Explore every episode of the podcast The History of American Food

May 8, 1886. American pharmacist John S. Pemberton sells the first glass of Coca-Cola at a pharmacy in downtown Atlanta, a drink he originally bills as a cure-all tonic.

This week - here's a cross post from History Daily, presented by (not that) Lindsay Graham.  
In this episode we jump ahead a very little bit to when soda fountains and health elixirs are both starting to travel across the country to change America's beverage landscape forever.

Listen in to hear where and why Coca Cola got its start.

On History Daily, we do history, daily. Every weekday, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history.

Whether it’s to remember the tragedy of December 7th, 1941, the day “that will live in infamy,” or to celebrate that 20th day in July, 1969, when mankind reached the moon, History Daily is there to tell you the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time.

So if you’re stuck in traffic, bored at work—wherever you are, listen to History Daily to remind yourself that something incredible happened to make that day historic.A co-production from award-winning podcasters Airship and Noiser.



I'll be back next week with more about fish!

A BUSY WEEK!

1st hooray - Women's Work - The Untold Story of America’s Female Farmers
has its PBS Premier on September 26 on KSPS serving the Spokane, WA area!

But seriously - let's talk about jelly.  Yeah - I definitey learned great disdain for Jell-O as I grew up - cheap and ceerful, and it seemed like tawdry empty calories.  The research for this episode showed me it has a long and proud history as an exclusive food that us moderns poorly understand.

As an American I am incredibly suspicious of savory jellies.  I have been fooled into missing some good stuff.  How did it all go wrong?  This episode holds a few clues.
Also - finally all those references to Blancmange in British English media will make sense to all us American English types.

But in the meantime - check out my appearance on TodayFood.com

And - keep your ears out for the crossover episode about the 1st Glass of Coca-Cola from History Daily and Wondery 

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

In case you are new here - these are the NSFW Eps.  Not serious food content, fit for sharing with everyone.  Instead, we are being silly about media - mostly about the 19th Century.   And there are swears.  Sharing this becasue this Zorro series is very joyously fun.

Catch Season 1 of Zorro on Amazon Prime Video to watch along

After watching the movie Zorro - it became clear, we need more of Zorro.  We also need more of the 19th Century Americas... from something other than the USA America perspective. Because, during the 19th century, the Americnan America was a very different shape than the USA we live in now.  There were lots of other nations in those spaces we conveniently forget about. 

Also - the 21st century adventure and super hero stories have gotten a little... dark.  We need a little light.  Not to mention, some way better clothes.
So get out the cape, saddle up and let's ride for better adventures with Zorro in Alta California.  A different way to pursue fashion, fighting and hey, let's have some fun.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
and his NEW YouTube Apprearances on Carved Outta Stone Wednesday AM or Friday PM
Schedule Details: instagram.com/carvedouttastone
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Join me for a journey through the end of old world cake to find what the first true American cake would really be.
Find out what is at the root of American cake mixes - and why it is essentially an American idea.  Just older than you think - much older than I thought for sure.

And a nice assortment of cakes you can try out to taste the early 19th century scene.

Bavarian Zwetschgendatschi (fresh plum sheet cake)

Yeasted Lincolnshire Plum Cake

Poundcake - note, No Vanilla!

King Cake - it's New Orleans, they could have Vanilla

Gingerbread Cake

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

In case you are new here - these are the NSFW Eps.  Not serious food content, fit for sharing.  Instead, we are being silly about media - mostly about the 19th Century.  Though here, about the new SHOGUN becasue - so VERY COOL!

So we've come to the end of Shogun - a story that both haunted and informed us in our younger years.  
Racist, Orientalist - as a book, YES!  But this version. as far as I'm concerned redeems the Entire Venture. 
And as a 1970's work written by a former prisoner of war during the Japanese Occupation during WW2, writing a book trying to get into the somewhat legendary history of Japan - it did what James Clavell wanted, it introduced Japan as a complex society to America and Britain and it's still sprawling empire at the time. 
Writing is hard, editing is much much easier.  Clavell's 1st try - needed some work, but somebody had to bust open the doors.  And Shogun did that.

