This is meant as an aid in planning camp meals at home. The recipes, or receipts as they were called, have been copied into a new regimental receipt book for use in camp in front of the public. Each Distaff NCO might want her own commonplace book to copy her favorite receipts and notes to aid in planning and preparation.
All of these receipts are either from books dated before the American revolution or receipts that are thought to be accurate for that period. Part of the pleasure of reenacting is learning about the social history of the eighteenth century. Cooking and eating accurate food, and discovering that it can be delicious, adds to the fun.
Read through all the receipts. Information that is relevant for several dishes may be with just one.
Main-dish pie receipts have been included for demonstration cookery. With only one Dutch oven in camp, it isn't possible to make enough pies to use as a main dish for meals.
Butter:
Many of us are accustomed to substituting margarine for butter. There is a distinct
difference in flavor, and margarine will not always combine with other foods the same as
butter. Light butter can be used sometimes, but not in baked goods.
Sweet Herbs:
The most-often called for herbs were parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and bay. When a
receipt calls for sweet herbs, any or all of these may be chosen.
Spices:
Nutmeg and mace (the outer covering of nutmeg) were commonly used in main dishes as
well as in sweets as we use them today. Other common spices were cinnamon, salt, pepper,
and cloves. Caraway seeds were used in some baked goods.
Flavorings:
Vanilla was rarely used. Instead, rosewater was a very common flavoring. Others used
less frequently were lemon essence and orange flower water. Also common were fresh and
dried lemon peel and candied orange and lemon peel and candied citron.
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