1796 Pound Cakes! - 18th Century Cooking

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
  • Today's recipe is for a traditional "Pound Cake." This comes from Amelia Simmons's 1796 cookbook, "American Cookery." While it's called a cake, there are clues in the text that this was intended to be made into something more like a cookie or even a cupcake. This is a delicious dish -- one we highly recommend it!
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ความคิดเห็น • 1.3K

  • @DelightfulTyrant
    @DelightfulTyrant 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2847

    Let's see, one pound butter, one pound sugar, one pound flour, one pound nutmeg... wait, I think I messed something up.

    • @vivianKimberlin
      @vivianKimberlin 8 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      lol

    • @Qwazier3
      @Qwazier3 8 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      Go ask Bill. He might only have one eye but he gets around.

    • @aarongalloway9750
      @aarongalloway9750 8 ปีที่แล้ว +113

      You forgot your pound of mace and cumin.

    • @monelleny
      @monelleny 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      lol, guys :)

    • @oliveoil5690
      @oliveoil5690 7 ปีที่แล้ว +71

      LOL that would be a great way to kill someone

  • @ImNotACatLawyerButIPlayOneOnTV
    @ImNotACatLawyerButIPlayOneOnTV 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1006

    "Really nice... soft..."
    Translation: I won't break my teeth on these like I did with the ship's biscuits!

    • @beth12svist
      @beth12svist 5 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      Actually, my grandfather used to bake a dessert with cherries using the exact same mechanical method of leavening, and it IS nice and soft.

    • @yunhin9631
      @yunhin9631 5 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      This is almost the same method to make the sponge cake, a popular cake known for it's softness and fluffiness, like a chiffon cake

    • @lynn5141
      @lynn5141 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      HARDTACK WAS SHIPS BISCUITS

  • @YetiProductions
    @YetiProductions 8 ปีที่แล้ว +401

    I'm from Middle eastern origin, and we always use rose water or orange blossom water.
    Rose water is pretty bitter, but orange blossom water is the bomb, my mom adds some to Traditional Arabic rice pudding.
    Living in western Culture, I think a lot of these flavors are so adaptable with what you want your bread to taste like, Sweet, savory, light, strong, etc.
    Thank you so much for this recipe!

    • @pagansunite4005
      @pagansunite4005 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Would orange blossom water be excellent in clementine cake or would it just get lost in the rest of all the orange flavors?

    • @samthani5807
      @samthani5807 4 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      @@pagansunite4005 so, orange blossom water does not really have a flavor and neither does rose water. It's very aromatic, and smells like orange blossoms. When you bite into the desert you get a strong smell of rose or orange blossom. It gives the impression of tasting a rose.

    • @egyptmachine
      @egyptmachine 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Sam Thani that’s pretty cool

    • @mareerosebakeshoppe9667
      @mareerosebakeshoppe9667 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      eddiesadat I’m American but use it all the time... I know you just have to be careful how much you use! It’s so good!

    • @Zeina107
      @Zeina107 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Agreed!

  • @austinstice3512
    @austinstice3512 6 ปีที่แล้ว +916

    " She gives no spices, leaving it completely up to the cook "
    Me: Bet he puts in nutmeg...

    • @garethanthonyclark4879
      @garethanthonyclark4879 4 ปีที่แล้ว +54

      And he says that he can taste the nutmeg after baking it. I think he is a nutmeg dealer.

    • @Maarten258
      @Maarten258 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      It's getting irritating. Always the nutmeg! lol

    • @jeyDsixx18
      @jeyDsixx18 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Austin Stice I feel like this dude puts nutmeg on cheeseburgers, pizza and in his water...it’s good in an apple pie or something but he got a hard on for nutmeg

    • @lindariccijacobs
      @lindariccijacobs 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      he's being historically accurate.

    • @benjaminfreyman4273
      @benjaminfreyman4273 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@Maarten258 hey! I love nutmeg! -sandy-

  • @beezowdoo-doozopittybop-bo3949
    @beezowdoo-doozopittybop-bo3949 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2532

    1,796 lb cakes?! Good Lord, man!

    • @davidtiganila27
      @davidtiganila27 8 ปีที่แล้ว +112

      I know, the dough seems a bit dense...

    • @sisterSyzygy
      @sisterSyzygy 8 ปีที่แล้ว +101

      Damn you beating everyone to the joke.

    • @AedrickHelltown
      @AedrickHelltown 8 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      Gadzooks! Well, aren't you quite the yohannes factotum... The speed of that quip was impressive and as they say brevity is the soul of wit...

    • @Jwend392
      @Jwend392 8 ปีที่แล้ว +80

      At least it's not £1796 cakes.

    • @gorillaau
      @gorillaau 8 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      +Jwend392 No, no. Jon has 1795 more pound cakes to go. Keep baking!