Now - how did the Blackthorne/Anjin-san story actually end?  Unclear.  But that's fine with me.
Now let's all cheer for whatever H. Sanada has up his sleeve and hope it comes with All The Costumes.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
and his NEW YouTube Apprearances on Carved Outta Stone Wednesday AM or Friday PM
Schedule Details: instagram.com/carvedouttastone
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

We still have all the puddings - we just came up with more awsome names for them.  

Popover is way more awesome than "drippings pudding" and nobody ever turns down a proper coconut cream pie.  And it's nice to not get confused over whether that pudding on the table is a sweet one or is it actually sausage.  
That's right - America became the disambuigation machine for puddings.  You are Welcome.

Now for some Recipes - 

Popovers:
thoroughly grease a muffin tin (12 small or 6 jumbo)
4 large eggs
1 ½ Cups of milk
½ teaspoon of salt.
mix well with beaters or in a blender
1 ½ cups of flour
mix in thoroughly
Melt 3 tbs of fat and cool slightly - add it in
mix or blend until frothy.
Take top racks out of the oven so the puffs can rise.
Let batter sit 15 mins while heating the oven to 450F/230C
Bake for 20 minutes at 450F/230C. 
Turn the oven down to 350F/180C and bake another 10 minutes. Adjust the time up for a single pan pudding, Adjust the times down for a 12 muffin tin version.  Thank goodness for oven windows and lights.  Bake 'til  puffy and browned is still the goal.  If you want to retain the puff – pierce puffs with a knife to stop deflation.

Try Cornbread Bread Bread Pudding with Pineapple, Pecans & a sauce of Butter, Brown Sugar & Rum
- follow this link to a good basic pudding with a boozy sauce, but sub in the right stuff!  I cut the sugar in 1/2 and sub in brown sugar. 
Breadpudding with Whiskey Sauce & Fruit

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

In case you are new here - these are the NSFW Eps.  Not serious food content, fit for sharing.  Instead, we are being silly about media - mostly about the 19th Century.  Though here, about the new SHOGUN becasue - so VERY COOL!

With that out of the way - Are Jamie & Greta fighting?  Is Mariko sad about her son no longer being hers - or did she just eat some bad fish, and never really cared?  

But at least everyone can agree that Yabushige is the master of the expressive grunt, even if Fuji is the queen of eye-acting.  And we all know what's going to happen to Yabu next ep.

Oh yeah... and we will be laughing at Ishido's expense as he steps on all the rakes.  Dames - can't talke to 'em, can't listen to 'em. 

Listen and find out all the ways Anjin looks ridiculous (and yet somehow compelling?) this week

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
and his NEW YouTube Apprearances on Carved Outta Stone Wednesday AM or Friday PM
Schedule Details: instagram.com/carvedouttastone
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Why is American bread like that? Why did we swoon of "Old Fashioned Bread" during the pandemic?  What happened so that our bread is these nice neat rectangular loaves with close textured middles and soft crust perfect for sandwiches - while so much of the rest of bread world is more interesting?

The answers - surprisingly enought lie in the start of the 19th century when the New Americans got itchy feet and started to head Out West.  Not that it's surprising - but such activities were not conducive to cultivating yeast and baking the slow rise, freeform breads of the community bake oven.  That took time, and skill and babued yeast.

Instead, on the move, in a hurry, and going it alone, the quick bread, the Johhny cake, the pancake and the biscuit were all more practical (if not basically the same darn thing.)

This isn't the entire reason American Bread is like "that", but it's about half of it.  Come along, and hear the roots of some  American habits and lore.

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 is NSFW or small children.  You know the drill.
If you want to get to the end - and to more fun stuff - go check out the regular feed at Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters.

