"Modernized" historic recipes?

[Stargazer43]

I'm new here, and I was curious if anyone could point me in the right direction. So I've always really wanted to cook "historic" recipes (in other words, recipes out of old cookbooks from like the 1800s and before). I love history and I think what better way to experience it than by eating the foods that people used to eat! However, most of the recipes from those older books are pretty vague and nondescript; I don't consider myself nearly a good enough cook to make them without all the specifics, particularly when it's things I've never made before! So I am curious if anyone knows of any websites or anything that specialize in modernized versions of older recipes. What I mean by modernized is that they show all the specifics of how to make things...for example exact ingredient amounts and steps.

Here is an example of the kind of recipe I am talking about:
http://www.godecookery.com/engrec/engrec136.html

[pinky kookie]

Hi Stargazer,
I am also interested in searching old recipes from the 1800's and Centuries before, and I have found all these amazing collection Websites with very old recipes and their stories that like to check out often. Hope you can find them interesting, too.

EXTREMELY OLD RECIPES -
http://www.ghosttraveller.com/really_old_recipes.htm

THE FOOD TIMELINE: FOOD HISTORY & VINTAGE RECIPES -
http://www.foodtimeline.org/

CELTNET UK RECIPES, HISTORIC & TRADITIONAL RECIPES
& RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD -
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/

MEDIEVAL FEASTS RECIPES - WITH MODERN VERSIONS -
http://www.bitwise.net/~ken-bill/med-p1.htm

HERITAGE RECIPES & MEMORIES -
http://www.heritagerecipes.com/Recipes.htm

OLD-FASHIONED COOKING RECIPES FROM VINTAGE COOKBOOKS -
http://oldfashionedcooking.com/

FREE OLD TIME COOKING RECIPES - FREE OLD FASHIONED RECIPES -
http://www.free-old-time-cooking-recipes.com/

[duonyte]

Colonial Williamsburg put out a cookbook that has updated recipes from that time period. I imagine you could get it through interlibrary loan from your library.

I have an old edition of Joy of Cooking, and at least some of the recipes there are updated versions of verv old recipes - she gives a description of the history of the recipes when that is the case.

Putting in the name of a recipe in our search bar might also give results. For example, I know that Sally Lunn and Bath buns are both historical, and there are modern versions posted. Not sure about that herring pye! And I am a person who really likes herring!

[Stargazer43]

pinky kookie wrote:

Hi Stargazer,
I am also interested in searching old recipes from the 1800's and Centuries before, and I have found all these amazing collection Websites with very old recipes and their stories that like to check out often. Hope you can find them interesting, too.

EXTREMELY OLD RECIPES -
http://www.ghosttraveller.com/really_old_recipes.htm

THE FOOD TIMELINE: FOOD HISTORY & VINTAGE RECIPES -
http://www.foodtimeline.org/

CELTNET UK RECIPES, HISTORIC & TRADITIONAL RECIPES
& RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD -
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/

MEDIEVAL FEASTS RECIPES - WITH MODERN VERSIONS -
http://www.bitwise.net/~ken-bill/med-p1.htm

HERITAGE RECIPES & MEMORIES -
http://www.heritagerecipes.com/Recipes.htm

OLD-FASHIONED COOKING RECIPES FROM VINTAGE COOKBOOKS -
http://oldfashionedcooking.com/

FREE OLD TIME COOKING RECIPES - FREE OLD FASHIONED RECIPES -
http://www.free-old-time-cooking-recipes.com/

That's EXACTLY the kind of thing I was looking for! I'm getting super-excited about making some of these things now lol, a lot of them don't look hard and have easy-to-obtain ingredients.

[duonyte]

You might also want to check out these threads

http://www.food.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=320284

continued as
http://www.food.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=215416&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Chocolatl]

Many of the recipes I've posted come from older cookbooks, and I've rewritten them extensively so as to modernize and standardize them. I know there are several other posters who have done the same. Unfortunately, I am currently using a shared computer that only has Internet Explorer, so I can't use the sifter to find them for you. However, if your browser does support the sifter, you can look under "occasion" for "heirloom/historical" recipes.