Chinese Takeout with Lindsey

A staple of Christmas day plans for generations!

Last year, NPR posted an article discussing the history of different holiday traditions that often go undiscussed: eggnog, jelly donuts for Hanukkah, and, of course, the tradition of Jewish families eating Chinese food on Christmas. Did you know it goes back to at least 1935? 

This year, we decided to pay tribute to that tradition with our own "Jewish Christmas". Read on to find out a little more about this classic holiday treat!

Nanea's Wartime White Fruitcake

The fruitcake people actually want to eat!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway! It was a lot of fun reading about everyone's favorite holiday recipes. And congratulations again to Shannon! I hope you and your dolls enjoy your set of rum balls from Pippaloo. 

Today, we're going to be tackling a classic but controversial holiday treat: fruitcake. When I told people I was going to be giving this a shot, almost everyone's reaction was instinctively very negative. I've met very few people in my life who have genuinely liked fruitcake, or who are even willing to give it a try, although funnily enough my wife fits both categories and was genuinely excited to see how this came out. 

Part of the reason why it's such a hard sell to people is because the perception is that they're very artificial, stale, or just generally old and bad. Countless people have joked about having a crazy great-aunt who gifts everyone the same fruitcake year after year, or using it as a door stopper instead of eating it. I must be crazy for giving this a shot, right? 

Wrong! Spoilers, but this 1940's recipe for fruitcake was a lot tastier than I was expecting. It's also got some really cool history, and I'm very pleased to be sharing it with you guys.

Kit's Raisin Spice Cake

A thrifty way to spread some holiday cheer!

Great Depression holiday recipes are a little hard to come by, and without a waffle iron (or Kit's waffle iron...), I'm kind of out of luck making Kit's signature holiday treat. I'd considered making some of the cookies from her cookie set, but it looks like timing wise, that's going to have to wait until next year thanks to a slightly inconvenient work project. At least I already have an idea for next December! 

What I ended up making instead was an interesting version of a frugal, holiday appropriate cake. It actually reminded me of a better version of a recipe we made a few years ago... and doesn't include any salt pork!

Maryellen's Rum Balls and a Giveaway Hosted by Pippaloo!

A no bake classic from the mid century!

I'm kicking off the holiday season with a very exciting post, featuring rum balls two ways and a giveaway from one of my favorite doll crafters: Pippaloo! 

Pippaloo makes extremely detailed, perfectly sized custom doll food. After taking a hiatus for a good long while, her shop is back open on Artfire. Her monthly releases are announced on her blog several days in advance of appearing in her shop, and her December Menu should be available at 12:00 noon EST today! You should definitely head over there to check out her work. 

Now that she's back in action, she's planning on doing a spotlight on historical dishes our favorite historical dolls might have enjoyed. After some discussion of what might be best to offer as a giveaway, we chose rum balls as a fittingly quirky look at a popular recipe from the 1950's. The version created by Pippaloo is a perfect replica of the rum balls I made, making them a one of a kind addition to any holiday displays or play. 

Read on to find out more about these yummy treats as well as how to win a set of doll sized set yourself!

Harvesting History at the Henry Whitfield House

One of the oldest homes in New England!

One of the best things about living in the DC area is that I’m not too far away from where I grew up, making going home for the holidays nice and easy. Jessi and I got to spend our first Thanksgiving together at my parent’s house, doing all the typical Thanksgiving things (including my now traditional Indian pudding!), going Toys for Tots shopping (my favorite holiday tradition!) and stopping by one of the oldest homes in America for their annual post-Thanksgiving event. 

You know, as you do when you’re a historian. Or married to one. 

Accompanying us were Jane Collier, a girl from 1614 Jamestown, Virginia who has appeared on the blog many times before, and Fear Tyler, a new friend from 1692 Salem Village (modern day Danvers), Massachusetts. As American Girl seems to be deviating from making pre-20th Century characters, I’ve started to slowly take matters into my own hands and create a couple from periods of history I find personally interesting that the company is unlikely to cover themselves. As Jane and Fear have strong connections to the early colonization of North America and the crazy Puritans, they seemed like good travel companions to check out a historic house museum that holds a special place in my heart.

