Listen to me more!Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter SubstitutesMy Coupon code is: Food We apparently love a competition show - so how America got Louisiana is right in there - soap opera slap fights and all.But really - this is a lead up to what we need to know to learn about the beginnings of gumbo - next week - and why the rest of the country didn't flavor up their stews with gumbo goodness with the absorbtion of La Louisiane.Frankly - the idea of a spice blend in most American Cookery - way WAY too much flavor.So to get the dirt on why Napoleon was doomed as head of state - and what that has to do with our food journey jump in!Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, w tease, it's fun)Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Holy Moly! Episode 100! I'm here! What does that mean? Not sure except I'm not so bad at this and will keep going. So keep up.Listen to me more!Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter SubstitutesMy Coupon code is: Food This week - Oysters! And some how, why spoons will out your social class. Or at least once they did.Anyway - can you be an late18th century or early 19th century soldier on the move and still get an oyster stew? Often yes. Especially when the march is The Worst through the swamps.But if you're inland - no oysters with your adventure.Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, w tease, it's fun)Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter SubstitutesPrizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (and it's much more fun)Rice is a Fine & Fancy Food at this time.So rice as food of War & Adventure... not so much.But the limiting of the usual overseas markets due to overseas chaos meant that rice was entering the American pantry all the same. It's just that... well, how do you use rice?To find out how they did it, come along.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talke about the 4 W's of Butter SubstitutesPrizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (and it's much more fun)Salt.I don't feel like I'm talking too far out of turn to say I'm feeling salty about the way modern treatment of the natural world is going.Butt if you are curious about how salt lived in the18th century - and on the road for war and adventure - Well - Listen UP!I will talk to you about that.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talke about the 4 W's of Butter SubstitutesPrizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (and it's much more fun)Come along as I talk about what we did in early America as we were doing war and conquest that set us up for far fewer fish.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Wheat goes on the roadMore Americans than ever can get wheat in this period. It's also an old school demonstration of the supply and demand ideas when stuff was made for people actually consume.The most fun - learn why wheat beer and wheat whiskey was a New Idea to Americans in the 20th century.The least fun - learn why sailors ate their hard bread in the dark.Have some apple brandy, and hear about all the ways you could consume wheat flour that wasn't bread in this period - especially if you were on the road.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

