A warm kitchen filled with family gathered around a table set with turkey, sweet potato and green bean casseroles, stuffing (OK, or “dressing”) and cinnamon spices radiating from a hot pumpkin pie can only mean two things: it’s Thanksgiving, and it’s two days before Florida football takes on Florida State in Tallahassee.  

With holiday traditions as endearing as turkey before the Gators versus Seminoles, why not add more? These main, side, soup and sweet dishes come from three collections of vintage, southern recipe collections local to Alachua County, Florida and the regional South and can easily be added to any traditional lineup. 

First, The Dixie Cookbook (TDC). L.A. Clarkson originally published the anthem of recipes and housekeeping advice in 1883 for “Mothers, Wives, and Daughters of the ‘Sunny South,’” whose “courage and fidelity in good or ill fortune the future of their beloved land must depend.”  

The book’s table of contents not only lists cake, butter, pickle and pudding recipes, but “Dressmaking at Home,” “Something about Babies,” and “The Arts of the Toilet” chapters. An 1885 edition on The Matheson Museum library shelf contains leaflets tucked in its creases of handwritten recipes from Augusta Steele Matheson, wife of James Matheson and mother of former Gainesville mayor Chris Matheson. 

Second, the Ward’s Supermarket Cookbook (WSC). Now located at 515 NW 23 Ave., Ward’s has been a Gainesville go-to for fresh and local produce and meat since opening in 1951. The cookbook from 2000 compiled recipes using “our delicious products” for customers looking for inspiration while shopping up and down the grocery aisles.  

Finally, the Milady’s Own Book (MOB). The Alachua County Hospital sponsored the publishing of the 53-page book in 1916 to be sold at the county fair as a fundraiser. The introduction even includes an excerpt from Elizabeth Strong Worthington’s “How to Cook Husbands.” 

Unlike modern kitchen appliances that heat up to specific temperatures, the stoves and ovens of the past that gradually heated required cooks to rely more on their judgment for when a dish was fully cooked. A “slow oven” in vintage recipes can be translated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, a “moderate oven” to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and a “hot oven” to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Okra soup  
—Pg. 3, MOB  

“Fill an iron pot, size to fit No. 7 stove, three quarters of cold water, place a nickel shank bone of beef in the pot, then one quart of sliced okra, two ears of cut corn, one can tomatoes, two onions, one sliced cabbage, one-half teaspoon allspice, a little piece of red pepper; season to taste with salt and black pepper; start boiling soon after breakfast until dinner at noon.” 

Clam bisque 
—Pg. 4, MOB 

“Chop twenty-five clams fine and cook for half an hour in their own liquor and a cupful of boiling water in which an onion has been cooked and then strained out. Have in another saucepan a cup of milk and the same of cream, with a bit of soda no larger than a pea. When it boils stir in two tablespoonfuls of butter cooked to a white roux with one of flour, cook three minutes, take from the fire and beat in, until you have a creamy mixture, the yolks of three well-whipped eggs. Set this mixture in a pot of boiling water and stir steadily for two minutes, then pour into tureen. Season the chopped clams with paprika or cayenne, salt and minced parsley, and turn, smoking hot, upon the custard in the tureen. Serve at once before it can curdle.” 

Oyster croquettes 
—Pg. 5, MOB 

“Scald and chop fine the hard part of the oysters (leaving the other part and liquor for soup); add an equal weight of mashed potatoes. To one pound of this add three level teaspoonfuls of lard, a teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of pepper and one-quarter of a teacupful of cream. Make in small cakes, dip in egg and then in breadcrumbs, and fry in hot lard, like doughnuts. Serve on squares of toast; garnished with cress or on crisp leaves of lettuce.” 

Cream almond cake 
—Pg. 19, MOB 

“One cup butter, two cups sugar, one cup milk, one cup cornstarch, two cups flour, two level teaspoons of baking powder, five egg whites, one-half teaspoon extract almond. Cream the butter, and gradually add the sugar and almond. Sift together thoroughly the flour, corn starch and baking powder, and add alternately with the milk to the first mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff, add a beat vigorously. This makes two loaves.”

Peachy praline pie 
—Pg. 65, WSC 

1 (9-inch) deep dish pie shell, uncooked 
5 c. peeled sliced peaches 
1/2 c. Sugar 
1/4 c. peach preserves 
2.5 tbls. cornstarch 
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg 
1 tbls. lemon juice 
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 egg white, lightly beaten 
1/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar 
1/2 c. all purpose flour 
6 tbls. unsalted butter, cut into cubes 
1 c. chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 425. In large bowl, combined sliced peaches, ½ cup sugar, peach preserves, cornstarch and nutmeg. Stir lemon juice and vanilla into peaches. Set aside for 15 minutes. Lightly brush pie shell with a thin coating of egg whites to make crust moisture proof. Pour filling into pie shell. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle mixture over peaches. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce to 400 and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.  

Note: To keep edges of crust from excessive browning, cover edges of crust with tin foil.  

Southern peach pork chops 
—Pg. 44, WSC 

1 T. curry powder 
1 T. brown sugar 
1 T. olive oil 
1/4 tsp. salt 
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 
Pinch black pepper 
1 crushed garlic clove 
4 pork loin chops, each ¾ inch thick, about 5 oz. each 
4 lg. Peaches, cut in half 
1/2 c. peach or apricot preserves 
Arugula for garnish 

In cup, stir in curry powder, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, pepper and garlic. With hand, rub both sides of pork chops with curry mixture. Brush cut side of peach halves and one side of chops with peach preserves. Place peaches, brushed side down, and chops, brushed side up, on grill over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes. Turn chops and peaches over and brush with preserves. Cook 5 minutes longer. Remove peaches from grill when browned and place on platter. Turn chops and brush with preserves. Cook 2-3 minutes. Place chops on platter with peaches; garnish with arugula. In a small saucepan, heat preserves to use as a sauce for chops. Yields 4 main dish servings.  

Augusta Matheson’s Railroad Pudding 
—TDC 

“Beat 1 egg and 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of melted butter, ½ cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, half a cup of milk, 1 teaspoon lemon extract.” 

Mrs. M.E. Nicely’s fruit cake 
—TDC 

“One cup butter, one of brown sugar, half pint molasses, two eggs, one cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, pound of flour, one of currants, one and a half pounds raisins. Flavor to taste. This has been thoroughly tested, and is a great favorite.” 

Mrs. S.P. Hill’s Southern Rights cake 
—TDC 

“Three eggs, one tea-cup sugar, one of butter, two of flour, scant half-cup New Orleans molasses, half a tablespoon each of cinnamon, sifted ginger and allspice, half a teaspoon of soda, half a wine glass brandy, cream, sugar, and butter; beat spices and yolks of eggs together, dissolve soda in molasses, whip whites to a froth, and add last, a little at a time, alternating with the flour. Best baked in small pans and frosted.” 

Gingerbread 
—TDC 

“Three eggs, one cup butter, two of flour, one of sugar, scant half cup molasses, with half a teaspoon soda stirred in it until it foams, half a wine glass of brandy, half a tablespoon of ginger, a half of cinnamon, and a half of cloves and allspice mixed. Mix ingredients, leaving whites of eggs until last; next to last, molasses. Fruit may be added. 

If in making gingerbread the dough becomes too stiff before it is rolled out, set it before the fire. Gingerbread and cakes require a moderate oven, snaps a quick one. If cookies or snaps become moist in keeping, put them in the oven and heat them for a few moments.”