Modernizing an old recipe can be fun, creative, rewarding, and sometimes challenging. Translating a recipe from one language to another makes it harder. Even within the same language, it can be difficult if it is outdated or if the measurements and ingredients are not commonly used today. Of course, the further back in time we go, the harder it gets. Recipes from a few generations ago are relatively easy to modernize, but it is almost impossible to recreate an ancient recipe precisely.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you modernize an old recipe:
- Examine the Original Recipe
Read the entire recipe to understand the ingredients, measurements, and cooking techniques. Make notes on any unfamiliar terms or ingredients.
- Research Ingredients and Terms
Look up any unfamiliar ingredients or cooking terms in your original and target language. Some ingredients may be unavailable or have different names in different regions. Find modern alternatives or suitable substitutions for any hard-to-find or obsolete ingredients.
Keep in mind that ingredients have changed over time. The flour you buy at the grocery store today differs from flour from the local mill two hundred years ago. Eggs are now bigger, and almost everything from the store has been processed to some degree.
Also, consider that food were often combined differently than we are accustomed to.
If the original recipe uses non-standard or outdated measurements, convert them to more familiar units. For example, if the original recipe calls for ‘gills’ or ‘pottles,’ convert them to ounces or pounds or use the metric system.
- Adjust Cooking Techniques
If the original recipe refers to outdated cooking methods or equipment, adapt them to modern standards. For instance, if a wood-burning stove was used, it might mention a slow or hot oven. Since the 1930s, gas stoves, mainly in Europe, used gas marks in their recipes. Translate that to a conventional oven or stovetop.
Slow oven = around 300°F Gas mark 2
Moderate oven = around 350°F Gas mark 4
Hot oven = around 400°F Gas mark 6
Before the stove was invented, people cooked over an open fire or in a hearth, and instructions were rarely given.
Be aware that some old recipes use techniques that are unsafe by today’s standards, especially in canning and preserving.
- Update Language
Rewrite the recipe in modern language while preserving the essence of the original instructions. Replace outdated words with their modern equivalents.
- Note Cultural Context
Consider the cultural context of the original recipe. Some dishes may have historical or regional significance that could influence the translation.
- Test the Recipe
Before finalizing the modernization, try cooking the dish yourself. This will help you identify discrepancies or ambiguities in the translation and ensure the final product is true to the original intent.
- Document the Process
Keep detailed notes of your translation process, especially if you make any interpretative decision. This documentation can be helpful for others who may want to understand or replicate your work.
- Share and Preserve
If you are proud of your translation, consider sharing it with others interested in historical recipes. This can contribute to preserving culinary traditions. Please tell us about your experiences.
Modernizing an old recipe may require creativity and interpretation, as exact equivalents might not always exist. The goal is to capture the dish’s essence while making it accessible to modern cooks.
Thanks to Jennifer Moss at the Oconee Historic Museum in Walhalla, SC, for helping me find this recipe from Carolina Receipt Book, by ‘A Lady From Charleston,’ no name was given, from 1832.
Since this is a recipe from Charleston, SC, it would have been a long-grain rice similar to Charleston Gold Rice—a firm-textured, long-grain rice with a delicious, nutty flavor.
I’m not sure what the Lady from Charleston had in mind with &c. (Et cetera). Maybe nutmeg or cinnamon, but I left it out.
Ingredients:
¼ cup rice
2 cup milk
¼ small onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon mace
2 tablespoon butter
cream or milk as necessary ¼ – ½ cup
Direction:
Soak the rice in the milk, onions, and spices for about 20 minutes. Add butter and bring it to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is done. Puree in a blender or food processor, adding cream or milk until a smooth sauce-like consistency. Add salt and pepper as needed.
In-conversation recipe style:
Soak 1/2 cup rice in 2 cups of milk, with ¼ cup chopped onions, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon mace, and 2 tablespoons butter for 20 minutes.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is done. Blend in a food processor or blender, adding cream until a creamy sauce-like texture—salt and pepper to taste.
The second time I made this recipe, I used unsweetened almond milk and substituted butter with olive oil, which worked great; added almond flavor and made it vegan.
Sautéed Chicken with Rice Sauce and Spinach Cous-Cous
I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor and creamy, silky texture, wondering why rice is not used much as a thickening agent in sauces. Rice is still used in some soups and desserts but rarely in sauces. I always use rice when making bisque, as in some of the earliest bisque recipes.
