“In a little while Mother Meldrum began to slap platters on the table, and into each platter she put two large ladle-fulls of stewed hare, with potatoes, carrots, peas and onions, which had a most delicious smell, and told them to pitch in. A flask of wine--of a rather harsh flavour but not bad--was placed on the table for the grown-ups, and the children were given a little taste in water. Mother Meldrum was now quite kind and considerate: when Joe spilled a lot of his stew on the table she said it didn’t matter, that these things would happen. Baldry plucked up his spirits with the good food and drink and the agreeable change of manner, and told a couple of short tales which were well received by all present, Mother Meldrum being especially tickled.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
Put a quart of pease, a lettuce, an onion, both sliced, a bit of butter, pepper, salt, and no more water than hangs round the lettuce from washing. Stew them two hours very gently. When to be served, beat up an egg, and stir into them, or a bit of flour and butter. Some think a teaspoonful of white powdered sugar is an improvement. Gravy may be added; but there will be less of the flavour of the peas. Chop a bit of mint, and stew in them.
Sources: The passage is from E. A. (Edward Augustine) Wyke-Smith, The marvellous land of Snergs, free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from Rundell, New system of domestic cookery, formed upon principles of of 1806, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — moss cloth, amphora stamp.