Yesterday, Monday, October 4th, I was so thrilled to have company here at Green Mount. Jon and Kristen Ober of Mathews County stayed for a portion of the day and were the best company. They were so interested in the history of the home, the family, the artifacts, the story of the Fleet family in general. We exchanged books, I receiving as a gift, the third book written by Jon,
A Game Warden's Field Notes III, (thank you again!) and they left with copies of
Green Mount After the War and the
Autobiography of Sallie Lee Mahood which I could only loan them, but I know we will all enjoy reading each other's books. Fine people are the Obers and I hope they will visit again.
Today, by the way, is our oldest son's 21st birthday. Alex is celebrating I suppose in a modest way. He's stationed in Afghanistan, being a member of the 173rd Airborne Unit (Army). We miss him a lot, pray he's safe and hope to see him in December when he's allowed a whole month off and will be out of Afghanistan, stationed in Italy. Then he, his Dad, his brother Tyler and I will have a big group hug and be thankful for many things.
I am not actually writing a journal entry at this time. The reason for this post is to share with you a couple of old recipes I found in a cookbook here at Green Mount. The book is titled
Miss Leslie's Complete Cookery and was printed in 1841. There is a quince bush out front of the house and I've always wondered what it was. After finally learning what the name of the fruit bearing bush was, I read where Ma (Mrs. Fleet) once made quince jelly and sent it to her oldest son Fred when he was in camp in the Confederate Army. She encouraged him to share some of the other foods she sent, but to keep the quince jelly for himself. Here are a few pictures of the quince bush and the fruit and a typed out copy of the recipes in this old book. It's fun to read some of the instructions such as the part about "if you are obliged to use river water..." I guess times have changed
a little. So, I've picked me some quinces and since I don't have many, I think I'll try to make the quince cheese. A good friend of mine who wins blue ribbons at the state fair every year is going to try making the jelly. She got some of the quinces I picked earlier. She won two first places this year and two other ribbons as well. I don't know if you can buy these bushes around, I suppose you can and if you'd like to try making an old-timey treat here is some information that may assist. I also found a recipe on line for the jelly, so there are people who still make this. I had never heard of it until moving here. The photo of the jelly I found on line was a pretty pinkish color. I also learned from that reading on line that the quinces have a lot of natural pectin, so none has to be added.
QUINCE JELLY
Take fine ripe yellow quinces, wash them and remove all the blemishes. Cut them in pieces, but do not pare or core them. Put them into a preserving-pan with clear spring water. If you are obliged to use river water, filter it first; allowing one pint to twelve large quinces. Boil them gently till they are all soft and broken. Then put them into a jelly-bag, and do not squeeze it till after the clear liquid has ceased running. Of this you must make the best jelly, allowing each pint a pound of loaf sugar. Having dissolved the sugar in the liquid, boil them together about twenty minutes, or till you have a thick jelly. In the mean time squeeze out all that is left in the bag. It will not be clear, but you can make a very good jelly for common purposes.
QUINCE CHEESE
Have fine ripe quinces, and pare and core them. Cut them into pieces and weigh them; and to each pound of quinces, allow half a pound of the best brown sugar. Put the cores and parings into a kettle with enough water to cover them, keeping the lid of the kettle closed. When you find that they are all boiled to pieces and quite soft, strain off the water over the sugar, and when it is entirely dissolved, put it over the fire and boil it to a thick syrup, skimming it well. When no more scum rises, put in the quinces, cover them closely, and boil them all day over a slow fire, stirring them and mashing them down with a spoon till they are a thick smooth paste. Then take it out, and put it into buttered tin pans or deep dishes. Let it set to get cold. It will then turn out so firm that you may cut it into slices like cheese. Keep it in a dry place in broad stone pots. It is intended for the tea-table.
I tasted one of the quinces uncooked and they are SOUR!
As always, thank you very much for reading. I promise to post the next journal entry very soon.