As Europeans and their decendents the Earliest Americans desired, loved and craved bread. But with wheat being a tough go generally at these early stages, the whole in their grain loving hearts was filled by corn.So when it was time to leave home and go to war, or just on adventure, corn came with them as well. As cornbread - sure - but that was actually pretty uncommon. Instead puddings, porridges and as parched corn was much more likely.Find out why cornmeal now needs wheat flour to hold together (bad) but doesn't go rancid in three month or less (good).And Corn Whiskey is back - feeding the troops and calming them down when food is short.Corn for all seasons - even when not at home.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Sugar is sugar... right?Not so much. I mean, the sugar everyone cares about it cane sugar, but honey and maple syrup & sugar are also playing a role at this point.And then war. War gets in the way of everything, especially when you end up in a war with the country supplying you most of your sugar. Twice!And then there's a whole seperate revolutioin on the other place you are getting your sugar from.1776 - 1815 were certainly fraught years for sugar in the brand new United States. Come find out how.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Three iron innovations that made a difference during this age - two on the battle front, and one in people's homes.With furnaces and forges both up and running - and expanding to meet the insatiable appitite for iron, iron workers had to eat as well.Food, wood and water - all plentiful in this new country - they made American iron cheaper than it had ever been.Also for fun - some facts about Valley Forge. Mainly why it was called that, and why it was a good place for winter quarters for the Continental Army.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Why so much Iron America?Well, it has to do with the stars, and I'll explaon why. But I'll also spend time going over how American Iron - and most Iron from the Age of Sail until the 20th Century was made - Charcoal Fired Blast Furnaces!Read enough on iron - and one gets very frustrated with not understanding the common terminology used around it. I've broken it down to the important basics so you can understand it to. Becasue iron will not stop being important to American food - coming 1st - so we can fight wars. Coming 2nd and soon - railroads!And then refrigeration and then gasoline engines and trucks and metal framed buildings that hold our grocery stores. It's inescapable, so let's take a look at the tech.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Now that American food is actually American food, we egeet to talk about the food as America starts to sort out what it wants to be.The first answer is, BIGGER!And in order to do that the country has to break away - war #1 - and then kick the parent country to show that they aree big boy now - war #2 - and then continue to push the borders of the infant countryinto the lands of other nations - wars #3 to n+1.How American food adapted to all this expansion and fighting will be the center of season 3. But we also geet Gumbo, so that's good.Hop onto the Season 3 Mule Train and lets go see the new country.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Done with only EnglandDone with Great BritainAt last we are going to be - AMERICA!That whole transition is going to be So Messy. Time to look back on what's changed over the last season and century - what it all means for a daily meal (meat, so much more meat! and from the farm)There are forks now. More people get to have their own plates and cups. Not everyone drinks beer for breakfast. Now you can also choose from tea, herbal tea or whiskey. Its a change.Subscribe so you know about bonus episodes, and when I get back on the air.See you in August!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Threads@THoAFoodTwitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodBlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Let's Go Outside and look at all the jobs out there that helped the 18th Century food-o-verse go around.While not every job outside the home was food related in the 18th century - quite a few of them were. I take you through Grain, Livestock, Fish, Sugar, Iron and Wood. There's a detour through buldings and even a shoutout to the American McMansion.Lots of fun pictures this week.McMansion Hell: The Faux quarried blocks look - https://mcmansionhell.com/post/707909502449614849/every-small-city-has-that-one-dictator-chic-houseFieldstone:Newport Tower - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newport_Tower_(Rhode_Island)Grove Park Inn - https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/dining/great-hall-barAll the old northern European style buildings in America are made of wood:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_oldest_buildings_in_the_United_StatesOmohundro Institute: https://oieahc.wm.edu/Ben Franklin's World: https://benfranklinsworld.com/Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Send in your Questions! Chemistry Class for food is back and this time it is protein. Again, no tests and no homework.Fascinating Topics Addressed:Why amino acids are called that;Where protein as a substance was identified in chemistry experiments;What a peptide bond is;Why proteins inspire micro manufacturing;Can you survive only eating aminos - but no proteins;How we get energy from protein;And I say primordial ooze. As always - you can catch the Dinosaur Neil Episode of the The Tick here: "Don't eat in the Lab or you might turn into a Dinosaur!" References - The Tick v. Dinosaur Neil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J8HxakmkWU Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/ Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFood Instagram: @THoAFood

