For those who are more vegetable inclined, today we are going to learn a simple breakfast dish from 1864. The use of vegetables in the nineteenth century prior to standard refrigeration was always seasonal and based upon local crops. If asparagus was not in season, another vegetable could be employed, like a tomato, a squash, green beans, peas, or anything else. People cooking in the nineteenth century had to be experimental and willing to try different food combinations based on their limited resources. Wealthier people had more options because they could afford to bring in more foods from different regions of the country. Without standard refrigeration, however, spoiling was always an issue. It was like playing beat the clock with consuming the food before it was spoiled and wasted.

Here is the recipe from "On Cooking Vegetables" in American Recipes from 1864.


Take cold asparagus, and cut it the size of peas; break four or five eggs into a dish, and beat them with pepper, salt, and the asparagus. Then put it into a stew-pan with a spoonful of butter, set it on the fire, and stir it all the time till it thickens. Put it upon toasted bread in a hot dish.