By Sharon Howard Stockwell                    Cuisine Americana is a collection of stories and recipes from eight fascinating generations descended directly from Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. The book covers American style cooking through the first 250 years of our country's remarkable evolution.    A rare compilation of recipes, passed down from my Grandmothers and Mother, acted as impelling testimony to the value of culinary creativity as a comfort to family life through the inevitable crisis that challenge each generation.  It was my own personal disaster that opened the door to a venue for Star Chefs, a popular Foodie Blog and this Cook Book.    The early death of my husband and partner seemed to be unbearable, and yet, the pathway to survival led me directly to the heroic stories of my courageous ancestors.  Each inspiring woman, in her own way, made life a banquet in the middle of chaos, with the bounty from her creative kitchen.   I set about restoring my just purchased landmark adobe in Montecito, California, almost immediately after the catastrophe.  I had no choice, and when the history of my landmark was revealed I found that it was one of the earliest stagecoach stops and wineries on the west coast.    As the renovation transpired, tales of the haunted kitchen and the large adjoining room, made the experience even more enchanting.  From some mysterious source, the vision of the old adobe, as a place to teach and enjoy the food and wine of a celebrated region, turned into a burning desire for the new widow.    Treading treacherous financial waters, almost against all odds, the adobe was completed with a chef’s kitchen including a monstrous Wolf Range that acts as a stage for the culinary stars who come and teach the classes that always turn into a party.  The Masini has welcomed extraordinary culinary talents and guest from all over the world.   Next came the Foodie Blog that chronicles the events in the old adobe.  All along the cook book was taking shape. Not at all intended to be simply historical, I have recreated the recipes so that they will excite today's cooks with a fresh natural approach to the classic favorites, just like my foodie blog, “Jefferson’s Table”, http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/, that receives thousands of visitors from 104 countries worldwide.                      Table of Contents:   Introduction   Standing in the darkening twilight of Mr. Jefferson’s wine cellar it dawned on me.  With eyes scanning the racks for his vintages, my heart was racing and I knew that the story of this exquisite reverence for the superlatives in all facets of living, exemplified by Monticello, the great man’s creation, needs to be retold with a fresh pen.  I realized there and then just how clearly we, as Americans, are forever molded by where we came from. In a significant way, it’s a dramatic story of surviving challenge and hardship with gracious bearing by creating a banquet in the center of chaos.   All my life the blessing of my birthright as a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson, has lit my way on an enriched journey.  The best part of my heartening experience has been the remarkable culinary legacy that each generation of women, directly descended from Thomas Jefferson’s table at Monticello, preserved and passed down to me. Compelled by this gift, I envisioned passing the message on in these pages through eight celebrations of the table complete with menus and recipes. It is my wish to reveal all the secrets of these delicious dishes, morphed on through the ages, that brought merriment and satisfaction to so many that they are still revered to this day.   Here, for a new generation of cooks, I am bringing many different styles and traditions together that tell the powerful story of eight distinct time periods in American history. These heart warming, thoroughly homemade, recipes exemplify a new concentration on fresh vegetables and farm raised meat and poultry.  This rich heritage brings us right back to the hearty roots of American home cooking.   We inherited written kitchen notes from some of the Grandmothers but many more are just learned in the kitchen of the elders who taught them, and passed the skills on by memory, year after year.  Sitting around the table we would hear the stories about all the glittering festivities, the life styles and the solemn events that marked the milestones of our family.   I also learned about all these ladies, their times and their recipes, through our own annual events and celebrations. I must explain that we often go to our annual family reception at Monticello, near Charlottesville in Virginia.  On these occasions, we descendants have the place to ourselves for a precious few hours.  We explore and retrace our steps to be sure it is as profoundly stunning as we remembered.    Jefferson’s bedroom is still heavy with his presence.  It seems he silently remains, working in his area that is just off of one side of his bed, making it easy to just roll out and resume some train of thought, finish a letter, complete a document that waited for his gifted pen or very likely list his plans for the placing of a myriad of trees, plants and seeds that he brought from Europe and many regions at home.   