February 1, 2011
… and in the same box of old issues of Rider & Driver, I found another photo of one of the horses in yesterday’s sleighing photo:
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"Dutchess Maude: Master Charles F. Elmes, five years old, driving Mr. Carleton L. Elmes' trotting-bred Hackney mare at Winnetka, Illinois" (from Rider & Driver, May 30, 1914)
January 31, 2011
In the March 7, 1914, issue of Rider & Driver magazine, it was noted on page 4 that Mr. Carleton L. Elmes and Master Charles F. Elmes, of Winnetka, Illinois, had been driving Royal Maid and Dutchess Maude, both trotting-bred Hackneys.
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sleighing in Illinois in the winter of 1913-14 (from Rider & Driver)
January 27, 2011
One of my Facebook friends posted a link to this first video, and it led me to another … and another … and, well, you get the idea.
These first two videos are from an exhibit at the Aurora Regional Fire Museum in Aurora, Illinois.
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This next one is silent but no less spectacular. It begins with fire equipment (on runners) racing down a snowy Montreal street in 1901, and it concludes with everyday vehicles driving down the same street.
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And, finally, I may have posted this one before. But, honestly, who ever gets tired of seeing these wonderful old fire horses??
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January 26, 2011
Several years ago, A.J. and I were in Salzburg, Austria, exploring the fabulous old town and the imposing castle overlooking the city. We both love the food there, and so when we found a tiny little cookbook (perfect for slipping into a suitcase pocket) in the castle gift shop, we bought it. Austrian Specialties features just that: recipes for delicious Austrian food, plus beautiful photos (although the ones here are mine) and a few tidbits of information about Austria and its history.
a portion of the Salzburg skyline, from the mountain across the river; you can see the castle in the upper left corner
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looking up at the castle from the base of the mountain
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Just this past weekend, A.J. was looking through the little cookbook and found a recipe for “Fiaker Goulash,” which is a dish named after the country’s carriage-for-hire drivers. I’m not exactly clear on why this type of goulash would have been named after carriage drivers, but no matter.
The cookbook tells us that the country’s “first official Hackney driver (Fiaker) was licensed in Vienna in 1653.”
traditional carriages lined up in a public square, awaiting fares
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Without further ado: the recipe for Fiaker Goulash (from Austrian Specialties):
2 lbs. beef (stew meat)
1 & 1/2 lbs. onions, finely chopped
2 TB oil
2 TB sweet paprika
1 TB vinegar
3 cups beef stock
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of marjoram
1/2 tsp ground caraway
1 TB tomato paste
Heat oil in a large skillet and saute onions until golden brown. Sprinkle the onions with the paprika; add the vinegar and several tablespoons of the beef stock.
Add the stew meat and the marjoram and carraway. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about one and a half hours, stirring frequently and adding stock as needed.
When the meat is tender, add the remaining stock, the tomato paste, and the garlic. Simmer for 10 more minutes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
The traditional garnish for each bowl of goulash is a fried egg and a gherkin pickle.
January 25, 2011
… What do you think of it?
You’ve noticed by now, I would imagine, that I love history. I’ve been having a grand time, going through a wide variety of sources for all the old videos, photos, and stories that I’ve been sharing with you here on the blog for the past several weeks.
But are you enjoying reading / seeing / watching them all as much as I’m enjoying bringing them to you?
Let me know in the comments whether you’ve had enough, or whether you’d like to see / read more.
Obviously, I’m hoping you’ll say, “We want more!” 🙂 … there are a lot of stories and images left to explore and share!
The Slower Road 