Chapter 1
HANNAH’S BREAKFASTS
Rise and shine—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy-style—with these gratifying, true-to-the-era recipes, including cornmeal or buckwheat griddle cakes, a Jo-proof omelet for Marmee, Christmas Day muffins (Amy’s favorite), and an apple-studded sweet oatmeal porridge. Chances are that if you try your hand at making Hannah’s legendary turnovers, the buttery-rich, flaky pastries will become as sought after at your house as they are at the Marches’.
Oatmeal Porridge with Apples, Cinnamon, and Maple Syrup
◁ BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES
“May I go and help carry the things to the poor little children?” asked Beth eagerly. … Meg was already covering the buckwheats, and piling the bread into one big plate.
Whatever happened to buckwheat pancakes? From 1850 to 1880, recipes for these griddle cakes appeared in over 100 cookbooks. They must have been a much-loved treat, because buckwheat pancakes are part of the Christmas morning breakfast that the March girls give away to the poor Hummel family. The hearty cakes likely warmed the hungry children through and through.
For some reason, buckwheat pancakes fell out of fashion sometime after Louisa May Alcott’s day. However, nowadays they’re gaining popularity again as we all try to bring wholesome, fiber-rich foods back to the breakfast table. Try these tasty, nutty cakes and you’ll agree that they’re definitely due for a comeback.
Makes 9 pancakes
(4 servings plus 1 extra pancake)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (49 g) buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons (26 g) sugar
1 teaspoon (4.6 g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, divided
1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Maple syrup, for serving
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Combine the buttermilk and egg in another medium bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and gently stir to combine.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons (43 g) of the butter in the microwave. Gently stir the melted butter into the batter until the mixture is combined and no longer dry; do not overmix.
3. Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat (do not use a larger skillet, as the batter could spread too much). Add 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter and heat until melted; tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly with the melted butter.
4. Pour the batter into the hot pan into three 4-inch (10 cm) ovals (using about 1/4 cup [60 ml] for each pancake). Cook until the bottom is brown and the pancakes are solid enough to turn, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is brown, the edges are dry, and the pancakes are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining butter and pancakes. Serve the pancakes warm with maple syrup.
“INDIAN MEAL” GRIDDLE CAKES
In the March family’s time, cornmeal would have been known as “Indian meal.” Recipes calling for this quintessential American grain were very popular in the nineteenth century. The Young Housekeeper’s Friend, the cookbook that Meg uses as a new bride, calls for cornmeal in all kinds of dishes, including Indian pudding, fried fish, four different recipes for corn cakes, and numerous breads.
Meg’s book also contains a recipe for griddle cakes made with buttermilk, and that recipe served as the inspiration for these tasty golden pancakes. The fluffy, crisp-edged pancakes are especially good with breakfast sausage, and the blueberry variation given below is irresistible.
Makes 15 pancakes
(4 to 6 servings)
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (105 g) cornmeal
2 tablespoons (26 g) sugar
1 teaspoon (4.6 g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (4.6 g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
13/4 cups (410 ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
Additional butter and pure maple syrup, for serving
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and gently stir to combine. Gently stir in the melted butter.
2. Brush a nonstick griddle or skillet with vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, pour not quite 1/4 cup (60 ml) onto the hot griddle or skillet for each cake. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is golden brown and the cakes are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve hot with additional butter and syrup.
BLUEBERRY “INDIAN MEAL” GRIDDLE CAKES: Although Meg’s cookbook doesn’t call for adding blueberries, these pancakes are terrific with a few berries added to each cake. Once you’ve poured the batter onto the griddle or skillet, scatter five blueberries atop each cake while the batter is still wet. Continue cooking as indicated. You’ll need about 1 cup blueberries for all 15 pancakes.
AMY’S “CHRISTMAS DAY” MUFFINS
“I shall take the cream and the muffins,” added Amy, heroically giving up the articles she most liked.
It’s hard to tell exactly what kind of muffins Amy adored and heroically gave away to the Hummel family on Christmas Day. In the Alcotts’ time, muffins were usually plain little breads, without the sweet spices and fruits we enjoy in them today. Back then, muffins were often cooked in rings on a griddle rather than in the oven; however, about the time that Little Women was published, some cookbooks did call for them to be baked in the oven, as these modern muffins are. Always a connoisseur of the best of things, Amy would no doubt enjoy this sweet (and fancy) version of one of “the articles she most liked.”
Makes 12 muffins
1/2 cup (60 g) dried cranberries
Boiling water
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
2 teaspoons (9.2 g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
11/2 teaspoons (3 g) grated orange zest
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons [55g]) unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Put the dried cranberries in a bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and gently stir just until the wet ingredients are folded into the dry ingredients. Gently stir in the butter just until all the ingredients are combined (the batter should be lumpy).
4. Drain the dried cranberries and gently fold them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups two-thirds to three-quarters full. (If there is extra batter after filling the muffin cups, discard it rather than making the muffin cups too full.)
5. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers of the muffins comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the cups and serve warm.
◁ A BETTER OMELET FOR MARMEE
The boiled tea was very bitter, the omelet was scorched, and the biscuits speckled with saleratus, but Mrs. March received her repast with thanks and laughed heartily over it after Jo was gone.
