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Thanks. The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
Showing posts with label Ingalls Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ingalls Family. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Farmer Boy Recipe for Mardi Gras
As we make our way through the month of February, we find ourselves in the midst of another Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana. So, what does that have to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder?
Okay, here is the connection (without the long story surrounding it): Laura's husband was Almanzo Wilder. Almanzo had a sister, Eliza Jane. Eliza Jane moved to Louisiana. At some point, Rose Wilder (daughter of Laura & Almanzo), went to live with Eliza Jane, in Louisiana.
Now, for a short gastronomic history of Louisiana. The original inhabitants were Choctaw Indians. When the people came from Europe, the first to come into Louisiana were the French. They came with their bouillabaisse soup. Next to arrive on the scene were the Spanish, coming up from the Caribbean. They came with spices and changed the cuisine to their liking. But, throughout these changes, those Choctaw peoples taught the new-comers how to thicken their soup with ground sassafras leaves, called "File'". And thus was born what we know today as, "File' Gumbo".
Now, to get back to the present day story: here in Mansfield, (where Almanzo & Laura had their farm), you'll find an abundance of sassafras trees. This has prompted me to put this recipe together to celebrate the Mardi Gras, right here in Mansfield! And today I'm sharing it with you, so that you can enjoy it wherever you live!
This is a pretty basic soup. It may not be the long-winded version that they have in New Orleans, but it is tasty!
Ingredients:
1 lb. of smoked sausage, (as Andouille) cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Chickens, cut up, skinned, and deboned
4 Tablespoons of peanut oil
4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground all spice
1 teaspoon of chopped basil
2 Tablespoons of file' powder
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
pinch of black pepper
3 - 4 quarts of water or chicken stock
3 - 4 cups of cooked long-grain rice
Directions: In a large pot: heat the oil and brown the sausage. Remove the sausage & set aside to add later. Place the chicken into the pot & brown it. Remove it and reserve it. Add the celery, peppers and onions. Heat through, till soft. Add the flour to the pot, to make a light brown roux. (You may need to add more oil) Add the file' powder and then the rest of the ingredients, along with the water or stock. Put the chicken and sausage back into the mix. Cover and cook on medium low heat for at least an hour. (The longer it cooks the better the taste!)
While this is cooking, prepare your rice.
Serve the gumbo in a bowl or over the rice, in a bowl. Either way, you'll think you're in New Orleans, or at least some backwoods cabin in the heart of Louisiana!
If you make this version of Gumbo, please leave a comment to let everyone know how it came out. Thanks.
The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
Okay, here is the connection (without the long story surrounding it): Laura's husband was Almanzo Wilder. Almanzo had a sister, Eliza Jane. Eliza Jane moved to Louisiana. At some point, Rose Wilder (daughter of Laura & Almanzo), went to live with Eliza Jane, in Louisiana.
Now, for a short gastronomic history of Louisiana. The original inhabitants were Choctaw Indians. When the people came from Europe, the first to come into Louisiana were the French. They came with their bouillabaisse soup. Next to arrive on the scene were the Spanish, coming up from the Caribbean. They came with spices and changed the cuisine to their liking. But, throughout these changes, those Choctaw peoples taught the new-comers how to thicken their soup with ground sassafras leaves, called "File'". And thus was born what we know today as, "File' Gumbo".
Now, to get back to the present day story: here in Mansfield, (where Almanzo & Laura had their farm), you'll find an abundance of sassafras trees. This has prompted me to put this recipe together to celebrate the Mardi Gras, right here in Mansfield! And today I'm sharing it with you, so that you can enjoy it wherever you live!
This is a pretty basic soup. It may not be the long-winded version that they have in New Orleans, but it is tasty!
Ingredients:
1 lb. of smoked sausage, (as Andouille) cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Chickens, cut up, skinned, and deboned
4 Tablespoons of peanut oil
4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground all spice
1 teaspoon of chopped basil
2 Tablespoons of file' powder
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
pinch of black pepper
3 - 4 quarts of water or chicken stock
3 - 4 cups of cooked long-grain rice
Directions: In a large pot: heat the oil and brown the sausage. Remove the sausage & set aside to add later. Place the chicken into the pot & brown it. Remove it and reserve it. Add the celery, peppers and onions. Heat through, till soft. Add the flour to the pot, to make a light brown roux. (You may need to add more oil) Add the file' powder and then the rest of the ingredients, along with the water or stock. Put the chicken and sausage back into the mix. Cover and cook on medium low heat for at least an hour. (The longer it cooks the better the taste!)
While this is cooking, prepare your rice.
Serve the gumbo in a bowl or over the rice, in a bowl. Either way, you'll think you're in New Orleans, or at least some backwoods cabin in the heart of Louisiana!
The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Moving on July 17, 1894
Have you ever had to move away from your family and go off on your own? It isn't an easy thing to do. You leave behind all the security that you've known. And you take a leap of faith, hoping that it will all work out for you.
That is exactly what Laura and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, did on this day, in 1894. They had tried to make a similar move before that, but it didn't work out for them. Now, they felt that this move would be the one to work out.
