Early recipes reflect what's available

     Early settlers made do with the basics of life. Many of their foods, although simple in origin, are being revived to serve to a new generation.
     New England corn cakes and Hasty Pudding have been said to be breakfast favorites of John Adams when he was president of the United States.
     Hasty Pudding was served as hot cereal or chilled until firm, then sliced and browned in butter in a skillet.
     The variations here include orange juice for added flavor.

Orange Corn Cakes

     1 1/2 C. unsifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. orange juice
3 T. butter or margarine, melted.
1 can (1 lb., 1 oz.) cream style corn
     In large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In small bowl beat eggs. Stir in milk, orange juice, butter and corn. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Heat griddle or lightly greased skillet. Measure 1/4 cup batter for each cake, pour onto griddle and cook until bubbles form on top, turn and cook on other side. Remove to serving platter, keep warm and repeat with remaining batter. Serve with Orange Maple Syrup. Makes 16 four-inch pancakes.

Orange Maple Syrup

     1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, undiluted
1/2 C. maple flavored syrup
1/2 C. butter or margarine.
     Combine orange concentrate, maple flavored syrup and butter in saucepan. Simmer about five minutes. Serve warm. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Hasty Pudding

     1/2 C. orange juice
4 1/4 C. water
1 1/2 C. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. molasses
3 T butter or margarine
     In large saucepan bring orange juice and water to a boil. Gradually stir in cornmeal. Stir in salt and nutmeg. Boil, stirring constantly, 10 minutes, or until mixture is very thick. Stir in molasses and two tablespoons butter. Serve immediately on cereal bowls with remaining one tablespoon butter, or turn into 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan and chill until firm. Unmold and slice. heat one tablespoon butter in large skillet over moderately low heat, adding pudding slices and brown slowly on both sides. Serve with maple syrup. Makes 6 servings.
     Some variety of apples flourished in each of the colonies and became a staple food, eaten fresh, cooked or dried. They were often added to foods to provide flavor and variety.
     This dumpling recipe is one way apples were used.

Apple Dumplings

     Pastry for 9-in. double crust pie
4 medium size apples
1/4 C. raisins
1/4 C. sugar
1 T butter or margarine, softened
1/4 Tsp. cinnamon
1 T. lemon juice
     Prepare pastry dough and roll into sheet about 15 inches square. Cut into four 7 by 7-inch squares.
     Core apples (no need to peel). Combine raisins, sugar, butter or margarine, cinnamon and lemon juice; fill apple holes with mixture. Place filled apples in center of pastry squares. moisten edges with cold water and bring up around apples, pressing edges together to seal firmly. Prick pastry in several places.
     Place in 9 by 13-inch baking pan and refrigerate while making apple cinnamon sauce. Bake dumplings at 450 degrees F. about 30 minutes, or until pastry is light brown and apples tender. During baking, occasionally spoon sauce over top of dumplings.
     Makes four servings.

Apple cider wine letter

     "New Berlin, November 10th, 1038. Dear Sir,...If you would have your cider equal to mine, take the following course. Drain off your cider from the barrel as soon as possible after it has come from the mill, then strain it through flannel, change the flannel every now and then and as you strain it let pass through a clean funnel into a barrel entirely new or a brandy cask or rum cask, then after 10 days put in a pint of common mustard seed and a pound of cinnamon and a gill of the best brandy you can get. Watch it occasionally and see if it works, and if it does start the bung for a day and then put in another glass of brandy and bung it up tight and in the month of April bottle it, and Bacchus himself will envy you your draught. Having thus given you a "recipee" as the Old Ladies say, I hope you will be discreet and moderate in the use of the above liquor as it will certainly mount up like a cockroach.
     But I almost wonder that in these days you should dare to ask of a reverend clergyman such a favor. However there is no offence taken, as the penitent but dying fox said to his grandchildren, go but be moderate in your food. A chicken too might do me good. Yours truly E. Andrews."

Extracted from the Eau Claire Leader Telegram
Special Publication, Our Story 'The Chippewa Valley and Beyond', published 1976
Used with permission.