Recipe Manuscript

Carrots

Name: Carrots
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5-6 medium carrots (500-600g), sliced into rounds; 30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) water; 12g (1 tbsp) granulated sugar; 5g (1 tsp) unsalted butter, very fresh; Optional: 10g (2 tsp) butter, additional for variants; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional); 500ml beef broth or vegetable broth (for soup variant)

1903

From the treasured pages of Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages

Written by Célestine Eustis

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Beginner Dinner Lunch Other

Original Recipe • 1903

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Carrots

"Slice five or six carrots roundwise. Put them into a saucepan. Add two or three tablespoonfuls of water, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a teaspoonful of very fresh butterr. Cover closely. Let it simmer on a slow fire for two or three hours, and they will come out soft and tender. If you have a dish of carrots every day on your table you will save your doctor's bill. Carrots are very nice boiled sliced, and cooked with a white sauce; or, sliced in round thin slices, put in a sauce-pan with butterr, salt, pepper and a little sugar. Let them simmer on the side of the stove two or three hours, add a little chopped parsley. Perfectly delicious. Take these same carrots, crush them, and pass them through a sieve. Add some bouillon, and let them cook slowly half an hour together. Such a delicious soupe crème."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes from this era were written informally, presuming the cook understood basic kitchen techniques. Exact measurements were replaced by approximations ('tablespoonfuls,' 'a little'), as ingredients were often measured by eye or hand. Spelling and capitalization vary ('fire' for stovetop, 'simmer,' 'sauce-pan'). The style imparts a conversational, instructional tone, giving room for improvisation based on what was at hand and making each cook's version slightly unique.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages (1903)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Célestine Eustis

Era

1903

Publisher

R.H. Russell

Background

Take a delicious journey back in time with this charming bilingual collection of Creole and American recipes, crafted for cozy households. Célestine Eustis blends French flair with Southern soul, guiding both the novice and seasoned gourmand through the distinct flavors and delightful traditions of old Creole kitchens.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from 'Cooking in Old Creole Days,' published in 1903 by Célestine Eustis. The text offers a glimpse into the daily culinary practices of Creole households in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century. Carrots were a staple, praised for health benefits—hence, the tongue-in-cheek claim about lowering your 'doctor's bill.' Recipes highlight both simplicity and subtle nuance, as seen in slow-cooked, delicately seasoned preparations. French influences appear in the white sauce (béchamel) and soupe crème, reflecting the region's rich culinary heritage.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back then, cooks used heavy cast iron or tin-lined copper saucepans set over wood-fired or coal stoves for gentle, extended simmering. A tight-fitting lid was crucial for moisture retention, and hand tools such as paring knives, wooden spoons, and wire sieves or food mills were employed for slicing, stirring, and pureeing. The process was hands-on, attentive, and time-intensive—a far cry from the speed of modern kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

5-6 medium carrots (1 to 1 1/4 lbs), sliced into rounds
2-3 tbsp (1-1.5 fl oz) water
1 tbsp (about 0.4 oz) granulated sugar
1 tsp (about 0.18 oz) unsalted butter, very fresh
Optional: 2 tsp (about 0.35 oz) butter, additional for variants
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
2 cups (16 fl oz) beef broth or vegetable broth (for soup variant)

Instructions

Slice 5 or 6 medium carrots (about 1 to 1 1/4 lbs) into rounds.
Place them in a medium saucepan with 2-3 tbsp (1-1.5 fl oz) water, 1 tbsp (about 0.4 oz) sugar, and 1 tsp (about 0.18 oz) fresh unsalted butter.
Cover tightly and simmer gently over very low heat for 2-3 hours, until the carrots become soft and tender.
Alternatively, after boiling sliced carrots, serve them with a white sauce (béchamel).
Or, slice carrots thinly, add them to a saucepan with 2 tsp (about 0.35 oz) butter, a generous pinch each of salt and pepper, and a little sugar, then let them cook on low heat for 2-3 hours.
Finish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
For a creamy soup, take the cooked carrots, mash and pass them through a sieve, then add about 2 cups (16 fl oz) hot beef or vegetable broth.
Simmer another 30 minutes for a delicate velvety carrot soup.

Estimated Calories

60 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need about 10 minutes to slice the carrots and gather your ingredients. The carrots cook slowly over very low heat for 2 to 3 hours until soft and tender. Each serving has about 60 calories, and the recipe serves 4.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.