Shout out to the National Park Service! Hallowell Furnace is a beautiful spot all full of history.So what does it take to run an 18th century house - inside? Who does the work? (and how glad am I to live in the. age of not just running water - but hot running water?)It's women and children working on the household jobs - find out what kind of women and children. But mostly - an update on the orphan situation.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Deep Fat Frying has come to the North American British colonies... how far away could the French fry be?Not the question I'm answering. Not yet. Instead, it's a look at the arrival of savory deep fried food in (pre) America. What are it's roots, and how it came from a different place than sweet fried foods. Incredible.And why fried foods were a bigger thing in the south east than everywhere else in the country before the railroad showed up and scrambled everything up.Oh! Check out these pictures of the ridiculously huge oil bean seeds (plus a recipe for using them):https://ounjealadun.com/2022/10/25/ofe-ugba/Send in Qestions for the End of Season 2 show in just 3 (or maybe 4) weeks!Interested in @notyourmommashistory (insta) Cheyney McKnight or #letstalkaboutslavery ?Find her on fb Not Your Mommas History, gmail; [email protected] or http://www.notyourmommashistory.com/See how to really use a spider.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Time to send me question for the end of Season 2 question show!Getting around the colonies.South of the Mason-Dixon Line, there is way more water transport than I had realized. Which lead to fewer roads and more little trails than I expected. And the political philosophies tied up in why it was that way go deeper than I ever knew.So yes, there's discussion of roads or no roads - but we end up a little bit in the political philosophy weeds.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Tell me about your local library or history resource!Round 2: Her Half of History - written and presented by Lori Davishttps://herhalfofhistory.com/This week - how did stuff get around the colonies, and back out into the world?Why were port cities the only big cities?Were they all the same? Who did what where?For part one of the answer join me this week to see why food export was not the game north of the Mason-Dixon line. Also learn just how old that line was, and how petty the reason for its existence was.The philosophy of the these colonies was markedly different from that of most of their southern neighbors. Find out how this week. And I'll wrap this all up next week - including how weird North Carolina was.And send me your questions for the end of season question show!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Tell me about your local library or history resource!Round 1: Kelsey Creek Farm - sheep shearing, farm life and animal carehttps://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/parks/community-centers/kelsey-creek-farm/visiting-the-farmLooking for a great Spring Dish - that's mostly greens and herbs... with just aenough egg to hold it all together? Kuku Sabzi:http://persianfoodtours.com/kuku-sabzi-persian-herb-frittata/ (you can sub dried cranberries – as lightly sweetened as you can find them or unsweetened – for the barberries if you can’t find those.)Look - Americans don't forage. Or we don't forage much. Or we pay for other people to forage.Why have we lost to knack of it? Well, we've been working to make foraging weird or only for profit, and no longer for fun - for centuries as this point.Anyway - look up local foraging books AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!or follow @BlackForager on the Instaand join your local mushroom club.And send me your questions for the end of season question show!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Pemmican Week - Part 1 - the intro. (Part 2 comes in a later season)It’s a favorite food for a variety of American Fad diets that cost a lot to follow. Yet it has a skilled and knowledge filled past, along with its own origin story. Learn what pemmican is, why we call it that, and some wicked foreshadowing as you learn how it’s about to turn the prairies of the Americas upside down. Oh yeah, and I make a wild leap of logic about the sexism of European translation of the Cree language. I sure know how to provide fun party conversation ideas. Anyway, learn about salmon pemmican and the origin of modern American Army C-rations, if not MRE’s. Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

This week I deal pretty frankly with the facts of turning animals into food. There is a little discussion of blood and guts - and how removing them from an animal transformed it from a dead animal into meat - that is, food. These are essential transformations we don’t think about much - but they are unavoidable steps if you are going to eat meat. ANd it is a lot of work we almost never see anymore.Beyond that - it’s a look at what animals most people were eating most of the time. And what circumstances helped arrange things that way. In other words, yes, another episode of lists of animals. The two cool books:US History in 15 Foods by Anna ZeideThe Larder - Edited by by John T. Edge, Elizabeth S.D. Engelhardt & Ted OwnbyThis week the essay, “Bodies of the Dead” by Wiley C. Prewitt Jr. was particularly usefulMusic Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

I love coffee and I love sugar (and tea and chocolate for the record). This is clearly a typical human response. I am also unhappy about their history and their present conditions of production. This episode is dedicated to understanding the history & why I think these things are luxuries - and should be somewhat condiered so - but also that treating the people producing them will not only make ALL our lives better but preserve the agricultural health of the planet.Seriously - good working conditions for agricultural labor only makes all human life better. It ain't bad for the animals either.Anyway - hit me up if you are playing around with coffee cherry products. FYI - Here's one translation of Bernardin St. Pierre's Diary. I was not making it up: https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0088/ch1-32.xhtmlMusic Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

