Blog — PIONEER FARMS

WORDS TO LIVE BY: 1839

  “We come not here, gentlemen, to form cabals; to organize parties; or to concoct party intrigues. These are the well ,adopted employment of unprincipled demagogues and servile factions, whose patriotism consists in professions, but whose real objects are power, emolument, or self gratification in some less reputable mode. But higher and more useful purposes have summoned us together; and I trust in God, these beneficial purposes will engage our undivided attention, as we shall deport ourselves in these respects, so will the blessing or the reprobation of the wise and thinking portion of the people, rest on our labours.” — Republic Vice President David Burnet, in an opening speech to the Republic Senate.

RECIPE: BOILED TURKEY

  From Austinite Ruth Graeber, who recalls that her great-grandmother used to boil the family’s Thanksgiving turkey every year:

 

Makes: 18 servings 

Ingredients

·       14 lb. whole turkey

·       Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

·       Water

·       ½ cup olive oil

Directions

  Thoroughly wash turkey and remove parts from cavities. Boil a kettle of hot water to scalding. Pour the hot water over the turkey. Pat the turkey dry, but do not remove the skin.

  Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle cavities with salt, black pepper and granulated garlic powder. Tie legs and bake in roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of water or 2 cups of chicken broth into the pan, and ½ cup of olive oil over the turkey. Cover with aluminum foil tent and bake for recommended time depending on weight of the turkey. Baste  the turkey during its last hour of cooking.

IN THIS MONTH: 1837

  On October 1, 1837, John P. Borden opened the General Land Office in Houston,  where he and his brother had surveyed the townsite . As first commissioner of the new land office, he faced the monumental job of compiling and preserving the many Spanish and Mexican land titles issued before the republic. Despite having no funds or employees to assist him, Borden by the end of 1837 he had successfully acquired documents from all over Texas. He also registered and surveyed new grants. In 1839 he moved the General Land Office to Austin and transported almost 5,000 pounds of documents by wagon. The military bounties, veteran donations, headrights, and homestead preemptions issued by Borden and successive commissioners amounted to more than 75 million acres granted to individuals.

RECIPE: PIONEER SMOKED BRISKET

  From Jack Fuller, a third-generation Austinite who remembers this recipe that was cooked the annual Fall Festival held at Pioneer Farms in the 1980s:

Makes: 18 servings

Ingredients

·       14 lb. whole packer brisket

·       2 tsp coarse sea salt

·       2 tbsp coarse ground black pepper

·       2 tbsps. garlic powder

Directions

  Remove any silver skin or excess fat from the brisket. Trim off any loose meat. Combine the ingredients in a bowl, and spread over the brisket evenly.

  Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees. Cook the brisket for 7-8 hours, remove and seal completely in foil, then place it back in the smoker for another 5-8 hours.

  Remove the brisket to a large cutting board and allow to rest for an hour before slicing. Slice with a sharp knife and serve immediately.

IN THIS MONTH: 1829

  On September 15, 1829, slavery was abolished throughout the Republic of Mexico in a decree issued by President Vicente Guerrero. News of the decree alarmed the Texans, who petitioned Guerrero to exempt Texas from the decree, but he declined to do so. Though never enforced in Texas, the decree left Texans concerned that their interests were not safe under Mexican rule — and helped fuel the Texas Revolution years later.

RECIPE: TEXAS HOECAKE

  From Jack Harris, a fifth-generation Texan, comes this month’s recipe for hoecaks, a staple pancake that was prepared on the trail and in log cabins of the early settlers. In some areas, they were called johnnycakes. “Grandpa used to make them, fold them in half with butter inside and eat them with the kids in the kitchen.. He called them ‘One Handers’.”

 

Makes: 8 servings

 

Ingredients

·       2 cups cornmeal

·       1 cup water or milk

·       ½ tsp baking powder

·       ½ tsp salt

·       1 tbsp shortening

 

Directions

  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, add milk or water and mix thoroughly.

  Heat a cast-iron griddle on the stove or over an open fire to where drops of water dance across it.

  Pour mixture onto the griddle in small size pancakes. Cook until brown, then flip and brown on the other side.

  Serve with whole butter and jellies. Hoecakes can be folded in half with the butter and jelly inside, then eaten with one hand.

  Says Harris: “This makes a wonderful afternoon delight at your kitchen table. I used to sit and listen to my grandfather tell stories about early-day Texas as our people helped settle it.”

IN THIS MONTH: 1824

  On August 18, 1824, the Mexican Congress passed a national law that became the basis of colonization contracts affecting Texas. Among the members of the committee that drafted the legislation was Erasmo Seguín, the father of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín. Six years later Mexico invoked a provision to forbid the settlement in Texas of emigrants from the United States, a move that helped touch off the Texas Revolution.

RECIPE: NANA'S PEACH PIE

With Fredericksburg peaches now in season, Susan Keller sends this month’s recipe, like one her grandmother Nana made in late summer. 

Makes: 8 servings 

Ingredients

·       ½ cup sugar

·       ¼ cup packed brown sugar

·       4-1/2 cups sliced peeled peaches

·       Dough for double-crust pie

·       3 tablespoons cornstarch

·       ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

·       ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

·       1/8 teaspoon salt

·       2 teaspoons lemon juice

·       1 tablespoon butter

Directions

  In a large bowl, combine sugars; add peaches and toss gently. Cover and let stand for an hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle, then transfer to a 9-inch pie plate or iron skillet. Trim even with rim. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain peaches, reserving juice. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt,  gradually stir in reserved juice. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice and butter. Gently fold in peaches. Pour into crust.

  Roll remaining dough and cut into 1-1/2-in.-wide strips. Arrange over filling in a lattice pattern. Trim and seal strips to bottom crust. Flute the edge. Cover edge loosely with foil. Bake 40 minutes, remove foil. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 10-20 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

IN THIS MONTH: 1878

On July 21, 1878, notorious outlaw Sam Bass died after being mortally wounded in a gun battle in Round Rock. He was found lying helpless in a pasture west of town and died two days later, on his 27th birthday. He and his gang, who had been pursued for years by Texas Rangers and other lawmen after robbing stagecoaches and trains in Texas and Nebraska, were tracked to Central Texas — and were said to have camped before the shootout along a creek in the vicinity of Pioneer Farms.

RECIPE: RED SUMMER COOKIES

  Several red-cookie recipes were received from Pioneers, as a way of celebrating Juneteenth or Fourth of July or women’s suffrage in Texas. This recipe send by Ruby Sears celebrates the Texas emancipation order.

Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients

·       1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

·       2 tablespoons buttermilk

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·       2 tablespoons espresso powder

·       1/4 cup coco powder

·       1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

·       1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·       1 tablespoon red food coloring

·       1 large egg

·       1/4 cup granulated sugar

·       1/2 cup light brown sugar

·       4 1/3 ounces white chocolate (diced)

Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a mixer

  Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and food coloring. Mix thoroughly, scraping the sides.

  Add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the medium sized bowl (food coloring mixture),. And mix thoroughly. Add half of the white chocolate.

  Using a medium sized cookie scoop, place cookies scoops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, two inches apart. Press in the rest of the white chocolate into the cookie scoops

  Bake for 12 minutes, remove from oven and cool on racks.

IN THIS MONTH: 1865

  On June 19, 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Procla-mation (originally issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863) in Galveston, thus belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas. The event, now celebrated as "Juneteenth," eventually gave rise to an annual day of thanksgiving ceremonies, entertainment, picnics and reunions. In 1979 Gov. William P. Clements made the day a state holiday.