Dining with the Dietitian: Opossum, oranges and ovens: Victorian dining

By Kim Galeaz

Picture yourself sitting down at  a beautiful table with properly organized place

settings and deliciously prepared foods, enjoying every bite in a calm, relaxed manner.  Are you picturing dinner, possibly five nights a week? A big weekend brunch? Or maybe a big holiday gathering?

Unfortunately for most of us today, this serene scene only happens for special events and holidays. But if you lived during the 1800s – like the residents at the Benjamin Harrison Home, James Whitcomb Riley Home and Morris-Butler House did – you’d be enjoying not one, but three meals every day in this manner. Can you imagine? Every meal of every day enjoyed in a mindful manner.

Actually sitting down to eat longer than five or ten minutes!

How different it is for us today. Frenetic paces and scattered schedules, grab ’n go instant meals, and eating-while-standing at the sink. Actually, sinks with running water weren’t even around back then except for the privileged few, such as James Whitcomb Riley. But meals were a big deal, an event, really, for everyone during the mid and late 19th century. An important, pleasurable event.

I recently visited our three Downtown museum homes to learn a little about food and eating in the Victorian era (1837 – 1901), specifically with these prominent, wealthier families. While there are certainly distinct differences between then and now, there are also some striking similarities, proving once again that history repeats itself.

Eating Behaviors. People during the Victorian era didn’t need any “family mealtime” initiatives or “Eat Together Week” campaigns to foster positive, regular, eating behavior. It was just part of their daily life. But let’s face it. They had far fewer distractions and “stuff” vying for their attention. They had more time to make meals a priority and a major event. In a small way, they were the original Slow Food movement.

Daily, the adults sat around the table and ate all three meals together: breakfast, lunch and dinner. As a dietitian, I was especially excited to learn breakfast was eaten every day, because it truly is the most important meal to kick-start your day. The James Whitcomb Riley house even had a dedicated breakfast room separate from the main dining room.

Children of privileged families ate their meals in the kitchen with the servants. “They weren’t allowed to join the adults until they learned proper table manners,” said Jennifer Capps, curator at Benjamin Harrison Home. That would have been around age 12 or 13, according to Aimee Rose Formo, program coordinator at the Morris-Butler House. Separating the kids from the adults today certainly wouldn’t help foster those family-together-mealtime goals, but teaching proper etiquette could help children care more about their food choices and eating habits. (FYI: The Morris-Butler House offers Children’s Etiquette Teas during the year for youngsters ages 7 to 12.)

Portion control seemed to be a little more prevalent during this era. “The butler was trained how to portion just the right amount on the plate, not too much and not too little,” Formo said. “And guests always left a little bit of food on their plate, to let the hostess know that the portions were adequate.” Apparently if you “cleaned your plate,” the hostess would think her portions were too small. The clean plate club is frowned on even today, but for different reasons; it can lead to overeating and other problematic eating behaviors. After all these years, portion control remains the cornerstone of balanced, healthful eating.

What really stuck me about eating during the Victorian era, though, was the concept of mindful eating. “They gave time and attention to all their food and its presentation, making sure it was pleasing to the eye. They were very mindful,” said Judy Hatfield, program coordinator at the James Whitcomb Riley Home. Judy’s description is actually part of a lengthy definition for mindful eating, which includes having a positive relationship with food, thinking about your choices, savoring and tasting, and learning to be aware of hunger and satiety cues. This kind of mindfulness would serve many of us well during these times of mindless munching and eating without enjoyment.

What’s for dinner? Look closely at these three Christmas Day menus from the 1890s. Contrast and compare to our

current holiday fare.