  • @parisite99
    @parisite99 5 ปีที่แล้ว +456

    When John says season to taste, we all know what seasoning he plans to use. Lol

    • @StoicObserverS
      @StoicObserverS 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      No, not true.l do you mean nutmeg and cinnamon

    • @brendawolfe5915
      @brendawolfe5915 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      John, what is this love affair with nutmeg?!

    • @allenliew1028
      @allenliew1028 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      the nutmeg(mad)man

    • @mattandrews8528
      @mattandrews8528 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Nutty Nutmeg ayyyyy

    • @nunyabusiness863
      @nunyabusiness863 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      😄I thought this exact same thing!

  • @blumock
    @blumock 8 ปีที่แล้ว +165

    Given that you guys are constantly researching and "filling in the blanks" on these recipes, have you ever considered releasing an annotated version of "American Cookery," with modern equivalent measurements, cooking times, and your other observations?

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +119

      That sounds like a great project, Karen Hess did a version that is similar to this idea.

  • @wanderingchook1193
    @wanderingchook1193 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1330

    'whisk for an hour' no

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 8 ปีที่แล้ว +163

      Either you use an electric mixer, or you bribe/blackmail people around you to help.

    • @Brynwyn123
      @Brynwyn123 8 ปีที่แล้ว +270

      Lissie Smith Your arms will be solid, you'll be the envy of everyone in town

    • @skynyrdnemoy2418
      @skynyrdnemoy2418 6 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      Cmon, don’t be lazy

    • @samanthanickson6478
      @samanthanickson6478 6 ปีที่แล้ว +65

      i remember there was a beater that you could manually crank on the side to mix eggs, it was my grandmothers. no reason why you couldn't use it for cake batter too.

    • @JohnZeroSignal
      @JohnZeroSignal 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      No u

  • @auroraborealis3298
    @auroraborealis3298 8 ปีที่แล้ว +407

    damn, I'm glad we have electric mixers nowadays! A whole hour of whisking by hand seems like an impossible feat

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +109

      It nearly is!

    • @oldschoolcollodion
      @oldschoolcollodion 7 ปีที่แล้ว +109

      Aurora Borealis no arm flab in the 18th century! Lol

    • @MazHem
      @MazHem 7 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Doesn't take that long if you keep your eggs out of the fridge, I know you in the US can't do that.

    • @lizziesangi1602
      @lizziesangi1602 7 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      TheMistLink. I did it. First helping my mom, and then as I got into making bread. It was/is so difficult to mix the dough by hand - it was difficult in my teens and 20's - I wondered how I would do it in my latter years🤔🤗❤

    • @lizziesangi1602
      @lizziesangi1602 7 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Maz H. Let them get room temperature

  • @tessimmg
    @tessimmg 7 ปีที่แล้ว +254

    Rosewater is still commonly used in middle eastern, turkish, indian, etc desserts. I find the best place to get rosewater is in a middle eastern market.
    Also, I live in LA and we have an ice cream shop called "Mashti Malone's" their ice cream's and ices use the traditional middle eastern flavors like rosewater, saffron, cardamon, orange blossom, pistachio, etc. The tastes are pretty interesting.

    • @TabbyAngel2
      @TabbyAngel2 7 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      tessimmg it's not middle eastern, It's Iranian! Mashti malones is Iranian, And rose water was first Introduced by the Persians (roses are a Persian flower)

    • @chisehatori3681
      @chisehatori3681 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      wow, that sounds really good!

    • @Jokaanan
      @Jokaanan 7 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      wow i want to go there so bad! there's rose ice cream (and lavender ice cream) at the Creole Creamery in NOLA; also lavender ice cream at Salt n' Straw in Portland OR. floral flavors in deserts are absolutely delicious and under appreciated by americans just because they associate them with soap and perfume. too bad for them, more for me!

    • @ashkhri
      @ashkhri 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      tessimmg i live in dubai and rose water is EVERY where

    • @grendelum
      @grendelum 7 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I'd really like to try cardamom ice cream... saffron would be interesting too !!

  • @95TurboSol
    @95TurboSol 8 ปีที่แล้ว +892

    I don't know how I ended up here but I'm hungry now

    • @grendelum
      @grendelum 7 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      I fell down a similar rabbit hole to wind up here and I'm *_really_* wanting those pound cake cookies... 🤤🤤🤤

    • @luthernoah
      @luthernoah 7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      95TurboSol well I got here from Bushcraft to Vikings food to ships biscuits

    • @shelbyleann608
      @shelbyleann608 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Same here

    • @ColonizerChan
      @ColonizerChan 7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      nobody knows how we get here, but it is an interesting channel

    • @drywater3559
      @drywater3559 6 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      that is the beauty of youtube

  • @jerotoro2021
    @jerotoro2021 8 ปีที่แล้ว +963

    John: "When Amelia mentions spices she gives us no suggestions, she leaves this up to the cook"
    Me: "(Oh finally, for once, no nutmeg in this recipe...)"
    John: "We're going to be using.... NUTMEG!!!!"
    Me: Sigh....

