蘑菇视频

Jul 18, 2018 By Joe Carei for The 6 min read

I have a great interest in the 200 Anniversary of the National Road. I have lived on or within walking distance of the National Road for over half my life. I have been within 5 miles of it, for nearly all of my life, in two different states. I have made close to a million meals in my restaurants, on the National Road. So you can say it蘑菇视频 in my blood or, more correctly, in my recipes.

This year, over a million visitors will use the National Road to visit Western Pennsylvania. Many will be unaware that this was just an Indian footpath less than 300 years ago. Happily, they will be no more than 10 minutes from any restaurant and a well cooked meal. That was not always the case.

Although the official designation of the National Road was 1818, its predecessor was started nearly 70 years before. In 1749 Thomas Cresap and an Indian Chief named Nemacolin improved these trails for the Ohio Company. The Ohio Company was a land grant company that was looking to improve travel out west for land speculation and to do trade with the Indians. George Washington used and improved the trail, in 1752, to get word to the French that they were illegally operating forts in the region. He was followed by General Braddock and 1400 troops who made the trail wider and more passable for the start of the French and Indian War. The trail became a road and was known as Braddock Road until it morphed into the national road in 1818.

At the birth of the road, there were no taverns, no wagon stands and certainly no restaurants. Soldiers, travelers and pioneers had to fend for themselves. Most meals were cooked for sustenance. These meals were far removed from the Haute Cuisine movement that was starting in France, but they were no means primitive. The 鈥渇irst鈥� American restaurant, the City Tavern, was 20 years away and the first American cookbook was printed another 20 years later in 1796.

Cooking in the mid-1700s on the trai, was not Neanderthal in nature. A well planned trip in those days could still yield some good eats. Corn was regularly used as it was a colonial staple. So corn pudding and George Washington蘑菇视频 favorite travelling food, Indian Hoe Cakes, were made on the way. Ironically, the English turned their nose up at corn and viewed it as animal feed. Soups were made regularly with pocket soup (like a bouillon) and ingredients found along the way. Meat was salted or was made available on the way, while breads and cakes were a mainstay.

Here are a few recipes for you to try on your next trip down the National Road. Or just pull into a local 鈥渨agon stand鈥� to get your vittles.

Indian Hoe Cake

Indian Hoe Cakes were like a baked grits or polenta and was usually made on the open hearth. This recipe has been adapted for the oven and is from the Mt. Vernon Cookbook.

1 cup of water-boiling

陆 cup of cornmeal

陆 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon lard or shortening (butter will do as a substitute)

Combine cornmeal with salt. Add lard and enough boiling water to make a dough that holds its shape. Form into two loaf-shaped cakes on a hot, well-greased pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Pound cake

Pound cake was a staple because it was easy to remember. Without cookbooks, everything was cooked from memory. So, a recipe like 鈥�

1 pound eggs (10 large)

1 pound butter

1 pound flour

1 pound sugar

Plus dash of salt

鈥� was easy to remember.

Instructions: Beat the sugar and softened butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Fold in flour in four batches. Place in greased loaf pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 1.5 hours. Check with toothpick in center, and when clean, it蘑菇视频 done. I add zest from a lemon in the batter for a fresh flavor.

Meagre Soup

This was a soup made from onions, celery and greens, possible found along road. Perhaps a precursor to wedding soup, a western pa staple.

陆 cup lard or butter

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large onion, diced

2 tablespoons flour

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1 quart of chopped greens-spinach, escarole are a good choice mixed with romaine or leaf lettuce

Parsley

6 cups chicken stock

录 teaspoon nutmeg

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vinegar

Hunk of dried bread, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

In pot, sweat the onions and garlic. Add parsley and greens cook until soft. Whisk in flour and cook a minute, then whisk in stock. Let simmer 15 minutes. Mix yolks and vinegar together and drizzle in hot soup. Add nutmeg and adjust with salt and pepper. If you want the soup to be thicker, break up the dry bread and add to soup. If desired, add anything to soup; mini meatballs and pasta, perhaps.

Green Corn Pudding

Green corn pudding was a treat during the early harvest when the corn was just ripe. However it can be made from more mature corn and reconstituted dried corn, but is not as good and took a lot longer to cook.

6 ears corn

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

录 teaspoon pepper

Two tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups milk or cream

Separate eggs. Clean corn and then cut through center of each row of corn to release milk. The cut kernels off cob into bowl. Beat the egg yolk and add to the corn with the melted butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Incorporate the milk. In separate bowl, whip the whites to peaks and fold into the mixture. Pour into a greased casserole dish or 8-inch by-8-inch baking pan. Place in 350 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes.

For a creamier corn taste, you can grate the kernels off of the cob. But, reduce the milk used.

Chef Joe Carei has been an award-winning chef in Fayette County nearly half of his life. The former PA Restaurateur of the Year now operates Ellie Mae蘑菇视频 Catering and Food Clubs. He can be reached at joe@elliemaescatering.com.