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A Taste of American History

© Millard Edward Carr

Have you ever been transported back in time by a taste? With that first delicious flavor of turkey and dressing with cranberry sauce, we are transported back to the warm feeling of early holiday dinners. The slightest taste of macaroni and cheese puts us instantly back in the grade school cafeteria. Taste, tied inextricably to smell, can act to bring back a long forgotten memory.

Mark H. Zanger has provided a culinary ticket back in time to the history of the United States in his incredibly comprehensive book "The American History Cookbook." Published in 2003 by and available through Greenwood Press, Zanger's book contains recipes from all the significant periods in the growth of the United States, from the early Spanish explorations to the 1970's. Each of the recipes given includes inferences on the various names of specific ingredients and the historical equipment used to prepare them as well as modern equivalents. In addition to the descriptions of the common dishes of the periods, Zanger' 459 page opus provides fascinating cultural commentary on the times and gives a readable social context for the dishes discussed. And, since what we eat is such a large part of everyday life, the eating habits, ingredients, and preferences of the times provides a fascinating focus on the unique moments in American history.

The reader becomes much more appreciative of the creative capabilities of the Native Americans and early colonists when reading of the inventive variations for preparing crushed corn and water.

Zanger leavens the text with significant historical facts and anecdotes, such as fact that Lewis and Clark's most expensive item in outfitting their Corps of Discovery journey was 193 pounds of "pocket soup." Zanger also gives several pages on the proper manufacture of this 1820's "fast food." Along the way he also dispels a few of the popular myths grown up around food in our history, such as the fact that there really is no historical record of any riot by prisoners or workers being forced to eat a monotonous diet of lobster. In the chapter The World of Masters and Slaves (1800 - 1862) Zanger vividly points out the difference in lifestyles of the two extremes of American society during the period through the recipes of both.

Of particular interest to historical re-enactors are Zanger's chapters on wartime diets. Revolutionary re-enactors can get closer to their era of interest by preparing carefully researched and described stews, soups, hasty pudding, hard bread, and peas porridge. Separating the Civil War period into two chapters, the North and the South, Zanger highlights the country's division with a discussion of the conditions in both sides and the food they ate. Northern re-enactors can get in character by preparing authentic hardtack, "skillygalle" (hardtack soaked in water and fried in pork fat), Union cake, and loyal biscuits. Southerners can prepare Laplands (muffins), sweet potato wafers, Republican pudding (rice pudding), and Indian sagamite (cornmeal and brown sugar).