The History of American Food

Thi week I argue that you should pay attention to how the sausage gets made.  And not doing so resulted in the bland, mostly the same American sausages that ruled the 20th century... AKA the hot dog.   This is mostly sad, but not too bad.

What was worse - making a joke about how bad sausage making was resulted in conditions that were so bad that people were getting sick and dying from sausage.  
Very Bad,

But this did result in insituting food safety,  That's Good.

However, becasue our food safety does the bare minimum... it results in lots of bland food.  That we live with today.

If you want to learn some easy sausage you can make at home - that is super tasty, swing by my substack

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Normally my episodes are not timely - but it is fun to be releasing an episode on the start of the Modern American Beer Style when two of the great beer cities in the US are both in the MLB playoffs.

After all the Brewers are 1 of 2 MLB teams that have never won a world series.  I know this becasue I live in Seattle.  The Brewers have one up on us.  They have been TO the World Series.

Anyway - join me to find out why "Cold" is so often used as a superlative in American Beer

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

There are lots of moments that have changed American Food - sugar imports, the discovery of sweet oranges, but nothing - to me is as defining as the mechanical manufacture of ice.  It is at the base of the food system we live in today.  For better or for worse, the popular dinner of pre-cooked rotisserie chicken on a salad of bagged greens is not possible without this step.

So come along and find out about the democritization of ice cream, and the furthering of the US as the beef eating captal of the world.

Also - here is your link to Fancy Ices by Agnes B Marshall

and another important book for this episode - The History of Cookbooks by Henry Notaker

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Last Science Episode for awhile.  This one is all about fats.

What they are, what they do in our bodies, and some wild speculation about what effects our solid past had on our cooking and even our rush to refrigeration.

So come along and learn about fats and strang butter substitutes.

Also - The Dinosaur Neil Episode of The Tick - https://youtu.be/bY5pWlU3Mr8?si=Kx-Yh8DNAxQIxqRK

and visit me on Substack - this time I talk about why we are bad a fake fats.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Come listen while I answer the important questions:

What is a Carbohydrate? Tune in!

Can you actually eliminate all sugar from your diet?  Yes! But No in 3 ways.

and 

Can you truly live on meat alone?

Also - The Dinosaur Neil Episode of The Tick - https://youtu.be/bY5pWlU3Mr8?si=Kx-Yh8DNAxQIxqRK

and visit me on Substack!

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Science - it is back!

America has long had a thing about thinking about food as components rather than ingredients. 

So to help you navigate through what some of these parts are - I'll be doing some science at you.  This week - Protein!

Links:

Velella Photo -  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.817196/full

The Dinosaur Neil Episode of The Tick - https://youtu.be/bY5pWlU3Mr8?si=Kx-Yh8DNAxQIxqRK

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

I'll just grab a glass of milk...

When did that become a thing?  Becasue - it is a VERY American thing.  RIght up there with cold cereal for breakfast.

Turns out - it became possible at the end of the 19th century.  But all the moving parts that had to come together to make it happen are kindof increadible.  So come with me on the journey to find out just how a glass of milk at home became possible

Bridgerton Clip with Anachronistic Milk Drinking:
https://youtu.be/AwdTS5uY1KA?si=h4Ywxe8B0thq1Ea-

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

This week we bust open the most United States of America food of all.
Cold Cereal
My research has lead me to this - Cold Cereal is the first thing that can be claimed as the first Original Food of the USA.
Pumpkin Pie... maybe?
Bacon Cheese Burger - I'll consider it.
Fried Chicken sandwich - my favorite contender.... but late.

Let's talk about how the conditions of colonial America lead to Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes.

But we aren't there yet.  Instead it is bad... but fast cereal.   

To know how bad - check out my new Substack!
The First Cold Cereal



Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

An important element essential to modern American food didn't happen until the end of the 19th century.  But as with so many of the other elements that are underpinnings of American food - it is not a food at all. Instead it is paper made of trees rather than paper made of cloth that has reached the end of it's life.

And once wood pulp paper becomes part of the scene - how food is transported, labeled and sold will never be the same.

Think about a world before you put could wrap meat in Butcher's Paper, before crackers came in boxes - it looks almost unrecognizable.  But come along for the debut of cheap-er paper in American food - and how this changes everything.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood

Hang in there ... and I'll be back.

Hopefully - some interesting posts on the Socials Media

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle

Substack: https://thoafood.substack.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood at gmail dot com
Threads: @THoAFood
Instagram: @THoAFood
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
& some other socials... @THoAFood