    • @gorillaau
      @gorillaau 8 ปีที่แล้ว +28

      Hehe. Thanks you made my day.
      "Meg, you are a nut!!!"

    • @porsche911sbs
      @porsche911sbs 7 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      well nutmeg's such a good spice for desserts

    • @gerythionargarys7848
      @gerythionargarys7848 7 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      ...
      I like nutmeg on my porkchops....

    • @porsche911sbs
      @porsche911sbs 7 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      well nutmeg's such a good spice for porkchops

    • @thevashfan12392
      @thevashfan12392 7 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I'd probably use cinnamon or.....oregano?
      I'm still kinda new to culinary recipes

  • @TehNewV
    @TehNewV 8 ปีที่แล้ว +499

    1796 Pound Cakes? I don't think I could handle gaining that much weight..

    • @wanderingchook1193
      @wanderingchook1193 8 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      worth a try

    • @ImNotACatLawyerButIPlayOneOnTV
      @ImNotACatLawyerButIPlayOneOnTV 8 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      I had originally read it as "176 Poundcakes." I thought he was going to be testing different recipes. 😂

    • @gloria8093
      @gloria8093 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      They didn't back then because of the work they did, and moderation of course. Maybe you could spend a weekend volunteering with something like Habitat for Humanity and take a couple of cakes for the crew. lol

    • @oldschoolcollodion
      @oldschoolcollodion 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      NeoVesuvian 😆 funny sir

    • @ferociousgumby
      @ferociousgumby 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      "I could eat them all day. I'm not going to." 8:40

  • @cecipers8519
    @cecipers8519 7 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    This reminds me of my grandmother's tea cakes, with nutmeg and vanilla that she prepared for us when we came in from school or play

  • @mechellturner3915
    @mechellturner3915 7 ปีที่แล้ว +58

    Too much rose water will make these bitter. The deal with the eggs, you can actually separate the egg yolk from the white. and add a just a bit of sugar and whip the whites only. add the yolks to the batter. then folk the egg whites in. This procedure also leavens and lightens the cakes. Like you said don' work these things too much as it makes them tough and they do not rise.

    • @kingdavidapple
      @kingdavidapple 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      I was thinking along these lines. Why not mix the flour into the creamed butter/sugar (and yolks) and fold in whipped egg whites last?

    • @Dawggo
      @Dawggo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      @@kingdavidapple BECAUSE WE MEN! WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE COOKING RULES!... then we make monstrous food that sometimes tastes okay.. lol

    • @janinedear-barlow
      @janinedear-barlow 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      A little cream of tartar so it doesn't go down as well.

  • @carolc6082
    @carolc6082 7 ปีที่แล้ว +44

    I'm pretty sure I'll probably never make any of these recipes but I still subscribed for the music and the historical information and of course the relaxing format of the series! Thanks for this channel a TH-cam necessity 😊

  • @Erreul
    @Erreul 8 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    Honestly every time I watch a video it's like its the first time I watched you, still makes me want to go to the kitchen and cook up some good food. Everything looks so delicious when it's hand made.

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Thanks for the great comment!

  • @TheCatAteMyShoe
    @TheCatAteMyShoe 8 ปีที่แล้ว +354

    Your videos are so much fun!

    • @Aaronlcyrus
      @Aaronlcyrus 8 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      He's just a damn good host. He sounds excited and passionate.

    • @MadDannyWest
      @MadDannyWest 8 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      Right!? You can tell he's really passionate about this stuff and you can't help but let some of that enthusiasm rub off on you

    • @Ayokalyb
      @Ayokalyb 8 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      He IS excited and passionate.

    • @classystegosuarus
      @classystegosuarus 8 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      this is the purest youtube channel.

    • @randywatson8347
      @randywatson8347 8 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      Not only that, but the music, the old scenery, camera and video editing is done very well

  • @biophile2
    @biophile2 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    This is yet another excellent video. I have a few words about leavening here. The leavening is provided by the combination of butter and sugar. The butter is 15% to 20% water. When creamed with sugar to fluffy consistency that water gets absorbed by the sugar. Then, when heated, that water turns to steam to provide some lift. Also, you may find it less laborious to separate the eggs, adding the yolks to the creamed butter and sugar at the point at which you added the spices. You then can whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them in after adding the flour.

  • @playingwithkittycat8361
    @playingwithkittycat8361 5 ปีที่แล้ว +89

    ‘I could eat these all day. I’m not going to.’
    Me: stand aside

  • @anthonylogan381
    @anthonylogan381 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I love this guy forreal just how he found something he truly loves to do and I just am so happy for him.

  • @joecleveland6525
    @joecleveland6525 7 ปีที่แล้ว +340

    I thought this was going to be actual cakes from 1796. I guess I have been watching too much steve1989 MRE info.