Menu One

Cream of Celery Soup

Lobster Cutlets and Green Peas

Olives, Pickles, Salted Almonds

Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing

Apple Sauce and Potato Puff

Scalloped Onions

Cold Beef Tongue and Lettuce with French Dressing

Grated Cheese on Hot Wafers

Mince Pie and Pumpkin Pie

Nuts, Fruits and Bonbons

Coffee

Menu Two

Hot Clam Broth with Whipped Cream

Broiled Halibut and Oyster Sauce

Potato Chips

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

Mashed Potatoes and Stewed Tomatoes

Currant or Grape Jelly

Cold Chicken Breasts and Celery Mayonnaise

Cheese Fingers

Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce

Nuts, Fruits and Bonbons

Coffee

Menu Three

Boned Turkey

Stuffed Ham

Stewed Oysters

Turnips

Mashed Potatoes

Beets

Coleslaw

Fried Celery

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Plum Pudding

Baked Lemon Pudding

Cranberry Pie

Fruits, Nuts

Coffee

These holiday menus are strikingly similar to ours today, give or take a few items: meats, poultry, several starches, an array of vegetables, a few fruits and several decadent desserts. Just like our pumpkin/apple/pecan pie choices for Thanksgiving today. It’s hard for me to not “grade” any menu for balance and variety, so I’ll give these an “A” because all five nutrient-rich food groups are present (grains, fruits, veggies, dairy, and meat/poultry/fish/nuts/eggs). I like to think that all those nutrient-rich choices balance out the mouth-watering, decadent desserts. No matter what century, indulgent sweets and treats have stood the test of time.

Two other protein choices, venison and opossum, were also served during the Victorian era. (Yes, opossum.) In fact, venison had its own unique serving platter; you’ll find one on display at Morris-Butler House. It’s a large silver tray or dish with a tight lid, the tray containing indentations so the juices or sauces could be saved and scooped out. I know virtually nothing about venison and opossum’s nutrient profile, so I checked the USDA nutrient database and discovered they’re both comparable to our leaner meat choices today. Venison has the edge, with only two grams fat in a 3 oz. boneless portion; opossum contains nine. Both contain a good source of Vitamin B12 and iron.

I was puzzled with the prevalence of oysters on the menu during this period. After all, this was land-locked Indianapolis and oysters couldn’t be locally sourced. But they could be shipped via rail from the East coast; Capps pointed out that there was a fish market right here in Indianapolis. These heart-healthy delicacies, rich in valuable omega-3 fatty acids, warranted their own specially designed oyster plate and tiny fork.

Numerous fruits and vegetables were plentiful during this era, and eating only in-season produce was not in vogue or unique, it was a necessity. And I doubt, since choices were so limited, residents were overly concerned about where their produce came from. A few items that we take for granted were scarce and very expensive back then, especially oranges and other citrus fruits. Not be to outdone by oysters, oranges also had their own specially designed serving dish.

According to Hatfield, this orange cup featured a swiveling base and while spooning out the orange wedges, the juices would run down in this base, allowing you to drink the juices and not waste one bit of the orange.

Just like today, salt was used liberally in cooking and as a condiment with meals. Salt and pepper shakers weren’t widespread at the time, so salt was served in salt cellars – tiny glass bowls with an accompanying tiny spoon. All people at the table had their own salt cellar, while the homeowner usually held the master salt dish at his place setting – a much bigger bowl of salt that was used to portion out the salt. So much focus on a condiment that was very expensive at the time and now is so cheap and commonplace. Too commonplace obviously, since many people consume far too much salt and the sodium content in salt contributes to high blood pressure and ultimately heart disease risk. Some things never change.

A word about fats. While there may not have been unhealthy trans fats during this period, these people ate just as much – or more – total fat than we do now. A majority of it was saturated, also detrimental to heart health.  They enjoyed butter (my favorite fat), exterior fat on meats and poultry, bacon and sausage for breakfast and suet. Suet is the solid white fat found around the kidneys and loins of beef and sheep. We have the British to thank for their use of suet in pastries, stuffing, mincemeat and puddings, such as plum pudding. Suet lends richness to just about anything. I refrain from comment, as mindful eating principles dictate “acknowledging responses to food (likes, dislikes or neutral) without judgment. And let’s not forget that lard (pork fat) was the premium choice for the richest, flakiest pie crusts.

