Tasty tasty Hardtack?!

[Carbon 6]

From what I've been able to find the dough was of very low hydration, like a pasta dough. This makes sense when your goal is to dry it like a brick ( why waste time and energy removing extra water.). Since it's unleaven, there's no need for high hydration.

This stiff dough required a lot of "compression " to knead it.

 

[nbforestiv]

King syrup was a mainstay since I can remember years ago it came in 1 gal. tins with a snap on metal lid like a gal. of paint, Done some checking and was told the company that made it went out of business, so the search is on as I use at least 2 gal. every year when making sweet deer bologna, sweet jerkey and other various applications such as the goya cracker bed time snack or thick sliced homemade bread smeared with king syrup and a glass of milk, The closest I have came to it is KARO dark syrup almost same flavor but not as thick. Will have to run a small test batch of deer bologna and see how it works out. Also check the price on Amazon I could buy it around here something like 4 dollars for a large bottle I believe amazon was around 20 dollars if they can get it. I will have to make a trip to Lancaster Penna. and talk to the Amish folks to see what they are using for shoo fly pie another favorite.

You folks ever try pure sorghum molasses with no additives, or Baer Rabbit syrup, dark Karo is only good if your making Karo Pecan pies!

 

[Bob McBride]

You folks ever try pure sorghum molasses with no additives, or Baer Rabbit syrup, dark Karo is only good if your making Karo Pecan pies!

Sorghum on a biscuit in the morning with coffee is heaven. Grandpa was a baer rabbit man. Good stuff. Rich like a good molasses should be.

I’m with you syrup elitists. Maple Syrup is to BP as Aunt Jemima is to Subs. They both work fine but one is much yummier.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I use the brier rabbit when making jerky but it is a bit too much for bologna, as too maple syrup only the real stuff no imitation.

 

[tenngun]

George Dodd, in Volume V of his extraordinary series British Manufacturers (London: 1808-1881) tells us that in making ships biscuit,

'The dough was‥taken from the trough and put on a wooden platform called the break. On this platform worked a roller, called the break⁓staff.‥ One end‥was loosely attached by a kind of staple to the wall, and the breakman, riding or sitting on the other end, worked the roller to and fro over the dough, by an uncouth jumping or shuffling movement'.


View attachment 41556

We have to keep in mind us and them. I make four pounds at a time and that last a year or more. Even going to an event I don’t eat a pound of bread a day. Instead I will add a piece to a stew or make up some small pudding/duff, or grind a piece to bread some meat.
These boys were cooking it up by the ton. The ‘seventy pieces a minute’ means eighteen pounds

 

[Canute Rex]

A ship's biscuit from 1848. I have a period account of making biscuit, will dig it up and post.

The hexagonal shape of the biscuit makes perfect sense. Less likely to lose a corner than a square biscuit, and yet the hexagonal shapes can be cut from a sheet of dough without any waste.

That illustration of the man "Riding the Break" to knead the dough is exactly what a few noodle makers in China still do to make "Bamboo Pole" noodles. The dough is so stiff that the maker rigs a ~4' diameter bamboo pole just as illustrated and works the dough with one leg hooked over it. I have made a setup like that with a steel pipe to make noodles. Works fine.

 

[Carbon 6]

That illustration of the man "Riding the Break" to knead the dough is exactly what a few noodle makers in China still do to make "Bamboo Pole" noodles.

Yes, I also have seen them used in China to make noodle dough. Never gave them much thought until now.

 

[Carbon 6]

Anyone eat Rusks ?
The tasty won't break your teeth version of hardtack.

 

[BigCity]

Speaking of syrup anyone notice that KING syrup is no longer being made, now on the search for a suitable replacement, any suggestions. The goya crackers were good with a bit of warm milk just enough to make them moist and a dizzle of KING syrup.

Not true Appalachian Hunter. I have King syrup in my cabinet now. Made in New York now, originally in Baltimore. I doubt if you can get it in a paint can size however. The size I have is 32 ounces.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Big city where did you purchase it. I knew it was originally made in Baltimore but upon asking several places was told the company went out of business. I have a hunting buddy who lives near Baltimore even have him looking. The can thing was many years ago.

 

[Carbon 6]

I saw it on Amazon and eBay.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Thank you for your reply as I also checked those sites and it was very expensive if in stock. It just is no longer available in the regular grocery stores as I have looked everywhere near where I live, also had a hunting buddy who lives near Baltimore Md. looking none existence for this product.

 

[Carbon 6]

It just is no longer available in the regular grocery stores

You should ask the store manager. He may still be able to get it, it just may have been taken off the order list due to low store sales. He might be able to order you a case. Stores don't stock everything that is available to them, shelf space is at a premium.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I believe what we are seeing is the last of stock that vendors are attempting to sell at highly inflated prices, all I have spoken to about this says the same thing that it is no longer being made. You stated it was now being made in New York do you have a address for the manufacturer. As to low store sales the area I live in has a lot of Mennonite families and I also ask some of them, they say the same thing. No shoo fly pies at this time, those folks used a lot of King syrup.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Forgot to add that in the past, this area it was on the shelves for as long as I can remember. It was a mainstay in my neck of the woods.

 

[Zonie]

Some digging on the web gives this as the new manufacturer.

Carrage House Companys, Inc.
196 Newton Street
Fredonia, New York 14063
U.S.A.

Read more:The Carriage House Companies, Inc. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on The Carriage House Companies, Inc.


Further digging says in a Facebook post that says Carrage House Companies has been purchased by ConAgra. I don't know if this is true or not but a listing of the companies ConArga owns doesn't say anything about Carrage House or Kings Syrup.

 

[Cobra6]

My kid loves hardtack. I send him off to college each year with a couple of pounds and he chews on the hardtack during mid-terms and final exams. He says that it's convenient since he doesn't cook all that week. He also tells me that eating hardtack motivates him to do well on the exams because if he doesn't do well he'll be eating hardtack for the rest of his life. I don't think he was serious when he said that.



Cobra 6

 

[appalichian hunter]

Thanks Zonie I will do some research on this.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

KING discontinued Po-T-Rick variety of syrup, many years ago. It was molasses and golden syrup, and great for cookies or molasses beer. I will have to look to see if if King Golden syrup is still available in my area. IF it's in New York, that state had a major shutdown due to COVID, so it wouldn't surprise me that they may be taking a while to get back up to speed with supply.

Meanwhile, have any of you folks tried this stuff?

Mrs. Schlorer's Turkey Golden Table Syrup

LD

 

[appalichian hunter]

Lets hope so as this is a major part in the making of the deer bologna that I do, but if the syrup is going to be non available I have a back up plan.