Citzens look at seasonings...

[Elaine Kessinger]

Over in the military thread, we've had a discussion on "spices" that were common to the military and how they were packaged.

Several questions about how citizens dealt with seasonings have come along and the moderators keep having to bring the thread back around to military thoughts...

...so here's a place for the questions to cover spices, herbs, packaging, sales, etc.

The last "question" asked was... Were the spice tins (a larger tin container filled with smaller tin containers and usually a nut grater, sold as a set and often japanned and painted with the names of the spices) common for "not wealthy" folks too?

Also asked was... a resource for paper to make paper packets in which smaller quantities of spices would be sold in stores? ...and documentation of same.

[Doughboy]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Just an educated (or as Pogue might call it "ignorant" ) guess, butcher paper has been around since about 100 AD. widely used in groceries and other trades it is basically kraft paper. Another option, if mothers are posting herbs to their boys, mightent they have wrapped in scraps of fabric folded into packets? No documentation for the second but seems logical to the times and habits of not wasting anything. Of course there are the ubiquitous poke bags...

[crabby]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

While I followed this discussion in the military folders, I refrained from posting. Now however, it is
in my corner of the sandbox and I will make a few suggestions. One is to not make 'guesses' but
do some research and quote your sources. Rather than assuming that "mothers are posting herbs to
their boys" and guessing how they were wrapped, find primary source documentation.
While one of the posters on the other thread states he has seen numerous letter requests for
different spices, it would have been helpful if he had included his source.
Personally, I have only seen requests for spices from or shipments to, the US Sanitary Commission.
Being able to read a soldier's letter asking for spices would add to my knowledge base. Especially
when taken in context; Federal or Confederate, in winter camp or on the march, etc.
And if you would like to learn more about period packaging, I can give you my book list. While
most are secondary sources, they have great bibliography's.

[advanceguard]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Here is an excerpt from the letters of James Irwin of the 124th NYSV:
"...You need not send me the Bible as I have got one given by the Orange County Bile society. You will please send the following articles: Pepper another box mustard, teas as I do not drink coffee anymore it does not agree with me, Can or, two of milk, Licorice, the pepper send a box with it..."

Pvt. Drake of the 124th NYV wrote to his sister to ask for:

"...1 pr w socks1 camp knife of the walden make1 paper pepper make a bag to carry it..."

I'll find more later

[Doughboy]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Beth
Thanks. It would of course be welcomed if you would post your sources. While it is always easy to criticize, it is more helpful to share.
Looking forward to your information!

[Doughboy]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

double post

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Mods-

This thread has become redundant. The above postings should go here: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...-Common-Spices
and this thread should be deleted.

I am disappointed my fellow citizens don't care to discuss seasoning their food or adding to their stock of knowledge of 19th century foodways and shopping practices... but what can one do... :-(

[crabby]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Mr. Otis,
Thank you very much. Do you happen to know any info regarding the time of year or where
the 124th was when the letters were written? Since he is asking for 'another box mustard'
it would appear he wants mustard seeds vs prepared mustard.

Here are some of my favorite books:
Peddlers and Post Traders The Army Sutler on the Frontier by David M. Delo
Civil War Sutlers and Their Wares by Francis A. Lord
The Yankee Peddlers of Early America by J. R. Dolan
One for a Man, Two for a Horse by Gerald Carson
Over the Counter and on the Shelf by Laurence A. Johnson
Hawkers and Walkers in Early America by Richard Wright
America's Affluent Age by Floyd & Marion Rinhart

[advanceguard]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Mrs. Crabb,

It was January of 1863. I hope this helps. I will dig up more spice references later

[BobRoeder]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Here is an excerpt from the letters of James Irwin of the 124th NYSV:
"...Pepper another box mustard, teas as I do not drink coffee anymore it does not agree with me, Can or, two of milk, Licorice, the pepper send a box with it..."

Wouldn't period cookbooks / housekeeping manuals contain information on "flavorings" (herbs, spices, etc), I know there were some posted here at one time or another. Also, many "spices" were used medicinally. The mustard (ground seeds) could be used for cooking, but they were also used for mustard plasters, etc. in an attempt to cure various illlnesses.

Here is an excerpt from Gen. Grant's memoirs which might shed some light on how people of the period (military or civilian) may have used "spices" medicinally:

"ON April 8th [1865] I had followed the Army of the Potomac in rear of Lee. I was suffering very severely with a sick-headache, and stopped at a farmhouse on the road, some distance in rear of the main body of the army. I spent the night in bathing my feet in hot water and mustard, and putting mustard-plasters on my wrists and the back part of my neck, hoping to be cured by morning. During the night I received Lee's answer to my letter of the 8th, inviting an interview between the lines on the following morning. But it was for a different purpose from that of surrendering his army, and I answered him as follows:....".

Cheers,

[Little Jo]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

The Bertrand's cargo contained "pepper in small cans". The Hoff Store (1851) site yielded bottles of ground black pepper from Wells, Miller, and Provost in 7 oz and 28 oz.

Additional resources worth exploring:
Jones, Olive."Commercial Foods, 1740-1820." Historical Archaeology27 (1993):25-41.
--------------"London Mustard Jars." Historical Archaeology17 (1983):69-84.
Zumwalt, Betty. Ketchup, Pickles, Sauces: 19th Century Food in Glass. Fulton, Ca:M. West Publishers, 1980.

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Citzens look at seasonings...

Mr. Otis- Your postings answer exactly, precisely the question that was asked in the military thread "Common Spices." Please post your letters of soldiers in the field requesting spices there.

As Mrs. Crabb says, DOCUMENTATION rather than speculation and extrapolation are preferred here on the AC.

Miz Byrum- Thank you very much for posting... and with sources.
************************************************** ***********************************
NOW REALLY.... to get THIS THREAD back on track...

You are making food, what seasonings are YOU using? How do you store them? Where did you buy them? In what quantities? Did you consider them cheap and easy to acquire or expensive and carefully rationed?

Last season I explored period recipes to compose a period menu for four meals. The spices that were called for in the recipes used included: sage, marjoram, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, parsley, basil, lemon peel, orange peel, lemon zest, orange zest, cayenne pepper, cloves, ginger, mustard.

The recipes were published between 1803 and 1854... in other words, when women of 186x were learning their go-to recipes.

The most common spices in a spice tin were pepper, mustard, clove, mace, and nutmeg. If your tin would take seven, add cinnamon, ginger, or cayenne pepper.

The most common condiments on a table were salt, black pepper, red pepper, sweet (or olive) oil, table vinegar (usually lightly flavored with herbs), and a soybean-fish sauce (termed "soy" sauce because of the soybeans, try Asian markets for "oyster" sauce with soybeans in the ingredient list). These were served in a matched set of specialty glass containers called "casters". The emerging glassware and plate silver industries, as well as the expanding spice trade markets, made caster sets available to even middle (professional and merchant) class households.

A variety of containers are used in period... you might enjoy Mrs. Mescher's article "In A Pickle: types of food preservation in the 19th century" which covers both food preservation and also the related containers. She has also compiled a book/CD of store ledgers called "Historic Accounts."