Jalapa Chili Pepper (1904); American History Cookbook (2003)

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JALAPA CHILE PEPPER

 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY--BULLETIN No. 97
SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED
DURING THE PERIOD FROM DECEMBER, 1903,
TO DECEMBER, 1905
Washington: Government Printing Office
1907

   This is a huge, excellent work, one of several that I copied yesterday.
This is probably as close to "jalapeno" as I'll get this early:

Pg. 64:
11639.  CAPSICUM ANNUUM.   _Pepper._
   From Jalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico.  Received thru Mr. Frank M. Meyer at the
Plant Introduction Garden at Chico, Cal., June, 1904.
   _Yellow Chili._  "A handsome pepper, much sold in the market in Jalapa,
bright showy yellow, quite pungent in taste." (_Meyer._)

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THE AMERICAN HISTORY COOKBOOK
by Mark H. Zenger
Westport, CT: Greenwood Press
459 pages, paperback
2003

   This just arrived.  The author is a 20-year restaurant critic for the
BOSTON PHOENIX, author of the AMERICAN ETHNIC COOKBOOK FOR STUDENTS (2001)
and HOLIDAYS OF THE WORLD COOKBOOK FOR STUDENTS, and associate editor of
something called the OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FOOD AND DRINK (forthcoming).
   There are very few illustrations.  The item is presented, then a brief
history introduction, then the recipe.  There's an interesting ANNOTATED
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY and a CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX OF RECIPES to close the book.
   Overall, it's OK.  I don't know how much new information it adds.  It's
revealing to me what it doesn't have.  If you just wanted the last 100 years
of American food, Jean Anderson's AMERICAN CENTURY COOKBOOK is much more
attractive and comprehensive.  The author's next work is the AMERICAN HISTORY
COOKBOOK REFERENCE COMPANION, which sounds like a much more worthwhile
project.
   The information is presented by theme, somewhat chronologically.  There is
no state-by-state index.
   Some choices are just bizarre.  "Hot Dog" is not wrong here--because it
just isn't here.  "Tomato Ketchup" is given in 1848.  Why?  "It's hard to add
anything to _Pure Ketchup_, Andrew Smith's 1996 study of the development of
ketchup, but here is a ketchup recipe it doesn't have..."  It's not explained
that Smith doesn't have it because he already lists plenty of ketchup recipes
from the early 1800s.  So what's the big deal with a ketchup recipe in 1848
(from GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK, something that Zanger doesn't realize is available
online)?
   1975 gave us "Chicano Convict Guacamole."  1968 gave us "My Not So Famous
S-O-S."  These are dishes (and the book is filled with them) I wouldn't
really think about--more important than the hot dog?  1941 gave us "Eggs
Ferrer"--not one Google hit!  1930 gave us "Ginger Ale Soda"--the history of
"ginger ale" is not mentioned.  "Spanish Rice" is listed in 1932--not our
earliest.  "Baked Beans" is in 1829 and "Hardtack" is 1860s and "Refrigerator
Cookies" is in 1937 and "Banana Smoothie" in 1947--I guess he can be forgiven
for not knowing my work.  "Mint Julep" is listed in 1930 (?), and the history
of the drink is not explained.
   Overall, a pedestrian collection of recipes from various American
cookbooks.  OK, but not exactly what the world's waiting for.