    • @quadrillion92
      @quadrillion92 7 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      nice hiss

    • @loganslimcrocks7622
      @loganslimcrocks7622 7 ปีที่แล้ว +58

      Let's get this onto a tray.

    • @whatsername465
      @whatsername465 7 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      Nice!

    • @grendelum
      @grendelum 7 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Nice soft texture... I'm really digging the way the cinnamon and nutmeg add a nice bold kick... I can't stop eating these !!

    • @s.m.collins3539
      @s.m.collins3539 6 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      It's a little uh... rancid. Let me get another bite

  • @fishgoboom3098
    @fishgoboom3098 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    this man is the most approachable and humble guys i think i’ve ever seen what an absolutely legend just a real kind of dude

  • @caniipeopleperson2866
    @caniipeopleperson2866 8 ปีที่แล้ว +70

    I find myself coming to your channel when i'm having a bad day. seems to help me a lot. Nice video~! :)

  • @Elderofwaukeen
    @Elderofwaukeen 7 ปีที่แล้ว +189

    Would you rather fight a 1796lb Cake, or 1796 Pound Cakes?

    • @grendelum
      @grendelum 7 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      Trinimac - 1796 cakes definitely... the 1796lb cake would just have to sit on you or roll in your general direction... all those little cakes on t'other hand, it'd be a massacre as you'd just have to stomp around a bunch...

    • @Edited6
      @Edited6 6 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      as someone who doesn't consume food through my feet, like the previous lunatic, I'd choose a 1796lb cake.
      It would taste better and I could share with alot more people.

    • @sonniepronounceds-au-ni9287
      @sonniepronounceds-au-ni9287 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@Edited6 better to share the many cakes with people that way they get their own cake, and you have less work to distribute it.

    • @Edited6
      @Edited6 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@sonniepronounceds-au-ni9287 That's a very fair point. I'd still rather share a better tasting cake though.

    • @pagansunite4005
      @pagansunite4005 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Two of my favorite subjects combined into one! 1796 lbs Cake and Swords! Haha! Take that you giant confectionery delight!

  • @PabloJustChillin
    @PabloJustChillin 6 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    Townsends got mad beef with Emilia Simmons

  • @ufodeath
    @ufodeath 8 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Now this is what i call authentic video making. It vastly beats all those cliche, annoying channels that are based purely on the personality of the youtube "content creator" in question.

  • @kimberlyrivera79
    @kimberlyrivera79 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You are truly doing a service keeping these old cookbooks alive! Your channel is fascinating, never stop.

  • @cloudstrife7349
    @cloudstrife7349 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    "I could eat them all day. I'm not going to." hahahahahaha so sensible even in humor.

  • @kittiliciousanime
    @kittiliciousanime 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    There's something really nice about how enthusiastic he is about 18th century recipes. Not sure how I got here but this channel gets an instant subscribe

  • @Crusader1089
    @Crusader1089 8 ปีที่แล้ว +59

    Watching while in bed with flu. Cheers me up no end to watch you cook. What kind of foods would they give to the sick and invalid in the 18th century?

    • @Melissa.Garrett
      @Melissa.Garrett 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      What Brianna said. Although it’s set in the mid 1800s, I remember an extensive section in the book “What Katy Did Next” where they are going to great lengths to procure beef tea for the little girl with Scarlet Fever, and it was under doctor’s orders. I think the practice is much older than that, though.

    • @bigred9428
      @bigred9428 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Milk toast and chamomile tea.

    • @cavejohnson4306
      @cavejohnson4306 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Bread soup

    • @alkalineslug5764
      @alkalineslug5764 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Death

    • @peninakeenspinka8429
      @peninakeenspinka8429 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      How do you make a posset for a sick person?

  • @mikerowsdower9896
    @mikerowsdower9896 8 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    I came for the Nutmeg, leaving satisfied. :)

  • @izonker
    @izonker 8 ปีที่แล้ว +147

    Another great video, as always! You mentioned that Rose water and Orange Blossom water both seemed to fall out of favor with these sorts of recipes by the late 18th century, were they replaced by vanilla extract by this time, or was vanilla extract contemporary with them by that time as well? Thanks for all the great work you guys do, I always enjoy watching you reconstruct these recipes.

    • @jbzrs
      @jbzrs 8 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      id like to hear about vanilla extract as well

    • @michaelmaranda3386
      @michaelmaranda3386 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Me too

    • @trishoconnor2169
      @trishoconnor2169 8 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Yes, vanilla is such a standard ingredient now in baking, it's hard to imagine how relatively recent it must be. I assume that vanilla beans were used before extract became available, but how long before I couldn't begin to guess. Sounds like a perfect detective job for Townsend and Sons!

    • @Anonarchist
      @Anonarchist 8 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Vanilla production outside Central America and Mexico didn't occur till the almost the mid 19th century. Being prohibitively expensive even today, most 18th century Europeans probaby never knew what vanilla tasted like, and so never had a reason to include it in a ricepe.

