In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
(Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
I have posed my questions below.

OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER

A classic dish known outside of New England as "corned beef and
cabbage". Quantities as you like it; schedule given for dinner to be
ready at noon.

7:00 A.M. Rinse 4-lb. piece of corned beef in water and place in bottom
of large kettle. Cover well with cold water. Add 2 T. sugar, 1 t.
pickling spice, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to boiling point and boil 5
minutes. Skim scum off top, turn down heat, and simmer, covered, until
tender.

9:30 A.M. Scrub fresh beets within an inch of their lives and add to
kettle, leaving skin and a good 4 inches of stem on each beet to prevent
bleeding.

10:00 A.M. Add peeled turnips, cut coarsely.

11:00 A.M. Add peeled carrots and onions and a fair-sized cabbage cut
in quarters. Add water as necessary to keep liquid level up.

11:30 A.M. Add peeled, cut-up potatoes.

NOON. All should be cooked by now. Peel beets and arrange dinner on
one large platter. Serve with hot corn bread or johnnycake, egg gravy
(a regular white sauce with 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs added),
horseradish, and a cruet of vinegar. Apple pie is the perfect dessert.

(P. Grimes, First Congregational Church of Pembroke, Pembroke, New
Hampshire)

Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?
Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
wouldn't eat it. Blecch! But what's up with the vinegar?
What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?
And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
Is that really a New England staple?

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

"Kate Connally" > wrote in message
...
> In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
> I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
> Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
> New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
> (Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
> came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
> I have posed my questions below.
>
> OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER

I was raised on boiled dinners - not 'corned' beef but salt beef & salt pork
(not fatback), spare ribs, neck bones (all of which required soaking
overnight) and have never seen beets served with it. Corn on the cob, yes;
string beans, yes; I've even seen kale cooked with it, but beets -- never.
I must try it -- oops, SORRY, BARB!

As for the egg sauce, I have never seen this with boiled dinner either.
Yuck! Cod, salmon & cauliflower, were the foods my mom served with that
sauce -- all of which I wanted WITHOUT sauce, thank you. So if you are
going to make it, my advice is serve it 'on the side' and be prepared to
toss most of it out after the meal is over. ;o)

Gabby

Kate Connally > wrote:

>But what's up with the vinegar? What do you do with that???
>I just can't see pouring vinegar on any of this stuff.

You lightly dress the cabbage with vinegar, preferably done by the
individual diner to taste.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

Kate Connally > wrote in
:

> In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
> I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
> Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
> New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
> (Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
> came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
> I have posed my questions below.
>
> OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER
>
> A classic dish known outside of New England as "corned beef and
> cabbage". Quantities as you like it; schedule given for dinner to be
> ready at noon.
>
> 7:00 A.M. Rinse 4-lb. piece of corned beef in water and place in
> bottom of large kettle. Cover well with cold water. Add 2 T. sugar,
> 1 t. pickling spice, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to boiling point and
> boil 5 minutes. Skim scum off top, turn down heat, and simmer,
> covered, until tender.
>
> 9:30 A.M. Scrub fresh beets within an inch of their lives and add to
> kettle, leaving skin and a good 4 inches of stem on each beet to
> prevent bleeding.
>
> 10:00 A.M. Add peeled turnips, cut coarsely.
>
> 11:00 A.M. Add peeled carrots and onions and a fair-sized cabbage cut
> in quarters. Add water as necessary to keep liquid level up.
>
> 11:30 A.M. Add peeled, cut-up potatoes.
>
> NOON. All should be cooked by now. Peel beets and arrange dinner on
> one large platter. Serve with hot corn bread or johnnycake, egg gravy
> (a regular white sauce with 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs added),
> horseradish, and a cruet of vinegar. Apple pie is the perfect
> dessert.
>
> (P. Grimes, First Congregational Church of Pembroke, Pembroke, New
> Hampshire)
>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?
> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch! But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?
> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?
>
> Kate
>

Never heard of the egg gravy or the vinegar, but then, I'm not from New
England. Although I do occasionally make a NE boiled dinner.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

unmunge as w-e-b

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

Kate Connally > wrote in
:

> In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
> I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
> Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
> New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
> (Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
> came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
> I have posed my questions below.
>
> OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER
>
> A classic dish known outside of New England as "corned beef and
> cabbage". Quantities as you like it; schedule given for dinner to be
> ready at noon.
>
> 7:00 A.M. Rinse 4-lb. piece of corned beef in water and place in
> bottom of large kettle. Cover well with cold water. Add 2 T. sugar,
> 1 t. pickling spice, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to boiling point and
> boil 5 minutes. Skim scum off top, turn down heat, and simmer,
> covered, until tender.
>
> 9:30 A.M. Scrub fresh beets within an inch of their lives and add to
> kettle, leaving skin and a good 4 inches of stem on each beet to
> prevent bleeding.
>
> 10:00 A.M. Add peeled turnips, cut coarsely.
>
> 11:00 A.M. Add peeled carrots and onions and a fair-sized cabbage cut
> in quarters. Add water as necessary to keep liquid level up.
>
> 11:30 A.M. Add peeled, cut-up potatoes.
>
> NOON. All should be cooked by now. Peel beets and arrange dinner on
> one large platter. Serve with hot corn bread or johnnycake, egg gravy
> (a regular white sauce with 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs added),
> horseradish, and a cruet of vinegar. Apple pie is the perfect
> dessert.
>
> (P. Grimes, First Congregational Church of Pembroke, Pembroke, New
> Hampshire)
>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?
> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch! But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?
> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?
>
> Kate
>

Never heard of the egg gravy or the vinegar, but then, I'm not from New
England. Although I do occasionally make a NE boiled dinner.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

unmunge as w-e-b

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

Kate Connally wrote:

>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?
> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch! But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?
> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?
>
> Kate
>
> --


I've had lots of booiled diners in my N.E. youth, but never
egg gravy. I guess it's to pour over the meat to cut the
saltiness.

Vinegar is delicious on boiled cabbage or other cooked greens.

My late MIL served horseradish with lots of beef dishes.
She grew up in a German-Swedish household where they
grew their own horseradish.

Cornbread was never served with this at my mom's house
but those things vary by family as do most food things.

gloria p

Kate Connally wrote:

>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?
> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch! But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?
> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?
>
> Kate
>
> --


I've had lots of booiled diners in my N.E. youth, but never
egg gravy. I guess it's to pour over the meat to cut the
saltiness.

Vinegar is delicious on boiled cabbage or other cooked greens.

My late MIL served horseradish with lots of beef dishes.
She grew up in a German-Swedish household where they
grew their own horseradish.

Cornbread was never served with this at my mom's house
but those things vary by family as do most food things.

gloria p

Our pal Kate Connally > wrote:

> In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
> I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
> Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
> New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
> (Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
> came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
> I have posed my questions below.
>
> OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER

<snip>

> NOON. All should be cooked by now. Peel beets and arrange dinner on
> one large platter. Serve with hot corn bread or johnnycake, egg gravy
> (a regular white sauce with 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs added),
> horseradish, and a cruet of vinegar. Apple pie is the perfect dessert.
>
> (P. Grimes, First Congregational Church of Pembroke, Pembroke, New
> Hampshire)
>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?

Euwww, what a way to ruin a perfectly good corned beef!

> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch!

I do love a dab of horseradish with my corned beef -- isn't that
pretty common?

> But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?

My family puts yellow mustard on their cabbage, maybe that's
what it's for?

> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?

It's a new one on me, although I don't live in New England.

My mother used to make something she called "New England
Boiled Dinner" which consisted of cabbage, potatoes, carrots,
and beef short ribs. It was good, but I'd rather have the
corned beef...


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF
(COLD to HOT for e-mail)

Our pal Kate Connally > wrote:

> In anticipation of my upcoming vacation in Vermont
> I was perusing my "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper
> Cookbook" in the hopes of finding some good traditional
> New England fare to make to get me in the mood. ;-)
> (Like I need to be in the mood for Vermont!) Anyway,
> came across the following recipe, quoted verbatim.
> I have posed my questions below.
>
> OLD-FASHIONED BOILED DINNER

<snip>

> NOON. All should be cooked by now. Peel beets and arrange dinner on
> one large platter. Serve with hot corn bread or johnnycake, egg gravy
> (a regular white sauce with 1-2 chopped hard-boiled eggs added),
> horseradish, and a cruet of vinegar. Apple pie is the perfect dessert.
>
> (P. Grimes, First Congregational Church of Pembroke, Pembroke, New
> Hampshire)
>
> Okay, here's what I don't get. Egg gravy???? I thought
> that was Southern or Midwestern or something. So, okay,
> egg gravy, but what do you do with it??? Put it over
> everything? Just the meat? Just the vegetables? Just
> the cornbread? Meat and vegetables but not cornbread?

Euwww, what a way to ruin a perfectly good corned beef!

> Now I'm not worried about the horseradish because I just
> wouldn't eat it. Blecch!

I do love a dab of horseradish with my corned beef -- isn't that
pretty common?

> But what's up with the vinegar?
> What do you do with that??? I just can't see pouring
> vinegar on any of this stuff. Especially if you already
> have egg gravy all over everything. What up wi' dat?

