Under the auspices of President
Thomas Jefferson who had wrested 2,500 dollars from Congress to finance
an expedition, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on what would
become a journey of almost 7,000 miles. Jefferson, a horticulturist
and a gourmet, assigned Lewis and Clark the task of recording the flora
and fauna they observed while traveling. The resulting journals are
historical treasures for botanists, historians, horticulturists, and
cooks.
Working with Lewis and Clark's journals
as well as with Jefferson's correspondence, author and chef, Leslie
Mansfield, has complied 150 meticulously researched recipes based on
or inspired by recipes from historic cookbooks. All the recipes use
authentic ingredients that are available today but used at the time
of exploration. The early settlers and explorers used foodstuffs that
we ignore today, and Mansfield limits herself to recipes that work in
the contemporary kitchen. She states that she unearthed recipes for
horse and dog, but happily for us all, decided to bypass them.
When the Corps of Discovery began
their expedition, they were stocked with seven tons of foodstuffs. Among
the ingredients were 7 barrels of salt, 660 pounds of 'grees' (grease),
11 bags of hulled corn, 30 half barrels of flour. Records indicate that
Lewis also requested 200 pounds of the "Best Rifle Powder"
and 400 pounds of lead. This was a journey of exploration, not a war,
and much of the ammunition was used to sustain the men of the Corps.
Listed among the game killed are 1,001 deer, 375 elk, 227 bison, 43
grizzly bears.
Combining recipes with short excerpts
from the Journals or Jefferson's correspondence, each recipe becomes
a discovery and a way to glean insight into the lives of our predecessors.
There is Hominy with Tomatoes au Gratin in which Lewis states hominy
was a gift to the Native Americans and "They were much pleased
with it." In a reverse giving, there is Spiced Watermelon Rind
a gift from the Native Americans to the settlers. Of course there are
recipes such as Bear with Red Wine, Mushroom, and Juniper Sauce; Buffalo
Stew with Suet Dumplings; Grilled Maple-Glazed Salmon, and Hushpuppies.
Dessert is not forgotten and there are sweet recipes for Maple Sugar
Pie, Bread and Butter Pudding with Cherries, Mocha Cream Pie. Among
the less exotic recipes are Potatoes au Gratin, Alder-Smoked Trout,
Belgian Waffles with Maple Syrup, even Gingersnaps.
There are antique colorplates throughout,
a list of resources, and a lengthy bibliography for those who want more.
About the
author: Leslie
Mansfield is an accomplished chef and graduate of the École de
Gastronomie Française Ritz-Escoffier in Paris and the author
of 18 cookbooks, including The Oregon Trail Cookbook. She lives
in northern California.s
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