A Recipe for Chicken Pye

A reply to a mail packet letter received by HMS ACASTA while pressing hands at the Fair at New Boston. By the ship's cook to Widow Smith of the Penny Whistel Tavern. (A letter that was forwarded to the new ship's cook when it was found to be undeliverable to the ship's Steward in last year's mail packet)

M. Schwendau, Ship's Cook

Widow Smith

Penny Whistel Tavern

Portsmouth

Good Widow Smith,

I received your letter while ashore at New Boston and was delighted in having your recipe for Chicken Pye. I recall the Captain’s fondness of the dish and hearten that your shared such a prize fare with me. I will have to indulge in making it soon for the Captain's table after we are stowed a sail. It will be a grand addition to table for the officers. Such a noble pye will be an honor at the table. I truly give you thanks for the kind offer of your dish to entrust to my recipe book. 

While ashore I messed the Captain on a very fine Virginia ham. It reminded me of the hams from the Lancaster area. They are peculiar in the making of them here in the America’s, they have the luxury of using sugar in the cure. Much like the Gloster hams that are cured in molasses. It was truly a fine ham, so much so in size. The Captain shared it with the hands ashore on the press. We also enjoyed melons and the first harvest of apples. I do believe the men were much impressed with fare, as it was not just iron rations. Unfortunately the green's grociers offerings were sparse in their offer. Only offering carrots and onions at this time. 

I look forward to seeing you in the Penny Whistel again and telling of the new foods I have discovered here in the Americas. 

Your Most Humble Servant,

Michael Schwendau

~HMS ACASTA

How to Press a Cook

As written by the Acasta's cook (and real life 5-Star chef), Mr. M. Schwendau

July 18, '15

I must recount the experience today of preparing a grand meal for Captain Fryman, the officers and a few sailors of HMS ACASTA. They came ashore to celebrate wonderful news from the Admiralty they have been ordered home after this terrible war with those Yankee’s in America. Oh, how the spirits were high, the cheer in which they roamed with. Shortly after the bakers boy dropped off the day’s peel. I was asked by the Captain his self to prepare the best of foods we had in the larder, spare no expenses and no holding a quarter back! he said. At the time we had a few scrawny hens, a freshly butchered hog, and odd bits from the garden. With cheer my response was gracious and eager. I told him, he and his crew would feel no pains or have want when they were done, or else you can put me into a brine barrel. He bellowed with a deep laugh and sortied off from my kitchen at the house. As these men were full of cheer, I had to prepare something grand as I could so I laid in my larders stocks and put to it. The master of the house did tell me the Captain was his guest and to fill any orders he gave as if his own words, by his own mouth.

I first mixed a Lemon Corn meal pudding and slowly steamed it for a pudding, when done off the coals, I would give it hearty doses of brandy and serve it with strawberries from the milking pasture. Next, I dash and cleaned the hens. They were past laying and other than being a nuisance to me, I was glad to rid them to these fine men of the crew. I dressed them and even took time to candle off the bits of feather that didn’t come with the plucking. I would rub these down with herbs from the cutting garden and baste them with butter and their own juices. I then cut the loins out of the hog’s saddle and rubbed them heartily with a simple mix of salt, pepper, and ginger root and put them into irons. Shortly after gathering carrots, I happened upon some bleached flour. What a fine sight that was. I had forgotten about it in the back of the cupboard. I checked and sifted it for stones and weevils, and then mixed in a hand full or two of sweet suet, some of the sugar cone, cranberries from the winter drying room, and spices. This was put into my pudding cloth and set to steam away the afternoon and sing to me as it cooked. What a wonderful thing a pudding is, such an entertaining dish to the ears as well as the appetite. I stole out to the spring house and snatched up some cheese we hand hanging and found a couple of Country Pates from the last dance had here at the house and gathered the top cream from the milk pail to make custard. I went on with the other odds and ends of the meal, the side dishes were humble enough. But handled with care and given great attention to my knife work.

