This is from a bygone age, a soup recipe that sounds like it might fit the bill for a modern day ‘Guy Fawkes’ fireworks party. It will serve over fifty people and as long as you eat meat it sounds a fantastic one to try. It was probably last used sometime in the early 1800′s in Bourne, Lincolnshire. If there are any takers….photo’s please!
It also uses cereals to make it a more substantial soup and I’m sure it would cost a bit more than 4 shillings and 6 pence to make it now but never the less, it would still be an economical meal.
I will at some point try and find an alternative to the two ox heads, and also bring the proportions into a more manageable size.
I am always looking for old and original recipes from bygone times. So if there is anyone in the bloggersphere with something to add or share please feel welcome to do so.
The POTATOE SOUP recommended by Mr TURNOR at Bourn Sessions, is prepared as follows: (see pamphlet entitled “Information for Overseers”:
Put an Ox´s Head, well washed, into 13 gallons of water, add a peck and a half of pared potatoes, half a quartem of onions, a few carrots and a handful of pat herbs, thicken it with two quarts of oatmeal (or barley meal) and add pepper and salt to your taste. Set it to stew with a gentle fire early in the afternoon, allowing as little evaporation as may be, and not skimming off the fat, but leaving the whole to stew gently over the fire, which should be renewed and made up at night. Make a small fire under the boiler at seven o´clock in the morning, and keep adding as much water as will make up the loss by evaporation, keeping it gently stewing until noon, when it will be ready to serve for dinner. The whole may be divided into 52 messes, each containing (by a previous division of meat and fat), a piece of meat and fat and a quart of savoury nourishing soup. The expenses of the meals are: Ox´s Head 2 shillings and 6 pence; Potatoes, onions, etc 1 shilling and 1 penny; 2 Qts of Oatmeal 11 pence; Cost exclusive of fire and cooking: 4 shillings and 6 pence.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/lfhs/NewspaperExtracts/1800Listing.htm