I dunno what is up with this episode, but the comparrisons are flying fast and thick.  But what really matters is Greta's synopsis of Romeo & Juliet along with the implication that Toronaga is actually a bit of a Drama Queen and the analysis of Japanese house construction technology.

There's the problem with what happens when you do try to go home again, and what happens when going into the trap is actually the best option.  Lots goes down in this Episode of Shogun... and we are here to tell you all about it.


As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

So there are a few fish we eat... and a few ways we eat them.  Breaded and fried of course, but as sushi, and then baked in the oven or fried on the stove - with this spice mix or that.  And that's... that's about it.

But what if I told you that for a time there we at lots of fish in lots of ways.  So many that it starts to sound ridiculous.

If you want to hear about all the different ways and the many different fish you could have encountered at the high point of America's fish period, this is the episode for you.  Likely far more butter sauces than you thought possible - and far more kinds of fish.

But to peek at America's fishy past, this is where you want to be.

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 is NSFW or small children.  You know the drill.
If you want to get to the end - and to more fun stuff - go check out the regular feed at Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters.

Curious George should have taught us - be wary of the man in the unusual hat.  But we just won't learn.
Good stories, expert kneeling and why does everyone feel the need to share their relationship woes in the midst of the most tenuous moments?
Kilingon revelations & more Zombie Buntaro for all of us to enjoy,

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

If we are ever going to cryogeneically preserve humans, we have got to learn a lot more about Oyster Liquor.  Sci-Fi aside, come along and discover how much 19th cenurty America - not just American food is built upon the oyster harvest.  Everybody everywhere was eating them - by the barrel and bucket full.  It was common to find recipes that blithely started with a gallon of oysters or a hundred oysters.  Can you imagine?

I can't. 

But follow along with Thomas G Downing as he builds his fortune and America starts to grow up with the sale of oysters for lunch and as an export food.

If you're exporting to New Jersey, you might as well head out into the world.

It's oyster time in America.

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

As long as you know... ehhhhh not so safe for work.  But this means something even when there's no ep this week!

TIme to do the WAR!

And come join us over on Prizefighters, Circusfreaks & Gangsters - so you can get to the end of the series!

Join us to find out WHO IS CORRECT!

Jamie says there's no fighting this episode.
Greta says there's lots of fighting - you just have to listen for it.

And then there's the whole thing where we discuss just how bad the YA Movies of the 1980's & 1990's screwed up the sexes abilities to ya' know... talk to one another.

Join us for this, and some music memories.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

Is it just too hot?  Then come along for this talk about Frostbite by Nicola Twilley on the history & future of refrigeration.
 
You can read up on some outtakes and extra stuff at the blog: https://www.ediblegeography.com/

And order your own copy of the book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/551601/frostbite-by-nicola-twilley/
Of course, if you have your favorite local bookshop - buy one there. 

If you’d like more Nicola Twilley, you can see her on her book tour - details here: https://www.nicolatwilley.com/events/
or catch more interviews with her here: https://www.nicolatwilley.com/frostbite/
Some come along, and listen to thoughts on ThermoKing, and learn about my emerging Grand Unified Theory of American Food.


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

Histroy Cookbook you say?

Check out The History of the World in 10 Dinners by Victoria Flexner & Jey Reifel
to figure out how to make your dinner table a time machine.  Appreciate how we can travel through time and space through the grocery store & our refrigerators.  And give thanks for the wire whisk while you're at it.

-----------

ICE!  How did we ever get by without it?  Well, turns out some people never really had to do without if they had enough money.  But for the little people - especially in the English speaking world, it took until the 19th century for icy treats to  move out into the masses.  Not a lot - but it was a start.

And cool spaces for The People (rather than The Leaders) would only take off from there.  Becasue at the same time the Ice King was making deliveries world wide - the power of cold was coming under human control.  
Come check out the earliest days of refrigerated America.


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

Now that America is on the road to getting involved with the world and becoming a mechanical, industrial company, it's time to ramp up salt production and get in on the chemical revolution.  

