It seems my last post has caused controversy in the main office with the ladies. My dislike of baked beans in tomato sauce vs Boston baked beans in molasses has surprised many of them...they have never heard of baked beans in molasses, and generally molasses itself seems to be reserved as something to be used to mix with animal feed! To my surprise, I have learned that "cooking" molasses generally is not a staple in the local grocery stores.
Additonally, while Boston Baked Beans are usually made with navy beans, the local fare are haricot beans. Just one more example of how one learns something new every day.
In this conversation with Margaret Anne, who made a special trip to my classroom just to have this discussion, we talked about the tradition of Saturday night supper, which, when I was young, and especially if I was having supper with my Pepe, included hot dogs and beans and maybe even some brown bread - traditionally cooked in cleaned, recycled tin cans.
I have also determined that hot dogs here are not exactly what I deem to be a Kayem, Fenway Frank or the gold standard of all dogs - the Deutshmacher! Hot dogs here are barely edible, in my opinion, as my sole experience with the local product, after one bite, found the entire package discarded in the rubbish bin.
I have promised that cans of these delectable New England delights will find their way to Fairfield after the holiday season; along with a myriad of other products that have been requested from across the pond.
The history of the Boston Baked Bean is actually an interesting one. "Beantown" is the city of Boston's famous nickname,dating to colonial times, when the city was awash in molassess due to its rum-producing role in the triangular trade. Sugar cane harvested by slaves in the West Indies was shipped to Boston to be made into rum, which was then sent to West Africa to buy more slaves to send to the West Indies.
Even after slavery's end, Boston continued to be a big rum-producing city. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919, which killed 21 and injured 150, occurred when a tank holding molasses for rum production exploded. (About.com)
Below are recipes for both Boston Baked Beans and Brown Bread. I have found these on the web - but you will be able to make them for yourselves if you want.
Boston Baked Beans
Ingredients:
16 ounces (2 cups) dry navy beans
2 quarts cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 ounces salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
Rinse beans; add to water in saucepan. Bring to boiling and simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. (Or add beans to cold water; soak overnight.) Add salt to beans and water; cover and simmer till beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid. Measure 2 cups liquid, adding water if needed; mix with molasses, brown sugar, and mustard. Cut salt pork in half; score one half. Grind or thinly slice remainder. In 2-quart bean pot or casserole (I prefer the bean pot), combine beans, onion and ground salt pork. Pour molasses mixture over. Top with scored pork. Cover; bake in 300 oven for 5 to 7 hours. Add more liquid if needed. Makes 8 servings.
Boston Brown Bread
This is best made the night before, this way the flavor will be enhanced and you can clean up some of the mess the night before. Wrap the bread in foil, freeze a couple and just reheat in the oven. This is also a nice bread to bring camping or hiking. Keep in the can and just heat near the campfire (away from direct flames).
Sift together 1 cup sifted rye flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir in 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Add 2 cups buttermilk, 1 cup raisins, and 3/4 cup dark molasses; beat well. Divide batter among 4 greased and floured 16-ounce fruit or vegetable cans (labels removed). Cover tightly with foil. Place on rack in deep kettle; add boiling water to depth of 1 inch (cans should not be resting in water). Cover; steam 3 hours, adding more boiling water if needed. Bread is done when it has risen almost to fill the can and the center has puffed slightly. (If center remains indented, steam 15 minutes or so more). Cool 10 minutes. Remove bread, best done by removing bottom of can and pushing bread out of can. Wrap; store overnight. Makes 4.
Bon Apetit!
In this conversation with Margaret Anne, who made a special trip to my classroom just to have this discussion, we talked about the tradition of Saturday night supper, which, when I was young, and especially if I was having supper with my Pepe, included hot dogs and beans and maybe even some brown bread - traditionally cooked in cleaned, recycled tin cans.
I have also determined that hot dogs here are not exactly what I deem to be a Kayem, Fenway Frank or the gold standard of all dogs - the Deutshmacher! Hot dogs here are barely edible, in my opinion, as my sole experience with the local product, after one bite, found the entire package discarded in the rubbish bin.
I have promised that cans of these delectable New England delights will find their way to Fairfield after the holiday season; along with a myriad of other products that have been requested from across the pond.
The history of the Boston Baked Bean is actually an interesting one. "Beantown" is the city of Boston's famous nickname,dating to colonial times, when the city was awash in molassess due to its rum-producing role in the triangular trade. Sugar cane harvested by slaves in the West Indies was shipped to Boston to be made into rum, which was then sent to West Africa to buy more slaves to send to the West Indies.
Even after slavery's end, Boston continued to be a big rum-producing city. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919, which killed 21 and injured 150, occurred when a tank holding molasses for rum production exploded. (About.com)
Below are recipes for both Boston Baked Beans and Brown Bread. I have found these on the web - but you will be able to make them for yourselves if you want.
Boston Baked Beans
Ingredients:
16 ounces (2 cups) dry navy beans
2 quarts cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 ounces salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
Rinse beans; add to water in saucepan. Bring to boiling and simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. (Or add beans to cold water; soak overnight.) Add salt to beans and water; cover and simmer till beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving liquid. Measure 2 cups liquid, adding water if needed; mix with molasses, brown sugar, and mustard. Cut salt pork in half; score one half. Grind or thinly slice remainder. In 2-quart bean pot or casserole (I prefer the bean pot), combine beans, onion and ground salt pork. Pour molasses mixture over. Top with scored pork. Cover; bake in 300 oven for 5 to 7 hours. Add more liquid if needed. Makes 8 servings.
Boston Brown Bread
This is best made the night before, this way the flavor will be enhanced and you can clean up some of the mess the night before. Wrap the bread in foil, freeze a couple and just reheat in the oven. This is also a nice bread to bring camping or hiking. Keep in the can and just heat near the campfire (away from direct flames).
Sift together 1 cup sifted rye flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir in 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Add 2 cups buttermilk, 1 cup raisins, and 3/4 cup dark molasses; beat well. Divide batter among 4 greased and floured 16-ounce fruit or vegetable cans (labels removed). Cover tightly with foil. Place on rack in deep kettle; add boiling water to depth of 1 inch (cans should not be resting in water). Cover; steam 3 hours, adding more boiling water if needed. Bread is done when it has risen almost to fill the can and the center has puffed slightly. (If center remains indented, steam 15 minutes or so more). Cool 10 minutes. Remove bread, best done by removing bottom of can and pushing bread out of can. Wrap; store overnight. Makes 4.
Bon Apetit!
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