Cooking Up History
Explore Wisconsin History by Viewing Our Historic Collection of Recipes
What is Cooking Up History?
All of the recipes in our Cooking Up History series were found using our digital newspaper collection and digital newspapers from Wisconsin in Chronicling America. Try your hand at one or all of these recipes and don’t forget to share your creations on our social media pages and tag us using #wisconsinhistoricalsociety and #cookinguphistory. Happy cooking!
Apple Butter
As it is a simple way to preserve apples, apple butter dates back to medieval times in Europe. No wonder it also made it to Wisconsin. Learn how to make a classic apple butter with this recipe.
View Apple Butter Recipe
Apple de Luxe
This stuffed, baked apple is full of nuts and raisins and perfect for your next dinner party.
View Apple de Luxe Recipe
Battle of the Historic Salads
Get ready for a showdown with the Twentieth Century Salad, the Banana Salad or the Grapefruit and Maraschino Cherry Salad! Let us know which one is your favorite!
View Battle of the Historic Salads Recipe
Coco(a)nut Cake
This cake recipe is a simple sponge cake with a meringue frosting. The coconut is only added to the frosting, not the cake batter.
Cooking over and in the fire
Although people have been cooking their food over fires for millennia, casual summertime grilling in the backyard as we know it today did not become popular until halfway through the 20th century. Some ideas for the next camping trip!
View Cooking over and in the fire Recipe
German Cooking - Swimming Island
According to the recipe, a swimming island is a hard-boiled egg, rolled in sugar and cinnamon, dipped in pancake batter, deep-fried and repeated. Start cooking.
View German Cooking - Swimming Island Recipe
Historic Happy Hour Cocktails
Make your next happy hour historic with these recipes for the Hongkong Cooler or Milk Punch! Cheers!
View Historic Happy Hour Cocktails Recipe
Hot Chocolate (1917)
The traditional hot chocolate drink is made with melted chocolate or cocoa powder, sugar, and milk and/or water. This classic recipe will soon replace your instant hot cocoa.
View Hot Chocolate (1917) Recipe
Maple Candy
If you don’t have a maple tree ready to be tapped, you can still get the taste of an old-fashioned end of maple sugar season with this recipe.
View Maple Candy Recipe
Meatless Loaf
If you don’t have a maple tree ready to be tapped, you can still get the taste of an old-fashioned end of maple sugar season with this recipe.
View Meatless Loaf Recipe
Mock Fruit Pies
If you don’t have a maple tree ready to be tapped, you can still get the taste of an old-fashioned end of maple sugar season with this recipe.
Paper Bag Cookery - Stuffed Onions
In 1911, British chef Nicolas Soyer published Soyer’s Paper-Bag Cookery, in which he not only listed a variety of meals to be cooked in a paper bag but also wrote about an occasional burning or exploding paper bag.
View Paper Bag Cookery - Stuffed Onions Recipe
Pickled Walnuts (1875)
Pickled walnuts are not your average Wisconsin snack. They are much more common in England, but try your hand at this fun snack recipe!
View Pickled Walnuts (1875) Recipe
Sandwiches
Do you have some ham leftover from a holiday and are not sure what to do with it? Look no further than this recipe. Also, highlighted is a classic fried egg sandwich. Bon appetite!
View Sandwiches Recipe
Stewed Beefsteak (1878)
This recipe for stewed beefsteak calls for only 4 ingredients – 3 if you want to make it more enjoyable: rump steak, onions, pickled walnuts and canned oysters. For an easy night of cooking try this recipe.
View Stewed Beefsteak (1878) Recipe