Tea with Valerie Tripp at Mount Vernon

With a talk that revealed some fun behind the scenes looks at the creation of our favorite colonial girl: Felicity!

Longtime readers might remember that I was lucky enough to attend Tea with Valerie Tripp and Friends at Historic Huguenot Street back in 2016. I was even luckier when I saw that Mount Vernon would be hosting a similar event as their last in a series of teas with Martha Washington! Of course, I leapt at the chance to get tickets, even though Mount Vernon is kind of horrible to get to if you don’t have a car. 

Last weekend, Jessi, Felicity, Elizabeth and I set off on a very long metro ride and a bus trip to visit, armed with a book to get signed and a camera to document the event for posterity. Read on to find out what we did!

Nanea's Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

A crucial part of a Hawaiian plate lunch!

Summer has officially come and gone in the Mid-Atlantic, and while I don't miss it, the sharp downturn into super cold winds and rain (and possibly snow!) has been a little too sharp this year. The sudden change has definitely made me a little wistful for milder weather, and so this weekend, I turned to Nanea for inspiration for my next blog post. 

This recipe might not be what you're expecting from an authentically Hawaiian dish, but this pasta salad is very much the real deal, especially if you keep it simple and let the ingredients speak for themselves. Read on to find out more about how this side dish has come to define a Hawaiian classic!

Angela's Lasagna

Is there anything more comforting than warm pasta, tomatoes, cheese and meat?

A few days ago on Instagram, I teased that another historical doll had joined our ranks. Many of my followers guessed correctly that the mystery girl was indeed Angela Terlizzi, friend of Maryellen Larkin! She’s the first “Best Friend” character whose Italian heritage is a major part of her story, and since American Girl’s official best friend dolls are a thing of the past, I decided to take matters into my own hands to bring this character to life. 

I mean, any excuse to delve into the rich history of Italian American cuisine sounds good, right? It’s pretty much the definition of comfort food no matter what shape or size it comes in.

Grace's Worms in Dirt

As Beatrice's mother would say, "Eat your dirt!"

Happy Halloween, everyone! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and I'm always excited to get a chance to celebrate it. Admittedly, that usually gets a little harder to do when you get older and trick or treating if off the table, but now that I'm finished with school and employed, I decided this year I'd throw my first ever Halloween party. 

The theme? A certain animated miniseries that perfectly blends Americana, folklore, fairy tales, and general Halloween fun called Over the Garden Wall. Jessi and I carefully planned a menu full of treats inspired by the show and one of them is an old favorite classroom treat of mine: worms in dirt. Read on to learn a little about the history of this perfectly spooky treat!

Nellie's Remembrance Cookies

An interesting treat to enjoy while sharing stories of the past!

Halloween is fast approaching, and if you want to try something a little different this holiday season, I can't recommend these cookies enough. They're unusual, and probably not for everyone, but if you're a fan of unusual flavors and cookies that are sweet, but not too sweet, this is definitely worth a shot. 

The historical accuracy of this recipe is maybe a little questionable, but if you'll stick with me, you'll see there's an interesting story in here, along with a nice way to pass along memories of those who have gone before.

Jane's Apple Pie in a Mug

Just the thing if you need a quick fall treat!

So after talking all about apples in early America in my last post, I decided to roll the clock even further back. One thing I don’t think a lot of people realize is just how few comforts of home early European settlers to the Americas actually had. It took a really long time to import and cultivate crops, and farming techniques you were familiar with back in Europe didn’t always translate to New England or Virginia. 

It also meant you had to make some tough decisions about what kind of crops you brought first. Sweet apples weren’t cultivated in early Jamestown. Instead, their bitter cousins were grown for – you guessed it – cider! So kids like Jane would have had to learn to make do without some old favorites, including apples paired with cheese. 

This very modern take on apple pie is a quick, easy way to bring a taste of a very classic pairing. Ready in minutes, it can be enjoyed year round and doesn’t involve fussing with pastry! What’s not to love?

Caroline's Cider Cake

A brief history of apple cider and a look at a forgotten favorite!

Fall is my favorite season, although I feel like between moving further south and the increasingly worrying trends of climate change, I haven’t really gotten to experience it the way I’d like to in a few years. Still, it’s fun to get excited about Halloween, and to indulge in some of my favorite seasonal fruit: apples. 

