The History of American Food

Listen to "023 Deer and Venison - What a Difference a Flint Makes" on Spreaker. Link to the Episode: Episode 23 Deer & Venison – What a Difference a Flint Makes When the first colonists arrived, they were startled to find deer just there.  Many of them had likely never seen a deer that wasn't painted into a coat of arms.   And if they had seen a deer -  it was a roe deer   or a fallow deer.  (I can never get over those antlers) The white tail of the pre-colonial east coast  (they don't care about your fences) wandering up to and around their struggling gardens must have looked like a cross between giant marauders and a tempting dinner just out of reach. That is - until the flint-lock arrived  my photos from the Betsey Ross house in Philly Photos of an 18thC flintlock - with ball, powder and assembled cartridge. At the Betsey Ross house in Philadelphia Her main job was Upholsterer. Turns out one of her side gigs - besides sewing flags, w...

Listen to "022 Bread - From Ashen Corn Cakes to Wheaten Loaves" on Spreaker.   Link to the Episode: Episode 22 Bread – From Ashen Corn Cakes to Wheaten Loaves When the colonists arrived they were used to cross hatching fields with a harrow  to turn up fresh dirt, and then broadcast seeds onto the disturbed earth: A single row harrow.  Usually attached to a long handle. Looks like a wide toothed rake. A square harrow.  These were usually pulled behind an ox or mule. While broadcast seeding is mostly out of use in American Farming - it is still in use on small farms world-wide. This Pakistani farmer is broadcasting the seeds from a basket onto the field that tractor in the background just harrowed. When the corn/maize the colonists got from the local tribes was sown this way - they had frustratingly low yield.  Especially since the corn was used to being planted individually in mounds, and not alone. For more information on the Companion Planting practices used ...