It's not just salt that matters but all the associated sodium compounds or sodas.
So it's a turn about the kitchen chemistry kit, an explanation of where they all work - and the arrival of actual modern baking soda - and how it, and the new modern food systems made the modern coffee cake happen.

So get salty - if you don't stay salty.

Salt Potatoes Recipe:
1 gallon/4L Water
1 Cup/ 150g salt
3 lbs little potatoes - SKIN ON & unpunctured

Butter or Sour cream etc. & herbs

Dissolve salt, pop in the potatoes, bring to a boil - simmer about 30 min.  Until potatoes are good to eat.  Drain in a colander.  Eat with metled butter or sour cream and herbs.  No extra salt needed.

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

As long as you know... ehhhhh not so safe for work.  But this means something even when there's no ep this week!

But Let's go earthquakes.

And come join us over on Prizefighters, Circusfreaks & Gangsters - so you can get to the end of the series!

---
What show can bring you managerial manipulation, whispers of medival animal cruelty, zombie family insights and pheasant fetishization?

Shogun of course - and as always with phenominal costumes and nice views of some of the behind the scenes that are required to run the world.  As in... have you ever tried to get rabbit blood out of a bamboo cutting board without Dawn Dish Soap?

If any of this sounds like fun to you, jump in the palanquin and come along for the adventure.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

Corn is so hot right now. No other crop even comes close in the 19th century. 

This week corn grows up and shows up everywhere but on the fanciest of tables.  It's mush, it's booze, it's pork & beef and butter... and fancy pleated collars.  

But wait, there's more! It was important in the Napoleonic Wars, and the power shifts in Ireland.  And ithelped drive America's first major economic depression. Pretty powerful for a little grain. 

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 have an ENOURMOUS back catalog. Get in there.  

But for the future, I have plans for about 10 seasons. To make sure I don't absolutely turn myself into a quivering lump of jelly, structures of reasonable dimensions have been put in place to keep this baby rolling along. 


Every other week baby!

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

Heads up!  NSFW, Not E for Everyone.  Think - F for Fun

Want to get more of the Shogun?

Head over to Prizefighters, Circusfreaks & Gangsters - we're up to Ep 7!
 BUt in the meantime... you can just sit back and listen to us take apart and give context to 17th Century Japan.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

It's officially the appearance of the Mason. Jar in American Food.

You get to learn about how lack. of child labor protections made it possible, and how inventing stuff in the food preservation doesn't seem to make you rich.

Learnn about how water power made inventing metal stuff possible, and how important the screw is to the development of American food.
And learn how they way humans fight wars and travel the earth has never been the same since the introduction of canned and jarred food

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

(Want more Shogun? - jump over here to Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters - shortcut: PCG)

Silly me, I thought I could encompass the whole can and glass jar thing in one episode.  I was wrong.

Instead this episode talks about early bottling, the introduction of canning and how it was used in the early 19th century.  And there's lots of talk about botulinum toxin and botulism... a fear of my childhood, but a cosmetic procedure today.  Who knew?

So to learn about the steps that lead to canned food coming in glass jars - tune in!

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

Heads up!  NSFW, Not E for Everyone.  Think - F for Fun

Look you guys... Ep 4 & Ep 5 are already up on the other feed.  No need to wait!

I'm super glad you are digging this bonus content.
If you want more just subscribe to the main 
Prizefighters Circus Freak & Gangsters Podcast

We are like this ALL the time, and you get to learn ALL the new stuff - ok all the new stuff about the old stuff.

Come enjoy it all.

As always - you can reach us on the internets.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)
&
Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)

Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

(Want more Shogun? - jump over here to Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters - shortcut: PCG)

This week it’s glass - a history. 
We talk sand (SAND!) fire, volcanos and sharp things.  Minerals, amorphous materials and how glass is a solid and not even a little a liquid.
 
