Category: Recipes

• 

---

Throughout much of American history, immigrants were encouraged to “assimilate” to life in the United States, putting aside language, dress and social morés from the “old country.” Many retained their ethnic foods as visceral links to home. By the 1960s and 70s Americans were expressing a growing interest in world cultures. As part of this movement there was a renewed sense of celebration of Americans of all ethnicities and food was an egalitarian and popular medium to explore these themes.

• 

Time Life publishing produced a series of recipe-based books about world foods, including American Cooking: The Melting Pot about the American melting pot featuring the Kowalsky family of Westport—Polish immigrants who were successful farmers and then, later, building contractors. 

To make 28 pancakes 

---

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 12 ounces fruit preserves (cherry, raspberry or strawberry) 
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 
• Confectioners’ sugar 

Directions

To make the pancake batter in an electric blender, combine the flour, eggs, milk, water, sugar and salt in the blender jar and blend them at high speed for a few seconds. Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula, and blend again for 40 seconds. 

To make the batter by hand, stir the eggs and milk together, then beat in the flour, water, sugar and salt with a whisk or a rotary or electric beater. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl. 

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the fruit preserves and grated lemon rind. Set aside. 

Heat a 60 inch crêpe pan or skillet over high heat until a drop of water flicked onto it evaporates instantly. With a pastry brush, lightly grease the bottom of the pan with about ½ teaspoon of the melted butter. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan and tip the pan so that the batter quickly covers the bottom; the batter should cling to the pan and begin to firm up almost immediately.

Cook the pancake for a minute or so, until a rim of brown shows around the edge. Turn it over with a spatula and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes, or until pancake is lightly browned. When the package is done, spread it with 2 heaping tablespoons of a fruit-preserve filling, roll it loosely into a cylinder, and place it in a baking dish in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with the rest of the pancake batter, adding butter to the skillet as needed. Serve the pancakes warm, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. 

• 

• 

​​​​​​​In 1947,  the Westport Woman’s Club  published The Connecticut Cookbook which is held in the Museum’s collection. The cookbook featured recipes from local ladies and was illustrated by noted Connecticut Artists such as Samuel E. Brown who lent this illustration to the Bread Chapter. This recipe for Sweet Milk Bran Bread was offered by Lillian Lambdin, wife of the noted Westport artist Robert Lambdin. This whole grain loaf is sweetened with molasses and dates—both of which add plenty of iron to the bread but raisins can be substituted or the dried fruit can be omitted altogether.

---

Ingredients

• 2 cups white flour (sift before measuring)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup bran
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 cups sweet milk (whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 package dates or raisins, cut up

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients well. Place in a well-greased bread pan.
2. Bake at 300 degrees for 90 minutes.
3. Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature before removing and serving.

In the past, the dandelion was well known as a folk medicine cure-all. Used in soups or tinctures or made into wine, dandelion was long thought to be a blood cleanser, good for the liver and the kidneys and rejuvenating as a spring tonic, This recipe is inspired by Clara’s Kitchen, a web site dedicated to Depression era cooking by Clara Cannucciari (1915-2013) based on her own experiences living through that era. It was tested and prepared by Charlotte D’Anna, a sophomore at Staples. 

Salads from foraged greens have been popular for centuries before and after the 1930s and this particular one will change your mind about dandelions being a nuisance weed to a delicious and elegant salad green with a zesty bite. 

Before foraging, dandelions please be sure you are picking from an area untreated with pesticides or commercial fertilizers.  The best way to pick and clean dandelions are by digging them up from the root using a common weeding tool. In a pinch a flat head screwdriver or butter knife will do the trick too.  

---

Ingredients

• 1 dozen dandelions, washed  
• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 teaspoons raw honey 
• 6 grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half 
• 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese 

Directions

1. Wash the dandelions: Hold each dandelion plant under cold running water, hold each dandelion by the root to wash off dirt and debris. Have a large bowl filled with cold water ready and place each dandelion into it. Swirl the dandelions around and pour off the water when cloudy. Rinse the bowl and repeat until water is clear.   

2. Add 1 teaspoon of the sea salt and half of the lemon juice to the dandelions and fresh water in the bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.  Pick off the flowers from the stem base and set aside on a doubled-up paper towel to dry.   

3. Turn each dandelion upside-down, root facing up and softly collect the leaves in one hand then pinch and twist off the leaves 1/4 inch above the root base with the other hand. Place the leaves in a colander and discard the roots.  Dry using paper towels or a salad spinner.   

4. Place the dried dandelion leaves in a large salad bowl along with the cherry tomatoes 

5. Whisk together the remaining salt and lemon juice along with the pepper, olive oil and honey. Pour over the dandelion salad and toss lightly. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and dandelion flowers. 

This recipe for hoecakes is adapted courtesy of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The first president was a fan of these cornmeal pancakes and often had them for breakfast generously drizzled with honey—of which he was particularly fond. Washington’s affinity for the stuff was so well known that during the time of the first presidency, so many well-wishers left local honey at Washington’s Philadelphia door, that there was always a surplus.  

We call for baking spray or safflower oil to fry the hoecakes. You may use any flavorless oil that you like as long as it has a high scorch point, including lard or shortening. 

---

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 
• 2 1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal, divided 
• 3 to 4 cups lukewarm water 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
• Safflower oil or baking spray as needed 
• Melted butter for drizzling  
• Honey or maple syrup for serving 

Directions

Mix the yeast and 1 1/4 cups of the cornmeal in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of the lukewarm water, stirring to combine thoroughly. Mix in 1/2 cup more of the water, if needed, to give the mixture the consistency of pancake batter. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. 

2. Preheat the oven to 200°F.

3. Make the hoecakes: Stir 1/2 to 1 cup of the remaining water to the batter. Stir in the salt and the egg, blending thoroughly. Gradually add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of cornmeal, alternating with enough additional lukewarm water to make a mixture that is the consistency of waffle batter (similar to cake batter). Cover with a towel, and set aside at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. 

4. Heat a griddle or large, wide skillet on medium-high heat, and brush 2 teaspoons of safflower oil. Alternatively, you may spray the griddle with baking spray. Drop a scant 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook on one side for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Repeat but do not crowd the griddle or pan. Make sure there is at least 2 inches between each hoecake.  

5. With a spatula, turn the hoecakes over and continue cooking another 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.

6. Place the hoecakes on an oven-proof platter, and set it in the preheated oven to keep warm while making the rest of the batch. Drizzle each batch with melted butter.

7. Serve the hoecakes warm, drizzled with honey or maple syrup.