Recipe - Potted Cheese (Godey's 1866)

For a few years now I've been enjoying cooking period recipes.  I have decided to start blogging some of my experiences.

I found the cutest potting-jars at a local antique store and was inspired to start potting. There are many different potted recipes,  which in modern terms are the equivalent of spreads or dips. In my 1866 Godey's Lady"s book there was a simple potted cheese recipe. 

This is a very simple recipe and does not require any preparation.

Ingredients:

1  pound of cheese

2 ounces of melted butter

1 cup of sherry (I assume a sherry cup full)

Cayenne,  mace (nutmeg) and salt

Method:

One pound of cheese must be well beaten in a mortar, to it must be added two ounces of liquid butter,  one cup of sherry,  and a very small quantity of cayenne pepper, mace (nutmeg) and salt.  All should be well beaten together and put in a potting-jar, with a lip of butter at the top.

The beating of the cheese was quite hard work and it broke one of my pestles.

The finished potted cheese. As described it is a very nice looking. It tastes very much like the ingredients of a strong cheese with a sherry aftertaste.  It is very nice in small quantities on toast or fresh bread. You can also seal them with a beeswax cloth and string tied under the lip of the jar. 

1860s Cloth Doll

Amelia needed a decent doll for re-enactment use. I am always reluctant to allow any toddler (especially mine) to play with original historical antique items. After some discussion we decided that it would be best to provide her with a cloth doll. Thankfully, we were able to purchase and download Great Auntie Maude’s Cloth Lady Doll (https://www.thesewingacademy.com/shop/). This is a fantastic pattern and was fairly simple to hand sew. The complete doll and outfit only took a few weeks to construct during my leisure time. It was also nice that we completed the doll together as a family.

 Nic painted Minnie May's face, while I started on the arms. Once she was dry I was able to complete hand sewing her body. She was made with cotton and stuffed with natural cleaned wool from a Steiner children's shop.

 I loved that the pattern included a full wardrobe of garments, including all her underwear. It is nice not having to purchase multiple items. The instructions were very clear and easy to follow. 

 The completed drawers. I was worried at first that they are closed with hooks, but once on the doll they have never come undone.

 For her dress Amelia chose some scraps from her tan dress. As Minnie May is meant to be a doll version of Miss Amelia May we decided to make her dress at a child's length. Later Nic did paint the back of her head as well.

 

 Amelia was super excited and enjoyed every new item as I finished sewing.

 I love the very small hooks and thread eyes. Very easy to use and surprisingly stable.

 

  

 Miss Amelia May and Minnie May at an event.

She also has a coat now. We still need to make her a bonnet and a copy of Amelia's yellow dress. For her stockings we used finger bandages that we cut in half and stitched closed. We were able to purchase leather boots from the Doll Hospital.