Making Condensed Milk - By Mark Jaeger

[paulcalloway]

ON THE SUBJECT OF:
CONDENSED MILK FOR SOLIDERS

BY

MARK JAEGER

PURDUE UNIVERSITY LIBRAIRIES
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

�
Here's a recipe for home-made condensed milk I found in the Lafayette, Indiana "Daily Journal" for 30 June 1864:

"The following is the process to condense milk for the soldiers: Place two quarts of new milk in a vessel over a slow fire, stir it to prevent burning, until it is about the thickness of cream, add one pound of sugar, a little at a time; stirring constantly till it becomes thick and stiff, then spread on plates and dry in the oven or the sun, and powder it with a knife or spoon. It can be sent in papers, and serves for both milk and sugar when dissolved in coffee or tea. Let our dairy women try it, and they will get the thanks of the "Sanitary [Commission]" and the soldiers."

I presume "new" milk is milk straight from the cow?

Photo from the Steamboat Bertrand Collection

On a somewhat related note, I've also found advertisements for the civilian equivalent of "essence of coffee," beginning with the 17 January 1862 issue of the Indianapolis "Daily Journal":

ECONOMY, ECONOMY! -- Economise these hard times, by using Hummel's Essence of Coffee, a 10 cent box of which will go as far as four pounds of coffee, with a finer flavor, and more wholesome. For sale at the "Cheap Corner
Grocery," corner [of] Washington and Illinois streets [in Indianapolis].

This product seems to have been popular (at least as a novelty) since the 20 January 1862 "Journal" also carries this:

ESSENCE OF COFFEE. -- We are having a great run on Hummel's Essence of Coffee at the "Cheap Corner Grocery," corner of Washington and Illinois street[s]. The people like it, for its fine flavor, and great saving of coffee and money.

Regards,
Mark D. Jaeger
Purdue University Libraries
Special Collections

[Charles Heath]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

I like that yellow label on that can of Essence of Coffee, since so many folks believe the only true color label was light blue. An interesting detail to note is how the paper label acts as a seal since it is glued over the edge of the lid. The reproduction labels we used a few months ago at the 2nd Bull Run NPS Living History were reproduced from those used by a Milwaukee contractor of the Hummel brand, and had preparation instructions in both English and German.

[bazoo]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Do you know if the bottom had a little hole in the middle close with pewter?

[Spinster]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Charles,

Given homemade essense of coffee, in the repro tins, and sealed with the paper label, what's your take on the following time spans, as far as the stuff being food safe? (And yes, I know that your reputation for 'food safe' is high, though palatability and appearance are examples of great creativity)

Safe time from initial can seal to initial opening?
Stored under what conditions?

Safe time from opening to final consumption?
Under what conditions?

My problem being that I tend to pack a crate of period foods about twice a year, and use out of it until the groceries are gone, with said crate riding around in the back of my vehicle for weeks at a time. I haven't poisoned anyone yet, but I can't tell if this stuff is bad just by looking at it.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Do you know if the bottom had a little hole in the middle close with pewter?

The Hummell's coffee essence cans on the Steamboat Bertrand had removable lids so they did not not need an exhaust hole.

The cans that were the "hold in the top" cans and were processed in a hot water bath had the exhaust hole in the top and were closed with lead.

[bazoo]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Did that(The Hummell's coffee essence cans on the Steamboat Bertrand had removable lids so they did not not need an exhaust hole. ) mean that cans aren't appertised by hot water?

Geraudie, don't forget to sign your posts with your full name. Thanks. - Charles Heath, one of those moderators.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Given homemade essense of coffee, in the repro tins, and sealed with the paper label, what's your take on the following time spans, as far as the stuff being food safe?

Is that safe for normal human beings or CW reenactors? :tounge_sm

A number of reenactors use original Hummel's tins complete with original labels, and just refill the tins with their own homemade Essence of Coffee concoction. At least one that I know used the last of the original essence in one of those tins to make coffee, and the results were brown, hot, and poor. None of these folks tend to be having gastric distress.

The latest group of culinary lab rats were the folks at Vicksburg last weekend, and the coffee went over well. That particular batch of essence was 10 months old, and had been kept on a cupboard shelf in one of those steel cut oatmeal tins. A pint or quart paint can would work well for storing the "coffee depot" resupply at home. These are available from any home improvement or paint store. The essence still had a good appearance, but was a bit stiffer than the batch Pat Landrum made just a short time before the event. A handful of lads even tried the essence straight from the can, as did a few boys at the recent Wilderness NPS LH.

How long will it last in the back of a black 1963 Rambler station wagon during a Gulf Coast summer? Danged if I know, but the effort required to make the essence is more than compensated by the lack of volume, weight, and, most of all -- grounds! Most of our food service items are stored in the underground garage, the back room, or in the kitchen. The latter two places are temperature controlled, and the former tends to be a bit cool and damp.