For the young ones, there is the delight of climbing the tiny staircases to the dome room on the third flour where it is said the Sage’s grandchildren played. The views out each window mark the talent of the owner architect and each time, just walking though the magnificent old plantation, I was newly inspired by the magic of the man who made it.   I am forever astonished by the vitality of the style he set and the power of his spectacular garden that could feed the soul as well as the belly.   All Americans can claim Monticello as their ancestral home.  We can take this unique blend of simplicity and sophistication as our own bequest.   We can inherit the secrets of the heart of the house that is unquestionably the dining room where so much of our beginning as a nation transpired. The ambiance of the table just constantly enhanced the momentous meetings and discussions that determined our course.   In so may ways this book is a pathway back to all the best our verdant and ever-resourceful country has to celebrate.  We come from a crystal clear vision that invests forever in all the basic human interests; love of the land and it’s bounty, unending curiosity and creativity and an honest passionate dedication to living well with artful naturalness.    And now I would like to introduce my Ancestors…   Generation One  - “The First American Generation”        Patsy   Martha Jefferson Randolph 1772-1836 – The Mistress of Monticello   Thomas Jefferson’s oldest surviving child, pictured above, was tall and slim with angular features and red hair. She had freckles and was notoriously nearsighted, always needing spectacles. Here she appears visually resolute and intensely serious.  Looking closer, there is no denying a subtle softness in her eyes that seems to express the true concern for humanity we would expect from this child of the Enlightenment.   An exceptional woman, she was lauded in her day for her intellect, her many talents including dancer, harpsichord player, horsewoman and above all as a most gifted hostess and cook.   Her distinguished accomplishments must include the title, 3rd First Lady of the United States and Mother of the first child born in the White House.   As the daughter of a genius, she was enriched daily with Jefferson’s boundless imagination and limitless rich educational experiences. Devoted, the famous Father molded her with brilliant light.  Nicknamed, “Patsy”, as a child, she was made for magnificent things by a brilliant architect. Sadly, the pressure, to be all that the creator wished, and the inordinate trials of her lifetime, instilled a sober-mindedness, an intensity of spirit that was often daunting in its gravity.   When her Mother died, Patsy was only 10 years old and soon she was sent to a convent school in Paris where her Father was serving as American Minister.  Martha evolved into her imposing Monticello management roll as a matter of course, picking up all the refinement and poise in style and manners from the titillating tables of France to thrilling experiences as Hostess at the Whitehouse while her Father was President.   Like all the women at Monticello, Martha was a brilliant seamstress and even hat maker and this was a constant occupation to keep the bevy of daughters and granddaughters dressed with style.  They would have made a graceful picture, all gathered, scampering and skipping with pleasure, on the flower trimmed grassy ellipse of the west portal.   As Jefferson’s daughter, Martha became his eminent partner in all matters concerning the plantation, and more, she shared his intellectual and philosophical pursuits.  The two were often just sitting together at the fireplace in the dining room reading or discussing lofty notions.  They loved to speak French together, constantly reading passages of poetry or singing while Patsy played.  Oftentimes, after dinner, the entire family entertained one another with music and dancing.   Her duties as, “Mistress of Monticello”, included overseeing the kitchen the cooks and a grand array of others needed for such an enormous household with a constant stream of visitors and guests.  There are a number of recipes that she penned for continual use during these festivities. This responsibility was called, “carrying the keys” and all performed under the gaze of the one who designed the keys, the Sage of Monticello, lovingly called, “Mr. Jefferson”.   Through her long life she experienced the ultimate heartbreak, the loss of several of her children through horrendous illnesses.  Her continual battle with the need for money to keep the plantation going and finally seeing it decline in awesome chaos was a cruel agony.  Even though Martha was compelled with a heavy heart to sell Monticello after Jefferson died, and to live out her life with her children, widowed and bankrupt, it was noted that she was forever a gallant lady with an unequaled sense of compassion and hospitality.              By Sharon Howard Stockwell                    Cuisine Americana is a collection of stories and recipes from eight fascinating generations descended directly from Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. The book covers American style cooking through the first 250 years of our country's remarkable evolution.    A rare compilation of recipes, passed down from my Grandmothers and Mother, acted as impelling testimony to the value of culinary creativity as a comfort to family life through the inevitable crisis that challenge each generation.  It was my own personal disaster that opened the door to a venue for Star Chefs, a popular Foodie Blog and this Cook Book.    