If for no other reason, listen this week to hear me say "Worcestershire" while looking at the word.This week it's ketchup - and what it was before tomatoes got involved. You'll learn about the history, and find out about all sorts of sauces that can reasonably stand in for the 18th century no sugar versions.A link so you can make your own:Towndends - How to Make Mushroom Ketchup - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29u_FejNuksLinks to some podcasts that go deep on Fish Sauce - if you you're interested:Unchefed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unchefed/id1578898329?i=1000563764347Gastropod: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gastropod/id918896288?i=1000570523345All those sauces I mentioned:Mushroom Soy Sauce - https://umamicart.com/products/lkk-mushroom-dark-soy-sauceOyster Soy Sauce - https://japanesetaste.com/products/asamurasaki-natural-oyster-soy-sauce-600mlSalsa Lizano - https://www.amazon.com/Lizano-Salsa-Sauce-23-7/dp/B078FHCJG7Kitchen Bouquet - https://www.hiddenvalleykitchens.com/products/kitchen-bouquet/browning-seasoning-sauce/Gravy Master - https://myflavormaster.com/HP Sauce - https://www.hpsauce.co.uk/ Maggi Seasoning - https://www.nestleprofessional.us/maggi/maggi-seasoning-6-x-27-fluid-ouncesKnorr Liquid Seasoning - https://www.knorr.com/ph/knorr-products/knorr-liquid-seasoning/knorr-liquid-seasoning.htmlMusic Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

This week it's fruit's turn, and time to learn which fruits are locals, which are imports and how they got to North America, and into the colonial pantry.We glance briefly at fruits we've covered, mention familiar imports and look at the known locals - cranberries & blueberries and the surprise - strawberries!Then we examine the famous imports - tomatoes, melons and chilies and see where they came from and how they got here. I spend time pondering how the eggplant may have determined who liked tomatoes first. And why watermelon with chili and lime is a fusion food we need to thank Mexico for putting together.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

All the "normal" colonial vegetables were foreign. Or they were imports anyway. Except for the famous ones - pumpkins (which are a fruit) and corn (which is a grain - mostly). But what is up with potatoes?All about potatoes - both kinds - and the general inability for English people to come up with useful descriptive clearly definative names for new stuff.Alsp how the Incan potato and the sweet potato did a complete status switcharoo in the colonies, and how pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie are the first American successes at fusion food.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Turns out colonists were making mixed drinks in America... before there was America, or cocktails (officially). Some were elborate and required prep-work (syllabub, cherry bounce), some were super familliar (whiskey Tod?), and some were just a shot and a beer - but together - probobly.If you want to know what the equivalent of rolling up to the bar and asking for a Jack and Coke in the days before either of those existed, stop in for a listen.And yes - the Mint Julep is older than America, but not the version with chipped ice. That's later.If you want to hear me do a bad job of pronouncing Portuguese, this is also your chance. Aguardente.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

THe 17th century was the age of Rum. The 18th century has a new fighter, Whisky or Whiskey - choose your spelling.How is happened, and where it was most important are all explored. There's some brandy and such, but these other things aren't as important, and don't shape the economic futiure the way whiskey and rum do.This week follow their adventures - you'll have to wait for next week to learn about all the mixed drinks - tasty and otherwise of the age.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Was there wine in the North American British Colonies?No, but yes. There was pricey imported wine, and there were also other fruit wines - including stuff made from some of the American grapes.But no one was selling wine, and definitely no one was exporting any.All the reasons why, and the most maddening bug in the wine world all get described.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Horses - it's an issue we've basically used the whole country and most of history to run away from. Find out how the American horse problem started - and far we have not come in 300 years.Also - does your town have a Race St? FInd out why today!I'm not going to solve the American Horse problem, but I hope you can be more thoughtful about it - and maybe then you can solve it?Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Eggs & ChickensIn the 18th century eggs made practical and fancy food (cake!). Chickens made fancy food. Or at least special occasion food. If you wanted bird meat, you usually ate it wild.Chickens on the other hand were always underfoot. They were just there. Until it was time to develop the fancy chicken. Hear all about how the rising demand for more art, and the changing economics of paintings lead to lots and lots of chicken art!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Hey!Hey, Guess what?Did you know that pigs have many names... and many fats. No, please. Wait. Don't run away from me. I'm really here to talk about dental health and delcious sausages. Does this sound like a strange pairing. You migh be correct. Anyway. I just got back from a Boucherie. For the 5th time, so maybe that's a lame excuse. Really, what I'm trying to say is there is no modern American breakfast without piggies. Ask me how. I dare you? No I mean that nicely. I have sausages I desperately want you to like!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

