Country Kitchen:
Traditional Saturday Night Supper in New England
By Mary Emma Allen
Traditionally, a New Englander’s Saturday night supper was incomplete
unless a pot of baked beans and plate of Boston brown bread were set upon
the table. Throughout the years, from the days when pioneers grew all
their vegetables in backyard gardens, to the present, when the modern
homemaker opens cans from the supermarket, baked beans have been the
standby for Saturday night.
"That’s our Saturday night suppers for the coming year," the old-timer
would remark as he set the pails of freshly shucked dried beans under the
pantry shelf.
In those days, salt pork or ham hock was the traditional accompanying
meat for the meal. Today hot dogs or smoked link sausage often gives the
meal its meat component.
Family Traditions
Both my husband and I have childhood memories of baked beans on Saturday
night. My mom soaked the dried beans overnight, then began stewing them
with a ham hock, thick slices of bacon, or salt pork.
We often had stewed beans for dinner (the mid-day meal on the farm),
along with some meat and veggies. Then Mother baked the remainder in the
oven of the wood stove all afternoon. She might include ham or a piece of
salt pork.
Jim’s mom had Saturday night baked beans, too. By the time I knew them,
Mum took the easier way out, using beans from the can along with boiled
or fried hot dogs. She and Dad often went out Saturday night to the
movies or bowling, so that was a quick supper for eight boys when they
came in from milking the cows.
"Old-fashioned" or "modern" aptly describes the two methods of preparing
this customary week’s end dish that accompanies brown bread, which also
comes in a can today.
MODERN BAKED BEANS - Pour 3 to 4 cups canned baked beans into a bean pot
or casserole. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1
tablespoon catsup, 3 tablespoons minced onion; blend well. Place 6 hot
dogs or smoked sausage links (either whole or cut up) on top of beans. Or
crumble fried bacon on top and serve hot dogs or sausage separately.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. until heated through and bubbly.
QUICK BROWN BREAD is easily prepared by removing "store-bought" bread
from a can, wrapping it in foil, and heating in the oven while the
"modern" beans bake. You can unwrap for the last few minutes of heating
for a crispier crust.
Serve with an APPLE CRISP DESSERT. Beat 1 egg and add 1/2 cup sugar. Stir
in 1/2 cup flour sifted with 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon
salt. Add 1/3 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup apples, 1/4 cup broken nutmeats.
Bake in square cake pan or 9-inch pie pan, greased, about 30 minutes, at
350 degrees F. Serve plain or topped with whipped cream or ice cream.
(C) 2003 Mary Emma Allen
About the Author
Mary Emma Allen has been writing her "Cooking Column" for newspapers
and online publications for 30 years and
has compiled a family cookbook. She’s currently compiling a
cookbook/story book,
"Tales From a Country Kitchen." Visit her web site for more cooking
articles. Contact her at me.allen@juno.com
