In 1867 Manchester was no longer a frontier town. Residents had access to groceries and dry goods and even imported ingredients like lemons and spices. So what did they cook?
An idea can be gained by reading The Virginia Housewife from 1860. It is full of recipes, some nearly identical to recipes we cook today, others, like calfs feet jelly seem very foreign. Browse recipes that would have been familiar to Manchesters residents 150 years ago at http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/virginia_housewife/.
An idea can be gained by reading The Virginia Housewife from 1860. It is full of recipes, some nearly identical to recipes we cook today, others, like calfs feet jelly seem very foreign. Browse recipes that would have been familiar to Manchesters residents 150 years ago at http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/virginia_housewife/.
Boil the calfs feet, that have been nicely cleaned, and the hoofs taken off; when the feet are boiled to pieces, strain the liquor through a colander, and when cold, take all the grease off, and put the jelly in a skillet, leaving the dregs which will be at the bottom. There should be from four feet, about two quarts of jelly: pour into it the white wine, the juice of the lemons strained from the seeds, powdered loaf sugar, a little pounded cinnamon and mace, and the rind thinly pared from two of the lemons; wash the eggs very clean, whip up the whites to a froth, crush the shells and put with them, mix it with the jelly, set it on the fire, stir it occasionally till the jelly is melted, but do not touch it afterwards. When it has boiled till it looks quite clear on one side, and the dross accumulates on the other, take off carefully the thickest part of the dross, and pour the jelly in the bag; put back what runs through, until it becomes quite transparent; then set a pitcher under the bag, and put a cover all over to keep out the dust: the jelly looks much prettier when it is broken to fill the glasses. The bag should be made of cotton or linen, and be suspended in a frame made for the purpose. The feet of hogs make the palest coloured jelly; those of sheep are a beautiful amber-colour, when prepared.
In 1867 Manchester was no longer a frontier town. Residents had access to groceries and dry goods and even imported ingredients like lemons and spices. So what did they cook?
Calf’s foot jelly has two forms: sweet, common in 19th-century Britain and America, and savoury–called petcha, a standard of Ashkenazi Jewish cooking. Both dishes start with a long braise of split cow’s feet. The latter (for a sickroom concoction) adds garlic, onion, salt and pepper, and usually retains the meat that falls from the feet; the former (for a dessert) adds sugar, Madeira wine, brandy, cinnamon and citrus, and discards the meat. In both cases the stock is chilled until it sets, and the fat that rises to the top is skimmed.
If you’ve done a significant amount of reading of regency fiction, you’ve come across a female character taking calf’s foot jelly to an invalid, usually someone poor. It was thought to be exceeding nutritious, but that is not necessarily true, according to my research. It was a thrifty, economizing concoction, made from a leftover part of a beef.
The key component of both is collagen–a protein found mainly in connective tissue, in which feet abound. Collagen makes meat tough, but it also makes the same cut, after stewing, silky and rich. Smart cooks have long begged chicken feet from the butcher: they give chicken soup extra body. Hot, collagen imparts richness; chilled, it turns to gelatin.
Calf’s foot jelly
FAQ
What is calves foot jelly used for?
What is the meaning of foot jelly?
What is the jelly in Pollyanna?
What is calf foot?
How do you make calves foot jelly?
To make calves foot jelly, follow these step-by-step instructions: Thoroughly rinse calves’ feet with water and place them in a stockpot with enough water to cover. Bring the vessel to a boil and remove any scum that appears on the top. Drain the calves’ feet and cover them again with a change of cold water. Bring to a boil again.
What is calfs foot jelly?
Calfs foot jelly, also known as pannacotta or aspic, has been around for centuries. It is believed to have originated in France during the 16th century, where it was served as a gourmet dish for the upper classes. Calfs foot jelly was also served as medicine to the sick and elderly as it was believed to have healing properties.
What is the difference between a calf’s foot jelly and a cookery?
1. (Cookery) a fruit-flavoured clear dessert set with gelatine. US and Canadian trademark: Jell-o 2. (Cookery) a preserve made from the juice of fruit boiled with sugar and used as jam 3. (Cookery) a savoury food preparation set with gelatine or with a strong gelatinous stock and having a soft elastic consistency: calf’s-foot jelly.
What can I add to calf’s foot jelly?
One alternative variation of calf’s foot jelly is adding fruit juices such as apple or grape juice to the broth before adding sugar and lemon juice. This gives the jelly a fruity and refreshing taste. Another alternative is to add alcohol such as port or sherry to the mixture.