Grandma’ Kitchen Comments
Rootbeer
My Grandfather, William Sturgen was born around 1874 and was almost 100 years old when he died. He used to make his own rootbeer. He would dig up sassafras root and cut it into 4 to 6 inch long pieces. Then he would split it lengthwise into ½ inch pieces about the diameter of a pencil to help it dry faster. After it sat on a shelf for a month to 6 weeks it was dry enough to use.
I remember taking that stuff to the fairgrounds and selling it. We would sell 5 or 6 sticks for 50 cents, and that was back when 50 cents was a lot of money.
It was enough to get us kids into the picture show.
If you wanted to make sassafras tea, you would put 3 or 4 sticks in the water and boil it. Sometimes he even added peppermint candy to it, to enhance the tea.
But now when he was making root beer he would make it pretty stout and add horehound candy. That horehound is what made the rootbeer.
Now, you could only get so much juice out of the root, but the longer you boiled it, the darker it would get.
What I don’t remember is how much root and water vs. how much horehound candy to use, so I would like to know if anyone has an old recipe for homemade rootbeer.
Darrell Wiseman
Birdseye, IN
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13 to a Bakers Dozen?
In the 15th century, rolls, buns and cakes were cooked in three rows of four and sold in batches of a dozen.
The goods were fashioned by hand and bakers found they could make them smaller without the customer noticing it.
Enough people discovered the difference in size, so London passed laws which standardized the weight of baked goods.
Stiff fines and jail sentences were imposed if the total weight was off, so bakers often took the precaution of throwing in an extra roll or cake to make absolutely sure they made the required weight.
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The following comments were found on old newspaper clippings stuffed in a 100 year old book. The source of the clippings is unknown
Water Spots
Please tell me how to remove the gray spots from my walnut chairs left from water dripped on them.
Mrs. P.B. Indiana
Fill a pan with tepid water and add a few drops of household ammonia. Dip a soft cloth in the water, wring as dry as you can, then hold on the white spots. It may require two or three such applications. When the spots disappear, rub the surface well with furniture polish.
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Washing Blankets
Can you tell me how to set color in a pair of yellow blankets that are to be washed? I am sure they will fade if the color is not set.
Mrs. A.D. Indiana
Set the color by soaking the blankets in water in which have been dissolved 1 pint of salt and 1 tablespoonful alum. Allow them to soak a half day before washing, then wash in tepid water with very little of a mild soap. Rinse in tepid water in which a little soap is dissolved. This will prevent the nap getting firm and flat. Beating blankets on the line after they are almost dry will help to raise the nap and make them soft and fluffy.
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Published in U S Legacies Magazine October 2002
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