Salem, Scallops, and a Purple Drink
On a family trip to New England, I discovered a cookbook from 1910 called "What Salem Dames Cooked" published by the Mack Industrial School in Salem. Read on for a bit of history and a recipe.
My family visited New England a few years ago and we spent the better part of a week on the Maine coast eating lobster! Of course, we ventured to Boston and Salem on day trips. Salem has always fascinated me because of its history surrounding the witch trials… witches in general fascinate me. That all started with the Wizard of Oz and my love-hate relationship with the Wicked Witch of the West. I won’t deny that Bewitched played a part, too. I have often wished I could turn someone into a toad! But, I digress.
Food is one of my favorite ways to learn about the places I visit, so purchasing cookbooks is a priority when I travel. I enjoy finding something about the local food culture or by a local food writer or cookbook author. Salem was no different and I came across a gem from 1910, What Salem Dames Cooked. It is a reprint of the original, but it hit two of my loves… food and history!
This cookbook was the focus of our April 24th The Davises Eat episode where we adapted a scallops chowder recipe - Nantucket Scallops Chowder - from the collection of 1900-era recipes. We paired it with a sweet purple citrus cocktail.
The book was published by the Mack Industrial School in Salem and combines recipes from four different sources: The Complete Cook's Guide from 1683, The Frugal Housewife or Complete Woman Cook from 1730, recipes from the grandmothers of students and teachers, and recipes from the school itself.
“What Salem Dames Cooked” Is the title of the paper-covered volume "Being a choice collection of recipes wherein is shown how the delectable practice of the Salem dames from the year 1683 to 1730, until 1800 and 1900, may be restored with pleasure to those desirous of experiencing the delights of their cookery1.
The Mack Industrial School
The Mack Industrial School was established in Salem, Massachusetts in 1897 as a vocational school for young girls. There isn’t a lot of information online about the school, so I dug into newspaper archives, traveled down a rabbit hole, and discovered a few interesting bits of information.
The school was founded by Esther C. Mack, a philanthropist who believed that education and vocational training were essential for the personal and economic empowerment of women. Training was provided in sewing, cooking, and other practical skills, with the aim of helping young girls and women become self-sufficient and economically independent. At the time, this was incredibly important. I would argue it still is today, but for different reasons.
The Mack Industrial School, which has been established at Salem under the terms of the will of the late Esther Mack, began Its sessions Saturday with one hundred pupils in the sewing classes and twenty-five In the cooking classes. There Is also to be established a class for young women who desire to fit themselves for professional cooks. In the sewing classes all grades of needlework from the rudiments to the most intricate dressmaking will be taught. This practical charity is much appreciated2.
In the second year of business, the school enrolled 125 girls in sewing and 100 in cooking3.
In 1915, youth enrollment was a record 411 across all classes. This didn’t count the adults enrolled, however4. At the time, classes included millinery, dressmaking, and laundry in addition to cooking and sewing. Instruction was 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Students were also able to showcase their new skills in exhibits at the Woman’s Friend Society, which provided the young women exposure to gain work or clients.
The spring and summer exhibit of the work of the pupils of the Esther C. Mack Industrial School at Salem was held Saturday at the rooms of the Woman's Friend Society on Elm street and showed good results from the training. There are at present 200 girls In the school and the instruction ranges from rough patching to the finest dressmaking5.
The Woman’s Friend Society
The Woman's Friend Society was founded in 1876 to provide needed community and meeting place for women in Salem. In its early years, it also helped women find jobs which explains the collaboration with the Mack Industrial School. Today, this nonprofit organization continues to provide programming for women as well as safe and affordable housing through the Emmerton House.
The last mention of the Mack Industrial School in newspaper archives was in 1921, although other sources reference it still being in business through the end of that decade. While the school has long been closed, the cookbook published by its staff remains a testament to the school's importance for women near the turn of the 20th century.
Salem Dames Scallops Chowder
Tender sea scallops, crispy bacon, and hearty potatoes are simmered together in a rich and creamy sauce of white wine and evaporated milk. Scallops are often difficult to find in the Midwest, so we substituted a package of frozen sea scallops in a wine and herb sauce. It is such a delicious substitute that it really should just be part of the recipe!
Yield: 4 servings | Time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 bacon strips, cut into pieces
½ cup diced onion
1 cup diced russet potato
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups evaporated milk
1 bag (12.5 ounces) sea scallops in white wine and herb sauce
Directions
Place the bacon pieces into a soup pot and render until the bacon becomes crisp. Add the diced onion and potato and continue cooking until the onions begin to soften. Stir in the wine and use a wooden spatula to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the evaporated milk and let simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. Add the scallops (still frozen) to the chowder and continue simmering until the scallops are heated through. Serve with saltines or oyster crackers.
Purple Witch Cocktail
This is a perfect witchy brew for your spooky parties - like Halloween - or when you cook from a Salem, Massachusetts cookbook! The combination of the blue curaçao and grenadine makes the perfect stormy purple hue. Hang on to your broomstick… these pack a wallop!
Yield: 2 cocktails
Ingredients
4 ounces vodka
4 ounces blue curaçao
4 ounces grenadine
4 to 6 ounces lemon-lime soda
Directions
Place the vodka, blue curaçao, and grenadine in an iced cocktail shaker and shake until mixed. Strain into iced glasses and top with lemon-lime soda.
Download both recipes from the episode in printable form.
The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. Monday, October 17, 1910, Page 9
Boston Evening Transcript. Boston, Massachusetts. Monday, October 4, 1897, Page 7
Boston Evening Transcript. Boston, Massachusetts. Thursday, June 2, 1898, Page 5
Boston Evening Transcript. Boston, Massachusetts. Monday, Oct 25, 1915, Page 20
Boston Evening Transcript. Boston, Massachusetts. Monday, May 29, 1899, Page 10