What was glass before it was windows - or even see through?  And how badly did the early Americans want glass?  Bad enough that they lured European glass makers here - with the promise of plenty of fuel, plenty of sand (SAND!) and an apparently forever growing market.  Along with slightly less hard work with the promise of mechanization.

So stand back, but look on at the shiny hot stuff and learn some facts about the history of glass.

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

Does war make people innovate?  Sure sometimes, but profit and shortages can often do more.
In this case, Mercantilist sentiments crossed with Napoleon losing wars and causing a big ol' blockade by the British didn't hurt.

This week sugar and sweeteners grow!  It's not just all sugar anymore.  Corn syrup appears.  The sugar beet is made real.  

For the video where that either nostalgic OR brnad new sugar beet ditty comes from... here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuZNSGdg2ms

I'll be sending out a toffee recipe in the socials as soon as I get myself together.  Moving house and all that!

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

Heads up!  NSFW, Not E for Everyone.  Think - F for Fun

OK - Episode 1 of Shogun... A bunch of you tuned in.
I have SACRIFICED my CLEAN rating on Apple Podcasts for this.

So here's Ep 2

Come on over to Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters to hear Episode 3 of Shogun... Today!

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
You Tube Music
Spreaker

This only get's messier.  And after this episode (Ep 3 available now) the sound gets fixed.

It's the 19th Century and the whole show is about to change - and it's Iron that makes it possible.  How we cook, how we get around and what is going to be available to even make food out of.

With a mysterious detour through why calculus is important, find out how Iron and American food continue to be absolutely inextricable.

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

For those of you looking for the Shōgun review - the unhinged 19th Century - and our take on it at Prizefighters Circus Freaks & Gangsters is what you are looking for… even though not technically the 19th century.  

Want to visit the Oregon Trail - here’s the link I promised: https://www.nps.gov/oreg/index.htm

And for Old American Food - you are in the right place.  The 19th Century - it’s braggadocio, optimism and hopefulness, plus a certain sprinkling of constructive narcissism... honestly is more representative of the American Spirit as we know it today than almost anything that happened in the 18th century. 
As a warning and a warm up, this week’s episode takes you through just how much and how far I have to go to encompass 1800 to 1861 - the start of the American civil war. 
Jump in, and buckle up.  The loop de loops are coming.

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

Heads up!  NSFW, Not E for Everyone.  Think - F for Fun

It is KILLING me that I get featured while on a research break!

I mean yes - head for the back catalog... but if you are a "what's new" kinda listener I gotta let you have something.

So - for fun, here's a crossover episode from my other podcast -
Prizefighters, Circusfreaks & Gangsters - which is mainly about the mayhem that was the 19th century in America and the hot nonsense that is most of the media that depicts the 19th Century in America.  Food, Fashion, Fighting and Fraud - and then as we go on... a whole bunch of other F's

So of course, I'm posting a special episode that covers media that's about the 17th century (wrong time) and Japan (wrong place!)

But if you are interested at all in the show Shogun, or why the 19th century is as riotous as it is - and what it's busting up - come in for a listen.

-------

Shogun - The Mini Series - The Reboot
How, you ask, can we justify leaping all the way back to the 17th Century in a 19th Century podcast?  Tune in and find out.
But also - the perils & hilarity of reading the source material are revealed.Who'd face blind?Why do the Japanese interiors look so cool?Find out who has the best beard!
They're aren't many fights - but there's plenty of all the other F's!Come for the standard stuff, but stay for the detours.
And go enjoy the stylish as hell show.
Jamie Lewis (plagueofstrength.com & IG @plagueofstrength)&Greta Hardin (The History of American Food podcast & @THoAFood all over)Look for us weekly and on Instagram & Threads: @pcgpodcast

The 19th Century - when America starts to really take shape as the America we recognize (more or less) today.  It starts to be more diverse - and gets mad about it right away.

The cold chain starts here.  Food miles start here.  Jars of strawberry jam starts here.
The 19th century up to 1861 holds so much of what made America not the rest of the world - and also started to absorb influences from the rest of the world.

