This week we get to look back at more of why War is Awful - and it's not JUST becasue of the food.  We also talk about why war food was predictably awful for everyone everywhere for approximately 5000 years.

Biology - and mainly the stupid microfauna of the Earth.

Understanding what war food was before the Civil War helps inform how such crazy supply errors and choices were made during the Civil War - and you can start to see how this is going to change war planning - and food system planning going forward.

Also also - here's where you can view
The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Love your Library!  Watch it on Kanopy
(free with your Library Card)
If your Library doesn't have Kanopy - 
PBS - With Subscription

Other Options:
Amazon - alas with an ad-on
You Tube - but for a price

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

This week canned food is the main character.  And it has the power to change the world, becaseu just like barrels of salted meat and ships biscuit - it's going to change how the fighting man (and the women along side) are fed.

Wild to think that Civil War logistical problems were key to sweetened condensed milk becoming part of the whole world.

Oh - and if you don't know what Vienetta was - or just want to relive the splendor, check this out.
Vienetta Advertisement

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Sure people complain about mashed potatoes made from potato flakes now - but dehydrated vegetables in their first iteration were far, far worse.

In fact some of the first mass quantities of dried vegetables prepared using forced hot air drying - and hydraulic pressing for more compact storage were produced for the civil war.  And boy were they nasty.  All the same - they were still better than what happed to you if you didn't eat any vegetables at all.
(And no - at this point there were no vitmin or fiber supplaments - you had to get it from the source)

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

I'm Back and it's bread.

The American Civil War (the War of Rebellion is where suddenly we start really naming American Bread.

Sure yeah, hard bread is nothing new, but the Fast Bread of fast moving America starts to become a thing.  So in order to talk about the bread of the American Army... we have to do a roll call of American Bread.

So come find out how Civil War Bread is the most American Bread so far.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Welcome back to American Food!

Sorry about the big break, and even more sorry to be talking about war food ... during war.  Blech

But it is interesting, and my ever growing fascination with American Food and how it keeps embracing emerging technology is not let down.

So here we go.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

I'm back and it's been so long.

Find out why!

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

It's been a little while since I put up this Tukey History Episode!

Since Thanksgiving Week is also Episode Week - why not throw this one in for fun?

Learn about the wild history of an American bird with a huge travel resume and names that all think it came from somewhere else.
Enjoy the name Chaos!


Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

It's the last Episode of Season 4!

And I think I've finally answered one of my opening questions - why did America make our grocery stores the way we did? 
As soon as Americans could, we ignored the food on the ground (unless it was familiar like deer or duck or pigeon) and instead brought our own provisions.  

But when you do that, and don't develop local talent - the selection end up terribly limited.
So now in modern America - we seem to be attempting to make up for lost time... by making our grocery store selection even larger.

Check out this last episode before I go study the terrible food of war.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

So far America is pretty hostile to everyday hunting - but for some reason we keep adding categories.

And lets face it, for a country that keeps talking about how we don't need roaylty, we do seem to keep mimicking aritocrats.

the early 19th century loves some fox hunting - so much so that we imported foxes (even though there are plenty already here).  Hunting keeps happening everyday - but we like to say it's not cool.

Unless you are doing it for leisure... or to earn money.

Yes - the early 19th century brings the birth of the Market Hunter - which needed the railroad to create itself.
The Buffalo may cease to roam - and the Passenger Pigeon darken the skies by the end of the century - but the seeds of their destruction are planted here... at the start of the 19th cenutry.

But worry not, it's not all bad news - you can still get a giant game pie.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

After years of no plates, not enough plates and just enough plates - you suddenly have access to many plates and pretty plates.  What's a hostess of fashion to do?

Obviously - upend the way food is served.  Obviously if you have access to more artificial light - you can make meals longer.  Especially on dark, chilly, wet nights when no one wants to be outside anyway.

Luckily - cookbooks are up to the challenge.  With all sorts of ideas of how to roll out this new style of multi-course dining.

So come check out the complications.

And if you are interested in seeing what American pottery looked like - pre-China and pre-imported porcelain - look at the Workshop of the Poor Potter in Historic Yorktown!

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Every wondered how we got into this fix of needing so many plates - or more specifically why you’re supposed to put a set of plates on a registry for a wedding that you are never gonna use?  Or at least why did people do that on the regular ,even just 20 years ago?
 
And now it means you have relatives that are trying to push off plates on to you that you never got to eat off as a kid - and now why in the world would you want to lug them around now?
 
For what’s at the bottom of these mysteries, and how we got into this fix - I look at the history of plates from my particular American Food History vantage point.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
& some other socials... @THoAFood