Of course, you can get apples all year round, but the best kind are only available from September through October, and I’ve already bought a couple bags full. They’re not as good as the ones from Bishop’s Orchards back home, but they’ll do in a pinch. 

It’s also meant I’ve had apple cider on the brain, and so it really just seemed obvious that we’d have to give this recipe a spin to really get into that fall spirit. 

But first, I just want to say another congratulations to Ashley for winning our giveaway! I hope you enjoy the recipe cards and can’t wait to hear what you try out first. Thanks to everyone who entered. Hopefully we’ll have another five years of exploring America’s culinary history to come!

Rebecca's Sweet Noodle Kugel

Wishing everyone a happy new year, a few weeks late!

Turns out the end of grad school and wedding planning hasn’t meant as much time as I’d like to get stuff done over this way. Apologies! Maybe one day I’ll either accept that this is going to be a post when I feel like it sort of place or I’ll finally get myself in gear to find a more consistent schedule. 

I intended on posting this at the beginning of the month for Rosh Hashanah, which would have been appropriate for the beginning of year five considering a Rosh Hashanah dinner was one of the first things I ever posted about here, but alas, no use crying over spilled milk. 

Or broken eggs. There are quite a lot of them to make this tasty treat.

It's Our Fifth Anniversary!: Milestones, New Beginnings, and a Giveaway

Happy fifth birthday to the blog!

So, today is a very special day for me – it’s A Peek into the Pantry’s 5th anniversary! So much has changed since I started writing this blog, most of it definitely for the better, and to celebrate, I’m hosting another giveaway featuring some of my favorite recipes from the past five years. 

And yes, they’re all dessert. Maybe we’ll do the savory version next year!

Mini Grace dines at America Eats Tavern in Georgetown

Historically inspired dishes in the heart of Georgetown!

This has been an exciting, eventful summer so far, which is unfortunately why the blog has been so quiet these last few months. I’m hoping to come back with a fall full of exciting historical recipes, possibly with some new friends to explore those with us, as well as celebrating A Peek into the Pantry’s fifth anniversary next week! 

But until then, I do have a little something to tide you over: a trip to America Eats Tavern in Georgetown!

Ruthie Makes Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers

Just the right addition to any end of summer parties you might be planning!

The summer’s winding down, but the heat definitely isn’t going anywhere. In the days before air conditioning was in almost every American household, people needed to get creative to find ways to beat the heat. 

One of the most popular for kids like Ruthie Smithens – and her best friend Kit Kittredge, of course! – was going to the movies. Movie theaters offered cheap entertainment and a nice, dark, cool theater to shelter inside on those hot summer days during the Depression. Getting lost in the stories on the silver screen also helped distract viewers from the struggles of everyday life during hard times. 

These two drinks get their names from some of the most famous movie stars of the time, and they’re delightfully simple to make. Read on to learn the history of two of the most famous mocktails ever created!

Elizabeth's Lemon Cheesecakes

A modern interpretation of a Hannah Glasse original!

It always feels a little weird thinking of having Felicity host fancy tea treats. After all, she’s neither fancy, nor especially into tea after the whole tea tax thing. 

Fortunately her friend Elizabeth Cole makes a fitting hostess for such posts, and this one in particular is a very interesting treat. These tiny cheesecakes make a perfect accompaniment to your colonial tea party, and they’re definitely something you might have enjoyed were you paying a visit to some friends in Williamsburg all the way back in 1774. 

Read on to find out how to make these flavorful little bites!

Melody's Butterscotch Squares

Also known as blondies!

Now, I love chocolate. There’s nothing like having a fudgy brownie, fluffy chocolate cake, or slathering spoonfuls of Nutella onto crusty bread. Long time readers will remember that some of my favorite recipes I’ve ever done for this blog have involved chocolate, like that delicious flourless chocolate cake or my hands down favorite cake recipe for chocolate war cake. 

But not everyone shares my enthusiasm for chocolate. Of course there are people with allergies – my art teacher growing up suddenly developed an allergy to chocolate as an adult and was always sad she couldn’t indulge in one of her favorite treats – but others just don’t like it. We’d always tease one of my best friends growing up for hating any kind of chocolate, but still wearing her mom’s old sweatshirt that declared an undying love for the stuff. 

