Recipe Manuscript

Creme D'Orge

Name: Creme D'Orge
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT2H30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 450 grams lean veal; 450 grams lean beef; 55 grams pearl barley (if unavailable, use hulled barley or arborio rice as substitute); 1 liter cold water

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

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

Creme D'Orge

"One pound of lean veal, one pound of lean beef, and two ounces of pearl barley. Put them into a quart of cold water and let it boil down to a pint. Rub all through a sieve. Melt a spoonful of this strengthening jelly when required."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe reflects the brevity and expectation of skill typical of early 20th-century instructions. Proportions are clear, but assumptions are made about the reader’s familiarity with boiling, reducing, and sieving. The phrase 'rub all through a sieve' means to press the solids firmly for a smooth, rich result—more labor-intensive than modern blending. Spelling is largely modern here, though ‘jelly’ refers to the gelatinous nature of the concentrated broth, not a sweet spread. The notion to melt a spoonful as needed suggests the finished product was stored refrigerated and reheated a little at a time.

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 hails from turn-of-the-century Creole kitchens, as recorded in the 1903 publication ‘La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages’ by Célestine Eustis. Creole cuisine blended French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences, resulting in richly layered culinary traditions. 'Crème d'Orge', or barley cream, would have been prepared as a nourishing, restorative dish, suitable for convalescents or as a gentle first course. The dish reflects both frugality and refinement—extracting maximal flavor and nutrition from simple cuts of meat and barley, common in both European and Creole households of the era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 1900s, home cooks would have used a large, heavy pot or stockpot placed over a wood or coal stove. A coarse sieve or food mill was essential for straining and pressing the cooked mixture. Simple kitchen knives for trimming meat, and a large spoon for skimming and stirring, completed the essential toolkit. Serving vessels might include a china bowl or cup for the finished jelly or broth.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs 30 mins

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

1 pound lean veal
1 pound lean beef
2 ounces pearl barley (if unavailable, use hulled barley or arborio rice as substitute)
1 quart cold water

Instructions

To recreate this early 20th-century Crème d'Orge, begin with 1 pound of lean veal and 1 pound of lean beef, trimmed of fat.
Add 2 ounces of pearl barley to the meat.
Place everything into 1 quart of cold water in a large pot.
Bring gently to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces to about 2 cups.
Skim away any scum that rises during cooking.
Once reduced, strain everything through a fine mesh sieve, pressing firmly on the solids to extract all the flavorful jelly.
When needed, melt a spoonful of this concentrated broth to serve, perhaps as a nourishing soup base or restorative drink.

Estimated Calories

90 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients. Cooking the broth takes around 2.5 to 3 hours until the liquid reduces by half. This recipe makes about 4 servings, with each serving containing roughly 90 calories.

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.