Christmas Countdown 16 : Suffragette Baked Ham

Madeline McDowell Breckenridge c 1900

As today, 10 December is United Nations Human Rights Day, I have decided to include a classic Christmas food, baked ham, with recipes from the Suffrage Cook Book. The cook book is a collection of recipes and domestic tips supplied by women who were also activists in the Votes for Women campaigns in the United States.

Here is a sample of the tone of this remarkable cookbook from Julia Lathrop 1858-1932, an American social reformer in the area of education, social policy, and children's welfare addressed to the "editress" of the book ....

from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26323/26323-h/26323-h.htm

Will the following be of any use for the Suffrage Cook Book?

Is it not strange how custom can stale our sense of the importance of everyday occurrences, of the ability required for the performance of homely, everyday services? Think of the power of organization required to prepare a meal and place it upon the table on time! No wonder a mere man said, "I can't cook because of the awful simultaneousness of everything."

Yours faithfully,
Julia C. Lathrop.

Here are two recipes for a Christmas baked ham - the first from Madeline McDowell Breckenridge ( Mrs Desha Breckenridge) - a leader of the women's suffrage movement and one of Kentucky's leading progressive reformers. She lobbied for women's right to vote in board elections and for state and federal election voting rights

A Baked Ham

Should be Kentucky cured and at least two years old. Soak in water over night.

Put on stove in cold water. Let it simmer one hour for each pound. Allow it to stand in that water over night.

Remove skin, cover with brown sugar and biscuit or cracker crumbs, sticking in whole cloves. Bake slowly until well browned, basting at intervals with the juices. Do not carve until it is cold.

This is the way real Kentucky housekeepers cook Kentucky ham.

Mrs Desha Breckinridge

The second is supplied by Mrs J.O. Miller - I can't find much information about her, except that she was part of the suffrage movement in Pittsburgh.

Baked Ham

(a la Miller)

1 ten or twelve pound ham

1½ lb. brown sugar

1 pint sherry wine (cooking sherry)

1 cup vinegar (not too strong)

1 cup molasses

cloves (whole)

Scrub and cleanse ham; soak in cold water over night; in morning place in a large kettle and cover with cold water; bring slowly to the boiling point and gradually add the molasses, allowing 18 minutes for each pound. When ham is done remove from stove and allow it to become cold in the water in which it was cooked.

Now remove the ham from water; skin and stick cloves (about 1½ dozen) over the ham. Rub brown sugar into the ham; put in roasting pan and pour over sherry and vinegar. Baste continually and allow it to warm through and brown nicely. This should take about ½ hour. Serve with a garnish of glazed sweet potatoes. Caramel from ham is served in a gravy tureen. Remove all greases from same.

This is a dish fit for the greatest epicure. ... What this recipe possibly creates?

http://www.honeyhousekuranda.com/recipes/honeyglazedbakedham/

Happy Human Rights Day and hope you enjoyed the Christmas recipes from our "sisters" of the past.

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