In honor of those people, I’ve turned to something with no chocolate in it at all, that’s also perfect for a summer bake sale.

Maryellen's Crab Rangoon Dip

Inspired by a classic from the world famous Trader Vic!

It felt appropriate for my long awaited return to an actual recipe themed post to tie into that big research project I’ve been dropping hints about for literal months, on Instagram in particular. As part of my Master’s program, I wrote two article length papers that I’m trying to get published in an academic journal rather than a dissertation. One of them – you might be surprised to hear – has to do with American Girl, and the other focuses on something that’s really become my historical wheelhouse: the history and influence of tiki bars on shaping American perceptions of Polynesia! 

Since this blog is pretty G rated and has a lot of younger readers, I’m unfortunately not going to be sharing any of the famous rum based cocktails that cemented the tiki bar as an icon of midcentury American cuisine. Instead, the recipe I’m sharing with you today is an interpretation of a dish invented by one of the most famous people involved in stoking the tiki craze: Trader Vic!

Les Grandes Grandes Vacances de Petite Grace, Part Two

First stop: Disneyland Paris!

Hope you all enjoyed Part One of Grace’s Long, Long Holiday! Time to kick off part two, which might be a little bit shorter. I did overdo it with the pictures a little in the first one… 

Speaking of which, I forgot to share some of the pictures of all the beautiful poppies we saw in Normandy! I was in heaven. Poppies are my favorite flower and seeing them sprinkled through the fields was really magical.

But okay, on to Disney Paris.

Les Grandes Grandes Vacances de Petite Grace, Part One

Or, Mini Grace's Long, Long Holiday

Guess who finally graduated from her master’s program! And then promptly still hasn’t had enough time to sit down and get back to blogging the way she wants to. Hopefully that will change once I’ve moved into my new place, gotten back to work, and gotten married (!!), but we’ll see. Maybe I just need to make peace with the fact that A Peek into the Pantry isn’t going to ever get back to a seven posts a month schedule. 

Another reason I’ve been a little absent here is Mini Grace and I went on quite an adventure! Enough of one that I’ve decided to split it into two blog posts to spare you all from sifting through hundreds and hundreds of photos all at once. I’m really excited to share some of our adventures with you. 

Where did we go?

Viva Las Vegas, Maryellen! Plus, the History of the Shrimp Cocktail

There’s more to Sin City than meets the eye!

A few weeks ago on Instagram, I posted a picture of Maryellen on a beach chair and asked everyone where they thought she might have traveled off to. I bet no on guessed Las Vegas! 

Las Vegas is a post World War II boomtown that really came into its own in the 1950’s and 60’s, partially thanks to the mob and nuclear weapons. I wasn’t ever particularly interested in visiting because I’m not one for gambling or the bombastic shows the city’s famous for, but when a research trip for work had me going there, I figured I’d make the most of it. 

As it turns out, Vegas is a really interesting city with some cool entertainment, food, crime, and nuclear history. There was so much to see and do that I actually feel like I need to go back to make sure I actually see it all! Since it’s not usually a city that’s well known for anything other than Elvis impersonators and slot machines, I thought it might be fun to show you all a little bit of Vegas beyond the Strip… and some of the Strip, too! 

Now, fair warning, the content of some of this post is a little more murder and mayhem than some past places we’ve visited because Vegas was basically founded by the Mob, and one of the museums we visited goes into that history pretty explicitly. There’s also going to be a little discussion of gambling – hard not to get into that when talking about Vegas! – so if any of that isn’t in your (or your kids’!) taste, feel free to skip this one. Let’s say it leans a little more PG than most of my previous posts.

Emily's Uncooked Chocolate Cake

No eggs, no milk, no bake, no fuss!

Happy VE Day, everyone! Did you know VE Day and Christmas are the only two holidays I’ve always done posts for on this blog? Hopefully now that I’m finished with grad school I can add a few others to the list of “I need to do this post every year.” 

That’s right, I’m officially done with grad school! It was quite the experience, and my friends and I were all kind of desperate for a way to let off some steam and take our minds off our final projects. I also wanted to dive back in with a weird, historical recipe for this VE Day, so I did some digging around and discovered one that’s easy to make and can be thrown together from ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Win, win, right? Read on to find out more.