One morning in June, bored after a few long days of too much time on their hands, Meg and Jo make breakfast for their mother. Sadly, things don’t go quite as they might have hoped for in the kitchen. Follow this foolproof recipe, however, and you’ll make a moist omelet that’s sunny-yellow and bright—and not one bit scorched. “Saleratus,” by the way, is what we now call baking powder.
Makes 1 omelet
(repeat the recipe for as many omelets as you would like to make)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon (4 g) snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon (5 g) unsalted butter
1. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper until well blended; set aside.
2. Heat a 7-inch (18 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the skillet until hot but not brown. Add the eggs to the skillet. Shake the pan back and forth while using a fork held with the tines parallel to the pan to gently stir the eggs (the fork should not scrape the bottom of the pan).
3. When the eggs are nearly cooked but still wet, stop stirring and continue cooking until the eggs are set. Tilt the pan and use the fork or a spatula to gently roll the omelet, starting from its top edge. If you prefer your omelet more well done, leave it in the pan on the heat for a few moments more.
4. Roll the omelet out of the pan and onto a plate, seam side down. Serve hot.
◁ CHEESE AND JAM TURNOVERS
These turnovers were an institution, and the girls called them “muffs,” for they had no others and found the hot pies very comforting to their hands on cold mornings.
Hannah never forgot to make them, no matter how busy or grumpy she might be, for the walk was long and bleak.
Hannah makes hot turnovers every morning for the March sisters. These little pies warm their hands on their way to work or school, then become a sweet or savory midday snack, depending on the filling. With cheddar cheese in the pastry and just a dot of jam, these turnovers are more savory than sweet. (If you are looking for a sweet turnover, see here for the Apple Turnover recipe.) They make a great accompaniment to a weekend breakfast or a tasty snack.
Makes 12 turnovers
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar
Pinch salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons [112g]) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 cup (114 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons (44 to 60 ml) 2% or whole milk, plus additional for brushing pastry
1/4 cup (80 g) fruit jam or preserves, such as apricot or blackberry
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender or two table knives working in a crisscross fashion, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese. Add the milk, stirring until the flour is moistened and the mixture starts to come together. Knead the flour mixture gently against the side of the bowl to make a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Using a 31/2-inch (9 cm) round cutter, cut out dough circles. Gently press the scraps of dough together and reroll as needed for additional circles (see Note). Work quickly so the dough does not become soft.
4. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam into the center of each circle. Brush the edges of the circles with additional milk and fold the circles over to enclose the jam. Press the tines of a fork around the edges to seal. Cut three small slits on the top of each turnover with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Arrange the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake until the turnovers are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. The jam centers will be hot.
NOTE: Cut the circles as close together as you can. The more you work with the dough, the tougher the pastry becomes.
“I know, by experience, how much genuine happiness can be had in a plain little house, where the daily bread is earned, and some privations give sweetness to the few pleasures.”
-Marmee
MILK-TOAST
And when they went away, leaving comfort behind, I think there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls who gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning.
After the March sisters gave their grand Christmas breakfast to a poor immigrant German family, they come home to a humble breakfast of bread and milk. While the breakfast could have been just that—glasses of milk and slices of bread—Hannah might well have turned those two ingredients into milk-toast, a dish of thickened and warmed milk poured over toasted bread. Recipes for milk-toast appear in cookbooks throughout the mid-1800s. Milk-toast was served mainly at breakfast but also sometimes as part of a simple supper.
After the arrival of all kinds of breakfast cereals, milk-toast’s popularity faded, but the dish didn’t entirely go away. Ask your grandparents about it—when they were children, their mothers might have served it to them as a mild, easy-to-eat dish when they were sick (it’s especially good when you have a tender tummy).
In most recipes for milk-toast from the Alcotts’ time, the dish was seasoned solely with salt. But if you add a little cinnamon and sugar, the dish becomes a simple and satisfying alternative to hot cereal, whether you’re ailing or not.
Makes 2 servings
1 cup (235 ml) whole or 2% milk
Salt to taste
4 slices sandwich bread
Unsalted butter to taste
Sugar to taste
Ground cinnamon to taste
1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it steams. Add a pinch of salt. Remove from heat; cover and set aside to keep warm.
2. Toast the bread slices. Spread with butter and tear into bite-size pieces. Divide the toast pieces between two shallow bowls. Sprinkle the toast with sugar and cinnamon. Pour the warm milk over the bread and serve.
OATMEAL PORRIDGE WITH APPLES, CINNAMON, AND MAPLE SYRUP
Hot oatmeal, known in Louisa May Alcott’s time as oatmeal porridge, was just starting to gain popularity as a breakfast choice in the time of Little Women. Curiously, one 1858 recipe mentioned that the porridge was “sometimes eaten with porter and sugar or ale and sugar.” Porters and ales are, of course, two varieties of beer—does that even sound good? Much better advice is to do as an 1868 recipe suggests and “send it to the table with a jug of hot milk.”
Recipes for oatmeal porridge were generally flavored simply with salt or sugar. This recipe adds a few more ingredients that the March family, living as they did in New England, would likely have on hand: cinnamon, apples, and maple syrup. Both sweet and tart apples will work well in this recipe—simply choose your favorite.
Makes 4 servings
4 cups (946 ml) water
2 cups (312 g) old-fashioned oats
2 medium apples, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 2 cups [300 g])
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pure maple syrup, brown sugar, and warm 2% or whole milk, for serving
1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the oats, apples, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook at an active simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and most of the water has been absorbed into the oatmeal, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup, brown sugar, and warm milk.