    • @rowwdycolt654
      @rowwdycolt654 8 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Vanilla wasn't used until after the Civil War. Neither were peanuts. You can substitute with lemon, molasses or coconut.

  • @bohemoth1
    @bohemoth1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I made a Pound cake with a pound of EVERYTHING except salt and the liquids.
    It came out great and very tasty and mouthwatering for more.

  • @peffypluis9786
    @peffypluis9786 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    "Buy them online" sounds just so out of place in this setting haha.
    Thanks you for making these videos!

  • @willazeppeli
    @willazeppeli 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Good American culture and traditions like this should be celebrated worldwide.
    I enjoyed your video very much.

  • @bladedlady
    @bladedlady 8 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Just found your channel and I am truly loving you and your content!!

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      I am so glad you found us, welcome to the channel!

    • @bladedlady
      @bladedlady 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      +Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc. Awe thank you! :) I look forward to telling people about this channel! I have always had such a fascination for kitchen/food type things from this period that it is truly a pleasure to see these videos! You explain things so well that it is truly a pleasure to watch, and boy does it make my belly rumble! Lol! Thank you so much, and please keep up the great work!

  • @keyrtan
    @keyrtan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love the simplicity, flexibility and scalability of poundcake. I can teach my kids the basic recipe with ease, it can become cookies, cupcakes, small cakes and big cakes. Love it, thank you.

  • @LaceworkDreams
    @LaceworkDreams 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Nobody:
    Townsends: It's a simple recipe, but quite unbreakable.

  • @frugalnanny
    @frugalnanny 8 ปีที่แล้ว +41

    we called them "tea cakes". thank you for the receipt

    • @n0t_m4dz22
      @n0t_m4dz22 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      yea

    • @nicosoftnt
      @nicosoftnt 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yeah I was there too

  • @michaelmaranda3386
    @michaelmaranda3386 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Great post. Thank you so much. It looks like I will have to stock up on nutmeg. It seems to be the "go-to" spice of the 18th century.

    • @rhettlover1
      @rhettlover1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      You may know this, but buy the whole nutmeg, not ground, it makes a huge difference. You will need a special little grater, they're not expensive.

    • @Pygar2
      @Pygar2 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      jas-townsend.com/nutmeg-pocket-grater-p-1526.html if you want to support the Proprietor...

  • @opo878
    @opo878 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    I really like how passionate you are in describing a lost cuisine that many have forgotten. It's all natural without any R number additives or hopefully GM free.

  • @kimiveymakeup0
    @kimiveymakeup0 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    These remind me of southern tea cakes! Looks delicious.

  • @craigasauruswrecks4915
    @craigasauruswrecks4915 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Honestly I love watching your videos when I'm having anxiety. It grounds me, interests me, and is informative. Thank you for being you and keeping on doing this!

    • @tammie1078
      @tammie1078 ปีที่แล้ว

      same, his videos are so happy, calming, always brings a smile on my face

  • @auntnanny5420
    @auntnanny5420 8 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    hi! I would love to hear/learn about soap in the 18th century. I know it's not food, but all housewives and soldiers must have had to make it? Thanks so much for the time and care you put into these videos.

    • @Midlife_Manical_Mayhem
      @Midlife_Manical_Mayhem 8 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      soap would have been made by running rain water thru hardwood ash to make the caustic/lye part. that would have been mixed with whatever fat on hand. they had ways of measuring the strength of the lye, but i don't recall what it was. because there were no stable ways of measuring ingredients, the soap was probably frequently "lye heavy" meaning it would burn and dry the skin. it would have also been a softer soap as the ashes would have made potassium hydroxide as opposed to sodium hydroxide needed for a good hard bar of soap. thankfully, today we have digital scales and lab created sodium hydroxide to make soap with which why handmade soap is soooo much better for your skin that the old detergents that pass for soap at the grocery store. (soapmaker)

  • @stevev3664
    @stevev3664 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What I like about these recipes is that they come from a time when there were few or no additives or preservatives used. This makes them valuable to anyone who wants food that is free from theses nasties. It’s time we returned to good wholesome food. Thanks For the videos John.

  • @onen6942
    @onen6942 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    “In this recipe, we’re going to be using nutmeg”
    YOU DON’T SAY. XD

  • @tinachavez5489
    @tinachavez5489 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    I am so glad I found this channel!!! It's amazing to see how people cooked, baked and what they ate back then!!! Thank you SO very much for bringing it all to life for us!!!

  • @karleighlestrange
    @karleighlestrange 7 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    In the South, we call these tea cakes! They are amazing!

  • @zerotolerance5581
    @zerotolerance5581 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm not sure what it is, but I get a really strong sense of satisfaction when I watch these videos. As I watch, it almost feels as if I lived during those times. It's kind of hard to describe.
    I am also reminded of some things I think we have lost in our modern age. Back then, you really had to put effort into things, and because of that, you appreciated everything more. Everything had to be made and built by hand. Craftsmanship was important. Individuals in a community meant more, because people depended on each other to survive. And I could go on.
    I guess I just feel like our modern life is so easy and convenient, and because people don't need to depend on each other, there's no real sense of community anywhere anymore.