Did you notice the potato chips on menu two? I’d be remiss as a dietitian if I didn’t mention – and defend – these popular fried chips. Referred to as “a modern junk food” by many in this day and age, I prefer to point out that potato chips were actually invented by a chef at a Saratoga Springs, N.Y., hotel in the mid-1800s. Furthermore, potatoes contain vitamin C and potassium, and while I’d never advise eating large quantities of potato chips day after day, I hope you’ll enjoy them like the residents of the Riley, Morris-Butler and Harrison homes did: in moderate, portion-controlled servings.

The Kitchen – Storage, equipment & cooking. Kitchens today may be two or three times bigger than those in the 1800s, but many aren’t nearly as efficient. Storage and prep space back then was extremely organized and utilitarian, modeling the phrase “a place for everything and everything in its place.” The Hoosier Cabinet, however, was the epitome of form-plus-function efficiency. Basically a cabinet on a cabinet, it included a tiny work surface, a flour bin and other handy storage compartments. Of course we’d consider the tiny work surface too small today, but I suggest it’s perfect for tiny tots and kids in the kitchen. Children didn’t cook back then, but we all know it’s a great way to get children more interested in their food and healthier eating habits.

Here are a few examples of efficient tools and equipment in the kitchen, found in one or all the kitchens of our historic homes.

• Grater – at first glance, you’d think this was the traditional box-type grater we use today for everything from carrots to cheese. But Hatfield informed me it was used for grating laundry soap. Grated soap melted down easier to better clean clothes.
• Butter churner – remember, they didn’t have butter in one-pound packages back then. They had to make it themselves. And then keep it in the very crude iced unit, the precursor to our refrigerators today.
• Spice grater – this small tool grated fresh nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and anise.
• Potato masher – no electric Kitchen-Aids for mashing those Idaho reds back then; this hand tool was the method.
• Bundt pan – this ornate cake pan looked almost identical to today’s version.
• Whisk – this looked more like a slightly bent, mini tennis racket than the elongated whisks we use today.
• Iron – yes, a traditional iron for pressing clothes. It was on the stove top in the kitchen because that’s where it had to be heated.
• Cookie and biscuit cutters – almost identical to today’s versions.
• Sink.  Or lack of a sink.  Only the wealthy could afford sinks with running water later in the 1800s. The one in the Riley home is a beauty – a gem way ahead of its time. If you’re really into kitchen appliances – antique or modern – you’ve got to see this double soapstone sink with the gold faucets.
• Oven. Wood-burning of course; no choice of electric or gas. And here’s the amazing thing we can’t fathom today: no temperature gauge on those at the Morris-Butler and Harrison homes. (The one at the Riley home was a later model and included a dial with the numbers 1 to 12). Have you ever tried to cook in an oven today not knowing the temperature of the oven?
• Recipes – they were hand-written, passed on by generations of cooks, mothers and daughters. You wouldn’t find printed cards or computer pages in these kitchens. The recipes were different, too. They said “teaspoonfuls and cupfuls,” but measuring cups and spoons as we know them today weren’t used. Capps told me cupful indicated a tea cup and teaspoonful was most likely an eating teaspoon. Tablespoons were those bigger spoons in the table-settings.

All of this vagueness and uncertainty with recipes and cooking made me realize the most striking difference between then and now is that cooks during that era really needed – and possessed – two essential ingredients: intuition and trust.

They had to trust their instincts that what they were adding was just the right amount of an ingredient, that the dough or batter was the right consistency and that the oven was at the right heat to properly brown something. They used their sense of smell a lot, I suspect, to judge doneness. Anyone today can learn to read a recipe and cook a perfect dish by following that recipe, but cooks back then had an inherent intuition and trust that guided them along. In my opinion, that is truly an admirable skill, one which was undoubtedly most fulfilling and rewarding.  I wish everyone today – kids, teens and adults – would just give cooking a whirl, be messy and imprecise in the kitchen and trust their instincts about ingredients. Having fun with and enjoying the fruits of your labor is the truly rewarding gift. (The good nutrition is secondary.)

Happy, healthy and enjoyable holidays to all.

Chatham Arch resident Kim Galeaz, a registered dietitian and consultant to food and beverage companies, restaurants and supermarkets, would like to thank Jennifer Capps, Aimee Rose Formo and Judy Hatfield for their time, generosity and wealth  of valuable information.

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