Cooking for the Sick

In last week’s post I shared some observations on “The Original Fanny Farmer 1896 Cookbook” and one fascinating chapter was Recipes Especially Prepared for the Sick.

I remembered another cookbook I have, “Inglenook Cook Book” (The Brethren Publishing House, 1911) which also includes a chapter entitled “For the Sick” and you know that got me to thinking…

I’ve written here before about treating the sick, about the Granny-women who doctored when professionals were unavailable and about mountain medicine, but we know that the sick are first cared for at home and historically, they were mostly kept home and cared for by family.  So, sharing knowledge of how to rehabilitate the infirm is a worthy and no doubt greatly-appreciated endeavor.

Neither of these cookbooks originate in anywhere near Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau.  However, the Inglenook, Pennsylvania region may not be terribly different.  In fact, the cookbook describes itself as containing “recipes of a segment of rural America”, and that section of rural America shares our same mountain range.  These recipes originated with the Church of the Brethren which was largely of German origin so their foods may differ those passed down from our own Scotts-Irish ancestry.

Most of us can remember a time we were sick and nothing sounded the least bit appetizing.  Maybe you’ve sat by a loved one or a child and begged them to eat a few bites.  I remember when I was a child and sick with some minor ailment, my grandparents always wanting me to eat, and offering most anything that I was willing to eat.  On a personal note, I’ll tell you that from those childhood days, whenever I’m sick I want rabbit and apple dumplings – thank you Grandpa Livesay and Grandma Stepp!  (Unfortunately, no one has carried such dishes to my sick bed since those beloved grandparents went home to heaven!)  Are you surprised that I find neither food listed in these cookbooks’ chapters on feeding the sick?

Miss Farmer asserts that, “statistics prove that tw0thirds of all disease is brought about by error in diet.”  I’d expect modern data to agree with her as we have so many major problems from obesity and excess sugar, not to mention chemical additives and preservatives.  She offers detailed instruction on setting up a dinner tray, complete with “a bright blossom … or a small vase of flowers placed in left hand corner.”  Even the more pragmatic Sisters from the Church of the Brethren, advise you to “arrange the food as daintily as possible”, and I suppose presentation is important when an appetite is weak.

The Boston cookbook describes which foods should be encouraged or avoided in given conditions.  “Fruit waters are principally used for fever patients.  They are cooling refreshing, and mildly stimulating, and are valuable for the salts and acids they contain….Egg-nogs are recommended… when the system is much reduced by a severe illness.”  She warns that corn and oatmeal are “heat-producing, and should never be given when inflammatory symptoms are present.”

I was particularly interested that, “flour and cracker gruels to many prove a pleasant variety, and often assist in reducing a laxative condition.”  (I don’t entirely understand that phraseology and can only expect it means that the gruels will help with diarrhea – not to be indelicate.)  This was of interest to me because my grandparents taught me to eat it – of course we just called it Crackers and Milk. 

Finally, I want to share one convalescent recipe from The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, Rennet Custard. 

Heat 1 cup milk until lukewarm; add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon sherry win.  When sugar is dissolved, add 1 teaspoon liquid rennet.  Turn into a small mould, and let stand in a cool place until firm.  Serve with sugar and cream.  Cinnamon or nutmeg may be used in place of wine.  Liquid rennet may be bought in bottles of any first-class grocer.

I’m sharing that recipe because I doubt most readers will have had much experience with rennet, unless you’ve dabbled in cheese-making as I have.  It is an enzyme-rich substance found in calf stomachs.  The traditional method of extracting it is to soak pieces of the stomach in salt water or whey and vinegar or wine.  Most folks on the mountain who butcher a cow don’t keep or use many of the innards and I never heard of anyone soaking the stomach.