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Colonial Spirits & a Bit of News

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I’m super excited to share the news that I’ll be giving THREE workshops at next year’s Historical Novel Society conference in Portland. I’m giving my popular History of Underthings workshop, co-presenting my Georgian and Victorian “kickshaws” workshop with Delilah Marvelle, and I’ll be giving the big Friday night kickoff workshop: Hooch Through History. If you want to join me, registration opens at the end of the month.

As soon as I’d hashed out the details of what they wanted for the Hooch workshop, I saw that Steven Grasse (booze god, creator of Sailor Jerry rum and Hendrick’s gin) was going to be talking about his book Colonial Spirits at a local bookshop. I immediately made plans to go, and I’m so glad I did. His talk was entertaining and informative, and the sample colonial cocktails were amazing.

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Of course I bought the book (research!) and I’ve really been enjoying perusing it. How can you not love a book that’s intro includes: “These drinks may get you drunk. They may put hair on your chest. But they will not, we are proud to say with some measure of confidence, kill you.” Well ok then …

There’s a ton of interesting information in the book (both historical and anecdotal) as well as many recipes that I’m dying to try out! I’ve done a little brewing in my life, and I may have to put that experience (and a few friends and their brewing supplies) to work in the coming months.

I absolutely have to try out George Washington’s recipe for small beer. I know we’ve all read about small beer, and I’ve actually had it at reenactments, but I’ve never made it. In case anyone hasn’t heard of it, small beer (or small ale) is an ale with a low alcohol content that was commonly consumed by people the way we consume water today. I’ve always read that small ale was made by reusing the mash (so brew ale, then brew again, like reusing a tea bag). But George Washington and Grasse disagree. So this is going to have to be attempted.

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Luckily, some of the recipes don’t require brewing and I had all the ingredients on hand. So there was immediate experimentation (in the name of science and history!). My first experiment is the Hop Flip. It’s a combination of rum, beer, molasses, and a raw egg. Flips go back to at least the 17thC. They began as beer, rum, and some kind of sweetener, heated with a hot poker (basically, it’s a type of hot punch, something to warm your bones on a cold, damp night).

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I’m horrified to report that it’s not bad. Basically a lot like a hot, alcoholic egg cream. Not something that will be taking over from the Hot Toddy for me, but I’m not sorry I tried it and I’d totally make it again at an event.

Are there any historical drinks you wonder about as an author or a reader? Let me know in the comments and I’ll try to cover them in the upcoming months.

Blogs: Past Present and Future

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Blogs are one of the best developments of the Internet. They have given inividuals a chance to share their interests in everything from Period fashion to Type II Diabetes. But I think that blogs are fading in popularity. Be warned most of my evidence is anecdotal.

First and foremost time is a factor. We all seem to have less of it. I can’t be the only one who never quite finishes the ‘to do’ list and rarely has (or makes) time to go back to the blogs I’ve saved for a few free minutes Honesty compels me to admit that I usually use those free minutes to watch TV, read or play games. There is a point where the last thing I want is something else that will make me think. So TIME is the big factor in my lessening interest in blogs.

Facebook figures in the equation. It’s easy to share an idea there. Reddit has a generational following that is significant and you can pursue or introduce categories that interest you and hopefully find an audience who feels the same.. Pinterest is ideal for those who love a visual representation of their favorite subjects. And Twitter makes the sharing quick and pointed.

How can blogs bear up against all those other ways to share what intrigues us?

That said I bet we all have blogs we still follow. One of my favorites is Mimi Matthews whose field is social history: https://mimimatthews.com/category/fashion/

So I have three questions for you. Do YOU think blogs are losing ground? Why (whether you answer yes or no.)? And finally, what blogs do you still follow and want to share? Answer one or two or all three. Thanks!

Regency Treasures in Worcester, MA

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elena_worcester_artLast weekend, I enjoyed a visit to the Worcester Museum of Art. It’s not a huge museum like another favorite, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, but it has interesting collections, laid out and presented in a way that encourages conversation. My daughters and I had a lot of interesting discussions while going through the galleries at the leisurely pace we all enjoy.

This museum has an interesting collection of arms and armor, where this sword caught my eye. Labeled “Smallsword, about 1790”, it’s attributed to Josiah Wedgewood or possibly Matthew Boulton. I love jasperware and own a few modern pieces, and I’m always amazed to find it decorating unexpected items. In the MFA in Boston, there’s a pianoforte with jasperware medallions. Here, a sword.

 

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Another treasure is this painting of “Mr. and Mrs. James Dunlop” by Sir Thomas Lawrence, who’s credited with painting portraits of some of our fictitious Regency characters as well as the real ones. The painting is dated 1825, which surprises me a little. Her dress seems earlier. Perhaps any costume experts here could weigh in? In any case, it’s a lovely image, something like I imagine our happy couples might look like.
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I also love “The Banks of the Loire”, by Joseph Mallord Turner, exhibited in 1829. It has such a romantic feel!
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I always feel inspired after visiting art museums. Has anyone else visited this one? What did you think? Do you have any favorite lesser-known gems like this one?

Elena

elena_greene_sampler_cover_areP.S. I now have a free sampler of my work, if you’d like to try before you buy. It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and All Romance Ebooks.

Regency Mad Lib

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Let’s see if this works. Make a note of your answers to the following polls:

[poll id=”23″]

[poll id=”24″]

[poll id=”25″]

[poll id=”26″]

[poll id=”27″]

[poll id=”28″]

 

Now, fit your answers (or the winners, your choice) into the sentence below. Hopefully you can copy and paste into the comments or something.

Miss Smythe’s face turned [First answer] when she heard the news that her money had gone [2nd answer]. All she had left in the world was a [3rd Answer]. Her brother, who had no more sense than a [4th Answer]. She had no choice but to ask her bother’s best friend  for help even though it would be [5th answer] fitting. As she crossed the street to his house, she [6th Answer] into his arms.

The End. Or is it?