From Little House to the courthouse, the characters on your favorite shows have to eat, and that means someone is in the kitchen cooking. So, we wondered, what’s on the menu? Here are a few recipes (some centuries old that you can adapt*) that may have made their way onto the tables of your favorite characters. Enjoy our In The Kitchen with INSP series as we introduce a new recipe each week through the end of the year.

Bonanza

Before the Cartwright boys head out on a cattle drive, or get into a totally justified brawl, or fall in love at first sight with a new girl in town, they need to fuel up on a hearty breakfast. Hop Sing might fill their plates with fare such as this recipe.

Fried Ham and Eggs

Instructions

Cut the ham into slices, and take care that they are of the same thickness in every part. Cut off the rind, and if the ham should be particularly hard and salt, it will be found an improvement to soak it for about 10 minutes in hot water, and then dry it in a cloth. Put it into a cold frying-pan, set it over the fire, and turn the slices 3 or 4 times whilst they are cooking. When done, place them on a dish, which should be kept hot in front of the fire during the time the eggs are being poached. Poach the eggs, slip them on to the slices of ham, and serve quickly.

Time: 7 or 8 minutes to broil the ham. Seasonable at any time.

Note: Ham may also be toasted or broiled; but, with the latter method, to insure its being well cooked, the fire must be beautifully clear, or it will have a smoky flavour far from agreeable.

Star Fact: In addition to his film and TV career, Victor Sen Yung (Hop Sing from Bonanza) was an accomplished chef. In 1974, he wrote a cookbook on Cantonese cuisine.

Source: The Book of Household Management (1861), Vintagerecipes.net