As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
I am curious in all forms as to the bias and prejudices of a successful married life, in the physical health of it. As of late I have been moved to study George and Martha Washington, who are the epitome of vitality in wholesome living.
I have featured the Washington pumpkin custard in recipe here and I have tasted it by my own hand with delight. I add to this though a most interesting principle of George Washington's simple life.
It touched me deeply in understanding when Billy Dixon in his memoirs of the Great Plains, that as his life closed, he recorded that nothing was more satisfying to him, than if he could once again have his French camp cook, broil him a buffalo steak over an open fire, eat fresh sour dough bread and drink from his quart tin cup.
Mr. Dixon was feasting upon not food alone, but the liberty of being an American roaming free over the land.
President and Mrs. Washington, kept up a steady diet of visitors, as he noted that he had not dined alone in 20 years. It is in that, that the President wrote this:
"My manner of living is plain, I do not mean to be put out of it. A glass of wine and a bit of mutton are always ready; and such as will be content to partake of them are always welcome. Those who expect more will be disappointed, but no change will be effected by it."
It was said that after the President retired, Mount Vernon butchered and ate a hog a day, for all the family, visitors and slaves there.
George Washington noted that he had 100 cows in his herd, but that he still had to buy butter for the mouths he was feeding.
The expense of this, was great, as a pig sold is a big earned, but a pig into bacon is only keep for the welfare of another at your own poverty.
I find it interesting in the common meal at the Washington table was sheep with a glass of wine. Mutton is a highly lubricated meat as most do not appreciate the lanolin if not grilled off, but it is most healthful in resembling venison of a high grade. Coupled with a glass of wine, and the company of conversation, this is what the souls of the Washington's dined upon.
It is not to say that their table was not varried by ham, beef, chicken or wild game, but it is of interest to me in "we'll kill the old red rooster when she comes", that America was without refrigeration except the ice house in northern states, and preservation was salt and smoke cure of meat, that the reason common people kept and ate chickens was their ready fresh meat, and the Washington's in their prefered meat was sheep, which was their chicken as they had an extended number of mouths to feed.
Meat could be kept in winter for longer periods safely, but in the other three Virginia seasons, it would have to be "done something with" in cooking so it would not spoil.
Sheep fit the George and Martha Washington menu and it was a very good choice as it was healthy, and a beef would spoil, as the fatted calf was a thing of feasts.
George and Martha Washington were eating healthy before it was known. They were both in good health for that era and it is interesting to this exploration, that as America became beef oriented, that the Abraham and Sarah Biblical roots of dining have been passed over.
Providing the hunters and trappers kept the wolves, coyotes, bears, bobcats and panthers killed, a small flock of sheep was the best thing for self provision, along with a flock of chickens for the American family in being Yankee thrifty.
Add wild game as in Davy Crockett bears and the menu was complete.
It is my intention to reinact this Mount Vernon menu. I just need to find some ugly stupid sheep, which there are numbers of to complete the menu. I make plain in ugly stupid, as I just saw for sale some very pretty lambs that my heart went out to, but the Holy Ghost whispered, "You know you turn animals into pets when you like them, so maybe you should look for something ugly."
Problem is I even think ugly is pretty after I am around it long enough.
Be easier if I had some colored to do it I suppose.
agtG