This week we are about to lose an original member off the leader board.But before the pumpkin slips away for a few seasons, I'll share with you why American food pumpkin dishes are so boring, despite this country being the home of the pumpkin, plus another slightly terrifying but very surprising fact.So enjoy!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

Well, well, well. Still not eating whale are we? Why in the heck are you talking about whale in a food podcast then? Turns out the global trade that lead to the pelagic (open ocean) whaling trade is a follow on of the "food for sea" in development.The same thinking about food in action (travel food) will become essential to soon-future-America's expansionist and war dreams (not always different).Anyway - reading at night used to smell like whale oil... if you were lucky.Look at that glow of your phone a bit differently my friend.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFoodPost: @THoAFood

This week one of my cats makes his debut in sound design. His playing about in the closet makes me it seem as if I have Very Strong Feelings about trends in rich people food. But mostly this is a look into the past of large-whale eating on a global scale up until about the 18th century. There are also surprises around how long it took Europeans to agree that whales are not fish. The pre-modern relationship to fat comes in to play - when you are most of your own heating source for most of the day, consuming fat has a different purposefulness.And I spend a fair amount of time sorting out why most Americans have probobly never met anyone who knows what whale meat tastes like.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

OK - No regular episode, just a bonus one. But the season of Misrule is just going to do that to us here in the 18th Century. It's kindof a chemistry class - but worry not - no tests and no homework.This feels like a timely episode for those of us in the snow belt, since it helps you understand why salting the sidewalk prevents ice. But mainly I take the long way - through fire and dynamite - to explain why you make ice from water by causing already frozen ice to melt using salt.Chemical bonds are interesting little things, and the phase changes of matter are strange places where energy exchange can cause things to happen that don't make sense at the human scale.Oh - and snowflakes have six sides becase of the bent shape of water molecules - and the fact that they have a negative middle and positive ends.All sorts of tiny trivia that will make the mundane ice - water - steam cycle seem interesting and possibly dangerous. Or at least inspire you to use hotpads in the kitchen.As always - you can catch the Dinosaur Neil Episode of the The Tick here:"Don't eat in the Lab or you might turn into a Dinosaur!" References - The Tick v. Dinosaur Neil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J8HxakmkWUMusic Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Deer are really cute. Well baby deer are cute. We've been making pictures of them for ages. We've been making pants and shoes and stuff of deer generally for even longer though. And while people generally agree that deer are darn tasty, Americans continue to regard them as either exotic meat or food for the fancy rich or the rustic poor - but never everyday food for normal people. Not for regular Americans on a regular basis anyway. Some of the the why may lie in the 18th century colonial adventures with deer.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Wood continues to do it all!But this time, mainly as charcoal. It makes iron, it ages booze, it's necessary for barbecue, it makes gunpowder. Charcoal - where did it come from, how does it happen, and a whole list of things it can do. Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Wood! It is back, and now it's worth money.You get to hear about how the iron industry wrecked English wood stocks, the King's Broad Arrow, crusty New Hampshire-ians & the Pine Tree Riot, fancy woodworking and just how there were so many MANY barrels rolling around the New World. Oh and how you can date pictures approximately by looking at the hoops on barrels. This week the blog will also have really pretty pictures of marquetry - that is - fancy wood inlay. Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

