Examples of 18th Century Food Options: Vegetables

Parsnips

1. Description
1. Fresh from March-April 
2. Kept for Later Use: Left in Ground; Root Cellar
3. On 1685 Made by Thomas Budd about "Garden Fruits that groweth well" in Pennsylvania
4. 1759 Acrelius Report: Parsnips a Common Occurrence in Vegetable Gardens 
2. Uses
1. Fritters
2. Puffs
3. Side with Salt Fish
4. Boiling
5. Stewing

Radishes

1. Description
1. Roots Fresh from September-October; Pods Fresh from June-August
2. Kept For Later Use: Roots Kept in the Root Cellar; Pods were Pickled
3. Grown by William Penn in his Garden in 1685
4. On the List of Common Vegetables made by Acrelius in 1759
2. Use
1. Pickled Vegetable
2. Eaten with Dumplings when Food was Scarce in the Winter of 1758 by Moravians

Lettuce

1. Description
1. Leaves Fresh from April-June and September-October; Lettuce Headed Fresh from May-June
2. Kept For Later Use: Leaves Scraped, Kept in Vinegar; Heads Packed in Sand
3. Part of Subsequent Infusion of Vegetables in Pennsylvania
4. On the List Made by Acrelius on Common Vegetable in 1759
5. Salads Common Everyday Fare
6. Said to Abate Bodily Lust
2. Uses
1. Item to Stuff with Forcemeat
2. Salads
3. Part of Sauce for Duck
4. Used as a Sweet Herb

Struggles with Pests and War Losses

Sources: Chadds Ford Historical Society's Guide Training Manual A-32-A-34; The Frugal Colonial Housewife p36, 66, 129; The Backcountry Housewife p20, 22-23, 93, 95 The Pennsylvania Housewife p11, 100, 102, 145-146 Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life: 1640-1840 p226-228 (See Bibliography)