The early death of my husband and partner seemed to be unbearable, and yet, the pathway to survival led me directly to the heroic stories of my courageous ancestors.  Each inspiring woman, in her own way, made life a banquet in the middle of chaos, with the bounty from her creative kitchen.   I set about restoring my just purchased landmark adobe in Montecito, California, almost immediately after the catastrophe.  I had no choice, and when the history of my landmark was revealed I found that it was one of the earliest stagecoach stops and wineries on the west coast.    As the renovation transpired, tales of the haunted kitchen and the large adjoining room, made the experience even more enchanting.  From some mysterious source, the vision of the old adobe, as a place to teach and enjoy the food and wine of a celebrated region, turned into a burning desire for the new widow.    Treading treacherous financial waters, almost against all odds, the adobe was completed with a chef’s kitchen including a monstrous Wolf Range that acts as a stage for the culinary stars who come and teach the classes that always turn into a party.  The Masini has welcomed extraordinary culinary talents and guest from all over the world.   Next came the Foodie Blog that chronicles the events in the old adobe.  All along the cook book was taking shape. Not at all intended to be simply historical, I have recreated the recipes so that they will excite today's cooks with a fresh natural approach to the classic favorites, just like my foodie blog, “Jefferson’s Table”, http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/, that receives thousands of visitors from 104 countries worldwide.                      Table of Contents:   Introduction   Standing in the darkening twilight of Mr. Jefferson’s wine cellar it dawned on me.  With eyes scanning the racks for his vintages, my heart was racing and I knew that the story of this exquisite reverence for the superlatives in all facets of living, exemplified by Monticello, the great man’s creation, needs to be retold with a fresh pen.  I realized there and then just how clearly we, as Americans, are forever molded by where we came from. In a significant way, it’s a dramatic story of surviving challenge and hardship with gracious bearing by creating a banquet in the center of chaos.   All my life the blessing of my birthright as a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson, has lit my way on an enriched journey.  The best part of my heartening experience has been the remarkable culinary legacy that each generation of women, directly descended from Thomas Jefferson’s table at Monticello, preserved and passed down to me. Compelled by this gift, I envisioned passing the message on in these pages through eight celebrations of the table complete with menus and recipes. It is my wish to reveal all the secrets of these delicious dishes, morphed on through the ages, that brought merriment and satisfaction to so many that they are still revered to this day.   Here, for a new generation of cooks, I am bringing many different styles and traditions together that tell the powerful story of eight distinct time periods in American history. These heart warming, thoroughly homemade, recipes exemplify a new concentration on fresh vegetables and farm raised meat and poultry.  This rich heritage brings us right back to the hearty roots of American home cooking.   We inherited written kitchen notes from some of the Grandmothers but many more are just learned in the kitchen of the elders who taught them, and passed the skills on by memory, year after year.  Sitting around the table we would hear the stories about all the glittering festivities, the life styles and the solemn events that marked the milestones of our family.   I also learned about all these ladies, their times and their recipes, through our own annual events and celebrations. I must explain that we often go to our annual family reception at Monticello, near Charlottesville in Virginia.  On these occasions, we descendants have the place to ourselves for a precious few hours.  We explore and retrace our steps to be sure it is as profoundly stunning as we remembered.    Jefferson’s bedroom is still heavy with his presence.  It seems he silently remains, working in his area that is just off of one side of his bed, making it easy to just roll out and resume some train of thought, finish a letter, complete a document that waited for his gifted pen or very likely list his plans for the placing of a myriad of trees, plants and seeds that he brought from Europe and many regions at home.   For the young ones, there is the delight of climbing the tiny staircases to the dome room on the third flour where it is said the Sage’s grandchildren played. The views out each window mark the talent of the owner architect and each time, just walking though the magnificent old plantation, I was newly inspired by the magic of the man who made it.   I am forever astonished by the vitality of the style he set and the power of his spectacular garden that could feed the soul as well as the belly.   All Americans can claim Monticello as their ancestral home.  We can take this unique blend of simplicity and sophistication as our own bequest.   We can inherit the secrets of the heart of the house that is unquestionably the dining room where so much of our beginning as a nation transpired. The ambiance of the table just constantly enhanced the momentous meetings and discussions that determined our course.   