America really gets moving - so don't miss the train. 

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

End of Season 3

Hot Take - American food is the way it is becasue we became obsessed with enough food - more food just as we were becomeing a country. How do we feed ourselves well, and then how do we make money feeding everybody else.

For much of the rest of the world - food was identity, survival, a way of life and celebration. For America food was how you got things done, got places and got paid.

This leads to very different attitudes and outcomes when it comes to food.

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

Well here's a weird little detour for you - not food exactly, but ingested by early Americans all the same. Not so much by soldiers and adventurers on the road - but often when they were let on leave - especially if they were rich.

Lots of people were doing lots more drugs in early America than I thought - but in different ways and by different folks than I expected. Little old rich ladies were the most common opium addicts? Who knew? Me now.

And American and European medicine had little interest in anasthesia apparently. Wild.
Just whatever you do - don't get hurt on the battlefield. Dodge or die seemed to be the preferred modes. Because everything hurt, and unless you were really rich, or really lucky, it stayed that way.

Book! The African Roots of Marijuana by Chris S. Duvall

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

How hard drinking were the American soldiers and adventurers? Far far less than you might think. Yeah, sure they went nuts on leave, or when they got left alone in a cellar full of brandy - but that's only because it was mostly water most of the time.

How come you ask? Well, this whole episode is here to answer your questions.

Drink Up!


oh - and read up on the Fresnel Lens

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

Who gets to eat wild meat on campaign?
It depends on the type, how big and how long. The answer of course ranges from everyone to almost noone and always to almost never. Of course.

So here are all the links I promised!

The Old Fort at Fort Wayne, Indiana

A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry:
Foraging
On The Move

Maximum Effort, Minimum Reward
Single Donkey Physics

Undaunted Courage by Stephan Ambrose

The Corps of Discovery Journal - online

That NPS Interactive Map of the Lewis & Clark Trail


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

Come try Prizefighters, Circusfreaks & Gangsters!

But if that's too much adventure, come along and learn about the war that happened around pemmican.

Sure, just drop your colony on top of other people's lives - what's the problem? Sure, sending under prepared colonists with not enough food into a pretty tight food economy is going to be dicey, but how bad could it get? War bad my friends. War bad.

But as far as my little history brain is concerned - this is the first real big energy war of the Americas. Come see what I mean.

in the meantime - links I promised:
Modern beadwork - Modern beading in Vogue Magazine
Modern Beadwork Exhibits

Hudson's Bay Blankets - https://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/fashion-pop/hbc-point-blanket

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

In these years of war and adventure - American Military Rations were invented. And they rested squarely on barrels of salted meat.
Just like today much of the ration went to soldiers hanging out in forts or camps waiting for something to happen.
But unlike today - another big chunk of rations went to just getting soldiers to where they were gonna fight.
Marching soldiers to where they're going to do battle in today's modern army takes up much less of the food pile than it used to. No more 2 - 5 month crossings of the Atlantic. Now we know at least within a day when the troops will get somewhere. And dang if the maps aren't better and the rations lighter and much, much tastier.

To hear all about the challenges of supplying your late 18th century and early 19th century army or adventure squad, come along for this LONG DELAYED episode.

Sorry about that... and glad to be back!


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

No wood - no fuel - no food

In war an adventure that was usually the first and last word.
Whether stuck at winter quarters in Valley Forge (and check out these cool Earthen Camp Kitchens - paper is at the link.)
Or on the trail with Lewis and Clark
Wood to cook the food to keep the whole adventure going could be the make or break of the whole affair.

But wood also shaped the international aspects of early food - in the shipping that was built on our shores with the big giant trees that were available. How we got our luxuries, and how we imported labor. The boats - mainly the fast boats built in America were essential for how American food was going to shape itself.

Ah yes - and the containers. Wood was essential for containers - not just barrels but for the fuel to make iron, pottery and glass

OH - and yes - go read _The Black Joke_ by A.E. Rooks

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

Sorry 'bout that!