  • @Herbie_Cucumber
    @Herbie_Cucumber 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Oh man, those whipped eggs look decadent. Curious to try doing that just to see how it'd scramble. Great video, by the way!

  • @williamdevault4094
    @williamdevault4094 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks this one brought back a lot of memories. My Grandmother used to make pound cakes for Christmas. She had one that she flavored with lemon. I still love lemon pound cake today. The great thing about pound cakes is that is is like a blank canvas for flavoring you can cover the cake slices with frosting or glaze with fresh fruit.
    My grandmother also told me the reason you use a hollow cake pan or a bundt pan is because the cake is more dense than regular cakes and it helps cook them through without drying them out or burning the edges.
    I would like to see you do a series of videos of Christmas traditions from the 18th century. My reenactment group celebrates old Christmas at Fort Watauga in Elizabethton, Tennessee. We demonstrate the Christmas traditions of the nationalities of the people who settled in our region.
    Thanks for all you do for living history.

  • @Jwend392
    @Jwend392 8 ปีที่แล้ว +32

    "Killick, there! My darling Sophie has just discovered the most fabulous accompaniment to my morning coffee!"

    • @saoirse5308
      @saoirse5308 8 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Which, iss getting cold while you're scratch away on that violin....

    • @coleharris8045
      @coleharris8045 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      YES.
      master and commander for life!

  • @skeletonsoflove
    @skeletonsoflove 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Awesome detective work!! I like hearing how your team figures out vague recipes like this.

  • @RedKittieKat
    @RedKittieKat 7 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Just started watching .... I'm already hooked! Fascinating series. You have a new subscriber :)

    • @townsends
      @townsends  7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thank you for subscribing and welcome to the channel!

  • @violacrb
    @violacrb 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My grandmother spoke lovingly of a neighbor down the street who mixed the butter and sugar by hand for her pound cakes and used a wood-fire oven. She has been trying to capture that flavor and texture ever since.

  • @christinecameron1612
    @christinecameron1612 7 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Rose water and orange blossom water can be gotten at any bartender supply place, or major chain liquor store such as bevmo.

  • @mefpazur
    @mefpazur 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Oh my I just love "spices to taste", looks like an universal thing among cookbook writers of all cultures. :)

  • @StonedSoup
    @StonedSoup 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Since this video is all about making that dough.Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment
    community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection
    and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly.
    He was 71.Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of
    celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs.
    Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the
    Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch.
    The grave site was piled high with flours.
    Mrs. Buttersworth delivered the eulogy and lovingly described
    Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose
    quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers.
    He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough
    on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flakey at times, he still
    was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for
    millions.
    Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John
    Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is
    also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.
    The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

  • @Purin1023
    @Purin1023 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "You'll need to whisk the eggs for about an hour" I remember my arms being so sore from mixing when I baked with my grandma and mom as a kid. I'm glad I wasn't born in the 18th century lol.

  • @jessiegrider529
    @jessiegrider529 8 ปีที่แล้ว +64

    Dear Jas Townsend and Son. Do you know how to make a real marshmallow? I think real ones were made of marsh mallow root extract.

    • @TracyD2
      @TracyD2 8 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I'm not sure we had it in America. Not sure when it was introduced or shipped over. Now I would like to know.

    • @Reximusprimebeta
      @Reximusprimebeta 8 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      they were, also used egg whites. they were once used as medicine as marshmallow root is very soothing to the GI tract.

    • @ImranZakhaev9
      @ImranZakhaev9 8 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Wow I've never thought of marshmallows as anything but fluffed sugar

    • @TONYAwiththeflowers
      @TONYAwiththeflowers 8 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      you're right! you can actually grow the marsh mallow in your garden. today's marshmallows are obviously not made using the root, and I think even then it was probably used medicinally, rather than a sweet treat. seems I remember seeing an 1800s recipe somewhere. the roots produce a really thick mucilege when put into water, really cool stuff! :)

    • @TracyD2
      @TracyD2 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      +The Mud Room nice for the hair instead of silicones. Gives it the same slip.

  • @MoonLightOnWater1
    @MoonLightOnWater1 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    I just love this! I always loved researching historic recipes and collecting old cook books....this is such a treat to watch!

  • @NIK4EVA
    @NIK4EVA 8 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    No choking smoke in this one! Hurray!

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      Your not the only one cheering!

    • @bakerwilliams12
      @bakerwilliams12 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      *you're

    • @NIK4EVA
      @NIK4EVA 8 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      theycallthewindmariah じゃ。 Classy

    • @HungerGamesFan88
      @HungerGamesFan88 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      I mean... can't argue with it.

