The Colonial homemaker had to dry her spices in front of the fireplace. They were then pounded until finely powdered and sifted.Raisins are an example of the amount of effort it took to properly prepare everything for baking. Raisins, almonds, pineapples and chocolate were all imported from West Indies. Raisins had to first be washed and then firmly rubbed with a towel. This was done to remove the stems.Available flavorings commonly used in Colonial...