The day drove on and the heat of the hearth and the weather nearly had me. As my stockings were soaked as if I stood in the brook the whole day. Shortly after the night watch began to tinder and tinker with the lamps, I was done. I sent word to Captain his table was ready. The Officers and men, had on their best dunnage. What an honor for me to prepare for them. All of these men seem weathered and hard bitten by wind and wave, but warm and cheered as if already home. 

A few of the hands gave me help in carrying the repast out to the porch. They spoke a few words and like a mighty broadside, there went in with all hands, as if boarding a ship. The meal was not hardly started, when I was summed by the Captain his self. Huzzah to the cook he said, and the crew replied back, Huzzah. It warmed me through and through. Then before all, the sailor called Apple asked the Captain, if they should press me for crew? Then before all he laid the press of a shilling before me. I gladly accepted. For I hope to get home to the mountains in Austria and to be with my family. This was by far not my finest of meals, but one of the finest of times.

Cooking for the Crew part 3

Dishing it out

Written by Acasta Ship's Cook: Michael Schwendau

So, the recipe has been sourced, ingredients made or found, all has been mixed, chopped broiled, basted or boiled. Time to eat the creation brought to life again by you in the pursuit of getting it historically correct or acceptable with in your means.

Service of historical dishes with meals that surround it is always a blast. As Chef Walter Staib has said in his series and books; “I don’t know what Ben Franklin ate or what John Hancock ate, but I can tell you what was served at the table and what they drank.” From there it is anyone’s guess. If you want to go for authenticity of service, there are plenty of housewife manuals or stewards books to refer to. The New York Public library has a great collection to give one the idea of how it should look finished on platter and how it is garnished. 

Especially at events, the Tavern keeper likes to put a new dish or two before the group for them to try and other staples they know. Patrons of events enjoy talking about the food we are handling, what we made, are you going to eat that? Is all too common of a question. The crew let us know what they like and what they prefer not to see in the near future if ever at all. There is no greater reward of fellowship than a meal. From the first bite to the rowdy rounds of sea shanties lead by the Carpenter. 

The meal, is the experience we give each other over a few crumbs of bread and plenty of cheer.

Cooking for the Crew part 2

All Hands to the Books!

Written by Acasta Ship's Cook: Michael Schwendau

Where does one begin? Well, it begins with some great reading and research. As a former culinary professional, I ravaged, plundered and spirited away many culinary tomes from the used book shops and thrifts. For there are lots of prize old cook books, local, international, home diaries or traveler journals to help you on the way. These are the best resources to start with. A few of my favorites are Lobscouse & Spotted Dog by Grossman and Thomas, the City Tavern Cookbook by Staib, LaRousse Gastronomique by Potter; my primer in culinary school; and countless others await us. 

When it comes to the internet, I recommend it to chase archives down and other research done on the topic. Your curiosity is shared by many others, new friends await. I will caution you, not all sites are given the equal attention to the details as others, but when all else fails. Return to the books. They are normally well researched, recipes are tested and typically have a good following. Success is nearly guaranteed.

Ship shape and Bristol fashion…

The French call it mise en place, professional cooks call it the Mee-z, simply put square your stuff away right and proper. Basically, get organized and figure out what you need to make that dish. Finding the book is one thing, finding the ingredients is another? What was once common on the table is pretty uncommon in many ways, yet in others. They have transformed into more widely accepted flavors, textures and qualities to the modern taste palette.

For example Catsup, once a far eastern sauce from China was a fermentation of fish and aromatics. A close cousin was the Roman Agar; what we call Worcestershire sauce today and Vietnamese Fish Sauce is even a bit closer. This was brought to Europe by the traders and transformed in to mushroom catsup, fruit catsups and finally in the 1876 Heinz found the right mix with Tomato Ketchup and now we use it a lot, like millions of pounds of it. There is much more to just this one topic, catsup. You could spend months of time chasing it. But that is the fun and excitement of it. Discovering the past, tasting it too… if you are prepared.

In short the trade routes, both land and sea. Brought new ingredients, methods of preservation and flavors to Europe and this case England. Over time, they became staple then a bit further refinement takes place into dishes that we stoically refer to as English.

