1856 Cruller Recipe: Historical Food Fortnightly

"Hither came to us in our isolation, the North Star, laden with packages for the brave men, who were far away from home fighting for their country. How we blessed the little hands that shaped the crullers and made the pies and the kind hearts of fair maidens in whom an appreciation of the heroic is never wanting."

-Brown University in the Civil War

The Challenge: "If They’d Had It… November 2 - November 15

Have you ever looked through a cookbook from another era and been surprised at the modern dishes you find? Have you ever been surprised at just how much they differ from their modern counterparts? Recreate a dish which is still around today, even if it may look a little - or a lot - different!"

The Recipe:

The Date/Year and Region: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Although cruller comes from a dutch word, krullen, which means "to curl," crullers have traditions in Dutch, German, Scandinavian, Austrian and Polish foodways. The Dutch and Germans are credited for bringing crullers to the United States. The recipes differ in flavorings and proportions but are still deep fried, twisted stick shaped doughnuts. Crullers were a popular dish on Shrove Tuesday and differ from French Crullers which are made with pate a choux and are circular.   


How Did You Make It:

Ingredients:

- About 3 Cups of Flour
- 6 Tablespoons Sugar
-1 Stick Butter
-1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
-2 Tablespoons Brandy
-1 Tablespoon Salaeratus ( 3/4 Tablespoon Baking Soda)

Instructions:

Cream the sugar into the butter. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, add the brandy and the cinnamon. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture and add flour until it forms a dough. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch and cut into long strips. Fold each strip over and twist the dough around itself and pinch at the end. Deep fry the crullers in lard. Sprinkle with sugar when cool. 

Time to Complete: 40 minutes.

Total Cost: I had everything on hand, but the ingredients would cost a few dollars.

How Successful Was It?:  I had no success with making longer crullers, perhaps if I added more flour they wouldn't have fallen a part so easily. The dough tasted very plain even with the cinnamon. I believe frying them in lard would have added a lot of flavor. If I were to make these again I would cover the crullers in cinnamon and sugar. 

 How Accurate Is It?: I exchanged the brandy for vanilla extract as it's what I has on hand and fried in oil instead of lard (vegetarian.)

Civil War Era Purse Knit-Along Update #2

It's Friday and that means another Knit-along update. I have only knitted 2 out of my 20 stripes but hope to get a lot done next week at a reenactment. I have decided to stay with the purple and white and plan to line it in bright red silk. I really like the pattern, even if it is a really simple one. The first swatch I made, I definitely was working to tightly and so my hands were hurting from knitting. This time I have kept it very loose and it is much easier for me to knit. For those of you participating, please link your progress on the widget at the bottom of this post.

However today I really need to do a bit of summer cleaning. I still have papers left over from school, books, clothing, ect. collecting in my room to the point that I can't think. I always like to keep a bit of creative chaos in my bedroom but this is too much and it's time for a total cleaning. I don't know how all this stuff collects!

It feels more difficult to simplify when you are required to purchase things for school that you have no use for when school is out. I have a calculator, book bag and numerous textbooks with nothing to do until school starts up in August. Not to mention those textbooks that are useless and no one wants. (You can't sell them back because of a new edition, you can't sell them online, library sales do not want them, thrift stores don't want them, and you feel bad sticking it in the recycling bin.) 

Books are also a terrible part of simplifying. I love me books but there really is no room for any more. In my future home, I am going to have to have a library like old-fashioned manors used to have. I never buy fiction so my collection is mostly nonfiction and stuff that the local libraries do not have. I never purchase a book that I know I will never read again or that I can borrow. 

I have long considered turning it into a lending library. :D

Civil War Era Purse Knit-Along Update #1

 If you are new to the knit-along, you can work on a Civil War Era knitted purse along with the rest of us! The pattern can be found here. Then everyone has a chance to link their progress to the bottom of this and every update posts which should be posted on Fridays.

I admit, I've been lazy on my knitting. Now that my birthday is over, I'll have more time to work on it. I am thinking of keeping the violet and white but am also considering white and red. I wish I could post a photo but my camera died over the weekend and I have to try and fix it.

Feel free to link your materials or your progress on the widget below.  

Civil War Era Purse Knit-Along!!