Since I have no more living history cooking modules scheduled for 2007, the next time we'd crack open a can of essense will most likely be at the White Oak Museum work day in December. We'll see if it has eaten through the tin by then, and if not, we'll boil up a batch of brew to see if it tastes fairly good.

(And yes, I know that your reputation for 'food safe' is high, though palatability and appearance are examples of great creativity)

I have to wonder about some of the explicit and implied directions in the US Army recipes - generally stolen from European armies of the time. The period accounts often blamed the cooks, but some of the recipes just don't make a great tasting dish. Some of the lads do start backing away from the serving line when the phrase "mule feed" is uttered. :p

[Dan Munson]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Going back to the original topic - condensed milk - the period recipe furnished by Mark Jaeger seems to describe powdered (dry) "condensed" milk. I had thought that Bordens, and like companies, produced liquid condensed milk in cans during the CW years. Was I wrong, or is this simply another, more convenient, mode of preparation?

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Did that(The Hummell's coffee essence cans on the Steamboat Bertrand had removable lids so they did not not need an exhaust hole. ) mean that cans aren't appertised by hot water?

From what I've read about Hummell's Essence of Coffee and seen of the labels and advertisements, it must have been a powder so the can did not need to be processed in a hot water bath. One early advertisement indicated that the product came in a box rather than a can.

The following came from one the advertisements for Hummel's. "To make a half gallon middling strong coffee, take one tablespoon full of ground coffee and half a tea-spoonful of this Essence, and boil the coffee as desired; more or less quanitity of coffee must be made after this proportion; for very strong coffee take some more of this Essence." Instructions were also in German. It stated that one box would equal 4# of coffee and cost 12 1/2 cents."

Also in answer to one of your eariler questions, the early hole in the top cans were sealed with lead solder, not pewter.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Going back to the original topic - condensed milk - the period recipe furnished by Mark Jaeger seems to describe powdered (dry) "condensed" milk. I had thought that Bordens, and like companies, produced liquid condensed milk in cans during the CW years. Was I wrong, or is this simply another, more convenient, mode of preparation?

This is the first recipe I've seen for making powdered milk at home.

There was a product of the American Solidified Milk Company called Solidified Milk, The milk was heated to condense it and sugar was added to produce a more stable product; it was first produced in 1855. At first it was made in tablets but by 1859 it was found that by granulating the milk/sugar mixture after it became solid, it kept better. I found several ads for the product but then it seemed to disappear from the market.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

From what I've read about Hummell's Essence of Coffee and seen of the labels and advertisements, it must have been a powder so the can did not need to be processed in a hot water bath.

Virginia,

The period descriptions of Essence of Coffee are more like a thick brown paste, and often include terms like "axle grease. " The residue found in original Hummel's cans backs up this assertion.

I'm really not sure how long it takes for this stuff to spoil, if it ever does. The 130+ year old essence was still useable a few years ago when folks were buying cans of it at relic shows and preparing it in the field, and the reproduction essence we made a year ago for the 2nd Bull Run NPS LH is still looking good at room temperature. In fact, it received more than a few compliments at the Vicksburg NPS LH about a month ago. The only difference between the 11 month old essence we brought, and the freshly prepared essence Pat Landrum provided was the former dark brown goo had hardened somewhat.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

Virginia,

The period descriptions of Essence of Coffee are more like a thick brown paste, and often include terms like "axle grease. " The residue found in original Hummel's cans backs up this assertion.

Charles,

I was only going by descriptions of Hummel's taken from ads and research. It seems like the term "essence of coffee" could apply to several difference substances. I have an original bottle labeled "essence of coffee" and it could only hold a liquid substance because the opening is so narrow. I've also seen advertisements that indicate that essence of coffee was a liquid.

From Scientific American, March 1847"The Essence of Coffee" Among the new inventions and discoveries that are astonishing the world, we have heard of none that promises to be more useful and acceptable, at least to ladies, than "The Essence of Coffee" which is now offered to lovers of that beverage. It is the genuine stuff, put up in bottles, at a low price. You have only to put a tea-spoon full into a cup of water containing the usual compliment of sugar and milk, and you have a cup of superior coffee without further trouble."

There was a recipe for a liquid "essence of coffee" in Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management that contained 1/4 lb. ground coffee, 1 small teaspoonful powedered chicory to 1 pint of water. The coffee and chicory were put in a pot and the boiling water poured over it and the mixture was then filtered. It was allowed to simmer and then filtered a second time and then bottled. Two tablespoons was used to to a cup of hot milk.