Laura packed up what belongings she could into their little horse-drawn hack. She placed her daughter, Rose, into the back of the hack and she and Almanzo sat in front. At dawn, they said a tearful "Goodbye" to family and off they went. Their destination was to Mansfield, Missouri; a place they had only read about in an advertisement.
On their journey, they were accompanied by the Cooley family, who traveled in a covered wagon. They weren't explorers, but travelers. They knew their destination, but didn't know what would lie ahead in this attempt to settle. Their trip would take them through 4 states and last till August 30th.
Laura had saved a $100 bill to purchase land when they would arrive. She hid it inside her portable writing desk. Along the way the bill slipped through a crack a was hidden. Thinking that they had lost it, they set themselves to make do and just go on. But the bill was recovered and they used it toward the purchase of property.
From all accounts, their move proved successful. Laura lived in Mansfield for the remainder of her life. (63 years, till she was 90 years old!) She wrote all her "Little House" books, from her farm, just outside the city limits. But it all started back on July 17, 1894!
If you have the opportunity to visit Mansfield, you will be able to see the house that Almanzo built on their farm. And you will see a town, which hasn't grown much since their day. But, the spirit of Laura, Almanzo and little Rose is can still be found in the memories left by Laura's writings. And perhaps you'll see what they saw in Mansfield that gave them the desire to stay and call it home. I saw it and have called it home for about 12 years now. And I have opened a souvenir shop in order to share more of the memories of Laura. As long as I live here, I'll share those with visitors. I hope you will be one of those visitors soon.
It takes a step of faith to move away from family to out on your own. It also takes a step of faith to live your life every day! If they hadn't made up their minds to take a step out in faith and move to Mansfield, we might never have known what Pioneer life was like at all! It was the combination of living in Mansfield on her farm and the memories of her childhood, that gave Laura the inspiration she needed to become a successful author. But she had to make that step out in faith or it never would have taken place!
If you feel the urge to leave that safety net of family, and go off on your own someday, I wish you all the success that Laura, Almanzo and Rose achieved. And I wish you, "God Speed".
You can read about their journey to Mansfield in the book, "On the Way Home"; which was taken from Laura's travel journal. The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
That is exactly what Laura and her husband, Almanzo Wilder, did on this day, in 1894. They had tried to make a similar move before that, but it didn't work out for them. Now, they felt that this move would be the one to work out.
Laura packed up what belongings she could into their little horse-drawn hack. She placed her daughter, Rose, into the back of the hack and she and Almanzo sat in front. At dawn, they said a tearful "Goodbye" to family and off they went. Their destination was to Mansfield, Missouri; a place they had only read about in an advertisement.
On their journey, they were accompanied by the Cooley family, who traveled in a covered wagon. They weren't explorers, but travelers. They knew their destination, but didn't know what would lie ahead in this attempt to settle. Their trip would take them through 4 states and last till August 30th.
Laura had saved a $100 bill to purchase land when they would arrive. She hid it inside her portable writing desk. Along the way the bill slipped through a crack a was hidden. Thinking that they had lost it, they set themselves to make do and just go on. But the bill was recovered and they used it toward the purchase of property.
From all accounts, their move proved successful. Laura lived in Mansfield for the remainder of her life. (63 years, till she was 90 years old!) She wrote all her "Little House" books, from her farm, just outside the city limits. But it all started back on July 17, 1894!
If you have the opportunity to visit Mansfield, you will be able to see the house that Almanzo built on their farm. And you will see a town, which hasn't grown much since their day. But, the spirit of Laura, Almanzo and little Rose is can still be found in the memories left by Laura's writings. And perhaps you'll see what they saw in Mansfield that gave them the desire to stay and call it home. I saw it and have called it home for about 12 years now. And I have opened a souvenir shop in order to share more of the memories of Laura. As long as I live here, I'll share those with visitors. I hope you will be one of those visitors soon.
It takes a step of faith to move away from family to out on your own. It also takes a step of faith to live your life every day! If they hadn't made up their minds to take a step out in faith and move to Mansfield, we might never have known what Pioneer life was like at all! It was the combination of living in Mansfield on her farm and the memories of her childhood, that gave Laura the inspiration she needed to become a successful author. But she had to make that step out in faith or it never would have taken place!
If you feel the urge to leave that safety net of family, and go off on your own someday, I wish you all the success that Laura, Almanzo and Rose achieved. And I wish you, "God Speed".
You can read about their journey to Mansfield in the book, "On the Way Home"; which was taken from Laura's travel journal. The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Birth of Grace Pearl Ingalls
Grace Pearl Ingalls was born on May 23,1877, in Burr Oak, Iowa. It was a small town, just over the border from Minnesota.
The Ingalls family had been living in Burr Oak, Iowa following the death of "Little Freddie", the only boy born to Charles and Caroline. Charles Frederick (Freddie) Ingalls had only lived a little over nine months.