Felicity Visits the Museum of the American Revolution

The new museum on the block!

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to Philadelphia for a conference, which was exciting because I got to present an article that I’ve been working super hard on for close to eight months by now, but also because there’s a new museum in town that I’d been dying to see. 

The Museum of the American Revolution opened in April 19, 2017, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington and Concord, and you might remember that it was being advertised at Revolutionary War Weekend at Mount Vernon. It’s located in the historic area of Philadelphia, not far from Independence Hall and other Revolutionary era sites. I’d only visited Philly once before, several years ago now, and I was excited to get back to the city and check out this cool new destination.

Lily's Wasabi Tuna Onigiri, Complete with Cherry Blossoms

And perfect for a picnic!

It’s cherry blossom season in Washington, which means hordes of tourists flocking to the Tidal Basin to view the gorgeous Japanese cherry trees lining the walk ways and monuments. Of course, trees all over the city are in bloom, but these are undoubtedly the most famous, and with good reason. They’re gorgeous, and people have been appreciating and documenting their beauty long before the invention of the selfie stick. 

But why does Washington boast such a beautiful variety of cherry blossoms? And who is this character you’re using to represent this post?

Luciana, the National Air and Space Museum, and Astronaut Ice Cream

Boldly going where few dolls have gone before!

Way back when I started collecting American Girl dolls again, I told myself I wasn’t going to collect the modern dolls. Several Girls of the Year later, and we all know how that turned out. 

This year, the Girl of the Year is Luciana Vega, a Chilean-American girl growing up in Virginia who dreams of being the first girl on Mars. To make that goal happen, she attends Space Camp, gets SCUBA certified, learns about teamwork, and presumably will have a few more adventures before the year’s out. Everyone – myself included – is very enchanted with her STEM focused collection and unique accessories, and while I had a couple issues with her first book, overall, she’s an extremely solid addition to the Girl of the Year line up. 

I was also excited about her introduction because there’s still an obvious Public History connection between Luciana and the museum world in DC: the National Air and Space Museum! I’ve visited there before with Molly (and plenty of times since then!), but our coverage was a lot more Air than Space. A few weeks ago, I headed down there to give you all a look at one of the most visited museums in the world from a doll’s eye view, complete with a discussion of one of the most popular items sold in any space themed museum gift shop.

Nellie's Irish Brown Bread

Homemade bread made easy!

If there’s a baked good to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s definitely traditional Irish soda bread. I shared my family’s favorite recipe for it with you guys a couple years ago if you’re looking for a tried and true favorite that’s really easy to make and guaranteed to hit the spot. It was also the first Nellie themed post on A Peek into the Pantry! 

But if you’re looking for something new and different, I think I’ve found something that will fit right in to any Irish themed festivities you might be planning that’s just as easy, and way tasty. Whether you’re eating it with a nice stew or a morning cup of tea, this bread is definitely worth checking out.

Nanea's Guava Bread

Just like Mrs. Mitchell used to make… more or less!

I really can’t gush enough about how hungry I was reading Nanea’s books. It seemed like her mother was always taking the time to make some delicious treat for special occasions, average weekend mornings, or to bring comfort to friends in need. One treat that came up over and over again was her guava bread, which the Mitchell family would often enjoy for breakfast. 

I’m going to say right off the bat that it didn’t live up to my expectations as a fruit bread. However, as a nut bread? I think we have a winner. Read on to find out what went in to making this Mitchell family favorite!

Rebecca's Apricot Filled Hamantaschen

All from scratch this time!

This year, Purim begins at sunset tonight! To celebrate, I decided to revisit a favorite treat, but with a twist. Some of you might remember I’ve made hamantaschen before. One of the great things about them is how versatile they can be. Although the traditional flavors are apricot and prune, you can fill them with just about anything, and even tweak the dough to make chocolate, almond, or orange cookies. 

But whenever I’ve made them in the past, I’ve always gone the lazy route and used a store bought filling. This time, I decided to shake things up and see just how difficult it would be to make my own from scratch! 

Will it be worth it, or proof that going store bought isn’t so bad? Read on to find out!