I was almost done with this super cool look at wood and charcoal - and then my computer went down. I have to completely rewrite the 6 pages I already had - AHHHHH! Even the outline I wrote for myself went POOF!But enough doom and gloom. Instead of killing myself, I'm hitting the kitchen to make béchamel and lots of delicious other stuff. And you can revisit my Tour de Turkey.Plus a blast from the past of 1901.See you next week - back in my usual form.------Finally - the truth comes out. Why is this truly American bird called the name of a country it was never from? And is it true your Thanksgiving turkey came from… 16th century Mexico, and not New England… at all? And we’ll continue to follow the baffling saga of Colonists taking perfectly good domestic animals and letting them get feral.All this and more on this week's episode of The History of American Food!(*cue jaunty synth music from ‘80s evening magazine style show*)Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Biscuit Biscuit BiscuitThere are few baking words that can elicit so much general consternation.Cupcake - maybe? But mostly not since most of the world can agree on cupcake, but biscuit is a word that means so many and yet also some deadly specific things to some people.How did this mess get stared? I don't claim to have all the answers - but I do have some.Rock hard - to middle stage to fluffy - I can explain!So come along, and find out what the heck!Check out the blog for details. Calm down - it'll be up after Thanksgiving 2022. I'm busy.Anyway - if this is the future - anytime after Dec 1 2022 - just hit up the blog and all the promised links and recipes are there see below.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Mastadon: @[email protected]: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

By the end of the 18th century - we are SO CLOSE to ice cream - but we are not there yet. But I want to set the scene that dessert is becoming a thing, and that all the pieces are there. Sitting there, just waiting to be ice cream.I mean Jefferson has a recipe in his own hand - likely told to him by his enslaved, Paris trained, French speaking, Black cook, James Hemmings. And George Washington had an ice cream freezer among his presidential party throwing accoutrements - likely used by his masterful enslaved cook - Hercules. But none of that happens until AFTER the war. This episode is to let you know, ice cream did not come out of thin air. This is the background. Find out what it is!Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Mastadon: @[email protected]: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Enter the Dairy Maid - or Milk Maid, I'll accept either answer.They were one of the these groups of women who used to be a skilled worker, but that pesky no being able to sign contracts or own stuff really stifled the ability to do any business beyond work for wages. Funny that. But in the 18th century and the rise of Dairies as stand alone businesses because there was A) land to have themand B) large bustling cities that worked as a customer baseyou could start to get cream skimmed by someone else, summer cream cheese became a thing, and you could even buy a swallow of milk on the street - maybe to cool your fiery palate from that mug of Pepper-Pot Stew you got from the other street vendor.Oh yeah, and people were noticing that dairy maids were doing better than the general population as a couple of waves of The Smallpox washed through the colonies. What to do about that? Not clear yet.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Mastadon: @[email protected]: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

This week the ox stops being fancy food for fancy people and becomes workaday food for city people and sailors alike. But it also became manly party food all at the same time.I explain why its ox, not cow - but will be cow again.Here's Bugs Bunny in the Bull Fighting Ring - nostalgia or new? Just watch it. It's all fun.https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7yzp40Not up on yourColonial History of New Spain? Here's a cheat sheet on Coronado - https://www.desertusa.com/desert-trails/coronado-expedition-cibola.htmlAnd one on Oñate (just wikipedia, but hey I have deadlines here) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_O%C3%B1ateAnd the Boat Stuck reference was to the Ever Forward getting stuck in the Chesapeake in March 2022 (for 5 weeks!). This of course was the sister ship to the notorious Ever Given (or the Evergreen Shipping Lines) that got stuck in the Suez Canal in March 2021. Leading me to be #Team "Beware the Tides of March". https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/03/ever-forward-chesapeake-bay-boat-shipping-supply-chain.htmlBut the Beefsteak makes it first appearance as do Beefeaters, Paddington Bear & the first appearance of Barbecue.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