Many people expressed an interest in a knitted Civil War Era purse knit-along. Many thought that June would be the best month for it. I have changed the pattern since I have started planning this, if anyone wants the original pattern, feel free to e-mail me. I found that the "honeycomb" pattern was a little too difficult for some knitters and is almost impossible to fix if a stitch is dropped. I found this simple pattern and am happy that it makes a pretty purse that I think a lot of my readers will be happy with. As with the sontag knit-along, I will put a widget on my blog that allows participating knitters to post their progress every Friday. I understand that June is a reenactment month so will leave the widgets up until the next Wednesday.

 



The pattern I have chosen is from 1858 is simple and makes a pretty purse. A sample swatch is shown at the left. The purse is pretty on both sides. 






I will be posting the instructions today. I tried to make them easy to print. If you would rather have a PDF copy of them, please send an e-mail to TheSailorsWifeSa@Aim.com.

Let me know what you think! I think we'll keep this one going until the end of July. Although it is a tiny purse, there is a lot of knitting to do. The result is very pretty and I can't wait to make one to hold all of my ball items. The cost of the purse should only be $4.00 unless you have to buy needles in which case the total will be close to $9.00. I wanted to make a purse that was affordable for everyone and within the ability of the majority of knitters.

Civil War Era Knitted Fringe and a Sneak Peak of the Knitted Civil War Reticule

Since I didn't anticipate a tie for when the Civil War Era Knit-Along would be I've decided to hold it in June and let everyone know what materials they will need now so that they have time to get them .








The Materials are:

- 1 Skein of size 10 Crochet Cotton.
- 2 size 00 knitting needles (double pointed are fine.)
- Lining fabric, 1/4 of a yard should be plenty

I think everyone will be pleased with the pattern. It's an open period stitch that makes for a pretty and daint purse.

It is a very small stitch for this project.

I've also been working on some knitted fringe, I was thinking of adding a bit to my dress. I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I think it's pretty enough. I should have ironed the fringe out straight for the pictures.

The Instructions: 

Cast on 9 Stitches.

Slip 1, Knit 2, Yarn Over and Knit 2 Together, Knit 1, Yarn Over and Knit 2 Together, Knit 1.
Turn the knitting over and cast off the first 5 stitches and pull the remaining 4 stitches off the needle and untangle them to form one fringe. Holding the knitting in your left hand, cast on 8 more stitches by looping the yarn around the needle.
Repeat.

The joints are a little "wonky" but after a while it evens out and looks pretty. It's different than normal knitting but only takes a few tries to get right. Make sure to knit loosely.  

Civil War Sontag Update

I've come to the point where I have pretty much run out of yarn and need to order more. So for next week I think I will be experimenting with different border options.

I really thought it was going to be too small but I can see now, that once I add the border, it should fit nice and snug. If I ever make another one, I'd make the back part about 3 blocks or so longer. I can probably stretch it out a bit when I block it so it will work out.

Would you believe I've never actually blocked anything I've knitted before? I always mean to and end up wearing it before I get a chance. So I am not even exactly sure how to block I was told to wet whatever I was working on and safety pin it to a towel in the shape I want. Is that the best way? Is there other ways to block knitting?

Here is a knitting pattern from 1840 for a "Bosom Friend," it is similar to a sontag. Before I start knitting, I draw out a projection of how the knitted piece should look. Having a "map" helps me see any mistake I make a lot quicker. Sometimes my projections aren't perfect but they normally are close in shape if not in exact proportions.  

It looks a little sailor-like to me but I can see how it would be cute over a dress from the 1840s.  It would just cover the parts of the neck that was left bare at that time.

It looks like it would be a slightly easier thing to knit than a sontag. It would probably be a very cute item for a child.

I hope you are all knitting away and not at a stop in your sontags like I am. Has anyone practiced any interesting border patterns?

Civil War Knitting Update

I haven't gotten much farther, it's been a busy week, lots of homework. I am finished the part where I decreased once every 4 rows, 7 times.

I am on my last ball of yarn and really should order more so it gets here before I need it. I am surprised that the wings are so thick, I didn't expect them to be so wide.

I am glad that I will avoid the "skinny wings" I see on some people that aren't very flattering.  The wider wings will make it look more like a vest and less like a scarf wrapped around me. This particular young lady admitted that this sontag was not made for her but she was borrowing it due to the coldness of the event.