Anyway - we are back... and it's time to thing about the starchy vegetables that star in our holiday recipes. And to make you greatful that mashed potatoes today... are what they are!

But it's also a chance to think about - how much work bread really is, and what we would use to take it's place.

No candied yams here kids, and no pumpkin pie at war. But maybe it's time to reconsider our looking down on the potatoes - both kinds. And find new (old) ways of eating squashes.

Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, we tease, it's fun)

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

This might be one of my only, and definitely the most forceful hot take I've had so far:

The variety of food depends almost entirely on the vegetables - well the plant foods. After all, there are only so many ways to cook meat - roast, boil, fry, braise... all the interesting flavors come from the plant additions.

But also - going on the move, and the "hurry up" of American culture made our food bland.
Not everyone in new America had bland food, but note, they stayed in place!

Pawpaw & sweet corn pudding vs. baked beans. I ask you...


Books by William Woys Weaver:
The Christmas Cook: Three Centuries of American Yuletide Sweets
Pennsylvania Dutch Country Cooking
American Eats: Forms of Edible Folk Art
Sauerkraut Yankees
Country Scrapple: An American Tradition

Videos on Typical Early American Diets via Townsends:
The Poor Hunter
The Poor Fronteirsman
The Poor Farmer
The Poor Sailor
The Poor Soldier


Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, we tease, it's fun)

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

After rubbing shoulders all the time in prisons, in towns, or on land owned by a Lord or The Church - getting out there in the great wide open skies was startling for people.

But even more startling were just how many birds there were. Sometimes too many birds! How can there be such a thing?

To find out what was up with birds, and what was making it to the early American table - when we mostly weren't keeping chickens for meat - for really good reasons, listen along.

Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, we tease, it's fun)

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

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes - Talk with other people about the Contigency Plans for Women & even more stuff!

Come check it out on Saturday November 4th
My Discount Code is: Food

Do Americans eat rabbit? Or did they? And if so, where are all th rabbit recipes?

Well they do and they did, but no - they didn't seem to write it down. What gives?
And why don't retrospective and history looking cookery books tend to mention rabbit?

And just for fun, I go over what's the difference between a rabbit and a hare. And in the process explain how hjackass is a word.

Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, we tease, it's fun)

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

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes - Talk with other people about the Contigency Plans for Women & even more stuff!

Come check it out on Saturday November 4th
My Discount Code is: Food

What's the difference between a Smuggler, a Pirate & a Privateer? How do Slavers fit into this lot? And what exactly do they have to do with American Food of the past - or advertisements for Truffle Burgers now?
As always I'm here to pose and answer purposterous questions. Grab your hot cocoa and candied orange peel and listen up.

Cool Books -
_The Black Joke_ by A.E. Rooks

_The Nutmeg's Curse_ by Amitav Ghosh

Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, we tease, it's fun)

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

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes - Talk with other people about the Contigency Plans for Women & even more stuff!

Come check it out on Saturday November 4th
My Coupon code is: Food


This week I look into the question of what was Gumbo and what was Jambalaya at the time America bought themselves a new port city... that was actually pretty old.

What did Gumbo look like, and what were it's roots? And was it always served with rice.
And what's the story on Jambalaya? Where did it come from - especially if... wait isn't rice real fancy?

I answer these questions and more.

Also check out:
Prizefighters, Circus Freaks & Gangsters! There's Fighting, Food, Fashion & Fraud (we swear... we laugh, w tease, it's fun)

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

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes
My 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Instagram: @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 Substitutes
My 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talk about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes


Prizefighters, 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talke about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes


Prizefighters, 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood

Listen to me more!
Intelligent Speech Online 2023 where I talke about the 4 W's of Butter Substitutes


Prizefighters, 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Twitter: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
BlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social

Wheat goes on the road

More 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Twitter: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
BlueSky: 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 Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads@THoAFood
Twitter: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
BlueSky: THoAFood.bsky.social