One Hummel's advertisement indicated that it came in a box which would mean, at least to me, it was a powder. from reading testimonal's and advertisements, it seems like Hummel's was almost like what we would consider a coffee extender. The instructions, read, "To make a half gallon middling strong coffee, take one tablespoon full of ground coffee and half a tea-spoonful of this Essence, and boil the coffee as desired; more or less quanitity of coffee must be made after this proportion; for very strong coffee take some more of this Essence." It stated that one box would equal 4# of coffee and cost 12 1/2 cents.

Other research indicated that essence of coffee could be a powder. From DeBow's (Sept. 1857). "One day we met a man driving a vehicle through the streets of New York, offering the 'essence of coffee' for sale, done up in small papers, and for which he asked a round price. We asked him to let us examine a package, to which he consented, and which, on examination, we found to be pure chicory. Yet, he was retailing this stuff to poor, ignorant people as the 'essence of coffee.' "

In the May 5, 1866 edtion of Scientific American the following was found. "Essence of Coffee - The Cincinnati Gazette announces that 'pure essence of coffee' is now made in that city of the 'cheapest, diriest molasses.' This molasses is boiled, cooled, and when hard, is broken and pulverized. Ground rye is then mixed with it, and a small box of the mixture, labelled 'pure essence of coffee, is sold for eighty cents."

It is possible that if the Hummel's Essence of Coffee was made from a molasses base that it might have turned to a sticky goo over the years. I may be wrong and they may have made two different products and called them the same thing.

There is no indication that any of these types of essences of coffee contained both milk and sugar like the Borden's brand did. Army records indicated that the extract of coffee would take the place of shipments of coffee and sugar.

The "axel grease" type of coffee that Bordens' sold was labeled "extract of coffee" on Borden's can and another brand or extract of coffee made by Tilden was also produced and purchased by the army. In reading Borden's patents for his condensed milk, he stated, "For preserved milk combined with sugar or extract of coffee, it [the milk] may be reduced even further." In army records it was designated as "extract of coffee" and apparently came in sizes of tins ranging from one quart to 5 gallons. Both Borden and Tilden had army contracts but Tilden had difficulty producing enough to fulfill his contract obligations.

I could be totally wrong and would welcome any addition comments.

[10TnVI]

Re: Making Condensed Milk by Mark Jaeger

From Scientific American-Jan. 1864

"Powder of Milk- the powder of milk, added to water, forms an agreeable drink, and an excellent substitute for milk.
Milk-2 pints,
water-1 ounce
sugar-1 pound.
This mixture is then to be gently heated and constantly stirred. When it is three-fourths evaporated, the sugar is to be gradually added and the whole briskly stirred. After it is perfectly incorporated, the mixture is removed from the fire, poured into plates, and dried in an oven.
When perfectly dry it is to be finely poedered and kept in well stoppered bottles. 1 or 2 teaspoons is sufficent for a cup of tea or coffee."

[Becky Morgan]

Essence of coffee, axle grease, and a discovery

This may be too obvious to relate, but I will anyway.
It may be that the period complains about "axle grease" coffee essence and the equally period recipes for making a powdered essence are compatible after all.
We have had very high humidity this week to go along with the searing heat. It was 97 degrees Thursday with a dewpoint of 77.7, which is the highest I've seen on this Upper Ohio Valley weather station.

Early this week, I went to make some instant peach tea. Being cheap, rather than buying the individual packets I buy the tube of foil-covered plastic tubs. Each small tub makes two quarts, so I peel back the foil only enough to pour about a quarter of it into a water bottle, and wrap the foil back over the remainder. The product is powdered tea, flavoring and artificial sweetener and is normally either loose or slightly lumpy. I had opened a tub the day before, so that's the one I reached for.

Lo and behold, when I peeled back the foil on my previously opened tub...axle grease! The light brown powder had turned to a thick, sticky brownish-black soft solid. I scraped out about half of it (it was roughly half a tub, so should have been enough to make one quart.) Flavor was unaffected once I got it stirred into the water.

Hmm, says I. I ground up some modern instant coffee, evaporated milk and sugar and left it overnight in a similar, not quite sealed container. Once again, in the morning I had axle grease. I don't intend to produice essence of coffee on any large scale, but this, at least, could explain the difference between the specs and the letters home.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Essence of coffee, axle grease, and a discovery

Sounds pretty good! Below is a website with a recipe for making "Essence of coffee". I've made it myself and it is easy and produces a good cup a Joe with either hot or cold water...that is if you like cream and sugar in your coffee. My only quandry is what type of container is there that is resealable, authentic and won't make a mess inside the ole haversack. If it did it would just add character I suppose. I even like to eat straight from the tub right out of the refrigerator. (just like a quart of coffee flavored ice cream!) I like to use Borden's Sweetened Condensed Milk! Dr Borden already had his factory up and running making it before the war.

http://www.fugawee.com/coffee.htm

It wouldn't be appropriate for CS impression although a captured haversack could have a can of this in it. Although I think that is over used line!