I can't wait to finish this. I think it will look very flattering in the fall over a long flounced skirt and a 3/4 sleeved shirt. I don't think anyone would instantly think "1860" if they looked at it. I do like shawls, but they are kind of impractical and I hardly ever wear them. They also tend to look a little too "granny," and you have to constantly hold on to them. They are very comforting in the winter to curl up in a shawl with a book.

I really would love to learn the pretty crocheting that is used to line the sontag in Piecework Magazine. It is feminine and pretty, practically lace looking. I feel that if I put this much effort in, I might as well take a bit of time to make it really pretty and not just "serviceable," to quote Marilla Cuthbert.      

Here's a pretty jacket from Godey's Lady's Book that I feel could also be worn today with a little bit of alteration. The braiding is really pretty. 

 

Sontag Civil War Knitting Update

In theory I was supposed to be finished the sontag by now, but I'm probably going to need another month. It is getting to that point where I like to put it up to myself frequently and imagine what the rest of it will look like when it's finished as I always do with sewing projects.

I am at the point where I decrease once every 4 rows. I always have to keep a tally on scrap paper when I have to "shape" knitting or else I forget where I am after every row. I am bad at knitting with charts but when I do, I have to color them in and use a sticky note to mark my spot.

Do any of you want to continue to add your links within the next few weeks as well or should I end them here? I'd still like to see everyone's projects as I don' t think any of us are finished yet. Everyone's sontag is looking really good. I thought that the basket weave pattern would be a problem for those of us who were new to it, but everyone has been doing really well with it. Is anyone also familiar with crocheting? If you are, are you considering crocheting the border?  

Civil War Era Knit-Along Update

Sorry this is late, I was stuck at the binding off part. I have decided to make the wings as is stated in the Piecework Magazine, to ensure that they are long enough. Even though the back is about 12 inches long, it still doesn't look long enough to reach my natural waist. I think it might reach after I put the trim on.



I hope I have enough yarn. With the alterations at the beginning, I might have to order more. Overall I am excited that I have even gotten this far in it. Binding off one side and working on part of it seemed like the hard part to me.

Civil War Knit-Along Update

I'm almost at the "scary" part of the pattern! The last time I tried to knit a sontag, the "wings" turned out to be much too tiny. I plan on making the additions that Mrs. Formby suggests on the Ragged Soldier pattern. It is starting to feel cozy on my lap, I'm sure it is going to be really warm.

I was going to switch to my really long needles for the photo so you could see it stretched to the fullest but I couldn't find them.  The photo doesn't really show how big it is.I hope it fits, I will be incredibly disappointed if it doesn't. It looks a little small but the border will add a little bit of length.

I believe I forgot to mention that we need a button for one of the wings for fastening it. I am thinking of getting a pretty mother-of-pearl button for it.

I would like to put a fancy crocheted border on it, but I can't crochet. If I figure out how to crochet one, I will, if not I'll just have to knit the one in the original Godey's pattern.  I can't wait for these to be finished! They look so pretty.  

Civil War Era Knit-Along Update

Hopefully, many of us have all been knitting a period item for about a week now. I haven't gotten very far on mine. Regardless of how far you are or what you are knitting, you can show off your color choices and pieces so far. Just write up a blog post and link to it using the link function at the bottom of this post. You can link until Monday. 

I chose to use a forest green and a dark brown for my sontag. I keep forgetting to increase at the beginning of each row and end up remembering half way through the row. Once you get the hang of the basket weave pattern, it is fun to work on. I have been using a yarn called "Swish" from Knitpicks.com and have been using size 8 needles.        

 I have seen sontags laid out and it never looks like it will fit the body the right way, but they always do! I am happy with how it looks so far. I was really undecided when I was choosing colors. I have too much maroon knitted period items. I thought the dark green and brown would offset them nicely. I only have two reenacting dresses, one is green checkered and the other maroon and white calico. I know that one of the biggest reenactor pet-peeves is being too "matchy." I try my best but I know what I like.

As you can see from the photo at the top, Coal the Kitty is such a full supporter of the Civil War Era Knit-Along that he has chosen to play with a period correct toy--around the room and eventually down the stairs. As usual, I can't wait to see everyone's work. It is amazing how many talented bloggers there are out there!