My family puts yellow mustard on their cabbage, maybe that's
what it's for?

> And I guess I also wonder about the cornbread. I've never
> heard of eating corn bread with corned beef and cabbage.
> Is that really a New England staple?

It's a new one on me, although I don't live in New England.

My mother used to make something she called "New England
Boiled Dinner" which consisted of cabbage, potatoes, carrots,
and beef short ribs. It was good, but I'd rather have the
corned beef...


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF
(COLD to HOT for e-mail)

I serve corned beef and cabbage with sweet mustard pickles. I used to
be able to buy these (Gedneys, I think) but now i use sweet mixed
(cukes, carrot, cauliflower, pearl onions etc) or midget dills. I pour
off the liquid and mix it with yellow mustard and pour it back over
the pickles. Let this sit overnight before you serve it. The sweet
sour is great with the salty corned beef.

Lynn from Fargo
(a loooooong way from New England!

I serve corned beef and cabbage with sweet mustard pickles. I used to
be able to buy these (Gedneys, I think) but now i use sweet mixed
(cukes, carrot, cauliflower, pearl onions etc) or midget dills. I pour
off the liquid and mix it with yellow mustard and pour it back over
the pickles. Let this sit overnight before you serve it. The sweet
sour is great with the salty corned beef.

Lynn from Fargo
(a loooooong way from New England!

Derek Lyons wrote:
>
> Kate Connally > wrote:
>
> >But what's up with the vinegar? What do you do with that???
> >I just can't see pouring vinegar on any of this stuff.
>
> You lightly dress the cabbage with vinegar, preferably done by the
> individual diner to taste.

Thanks, D. That sounds more reasonable than what I
was imagining.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Lynn Gifford wrote:
>
> I serve corned beef and cabbage with sweet mustard pickles. I used to
> be able to buy these (Gedneys, I think) but now i use sweet mixed
> (cukes, carrot, cauliflower, pearl onions etc) or midget dills. I pour
> off the liquid and mix it with yellow mustard and pour it back over
> the pickles. Let this sit overnight before you serve it. The sweet
> sour is great with the salty corned beef.

Yours is the second reply that has referred to the
corned beef being salty. I've never had overly salty
corned beef. (And believe me I'd complain if it were
salty, I like very little salt in my food.) When you
boil it with the vegetables most of the excess saltiness
that you might taste in it before cooking would come
out into the water and season the vegetables. No need
to add salt.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Hi.....here is what I do about cooking cabbage....learned from my
mother and grandmother ......as far as I know this way of cooking it
is common in France and in French speaking Canada

Chop cabbage but not in quarters but rather into smaller size like
strips .....Steam cabbage (normal whitish green cabbage) till done to
the right texture. Remove water from pot. Put steamed cabbage in
pot....turn element to off or warm.....drizzle cabbage with white wine
vinegar ....melt a little butter (or Becel Margerine, EVO or other
healthy oils).....sprinkle a little sea salt.....smidgen of black
pepper.......and then sprinkle with caraway seeds.....stir
gently.......then let sit on the element at the off or warm position
with the lid on the pot for about 3 to 5 minutes....stir again
gently.......then serve....love it.....tastes great to me.

TJ

On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 16:23:17 GMT, (Derek Lyons)
wrote:

>Kate Connally > wrote:
>
>>But what's up with the vinegar? What do you do with that???
>>I just can't see pouring vinegar on any of this stuff.
>
>You lightly dress the cabbage with vinegar, preferably done by the
>individual diner to taste.
>
>D.

Hi.....here is what I do about cooking cabbage....learned from my
mother and grandmother ......as far as I know this way of cooking it
is common in France and in French speaking Canada

Chop cabbage but not in quarters but rather into smaller size like
strips .....Steam cabbage (normal whitish green cabbage) till done to
the right texture. Remove water from pot. Put steamed cabbage in
pot....turn element to off or warm.....drizzle cabbage with white wine
vinegar ....melt a little butter (or Becel Margerine, EVO or other
healthy oils).....sprinkle a little sea salt.....smidgen of black
pepper.......and then sprinkle with caraway seeds.....stir
gently.......then let sit on the element at the off or warm position
with the lid on the pot for about 3 to 5 minutes....stir again
gently.......then serve....love it.....tastes great to me.

TJ

On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 16:23:17 GMT, (Derek Lyons)
wrote:

>Kate Connally > wrote:
>
>>But what's up with the vinegar? What do you do with that???
>>I just can't see pouring vinegar on any of this stuff.
>
>You lightly dress the cabbage with vinegar, preferably done by the
>individual diner to taste.
>
>D.