Josefina's New Mexican Hot Chocolate

Warm yourself up with Josefina’s favorite breakfast treat!

We’ve had a really weird winter down in the Mid Atlantic, and I can’t decide if this is just how it is, or if I’m getting an up close and personal look at Global Warming, but in either case, here we are. I never know how to dress before leaving for work in the morning. This means I often end up waiting on the metro platform after work for a train that never arrives wishing I’d thought to pack my scarf or wear tights, or slowly suffocating in my wool coat and gloves. 

Since it’s still technically winter no matter what the temperature might say, I figured it might be time to feature an official American Girl recipe I’ve been eying for some time. This treat definitely helps take the edge off the cold, while being tasty enough to enjoy no matter what the weather’s doing outside.

Maryellen's Red Velvet Cake

Is there any cake better suited for V-Day? I don't think so!

Valentine’s Day is usually not a holiday I go out of my way to celebrate, even now that I’m engaged. I guess I’ve just always sort of associated it with a commercial excuse to buy things for people for no reason other than Hallmark telling you you should. Not that I have anything against people celebrating it themselves! It’s just never really been my thing. I guess we’ll see if that changes once Jessi and I live on the same continent... hopefully in the same apartment! 

Today’s recipe might just be the perfect example of a company convincing consumers they absolutely can’t live without their product, which helps seal the deal on making this cake a perfect treat for your Valentine’s Day evening, even if you’re choosing not to celebrate. It’s also something I have a huge fondness for, and have been itching to try my hand at making myself from scratch.

Nanea's Hawaiian Care Package

Direct from Hawaii to DC!

Last up on our trip around the world is somewhere a little closer to home… for some of us, anyway: Hawaii! 

I’ve mentioned before that my Aunt Diane and Uncle Greg lived in Hawaii for several years while my uncle was stationed at Pearl Harbor. I was complaining about how it was hard to find guava products and macadamia nuts in my neighborhood because I’ve really been wanting to make guava bread, and Diane surprised me with a care package filled with Hawaiian goodies to try out, or get reacquainted with! 

They’ve since moved back to the northeast (hopefully for good!), but it was a lot of fun to get to sample these treats and remember the fun times I had visiting them while they lived in Hawaii.

Marie-Grace and Cécile Celebrate La Chandeleur at Hillwood!

A French tradition in 20th Century American Style!

Not far from the National Zoo, visitors to DC can swing by the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, a beautiful historic home with an incredible amount of European art. Marjorie Post bought the property after her divorce from her third husband and arranged for the property to be turned into a museum after her death. Originally bequeathed to the Smithsonian, the museum is managed by the Post Foundation, and is a really lovely place to visit if you want something that’s a little removed from the hustle and bustle of the National Mall. The museum is also a vocal supporter of the LGBT community and hosts Pride themed events and has a delightful café on property as well. 

I’ve had tea at Hillwood before – a really lovely date with my fiancée the last time she visited me! – but I had never been inside the house proper before and have been meaning to do so since I moved here. So when my friend Ama sent me a link to their annual Crêpe Day celebration, I leaped at the chance to go look at some beautiful artwork and enjoy some hopefully tasty crepes. 

Read on to hear about how our adventure went?

Kirsten Tries Some Swedish Treats

Coming straight from Stockholm… a few months late.

If you guessed Kirsten was the old friend I’d hinted at in my last post, you’re correct! 

My dad does a lot of traveling for work, both nationally and internationally. It was always a bummer when he’d be gone for a long time, but he always brought us home cool treats from wherever he went, which is why I now have an unhealthy attachment to various British candy bars. 

Now that they’re empty nesters, my mom sometimes gets to tag along with him on trips, and last year, they got to visit Stockholm, Sweden. My mom sent some Swedish treats for me to try, and I thought it might be fun to share them with you!

Melody Tries Ghanaian Chocolate

Two bars, both delicious, what’s not to love?

Is there anything more fun than trying food from around the world? I don’t think so, especially when it’s different kinds of sweet treats. If only chocolate was as healthy for you as kale allegedly is. 

Last summer, my friend Ama surprised me with some chocolate bars from Ghana, which I was very excited to try and share with all of you. Read on to hear about how these tasty treats are not your average chocolate bar you’d find at your convenience store.