    • @jeffkeffer3012
      @jeffkeffer3012 8 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Due to the time period that Jas. Townsend and Son,Inc is portraying Grammar was not standardized until the mid 1800's this can be seen in the journals of Lewis and Clark and many other writings of the day
      Ipso facto if he is in character then "Your " is 100 % correct

  • @joea1433
    @joea1433 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    This series of videos make me very happy to be living in this era of time!

  • @MrBombphoon
    @MrBombphoon 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I love the smell of 1,796 Pound Cakes in the morning.
    Smells like victory.

  • @madwilliamflint
    @madwilliamflint 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Just always so good. Time to go to the website and order more books.

  • @sundarpichai940
    @sundarpichai940 8 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I thought the rose water (or orange blossom water) was really interesting! I personally don't like the flavor of either, however I think the real problem may have been the amount. Half a gill of rosewater seems like an unbelievable amount! Usually, Mediterranean recipes call for like a half teaspoon as the stuff is super, super strong.

    • @lamoinette23
      @lamoinette23 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      yes, was thinking for a modern palate, perhaps just a very small amount would do

    • @Petra44YT
      @Petra44YT 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Maybe18th century rose water was not as strong as what can be bought today.

    • @sundarpichai940
      @sundarpichai940 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      It's possible, but rose water was undoubtedly made the same way as it is today. The only way it wouldn't be as strong is if they watered it down, which I suppose is possible but then I'm not sure it would still be called rose water. It would be like if lemon juice in the 18th century meant equal parts juice from lemons and water.

    • @ForestDaughtersJournals
      @ForestDaughtersJournals 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      Many soaps are scented with rose or orange blossom so I always equate the scent/flavor with soap!

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      You're not adding it to 4 lbs (almost 2 kg!) of ingredients though.

  • @DanielVance
    @DanielVance 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    Just started this video and already know I'm going to just love it. Pound cake! Love and appreciate the problem solving you go though to figure out and revive all these great recipes for us.

  • @scarabin
    @scarabin 8 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    1796 pounds?! that's a heavy cake!

    • @Edited6
      @Edited6 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I clicked on this video solely to find this comment. I'm very disappointed about how far I had to scroll :(

  • @robertknight4672
    @robertknight4672 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I find the evolution of pound cake recipes fascinating. I have a few cookbooks from the 1950s that have you separate the eggs and whipped the whites to stiff peaks and fold them in to the batter.

  • @sarahgrajales9693
    @sarahgrajales9693 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    One thing I’ve learned when subbing to this channel NUTMEG is LIFE

  • @josaljo1
    @josaljo1 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    Nice video Jon, I love this stuff. Reminds me of how my grandparents would do some traditional baking. My one Grandmother would use 13 eggs in a sponge cake. It was my favorite.

  • @Kevs602
    @Kevs602 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thanks for the video. As a first generation american (Parents are from Mexico), I find it interesting to see american history . even if it is the food they used to eat.

  • @BiologyJAP
    @BiologyJAP 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you for sharing all the different ways to cook it. I'm most excited about the cupcakes.

  • @jmr218
    @jmr218 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Sorry boss, I didn't get anything done today. I've spent all my time binge-watching 18th century cooking videos.

  • @bjrnar9273
    @bjrnar9273 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    It gave me quite a laugh when the background music paused as he gave the cake a taste, only to pick back up for Jon to give his verbal seal of approval. Little editing details like that are wonderful.

  • @censusgary
    @censusgary 7 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    My mother and gandmothers always made pound cakes in a rectangular loaf pan, not a round, bunt cake pan.
    They told me the name "pound cake" referred to the fact that old recipes included a pound of flour, a pound of eggs, and a pound of sugar (and in some cases, a pound of butter as well). But by the time I was born, most pound cake recipes did not stick to the "a pound of each ingredient" formula.

    • @grendelum
      @grendelum 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      Gary Cooper - I do love recipes that follow a simple 1:1:1:1 type formula... pie crust has a recipe like that, not that I can remember it at the moment, I do remember tho that substituting some of the water with vodka let's you make a more manageable dough (more liquid) that still comes out nice and flaky...

    • @zappawoman5183
      @zappawoman5183 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      I always thought it meant the cake was meant to weigh a pound in total.

  • @ashlm6758
    @ashlm6758 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love stuff like this. I love learning about the lives of people who lived in different ways and how they did it. I want to be a chef when I grow up and this is really interesting.

  • @TwoBlade5
    @TwoBlade5 7 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Nutmeg is Townsends Equivalents of EMTs Bacon

  • @silviadinoia5943
    @silviadinoia5943 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    I would love a channel like yours in Italy, we have a man who in late '800, after Italian unification made a book asking to houswives and cooks their local recipes. Than man was Pellegrino Artusi and now Italian cuisine is like so thank to him.

  • @danielc.6158
    @danielc.6158 7 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I think you'd make a great voice actor. You have a lot of personality! Wonderful video, by the by.

