HOW TO COOK AN IRONWORKER'S DINNER
In 1650 the people of Hammersmith grew most of their food or found it in the river, fields, and woods. They boiled meat or fish over the coals on an iron rack, boiled vegetables in an iron pot, and baked bread on the hearth. The recipes below are for food that early settlers could find near their homes or grow in their gardens. The directions are for cooking on a modern stove. If you have an outdoor grill, or are on a camping trip, you may try to cook as the colonists did. Be sure to have a responsible adult standing by to help you observe safety rules. Cooking over a fire can be dangerous!
Greens
Prepare one pound of spinach by cutting off the tough stems and discarding any spoiled leaves. Wash thoroughly. Place in a pan with only the water that clings to the leaves. Cook over medium heat until the leaves wilt. Serve with butter or margarine.
Berries
Pick over strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, discarding leaves, stems, and any spoiled berries. Place in a colander and wash under running water. Drain. Serve plain or with sugar and cream or milk.
Spider corn bread
No, spiders were not baked in this bread! It was baked in a spider, the old name for a frying pan equipped with iron legs, that could be set over the coals where its contents could bake nicely.
¾ cup corn meal
1 cup flour
⅓ cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 tablespoons oil
Mix and sift dry ingredients. Add milk, egg, and oil. Spread in a shallow, greased pan. Bake 20 minutes in a hot oven (425°F).
Broiled fish
Grease a shallow pan and lay in it enough fish fillets for your family. Melt one or two tablespoons of butter or margarine in a pan and add about two tablespoons of breadcrumbs for each serving. Spread the buttered crumbs over the fish. Broil until the fish is opaque and flakes easily when it is pierced with a fork.
