Paper: Akron Beacon Journal (OH)
Title: JULY 4TH TRADITIONS OF THE PAST STILL ENDURE TURTLE SOUP, PUDDING AMONG HOLIDAY FOOD
When John Adams signed the Declaration of Independence, he wrote to his wife, Abigail, that the day of the signing "will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.
"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward, forevermore."Curiosity about food traditions from the original Fourth of July led us to Lynne Farrington, curator of books at the Annenberg Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Farrington checked several historical treatises and sources, including Celebrating the Fourth: Independence Day and the Rites of Nationalism in the Early Republic by Len Travers; The Glorious Fourth: An American Holiday, An American History by Diana Karter Appelbaum; and The American Heritage Cookbook and Illustrated History of American Eating & Drinking.
Though the Adamses celebrated the Fourth of July each year with enthusiasm, their tastes at the dinner table reflected New England thrift and simplicity. On the menu at their home: turtle soup, broiled salmon steaks or New England poached salmon with egg sauce, green peas, boiled new potatoes in jackets, Indian pudding or apple pandowdy, coffee and tea.
As celebrations across the country grew and became more elaborate, there usually was a "committee of arrangements" that drew up the Fourth of July program. Readings of the Declaration of Independence were very popular.
Toasts were often punctuated with musket or cannon fire and followed by a patriotic or political song such as Adams and Liberty or new lyrics for Yankee Doodle.
Each celebration had its own orator, followed by dinner. It has been theorized that this is how America's first political parties were formed. And it was at these first ceremonies that the many Fourth of July food traditions started.
TURTLE SOUP
In the early years of the new nation, the people of Philadelphia and Charleston especially enjoyed turtle soup for Independence Day. Restaurants advertised the exact hour when the rich concoction would be available. It could then be sampled or "gentlemen" could send their servants to buy it and bring it home.
The popularity of turtle soup diminished as concern about protecting certain species of turtles grew. Today, mock turtle soup is still popular in the South, but it's made with veal stew meat. One of the few restaurants in the United States that still serves authentic turtle soup is found in New Orleans. Commander's Palace uses locally farmed turtles.
Here's a historical recipe for Turtle Soup, taken from the 1939 cookbook of the Baton Rouge Junior League. You may substitute veal stew meat for the turtle.
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TURTLE SOUP
Select a turtle of desired size. Clean it well and cut into small pieces. If when bought, some of the inside is added to the meat, scrape well and cut small also.
Fry a large onion in hot lard. When done add a spoonful of flour and let the whole brown nicely; put in the meat and let it fry awhile. Add tomatoes, the quantity of bouillon needed, and a glass each of white and Madeira wine.
Season to taste with pepper, a few cloves and bouquet consisting of a couple of bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Lastly add 2 spoonfuls of Worcestershire sauce. Serve with toast bread.
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PIG ROASTS
In the early 1800s, Fourth of July celebrations had spread far and wide, particularly in New York, where immigrants were celebrating their promised land.
Frederick Marryat described a Fourth of July celebration in 1837:
"But what was most remarkable, Broadway being three miles long, and the booths lining each side of it, in every booth, there was a roast pig, large or small as the center attraction. Six miles of roast pig! And that in New York City alone; and roast pig in every other city, town, hamlet and village in the Union. What association can there be between roast pig and independence?"
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THEN AND NOW
Today's Fourth of July celebration still has pomp, parades, games, sports and illuminations, just as John Adams predicted. But the food has become less formal and has changed with the technology of our times.
Cooking outside is still the favorite way to celebrate. Pig, potatoes, peas and ice cream are still on the hit list.
Today, however, paper plates and potluck parties have taken the place of china and servants.
The good news is that even though 225 years have passed since our nation declared its independence, some favorite Fourth of July recipes are still thrifty and simple.
Here's a recipe for Baked Indian Pudding, attributed to John Witherspoon, who signed the Declaration of Independence.
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JOHN WITHERSPOON'S BAKED INDIAN PUDDING
4 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 cup molasses
1 tsp. grated orange peel
Vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan over low heat, scald milk and sugar. Gradually stir in the cornmeal. Cook and stir constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, cinnamon, ginger, molasses and orange peel. Mix thoroughly. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 6 servings.
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ICE CREAM
Another delicacy that made Fourth of July headlines (in Charleston, S.C., in 1798) was "Iced Cream, of the best quality."
Ice cream purveyors set up stalls near theaters, museums - anywhere crowds were heavy. Because of the heat, these cold-confection vendors did a lively business.
Although Gen. George Washington seems to have had the first ice cream freezer on record in the United States (he noted that in May 1784 he spent "1.13.4 By a cream machine for Ice"), Martha Washington's numerous recipes did not include one for ice cream.
Thomas Jefferson, however, made his as follows:
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THOMAS JEFFERSON'S ICE CREAM
6 egg yolks
9 lbs. sugar
2 bottles good cream
Mix the yolks and sugar. Put the cream in a fire in a casserole, first putting in a stick of vanilla. When near boiling, take it off and pour it gently into the mixture of eggs and sugar. Stir it well.
Put it on the fire again, stirring it thoroughly with a spoon to prevent it sticking to the casserole. When near boiling, take it off and strain it through a towel.
Put in the sorbetiere (ice pail). Then set it in ice an hour before it is to be served. Put into the ice a handful of salt. Put ice all around the sorbetiere, i.e. a layer of ice, a layer of salt for 3 layers. Put salt on the coverlid of the sorbetiere and cover the whole with ice. Leave it still half a quarter of an hour.
Then turn the S. in the ice 10 min.
Open it to loosen with a spatula the ice from the inner sides of the S. Open it from time to time to detach the ice from the sides.
When well taken (prise), stir it well with the spatula. Put it in moulds, jostling it well down on the knee. Then put the mould into the same bucket of ice. Leave it there to the moment of serving it.
To withdraw it, immerse the mould in warm water, tossing it well until it will come out and turn it onto a plate.
- From Thomas Jefferson's Cookbook by Marie Kimball