  • @odinsheathen8924
    @odinsheathen8924 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    So 4:16am after binge watching so many of these episodes, decided to check the website. I end up finding your catalog form. I'm old school I'd rather thumb through pages can't wait for them. Need some of these cookbooks badly.

  • @dj20051991
    @dj20051991 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    You can also make your own rose water... Alton Brown teaches you how in an episode of Good Eats

  • @alwayswondering4051
    @alwayswondering4051 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I really enjoy the history that comes with recipies
    from then.

  • @LeahLaushway
    @LeahLaushway 8 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    It just dawned on me where the name, "Jason", came from. Jas.'-son.

    • @flayuhat
      @flayuhat 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      you just blew my mind

    • @TheZyanas
      @TheZyanas 8 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      No, unfortunately. The name Jason actually predates the English language. The oldest reference to the name I know of is the Ancient Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts searching for the Golden Fleece, but the name is likely even older.

    • @jonathanrarebit5129
      @jonathanrarebit5129 7 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Don't ruin this for us!

    • @Caitlin_Thompson
      @Caitlin_Thompson 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thompson means toms son

    • @cyrene7784
      @cyrene7784 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      James is Hebrew, like all common "English" names. The OP may be right.

  • @squalbagandbutch5757
    @squalbagandbutch5757 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    My family loves this channel and look forward to getting the catalog. We also signed up for the getting started course. This is a lot of fun, and I love the history of the recipes and lifestyle of the 18th century. Thank you.

  • @res1492
    @res1492 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    There is no way these cakes weigh 1796lbs each , reported for misleading title

  • @weishitai
    @weishitai 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    James, your videos are a delight to watch. I am a big fan of yours. Seriously, if anyone would have told me that I would be watching an 18th century American cooking show after a long day of work, I would have laughed. Yet, here I am... Thanks a lot for all the good work. This must take days of research and preparation every time. Amazing stuff.

    • @townsends
      @townsends  7 ปีที่แล้ว

      +weishitai Thank you for the kind words.

  • @eviljoel
    @eviljoel 8 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    Nutmeg again? Put some suet and mushroom ketchup in there as well.

    • @soonersciencenerd383
      @soonersciencenerd383 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      cinamin?

    • @KyleOber
      @KyleOber 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      caraway is all the way

    • @bcaye
      @bcaye 7 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      You do realize, your personal taste doesn't alter what people enjoyed hundreds of years ago? If you don't like those flavors, use those you do, no one has a gun to your head.

    • @bonitaweekes4366
      @bonitaweekes4366 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      BugPope it's obvious you don't know anything about nutmeg, it's a spice used for flavouring. Grenada in the Caribbean is a producer of nutmeg, it's used in small amounts. You crack the shell to release the nut, you then grate the nut, a teaspoon or half that amount is all that is needed. Good for cakes, bread and drinks.

    • @dinolandra
      @dinolandra 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@bonitaweekes4366 whoooooosh

  • @longtail4711
    @longtail4711 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    Rose water is also really easy to make if you can grow or access some rose bushes. Lots of recipes for it online, and information on which roses would lend the best taste.

  • @Robert-el6ky
    @Robert-el6ky 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Enjoyed alot keep it up Rob

  • @hiera1917
    @hiera1917 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    John, I don’t think I’ll ever really dislike your videos. You are such an incredible spring of positivity and wholesomeness. Keep it going!!! :)

  • @BM-yy8db
    @BM-yy8db 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    I was expecting you to make 1790 cakes. Severely disappointed.

  • @rebeccajaffee7278
    @rebeccajaffee7278 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is my new favorite thing ever. Combines my favorite things in the world: cooking and history.

  • @Alexander-iq5yq
    @Alexander-iq5yq 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Would rose water be the same flavour as turkish delight? I love that stuff so rose water sounds interesting to me.

    • @sylkates
      @sylkates 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Yes, rose is a common flavor of Turkish delights, and the flavoring would be rose water. I've seen it sold in other flavors as well.

  • @1951kvk
    @1951kvk 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I was able to find rose water in Indian grocers. You can mist yourself with it and its very refreshing. Love your passion in these videos.

  • @diydrivenGA
    @diydrivenGA 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This guy keeps is hella old school

  • @maoristereo
    @maoristereo 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    I cant stop watching these, this guy makes all of this look so cool

  • @ObviousThr33s
    @ObviousThr33s 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Are there any noodle type recipes?

    • @townsends
      @townsends  8 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      Yes, we have three different episodes that use vermicelli which is one of the pastas most referenced in 18th century English cookery. Here is the first one: th-cam.com/video/PtZw9-uhG58/w-d-xo.html

    • @ObviousThr33s
      @ObviousThr33s 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc. Thank you very much

  • @Katherine_The_Okay
    @Katherine_The_Okay 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    The idea of putting spice in a pound cake is not something I would have thought about before. Sounds like a delicious idea I have to try soon.