Comments on: From the Archives: Peach Cobbler, For Men by Men: Or, When Reed Smoot Makes Dessert

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:08:04 +0000

Nice find. Thanks, Ardis!

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:01:38 +0000

Just ran across a housekeeping note in the Relief Society Magazine, March 1916, 158:

“During peach season, collect the peach stones, dry and crack them, using the nuts for candy and flavoring of cakes,etc., instead of bitter almonds.”

Reed Smoot would probably crack the stones with his bare hands, no?

By: Saskia

Saskia — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:00:51 +0000

Part of my dissertation is about food and gender (and cookbooks), so I think this post is great (and timely!). I’m looking forward to adding this gem in a footnote, if not more.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:22 +0000

Thanks, all.

Tona, Amy T: If/when either of you do try out Smoot’s recipe, let us know how it turns out. And take pictures! We’ll add them to the post.

By: Ben P

Ben P — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 01:45:46 +0000

Well, now we know why he was voted chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in 1923.

…or perhaps we know what finally got him seated in the senate in 1907.

By: Nate R.

Nate R. — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:27:06 +0000

What, if anything, does Smoot’s inclusion signify?

Well, now we know why he was voted chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in 1923.

By: Ben P

Ben P — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:15:22 +0000

It seems to me that this book is ripe (get it?) for analysis…

I see what you did there.

Great post and fun find, Christopher. A few years ago, I never would have considered history of food. But with Kate Holbrook’s excellent work, this is all now super interesting.

By: anonlds

anonlds — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:58:54 +0000

I’m still a little nervous about the peach pit arsenic thing, but perhaps it is harmless enough.

http://www.ordinarynothing.org/blog/2006/07/how-poisonous-are-peach-seeds/

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1623,155162-237192,00.html

By: Amy T

Amy T — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:01:05 +0000

Breaking the peaches would mean that you break them apart by hand and don’t cut them. That takes a good quality, ripe peach, one that hasn’t seen the inside of a grocery store. It’s a curious instruction, since the outside of the peach would be touched by the paring knife, unless, of course, you blanch the peaches and slip the skins off by hand.

I’m trying to remember the history of freestone peaches, but I can’t find anything with a quick look online. I think it had something to do with Luther Burbank, so about this era, but it’s likely the peaches in this recipe would be clingstone.

The instruction about leaving some pits is because the nut in the inside of the peach pit has an almond flavor, but I believe it is slightly toxic if not processed by heat.

Well, I’d like to try the recipe and report back, but I’d have to wait until the end of next July or the beginning of August, when the peach orchards around here open for business.

By: N Cannon

N Cannon — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:54:19 +0000

The civil man prefers not to elaborate on his innuendo.