So many Links this week!But great places to visit - a blog, a rice foundation, a shop for all things (many things?) Carib - I admit I'm excited about that one. There's not much Caribbean representation on my Global Shopping Street.But most exciting of all - the exposure of fakes and the possibility of breaking news!Rice pretends like its a background player - but it's a drama grain.A savory calas (rice croquette) recipe: https://www.poppytooker.com/calasOh - just look up Poppy Tooker, this a New Orleans name of note. (I know the French are the Enemy right now, but its OK) https://www.poppytooker.com/this-weeks-showWoah - can no longer find the digital version of the Lucayos Cook Book I snagged. Sloppy of me... and it looks like I have a pirated book! As a work published between 1924 and 1978 - it has a 95 year copyright... So I won't be slapping up a PDF. But! When do my bonus episode, I will be providing extensive recipes as quotations, and you'll definitely get the flavor of it.In the meantime, a fair selection of smaller University libraries seem to have a copy of those book, so you can check it out. Modern-ish take on Carolina Snowballs with Turnspit & Tablehttps://www.turnspitandtable.com/uncategorized/carolina-snowballs-re-do/ Anson Mills - https://www.ansonmills.com/Get some Carolina Gold - regular rice, or rice grits - https://www.ansonmills.com/productsCarolina Gold Foundation - http://www.thecarolinagoldricefoundation.org/But you can buy the red rice from Trinidad! Caribshopper:https://caribshopper.com/blogs/caribshopper-blog/moruga-hill-rice-the-red-grain-with-a-great-story-and-tasteLinks to the better red rice information:Michael Twitty - https://leitesculinaria.com/325844/writings-the-history-of-rice.htmlAbena Offeh-Gyimah - https://abenaoffehgyimah.com/blog/oryza-glaberrima-and-the-decline-of-indigenous-african-foodsMusic Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

American Rice - Voyage the FirstSome of the rice might have started from Asia, but all of it came directly from Africa.But which side - the West, or from Madagascar? How from Madagascar - isn't that all the way over on the east side?Yes to all of this. The who and the when - kindof - are all covered. And learn what a monocot is. You'll have to look up the spelling of cotyledon on your own. Oh wait. You can see how it's spelled there.But a video to look at Old Colonial or at least Early American rice field sight.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3fcEvGmmXEAnd check out the blog for Old School NavigationYou have to wait until next week to get the foods - but this week, learn how rice got here.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

For more of Me & Jess talking about SpiceVisit: https://theflakyfoodie.com/Watch: https://youtu.be/K_2pZ3VhbwQListen: https://theflakyfoodie.com/2022/09/447/For Juneteenth - https://theflakyfoodie.com/2022/08/19-juneteenth-365-with-nicole-a-taylor-watermelon-redbirds/Grilled Cheese: https://theflakyfoodie.com/2022/09/21-grilled-cheese-restaurant-impossible-with-tim-of-the-melting-truck/And Finnish Sandwich Cake: https://theflakyfoodie.com/2022/05/16-finnish-food-sauna-culture-and-more-with-rachael-jukarainen/This week - cider takes center stage, hip checking beer out of the spotlight. And it comes with opinions on liberty and labor. Carrie Nation will come for cider later, but in the 18th century was the virtuous drink, over wine, brandy, rum and even beer.Also learn about Apple Jack and how it was different, initially from Apple Brandy.And whatever you do, don't drink rubbing alcohol.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

Beer! It's as American as apple pie. Or maybe its English? Or German? OK - Colonial Beer has a bit of an identity crisis. Can you call it beer if it doesn't even contain malted grain?Anyway spruce is the trendy thing - or hop tea? Anyway, there's not much dry hopping because the little buggers are expensive, the best way to get the most power out of them is to boil the dickens out of them... right?Look - lots was going on in 18th century beer. Come along and find out. And discover if you would have been a dirty Royalist hop importer or a rustic home brewer.Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood

We have the bored rich to blame for tiny little bite size tarts. As busy colonials with outdoor ovens and too many things to do, we made our tarts big - and to go at meal times.We will, alas have to wait for the coffee cake.The liver pudding could go in the second course, but honestly, everyone would prefer the marrow pudding. Even more than that - lets go with the fruit tarts - because that's what the busy cook and the sugar happy colonials want. Like so much spice - complex sweet savory puddings might just be a bit weird.And check out a recipe for Grape Pie:https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/concord-grape-pie-recipeOr fancier Grape Tarts - go 1st or 2nd course with this recipe:https://umamigirl.com/grape-tart/Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor TurtleShow Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/Email: [email protected] Twitter: @THoAFoodInstagram: @THoAFood