How to Grow the Peanut and 101 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption. [Carver, Bulletin No. 31, June 1925]		"Before interested housewives [Dr. Carver compared cooking to painting]...In painting the artist attempts to produce pleasing effects through the proper blending of colors. The cook must blend her food in such a manner as to produce dishes which are attractive. Harmony in food is just as important as harmony in colors." Tillery, after George Washington Carver. Carver was a talented and innovative cook. His recipes were developed to make tasty and nutritious dishes using local and easily-grown crops. Booker T. Washington thought that Carver had "great ability in and showing what can be done in the use of foods and the preserving of foods." Using Tuskegee Institute bulletins, Carver shared his recipes with farmers and housewives. Many of his recipes would today be considered "nouvelle cuisine." The recipes below are taken from Dr. Carver's bulletins.

SOUPS Peanut Soup Cook peanuts until soft; remove skins, mash or grind until very fine; let milk come to a boil; add the peanuts; cook 20 minutes. Rub flour into a smooth paste with milk; add butter to the peanuts and milk; stir in flour; season with salt and pepper to taste; serve hot. Peanut Soup Number Four Boil 10 minutes in a half a cup of water; half a cup of chopped celery, a tablespoon of chopped onion, the same amount of red and green peppers mixed; add a cup of peanut butter and 3 cups of rich milk to which has been added 1 tablespoon of flour; add 1 teaspoon of sugar; boil two minutes and serve. Sorrel soup We hope that every person who likes something new, novel, delicious nourishing, and appetizing will try this soup. Thoroughly clean and wash about 2 quarts of the leaves, boil slowly until tender (preferably in a porcelain or granite ware vessel); rub through a sieve, add your favorite seasoning and three cups of soup stock to it; thicken with one tablespoon of butter and one of flour rubbed together, stir this into a teacupful of boiling hot milk. Add to the soup stirring it vigorously to prevent curdling. Let boil up and serve at once. Peanut butter candy 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons peanut butter ½ cup milk Blend (all ingredients) together, boil for 5 minutes, remove from the fire and beat steadily until cool. (Break into pieces and store covered). TOMATOES Broiled Tomatoes Wipe; scald; peel and cut the tomatoes in halves or thick slices; if very large lay on a wire broiler; when hot, add a pinch of pepper, salt and a bit of butter; toast quickly until brown; serve hot. Baked Tomatoes Cut in halves; lay them in buttered pan; cover with buttered bread crumbs, and bake until brown. SWEET POTATOES Dr. Carver's Baked Sweet Potatoes Scrub with brush and rinse with water until thoroughly clean. Bake like white potatoes, without breaking the skin. When done break the skin in one place in the form of a cross, forcing the meat partly out, cap with butter and serve. Potatoes from 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and from 5 to 6 inches long, as the most desirable for baking- the flavor seems to be far superior to the large kinds, or the round or irregular sort. PEANUTS Peanut Cookies 3 cups flour 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups ground peanuts 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sweet milk 1 teaspoon baking powder Cream butter and sugar; add eggs well beaten; now add the milk and flour; flavor to taste with vanilla; and the peanuts last; drop one spoonful to the cooking in well greased pans; bake quickly. Peanut Brownies 2 eggs 2 squares chocolate 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup melted butter 1/8 cup coarsely ground peanuts Mix and bake in shallow pan in a quick oven; garnish the top with nuts; cut in squares.   Mock Chicken Blanch and grind a sufficient number of peanuts until they are quite oily; stir in one well-beaten egg; if too thin, thicken with rolled bread crumbs or cracker dut; stir in a little salt. Boil some sweet potatoes until done; peel and cut in thin slices; spread generously with the peanut mixture; dip in white of egg; fry to a chicken brown; serve hot. Peanut Brittle 3 cups granulated sugar 1 scant cup boiling water 1 cup roasted peanuts 1/4 teaspoon soda Melt all together over a slow fire; cook gently wihtout stirring until a little hardens when dropped in cold water; add the nuts; turn the mixture in well buttered pans and cut while hot. Stirring will cause the syrup to sugar.   Peanut Chocolate Fudge 1 cup cream 2 cups white granulated sugar 1/4 cake unsweetened chocolate 1 cup chopped peanuts 1 tablespoon butter Put in the sugar and cream, and when this becomes hot, put in the chocolate, broken up into fine pieces; stir vigorously and constantly, put in the butter when it begins to boil; stir until it creams when beaten on a saucer; remove and beat until quite cool, and pour into buttered tins; add the nuts before stirring. Close Window