Charles had made a deal to manage the Masters Hotel in exchange for room and board for his family. But, being next to the town saloon, the accommodations didn't suit the family. Also, the deal went sour, when Charles didn't receive the money he was promised for his work.
So, the family found better living quarters over the grocery store. But, even that was too near the saloon to make for quiet and peaceful living. The owners of the grocery lived on the first floor. One night Charles was awakened with the owner yelling and arguing below, in his quarters with his wife. He was drunk and was threatening to burn the building down! Charles was able to calm him down, but it lead to the Ingalls family seeking new living arrangements.
While staying at the hotel, they had met Mr. Bisbee, a border. He taught Laura to sing with musical scales. This connection with Mr. Bisbee proved providential. The family was finally able to find a more suitable home, when Mr. Bisbee offered them rent in a red brick house at the edge of town. It was there that Grace was born.
It was a wonder that Grace and her mother came through the pregnancy without ill effects! Just months after Grace had been conceived, there was an outbreak of measles in the town! Mary, Laura and Carrie were exposed to it by playing with children in their home. But, it seems that there was no trouble for either Caroline or Grace. Perhaps this was a contributing factor to the naming of Grace.
Charles had started a feed-mill. He used his team horses to operate the mill stone. But there wasn't much money to be made in the small town. As as result, he longed to move again.
In Charles and Caroline's minds, Burr Oak had turned out to be a "Less than desirable" place to raise a family. For them, Grace's birth was about the only good thing that they took away from their time in Burr Oak. Shortly after Grace's birth they moved again; this time they returned to Walnut Grove, Minnesota.
The family owed money to the doctor and were finding it difficult to pay the rent to Bisbee. Charles tried reasoning with his creditors, but they were callus and demanding. He told Bisbee that he would relocate and then send him the money for the owed rent. But Bisbee refused the offer. When Bisbee threatened to have the law take Charles' horses, that was all it took for him to make a quick decision. So, he packed up the family in the middle of the night and left town in the morning. Charles, being a man of his word, knew that he would send the money owed to Bisbee. I'm sure he was relieved to put the whole experience behind him!
In Laura's "Little House" books, she didn't give much detail of the time her family spent in Burr Oak. She did, however, hold some sweet memories of those days, despite what trouble her parents had there. In correspondence, she later spoke fondly of her school days there. She would always remember the loud, lawlessness of the town saloon and the time it caught fire. She simply remembered that time as part of her growing up and the birth of her sister Grace.
The Old Man in the Bib Overalls
The Ingalls family had been living in Burr Oak, Iowa following the death of "Little Freddie", the only boy born to Charles and Caroline. Charles Frederick (Freddie) Ingalls had only lived a little over nine months.
Charles had made a deal to manage the Masters Hotel in exchange for room and board for his family. But, being next to the town saloon, the accommodations didn't suit the family. Also, the deal went sour, when Charles didn't receive the money he was promised for his work.
So, the family found better living quarters over the grocery store. But, even that was too near the saloon to make for quiet and peaceful living. The owners of the grocery lived on the first floor. One night Charles was awakened with the owner yelling and arguing below, in his quarters with his wife. He was drunk and was threatening to burn the building down! Charles was able to calm him down, but it lead to the Ingalls family seeking new living arrangements.
While staying at the hotel, they had met Mr. Bisbee, a border. He taught Laura to sing with musical scales. This connection with Mr. Bisbee proved providential. The family was finally able to find a more suitable home, when Mr. Bisbee offered them rent in a red brick house at the edge of town. It was there that Grace was born.
It was a wonder that Grace and her mother came through the pregnancy without ill effects! Just months after Grace had been conceived, there was an outbreak of measles in the town! Mary, Laura and Carrie were exposed to it by playing with children in their home. But, it seems that there was no trouble for either Caroline or Grace. Perhaps this was a contributing factor to the naming of Grace.
Charles had started a feed-mill. He used his team horses to operate the mill stone. But there wasn't much money to be made in the small town. As as result, he longed to move again.
In Charles and Caroline's minds, Burr Oak had turned out to be a "Less than desirable" place to raise a family. For them, Grace's birth was about the only good thing that they took away from their time in Burr Oak. Shortly after Grace's birth they moved again; this time they returned to Walnut Grove, Minnesota.
The family owed money to the doctor and were finding it difficult to pay the rent to Bisbee. Charles tried reasoning with his creditors, but they were callus and demanding. He told Bisbee that he would relocate and then send him the money for the owed rent. But Bisbee refused the offer. When Bisbee threatened to have the law take Charles' horses, that was all it took for him to make a quick decision. So, he packed up the family in the middle of the night and left town in the morning. Charles, being a man of his word, knew that he would send the money owed to Bisbee. I'm sure he was relieved to put the whole experience behind him!
In Laura's "Little House" books, she didn't give much detail of the time her family spent in Burr Oak. She did, however, hold some sweet memories of those days, despite what trouble her parents had there. In correspondence, she later spoke fondly of her school days there. She would always remember the loud, lawlessness of the town saloon and the time it caught fire. She simply remembered that time as part of her growing up and the birth of her sister Grace.
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