In so may ways this book is a pathway back to all the best our verdant and ever-resourceful country has to celebrate.  We come from a crystal clear vision that invests forever in all the basic human interests; love of the land and it’s bounty, unending curiosity and creativity and an honest passionate dedication to living well with artful naturalness.    And now I would like to introduce my Ancestors…   Generation One  - “The First American Generation”        Patsy   Martha Jefferson Randolph 1772-1836 – The Mistress of Monticello   Thomas Jefferson’s oldest surviving child, pictured above, was tall and slim with angular features and red hair. She had freckles and was notoriously nearsighted, always needing spectacles. Here she appears visually resolute and intensely serious.  Looking closer, there is no denying a subtle softness in her eyes that seems to express the true concern for humanity we would expect from this child of the Enlightenment.   An exceptional woman, she was lauded in her day for her intellect, her many talents including dancer, harpsichord player, horsewoman and above all as a most gifted hostess and cook.   Her distinguished accomplishments must include the title, 3rd First Lady of the United States and Mother of the first child born in the White House.   As the daughter of a genius, she was enriched daily with Jefferson’s boundless imagination and limitless rich educational experiences. Devoted, the famous Father molded her with brilliant light.  Nicknamed, “Patsy”, as a child, she was made for magnificent things by a brilliant architect. Sadly, the pressure, to be all that the creator wished, and the inordinate trials of her lifetime, instilled a sober-mindedness, an intensity of spirit that was often daunting in its gravity.   When her Mother died, Patsy was only 10 years old and soon she was sent to a convent school in Paris where her Father was serving as American Minister.  Martha evolved into her imposing Monticello management roll as a matter of course, picking up all the refinement and poise in style and manners from the titillating tables of France to thrilling experiences as Hostess at the Whitehouse while her Father was President.   Like all the women at Monticello, Martha was a brilliant seamstress and even hat maker and this was a constant occupation to keep the bevy of daughters and granddaughters dressed with style.  They would have made a graceful picture, all gathered, scampering and skipping with pleasure, on the flower trimmed grassy ellipse of the west portal.   As Jefferson’s daughter, Martha became his eminent partner in all matters concerning the plantation, and more, she shared his intellectual and philosophical pursuits.  The two were often just sitting together at the fireplace in the dining room reading or discussing lofty notions.  They loved to speak French together, constantly reading passages of poetry or singing while Patsy played.  Oftentimes, after dinner, the entire family entertained one another with music and dancing.   Her duties as, “Mistress of Monticello”, included overseeing the kitchen the cooks and a grand array of others needed for such an enormous household with a constant stream of visitors and guests.  There are a number of recipes that she penned for continual use during these festivities. This responsibility was called, “carrying the keys” and all performed under the gaze of the one who designed the keys, the Sage of Monticello, lovingly called, “Mr. Jefferson”.   Through her long life she experienced the ultimate heartbreak, the loss of several of her children through horrendous illnesses.  Her continual battle with the need for money to keep the plantation going and finally seeing it decline in awesome chaos was a cruel agony.  Even though Martha was compelled with a heavy heart to sell Monticello after Jefferson died, and to live out her life with her children, widowed and bankrupt, it was noted that she was forever a gallant lady with an unequaled sense of compassion and hospitality.            Dining at Monticello   Imagine walking up the chocolate colored brick path  to the east portico entrance as it sets the mood right for the quintessential American dinning experience that is to come.  As a spectacular preamble, there is the ride up “little mountain”, that is, in May, made enchanted with a wild spattering of thousands of white dogwood blooms, now sparkling, yet twinkling, in the trees.  The porch is gleaming with many coats of paint while the moldings are soft and creamy, completely formalized with stately deep forest green shutters.    Soon the guests are greeted by a giant black man, with a balding head festooned in pale grey crinkly curls.  Altogether splendid, with his perfect manner, a blend of careful ceremonious gestures and warm hospitality, he ushers the wide-eyed into the sizeable, two story, entry salon filled with curiosities, both American Indian and anthropological.   Contemplate the display of awesome mammoth bones and ornate arrangements of arrows and Indian bonnets as decor.  Everyone is escorted through French doors into the dining room on the right. Standing taller than expected, Jefferson is leaning lightly on the mantle reading.  He wears buff colored breeches, a creamy white collarless shirt with breast tucking, a handsome, finely tailored, deep maroon jacket.  