; however, as the reader continues through the pages, it gets easier to hear the voice of the author. The first section talks a lot about hog processing, from the kill to the table, which I found interesting:
  

  Plenty in the smokehouse was the cornerstone of the old time southern cookery. Hence hog-killing was a festival as joyous as Christmas—and little less sacred. There was keen rivalry amongst plantations as to which should show the finest pen of fattening hogs. Though the plantation force was commonly amply sufficient for the work of slaughter, owners indulged their slaves by asking help of each other—of course returning the favor at need.

  
  We learn how to prepare fried ham:
  

  Fried ham as Mammy made it is mostly a fragrant memory . . . she cut thin slices from the juicy, thick part of the ham, using a very sharp, clean knife. . . trimmed away the skin, and laid the slices in a clean, hot skillet . . . flipped them over delicately, so as to sear the other side. When enough fat had been tried out to bubble a bit, she turned them again, then set the skillet off, deadened the coals beneath it a little—put it back, and let the ham cook until tender through and through. She never washed the slices nor even wiped them with damp cloths. There was no need—her hands and knife were as clean as could be.

  
  There are a plethora of beverage recipes throughout, some I would try, some must remain a curiosity and best be left alone. Among the list of recipes include Persimmon Beer, Strawberry Wine, Gooseberry Wine, and Grandma’s Cherry Bounce.
  
  Cakes and pies have a lengthy section, including Shrimp Pie, Cherry Pie, Butterscotch Pie, among a few – and one pie crust recommendation in particular caught my attention:
  

  Pie-crust perfection depends on several things—good flour, good fat, good handling, most especially good baking. A hot oven, quick but not scorching, expands the air betwixt layers of paste, and pops open the flour-grains, making them absorb the fat as it melts . . .

  
  The section on eggs is helpful to know, particularly
  

  Baked Eggs . . .most nearly approximate the flavor of roasted ones. Break fresh eggs at the small ends, drain away the whites, break down the shells to deepish cups, each with a yolk at bottom, sprinkle yolks lightly with salt and pepper, add a bit of butter to each, then set shells upright, close over the bottom of a pan, pop the pan into a hot oven, bake twenty minutes, and serve piping hot. This Mammy gave us to keep from wasting yolks when wedding or Christmas cake demanded many whites for frosting.

  
  Lastly, soap-making has its own section:
  

  Soap making came twice a year—the main event in March, to get free of things left over from hog killing, the supplement in September or October, to use up summer savings.

  
  This is a useful book for reference. There are a few spelling errors, but not to distraction. I enjoyed this book very much.
  🥘 Recommended.
  🟣
• 
  Nicole C.

  As with many old cookbooks, the majority of recipes are either no longer practical, or contain ingredients that might just kill you (soak your corn in lye). However, it's interesting to read how to smoke your own hams, and if you'd care to fatten up your own possum, the author tells you what they like best to eat. There are also some little anecdotes sprinkled throughout, and of course, they harken to the days of slavery and mammies. I believe this book is part of the Feeding America project at Michigan State University, which is digitizing cookbooks of cultural or historical significance. If you like this sort of thing, it's definitely worth checking out.
• 
  Matt Kelland

  This is more of interest to the food historian than the modern cook. For example, the section on bacon starts with how to kill a pig, how to butcher it, and how to build a smokehouse. It casually notes that it makes sense to slaughter several pigs at a time... not really something I'm going to be doing in my suburban back yard! Still, it's a nice thing to have in my foodie collection, especially as it was a freebie on the Kindle store.
• 
  LiLu

  Hard to Read
  
  An interesting book. It was written like a book. More of like tips, not like a recipe book. How much is a peck? In my opinion it would have been a much easier read, if it was written like a recipe book, not in typical story writing style.
• 
  Mark Lindsey

  Southern Charm
  
  Very fun read about the traditions, drink, and cookery of the old south. Even without the receipts (recipes) it is an entertaining glimpse into the dining and social life of the old south.
• 
  Avis Black

  Simply outstanding culinary and cultural history. This book is an absolute classic. Strongly recommended.
  
  Available at the Internet Archive:
  
  https://archive.org/details/dishesbev...
• 
  Kimberly Herrin

  They had great ones. I have not tried any of them yet but I am sure my children will love them as will I.
• 
  Julie Charles

  A cookbook that reads like a book.