The History of American Food

In the Last Big War we threw in America we still had "Camp Followers" to do the laundry, the nursing and a good amount of the cooking (not to mention helping with loading guns).  And George Washington hated having these women around so much that Army practice - and new war philosophies got rid of most of them.  

But then, the American Civil War started producing injured guys in the 1000's.

Suddenly having women around to do nursing and laundry was important.  And they had to call the women back.  To be fair - they did it more officially this time. 

To find out who these women were - and what they fed you - listen in.

Also - Spoiler:  Still better to be an officer.

Books Referenced:
A Mother's Work: Mary Ann Bickerdyke by Mary Vangorder

The Big Burn by Timothy Egan

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 am a producer on an Emmy Nominated Documentary.  
Check it out here:
Women's Work - The Untold Story of America's Female Farmers
The Emmy Nomination!!!!!

Why are military staffs so bad at predicting war length?  And when they do boy-oh-boy does that mean things are going to go poorly for the people in charge of planning food.  It goes even worse, when nobody on staff has cooked Gumbo for 80.

Come listen to all the pitfalls facing the people planning for war food in the middle of the the 1800's.

But also a whole bunch of links.

A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry - the source documents for the Donkey Problem

The Charge of the Light Brigade - that catchy verse that keeps getting people killed for dumb reasons

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 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