His Spartan ensemble is finished off with dashing black, mid-calf boots, completed at the top with a neat rust cuff.   As he looks up in greeting, the grace of his person, almost startling in it’s perfection, the softness and intelligence in his pale hazel eyes, brings out a delighted murmur from the guests.  It is, as when, famous figures are actually met in person, and the true magnitude of their character is made clear.  With this, the mystery of why they are so revered is instantly unraveled.   Martha Randolph, Jefferson’s daughter, enters with several other family members.  The women have an informal yet stately neoclassical style with high waistlines on outer dresses that cover an under gown with high necks and often fashionable lacy cuffs. Hair is softly stacked on the head with frothy swirling short curls at the temples. There is a splendid casual ease that permeates the event.  Like the authentic American aura itself, this distinct combination of homespun and elegant prevails.   Everyone is seated where they wish and they begin the first course that is already laid out.  The second course is wheeled out on several serving carts by two young men in ordinary attire, as if members of the family.   All the many dishes, shown in the menu below, are presented for the guests to help themselves.     The table is cleared and the next course brings the desserts complete with Jefferson’s famous ice cream and finally, the last course that includes nuts, sweetmeats and fruit.  Drinks during the meal are only beer or cider.  The wine that made dining at Monticello so memorable came at the end so as to be properly savored and create a glowing atmosphere for the real star of the evening, the art of conversation.                               Menu   Half-Virginian, half-French Style, these dishes have been lovingly  passed down from Jefferson’s table to the expert cook, in all the generations to follow, and now they are ready to grace the tables of  the 21st Century.     Okra Soup Fricassee of Chicken - Glazed Ham Loin of Veal - Beefsteak Pie Turnips - Peas with Sugar & Hearts of Lettuce Carrot & Parsnip Gratin Noodles a la Macaroni – Soft Polenta  Cheese Curd Pudding with Cream Sauce Ice Cream - Brandied Peaches - Snow Eggs Nuts, Sweetmeats, and Fruit       Table liquors were beer & cider often brewed or pressed at Monticello. Wines following the meal ~ Sauternes, Burgundies and Champagne’s Imported from many vineyards ~ France, Italy, Portugal & Spain.             Menu Recipes: Okra Soup White Fricassee of Chicken Glazed Ham & Chipotle Sauce Monticello Beefsteak Pie             Turnips with cheese             Peas with sugar & hearts of lettuce Carrot & Parsnip Gratin Noodles a la Macaroni Polenta Cheese Curd Pudding Ice Cream Brandied Peaches Snow Eggs   Additional Recipes: Chartreuse             Podrilla a la Creole Fish with Potatoes Wine Jelly             Meringues                                   
                       About the Author:      Sharon Howard Stockwell is the eighth generation of granddaughters directly descended from Thomas Jefferson.    Born in Santa Barbara, California, she is now a notable director of cooking classes featuring Star Chefs & Premiere Cooks at her landmark Masini Adobe in Montecito where she also hosts many winemaker dinners and release parties offering famous vintages from Santa Ynez and the Central Coast. Stockwell is also famous for her top rated Foodie Blog, “Jefferson’s Table”, http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/, that receives thousands of visitors from 96 countries worldwide.  The cookbook, Cuisine Americana,  is a classic labor of love. The book has now evolved into a way to actually describe American style cooking through eight generations with the carefully preserved original recipes that span the first 250 years of our country's remarkable evolution.   class=Section2> Descendants of Thomas Jefferson Indented Chart       Thomas1 Jefferson (0), b. 13 Apr 1743, d. 4 Jul 1826 +Martha (Wayles)1 Skelton, b. 1748, m. 1 Jan 1772, d. 6 Sep 1782 ├── Martha2 Jefferson (1), b. 27 Sep 1772, d. 10 Oct 1836 │   +Thomas Mann2 Randolph, m. 23 Feb 1790 │   ├── Anne Cary3 Randolph (11), b. 23 Jan 1791, d. 11 Feb 1826 │   │   +Charles Lewis3 Bankhead, m. 19 Sep 1808 │   │   ├── John Warner4 Bankhead (111), b. 1 Dec 1810, d. 21 Nov 1897 │   │   │   +Elizabeth Poindexter4 Christian, b. 1814, m. 3 Nov 1832, d. 1895 │   │   │   ├── Archer Christian5 Bankhead (1111), b. 15 Sep 1833, d. 2 Apr 1906 │   │   │   │   +Mary Graves5 Chambers, m. 10 Jun 1857 │   │   │   │   ├── John Warren6 Bankhead (11111), b. 25 Feb 1859, d. 19 Oct 1916 │   │   │   │   │   +Selma Presca6 Purgahn, m. 4 Nov 1886 │   │   │   │   │   ├── Charles Archie7 Bankhead (111111), b. 28 Apr 1887, d. 1 Jan 1976 │   │   │   │   │   │   +Vera7 Rees, m. 5 Jan 1909 │   │   │   │   │   │   ├── Audrey Louise8 Bankhead (1111112), b. 16 May 1913 │   │   │   │   │   │   │   +Joseph Eugene8 Howard, m. 21 Apr 1935 │   │   │   │   │   │   │   ├── Sharon Jo Ann9 Howard (11111121), b. 31 Oct 1939 │   │   │   │   │   │   │   │   +Steven George9 Stockwell, m. 14 Jul 1962 │   │   │   │   │   │   │   │   ├── Tod Howard10 Stockwell (111111211), b. 1 Jan 1966 │   │   │   │   │   │   │   │   └── Charlton Howard10 Stockwell (111111212), b. 29 May 1967     http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/http://jeffersonstable.typepad.com/shapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2