A Not Quite 1950's Cookie Swap

A good excuse to get together and trade some tasty treats!

Before we move on to discuss those other looks at international treats I had promised, there's a post I really wanted to get out before the end of January. After a long hard semester, my friends and I wanted to get together to have some kind of celebration that we made it through in one piece... but then everyone got busy with the holidays, so we ended up having it the weekend before the new semester got started. 

I've often joked with friends and coworkers and basically anyone who will listen to me talk about historic food that I not so secretly want to throw a bunch of authentic period themed parties, minus the casual or overt racism and sexism associated with the period. Since so many of my friends are fellow historians, they've been a lot more on board for entertaining the idea of an authentic Mad Men themed party, or Downton Abbey, American Girl... you get the picture. 

We didn't quite get there with the period authenticity this gathering, but I thought it might be fun to talk a little bit about the history of cookie swaps and hostess culture, while also highlighting the treats my extremely talented friends made. It's been a lot of fun to meet so many people with an interest in baking! 

Back in 2016, American Girl released a new holiday party outfit for Maryellen and a cookie set, complete with colorful apron. The catalogs make specific note that hostesses of Christmas parties would often wear colorful printed aprons, just like the one Maryellen is wearing. This immediately got me interested in what kind of party she might have been hosting, and it seems like a cookie swap would indeed be accurate to the period!

When searching newspaper databases, the term "cookie swap" first starts appearing in the 1930's or so, and hits increase as you start moving into the mid century. Food editor Clementine Paddleford for the Los Angeles Times - who I had to cite many a time in the article I wrote last semester, which I plan to talk about a little around these parts someday - commented on how this was the perfect solution to holiday gifting, as everyone could come away from the party with an attractive plate of cookies or other baked goods to take home.

Of course people have been getting together and exchanging sweets for hundreds of years, but I do think it's telling that more of these parties and the term "cookie swap" sees more use as we marched into the mid 20th century. Hostess culture was a very real thing for women of the 1950's, 60's, and even into the 70's. Parties were an opportunity to flaunt how perfect your home and family was, and were often semi formal events with real invitations mailed to guests, tasteful decorations, and everyone well dressed and groomed.

My party definitely wasn't up to the standards of an authentic 1954 cookie swap, but I did have a chance to break out the collection of Starbucks You Are Here mugs I've acquired over the past two years.

I debated trying out a new recipe to share with everyone, but at the last minute chickened out and decided to make my grandmother's (or Peg Bracken's) elevator lady spice cookies instead, along with some blueberry scones, as this was also a tea party. 

We had a really impressive and tasty spread, complete with three different kinds of scones, lemon bars, macarons, cupcakes, brownies, and several different cookies, as well as cheese biscuits! I was so excited my friend Meg decided to make these, as my grandma likes to do a version of them for Christmas and other random family gatherings, and they're super tasty. I'll definitely have to share the recipe here sometime. 

Although this wasn't a wholly authentic 1950's gathering, it was a lot of fun to get together and hang out with a bunch of like minded women without the lingering stress of an assignment we all knew we should be working on instead. There's been a lot of frustration in going back to grad school, but I've been really lucky to meet many cool people who I'll hopefully keep in touch with for a good long time. 

And hopefully we'll get to throw some more intense historically inspired parties when I've got time to make decorations!

Although I think this spread looks nice enough on its own!

Nellie's Trip to Dublin, Plus Irish Beef Stew and Guinness Chocolate Cake

Stew and cake starring one of the most beloved brands in Ireland.

This is yet another post that I've been sitting on for a long time, partially because I couldn't think of a good hook to really get it off the ground. Back in the fall, I was suddenly struck by wanting to make some Irish inspired recipes, and dug out an old recipe I had saved forever ago for a Guinness beef stew and a chocolate cake made with Guinness as well. I invited two friends over for dinner, snapped pictures, and then promptly lost any inspiration to write about it as a blog post. I tried a couple times, hemming and hawing over what to say, but figured it would be best not to force it and let it sit and wait for inspiration to strike. 

Good thing I did, because unknown to me, my parents were also having thoughts of Ireland! And surprised us all with...