Shopping for the ingredients can be both frustrating and rewarding. Commercial chains grocery stores have many of the base and staple ingredients you need, cuts of meat, butter, cream and such. Sometimes you have to go askew and wander the wilderness of Asian Markets, Farmers Markets, Latin American Grocery stores and other strange but rewarding places. There you will find all kinds of teas, salts, herbs, fish and spices that cannot be sourced elsewhere. The internet, yet again has its place. For instance, good cooking suet is still made in England by Argo. Great stuff… and a necessary for a good Spotted Dog or Figgie Pudding. But be cautious and look to see if the vendor has a good reputation and is not priced to highly.

It takes time, sometimes… piles of it. Plan your work time way ahead. Give extra time on new dishes, due to the many unknown’s you might be facing. As with many skills, the more you do it. The easier it become and less stressful. Once is not perfection, but it is one less time till you get to the perfect one.

Lastly, when it comes to ingredients, I cannot stress this enough. Hit the Farmers Market in your area. There is a lot of knowledge, from cuts of meat, to cheese making, to produce. If they don’t have it, they might know a friend of a friend. Plus they are super eager to share their knowledge and if you are lucky. You can go hang with them as they go through the process of making that ingredient or harvesting that produce. My wife sometimes cringes when she goes to the basement and is affronted with a new strange aroma; by the way honey... That is sauerkraut from a recipe I found on a food blog from Pozen... It just has to ferment another two months. 

...to be concluded tomorrow in part 3, "Dishing it out"

Cooking for the Crew part 1

What is Historical Cooking?

Written by Acasta Ship's Cook Michael Schwendau

As the cook for the crew, there is much to learn and digest. Like with all the trades on the ship, the feeding of the crew was challenge. Just like the meals you enjoy, the crews had favorites they cherished and the doldrums of “ration”. I will endeavor to describe the process that I and several of the members of the group go through or gone though in seeking out period entrees, sides, sweets and of course; the punch bowl.

It is a curious adventure of finding a dish, tracking it back through time and then sourcing ingredients, sometimes making ingredients or figuring out a rational alternative. 

In the scope of the culinary world, there is a lot of theft going on. Noodles from China became pasta in Italy; Savory pies from Germany became staples in England; Ingredients will change, cooking methods a bit too, but in the end. If you go far enough down the rabbit hole you will make it to the other side of the culinary looking glass  and find there is a plenty that taken or transformed.

This thing, historical cooking, sometimes means chasing a recipe backwards in time. De-evolution if you will. Making notes of what ingredients changed, what culture impacted it the most and when, how, where occasionally. The modern taste for flavors is constantly changing, that is a challenge too. Especially with the spice and flavor profiles in many old recipes. Equipment is always a nagging issue; do you go hand on or use the blender. Questions always come up such as; “Can I still get the ingredients for a white pudding? Where do I find cocks comb in 2017? Will they eat liver and heart in a Pig’s Fry, where do I find said liver and heart? How or rather why the heck would you boil a bag of beef?!”

Then the challenge of the preparation and presentation. Do you just assemble the dish or do you go through the rough process of making the force meat, milling the suet, and lastly buying that copper pudding pot to make it authentic? Do make at home or do I take on the risk of a flop in the field over a coal fire? How am I going to serve this? Where do I find a Queen Anne Trench Platter?!

Practice makes perfect, perfect is a moment, and never serve panic. So what I am really saying to you is; never give up and incorporate it into your home meal occasionally until you feel comfortable with it and then move to the next step in the chain of events. Puddings will burn, meat will be under cooked, but if you aren’t trying to learn the telltale signs of an oncoming flop… you will never meet success. If it goes haywire on you. DO NOT PANIC, just calmly regroup and either try again or reinvent the dish.

Consider this as an essay on why you should look at your food with the same enthusiasm as finding a period piece of clothing or furniture. Food in the living history world, is often over looked and not given much consideration. Take this as a challenge if you are a living historian, learn to make a few period dishes. For our casual guest, let it be an insight to discover the history of what you might have for supper today and the detail we seek in our adventure as the crew.

...to be continued tomorrow in part 2 "All Hands to the Books!"