Cooking & Baking During the Time of the War for American Independence is chock full of delightfully different and delicious cooking ideas favored by many famous, and some forgotten, yet historically important individuals and families of yesteryear. It contains the favorite dishes of numerous well known as well as lesser-known figures from the Revolutionary War period of our glorious history. Included are tasty breads and other baked goods, taste-tempting main dishes, soups and stews and loads of other wonderful recipes. Here you will find the favorites of such historical luminaries as Alexander Hamilton who was born in the West Indies but moved to the Colonies in 1772. He became one of the brightest stars in the fight for independence. One of George Washington's closest friends, this man dearly loved what was called Blood Bread with his dinners. A delightful Walnut Bread Pudding dish was eagerly eaten by General Lafayette in 1824 on his final visit to his beloved America. And those very special Sweet Potato Griddle Cakes were often prepared and served by the family of General Philip Schuyler. Most early American recipes as originally written would be quite difficult, if not impossible, to use today with any degree of ease or accuracy. Such concoctions were most often written as one long and rather complicated, sometimes rambling paragraph. Or they might simply be a long list of ingredients in no particular sequence or order. And many of the ingredients called for would not be recognized by today's readers. One of the most popular cakes, as well as the only cake made without bread dough in the Colonies, was that called The Nun's Cake. The recipe for this special cake was carefully cherished and handed down as a prized heirloom from prior generations. It was no doubt, often handwritten, and bequeathed from mother to daughter. Or, the ingredients may have been memorized, and passed along by word of mouth.