Greenfield Village is a living-history museum in Dearborn, Mich., and recently it offered a sampling of things our ancestors ate, such as switchel, queen cakes and rabbit fricassee.
These recipe traditions are lost to antiquity because few modern cooks are about to "pound some loaf-sugar or beat eight eggs with a pound of butter" for queen cakes.Few could manage skinning two young rabbits for a creamy fricassee (stew), flavored with apples, grated nutmeg, lemon peel and a mashed anchovy.
But switchel is an interesting drink, well-known to farmers of generations past who never got close to Coke or Pepsi in cans.
Switchel was a homemade gingery drink spiked with vinegar that helped keep outdoor workers cool during long, hot days in the fields.
The recipe from Greenfield Village goes like this:
Switchel: Blend 2 quarts cold water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup molasses, 1/2 cup sweet vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of salt.