Colonial Sweets and Spirits

Mitchell, Patricia B.

62 pages. 2011

Description of sugar sources, sweet foods, and alcoholic beverages in the American colonies, with anecdotes, many of them first-person. Published 2011. 8 authentic and commemorative recipes, 102 research notes. 11,044 words.

In Colonial Sweets and Spirits, author Patricia Mitchell discusses types and sources of sweeteners and alcoholic beverages which were available to the colonists. Styles of food service and examples of sweet treats are described. Recipes from colonial-era cookbook writers Eliza Smith, Hannah Glasse, Amelia Simmons, and others are included.

Brewed, distilled, and mixed concoctions are examined, along with the colonial American trend toward ever-stronger libations.

Numerous enlightening and amusing accounts captivate the reader, and research notes throughout the book assist the student of food history to delve deeper into the topic.