Simple Roast Chicken with Gravy (1892)

 

Bing AI

A dish they may have served at many of the hotel restaurants in Phoenix during the 1890s.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)

2 tbsp butter (softened)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, quartered

1 carrot, cut into chunks

1 celery stalk, cut into chunks

1/2 cup water or chicken stock

For the Gravy:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup drippings from the roasted chicken (or stock)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the softened butter all over the chicken, both inside and outside, and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the onion, carrot, and celery inside the cavity of the chicken. These add flavor but are not meant to be eaten.

Place chicken in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Pour 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock into the bottom of the pan to keep the chicken moist. Roast for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken occasionally with the pan juices.

Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a serving platter and let it rest while you make the gravy. In a small saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter. Add 1 tbsp flour and whisk together to form a roux. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the drippings from the roasting pan, cooking until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carve the chicken and serve with the homemade gravy. You can accompany it with simple vegetables like boiled potatoes or peas.

Cornstarch Cake - 1904

 

This is a vintage moist and spongy cake.  It does have a tendency to fall, so I would try the recommendations at the end.  Don't let it win!

Ingredients:

 sugar, 2 cupfuls

butter, 1 cupful

milk, 1 cupful

eggs, 3

soda, 1 teaspoonful

flour, 2 cupfuls

cornstarch, 1 cupful

cream-tartar, 2 teaspoonfuls

Directions:

Stir two cupfuls of sugar and one of butter to a cream.  Add one cup of milk, three eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, and one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little hot water. Then stir in two cupfuls of flour, and one cupful of cornstarch, with two teaspoonfuls of cream-tartar sifted through them (original directions - The New York Cake Cook).

Modification:  Bake in a 6-inch pan for 60 minutes, avoiding opening
the door for 45 minutes.  cool upside down.

Folk Song Apple Pie

 

Bing AI/Val Prompt

This recipe is inspired by many Victorian recipes for apple pie, but with the busy person in mind.

Ingredients:

1 package store-bought refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)

6 cups peeled and sliced apples (about 6 medium apples)

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter, diced

Instructions:

Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Prepare the Filling.  In a large bowl, mix the sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until the apples are evenly coated. Unroll one pie crust and place it in a 9-inch pie plate. Press it firmly against the sides and bottom. Pour the apple mixture into the crust-lined pie plate. Dot the top with pieces of butter.

Unroll the second crust and place it over the filling. Trim excess dough from the edges, then pinch the edges to seal. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking.

Cool and Serve.