Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Care of the vintage invalid.

While reading The American Frugal Housewife (1828), I came across a few gems. In fact... the book is full of them!

This would have to be my favourite so far: "A good quantity of old cheese is the best thing to eat, when distressed by eating too much fruit, or oppressed with any kind of food. Physicians have given it in cases of extreme danger."


Um ok... what constitutes extreme fruit-consumption overload danger? And how often do doctors have a "good quantity" of old cheese on hand for emergency cases such as this? 

Anyone that knows me will know I have a deep aversion to fruit... and chocolate, but that's a story for another day... and a deep, abiding, life-long love of cheese.

This book obviously validates my cheese-over-fruit choices, and I'm sticking to it. Scurvy be damned!

Now I advise those with weak stomachs (or just common sense) to not read on.

Still reading, huh? Well... it's your funeral.

Bear in mind that this poor chap is already feeling ill...

"Wine whey is a cooling and safe drink in fevers. Set half a pint of sweet milk at the fire, pour in one glass of wine, and let it remain perfectly still, til it curdles. When the curds settle, strain it and let it cool. It should not get more than blood-warm. A spoonful of rennet-water hastens the operation."


What a waste of a glass of wine! So you're feeling queasy, and somebody brings you a warm, curdled milk-and-wine concoction... uh... thanks?



12 comments:

  1. Stace I am going to leave you my collection of vintage cookbooks, they are fab, my favourite pastime! Mim xx

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  2. I have had little ones eat to much fruit and it went right threw them (usually when we go to see the grandparents in WVA where there are berries growing everywhere outside. You know they don't want to come in to eat but will eat all the berries they can find so they can stay outside.... Well they go right threw your system. I had to feed them cheese to help keep the system from exploding!! LOL Plus I have to confess when they are babies I did feed to much frozen fruit for the teeth pain (they only wanted to eat that because of the cold)

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  3. Aha! So it is true! Long live my love of cheese :)

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  4. Ah cheese! I'd be happy with cheese and bread for dinner every night of the week. (Actually, there's a series of posts idea for you!)

    Lovely blog, found you via Brenda's blog hop.

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  5. Ewwwwwwww...both of those cures sound revolting! Yucky! But I bet they do work!

    Happy Flog Yo Blog Friday!

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  6. I agree with IRL those cures are yuckers!

    Happy FYBF, lovely lady! And squeeeee! you've got my button up!

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  7. FYBF rules! (and squeeeee is the best word, just quietly!) Happy Friday to you all <3

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  8. FYBF rules! (and squeeeee is the best word, just quietly!) Happy Friday to you all <3

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ah cheese! I'd be happy with cheese and bread for dinner every night of the week. (Actually, there's a series of posts idea for you!)

    Lovely blog, found you via Brenda's blog hop.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have had little ones eat to much fruit and it went right threw them (usually when we go to see the grandparents in WVA where there are berries growing everywhere outside. You know they don't want to come in to eat but will eat all the berries they can find so they can stay outside.... Well they go right threw your system. I had to feed them cheese to help keep the system from exploding!! LOL Plus I have to confess when they are babies I did feed to much frozen fruit for the teeth pain (they only wanted to eat that because of the cold)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Stace I am going to leave you my collection of vintage cookbooks, they are fab, my favourite pastime! Mim xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Aha! So it is true! Long live my love of cheese :)

    ReplyDelete