A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Friday 14 January 2011

Travel Foods.

Choosing the right foods for travelling on foot is very important. Some foods such as rice and oats are good, they last a long time and swell a goodly amount when water is added. But, they do use the water. Oats though can be eaten as is, dry, and this is a plus because you are not always able to make a fire due to fire hazard or security.

"Set off on our journey for Oswegotchy, against a rapid stream, and being long in it, and our provisions running short, the Indians put to shore a little before night. My lot was to get wood, others were ordered to get fires and some to hunt. Our Kettle was put over the fire with some pounded Indian Corn, and after it had boiled about two hours, my oldest Indian Brother returned with a She Beaver, big with young, which he soon cut to pieces, and threw into the kettle, together with the guts, and took the four young beavers, whole as they came out of the dam, and put them likewise into the kettle, and when all was well boiled, gave each one of us a large dishful of broth, of which we ate freely, and then part of the Old Beaver, the Tail, of which was divided equally amongst us, there being Eight at our fire; The four young Beavers were cut in the middle, and each of us got half of a Beaver; I watched an opportunity to hide my share, having satisfied myself before that tender dish came to hand, which if they had seen, would have much displeased them. The other Indians catched young Musk-Rats, run a stick through their bodies, and roasted, without being skinned or gutted, and so eat them."
ROBERT EASTMAN-1759

If you are able to hunt or fish along the way then carrying other protien is not necassary. But you do need to carry carbohydrates and some food that will protect you from scurvy.

"Daniel Boone carried haversack stuffed with Jerky and Johnny cakes".

Draper 14C:30{2}

Corn was a very popular trail food and was used in several ways, dried, parched, popped, green, and in meal form.

"I do not know where the origination of cooking with ash stems from. When I initially researched it, I found that adding ash in your cooking water with corn adds to the nutritional value of the product. It was prominently used by Indians throughout North, Central and northern South America. The logic behind their reasoning was that it made it easier for the skins to seperate from the hulls in corn, and made a stronger flavored product. Unquestionably, the Indians had no idea about the nutritional value of foods, but studies today reason that the use of the ash undoubtedly, made the Indians healthier people".
More info at: http://thecheffyboy.blogspot.com/2009/12/cooking-with-ashmaking-masa.html

All you need to make hardtack is flour and water. These biscuits can be baked on a hot rock directly in your camp fire. This and some jerky or meat should sustain you for some time.

Johnny cakes appear to have been made exactly the same way only using corn meal instead of wheat flour. So maybe flour, wheat or other, or corn meal would be a good food to carry, plus some ready made Johnny cakes as apparently Daniel Boone carried.

This second one that soaked for 30 minutes was easier to mould and held together better.
These two johnny cakes I made with just corn meal and water. I soaked the meal in hot water. The first one I baked straight away, but the second I let soak in a little more hot water for 30 minutes before baking.
I think the second one that was soaked for 30 minutes turned out better than the first one.

2 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

I love most anything made of corn (except grits). Unfortunately, it doesn't agree with my system, so I guess I wouldn't have lasted long as a pioneer or woodsman.

I wonder how much ash they put in their corn?

Keith said...

2 T plus of wood ash
1 quart of water
2 cupsof dried white corn

Soak corn overnight. The next day heat one quart of water. Add the wood ash,
stir it in then strain out the undissolved wood particles.

http://thecheffyboy.blogspot.com/2009/12/cooking-with-ashmaking-masa.html