Rations

[Coatsy]

Re: Throwing Fish

I could definitely picture that. But what about spearing watermelons? All in all thanks for sharing. This is the type of stuff that we need to be reading!

[Charles Heath]

Re: Throwing Fish

Watermelons, and melons in general show up in various accounts. This letter is interesting enough just because it is a little something different:

SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1864.

DEAR LOUISA: I have seen our friend, M. Farin, the very day he arrived at home. I was going to the children's school, opposite, when he called me over to tell me that you were well, but Louly must still be sick, as he did not see her. I hope that the lady from Dayton who has bought a place in Canada, in the country, will take you to board with her on account of Louly's health, and perhaps she will board you for $20 a month in gold. No private house ought to ask as much as a hotel. Sister Anthony, from the Saint John's Hospital, will be in Detroit in a week or ten days from this time; will bring your flower molds and other little things for you. If Louly would come back with her she will take the greatest care of her. She could sleep all night in the sleeping-car, in one of the lower ones, not more than a foot from the ground. As Helen's school closes the 16th of next month, she could take care of little Louly with me, and I would bring her back to you before Helen's school begins again, as the fresh air of the country would restore her. We will soon have raspberries, and I have planted watermelons and cantaloupes. I have always thought her a delicate child. I will take every care of her. Louise Benham has left us for good; she is in L., but will be up on Wednesday for three days. She will write and tell you when to expect her at Windsor. If I had an old pair of Louly's drawers I could have them made, but if the old waist will do it will not be much trouble to cut and make them yourself. I have just received a letter from Albert while writing to you. He is well and in good spirits and likes the service very much. He is at present at Mound City, near Cairo; has sent me the Commodore Porter telegraph and a drawing of the Black Hawk, the flag-ship. He sends his [love] to all. Did you receive your boots and ----, which was sent to the express office at Detroit? Remember me to our Zena. I have commenced building the new rooms, but building is so high I fear I cannot do all that is necessary to the old home to make it decent and comfortable. Sissy, is there anything for you and Louly? Does she want a nice little sunbonnet with slats in it, as Jane Buscan has made one for Helen and Guy? I think one of white plaid muslin or a plain blue, yellow, or green French gingham, all one color, with a little riffle around it, will be nice for her. Write at once about it. Kiss Louly for me. Helen and Guy go every Sunday to Lindan Sunday school. Write soon. Do you not ---- or ---- , or does Louly?

Your affectionate mother,

A. L.

Write at once about the sunbonnet.

(This letter inclosed in an envelope addressed Mrs. Louisa Phillips, Windsor, Canada, inclosed in another addressed S. D. Elwood, esq., Detroit, Mich.)

Source: O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VII [S# 120]
UNION & CONFED. CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM APRIL 1, 1864, TO DECEMBER 31, 1864.--#15

No word as of yet about the progress of the watermelon x corn hybridization from OCN R & D? :p

[calico_outlaw]

Re: Pickled Potatoes

From the Sanitary Commission Bulletin:
Wherever I go, the surgeons say, "Send us all the vegetables possible. The men in the field must have them or die; but do not send pickled potatoes, they are a waste of money. And send no canned fruits, send them dried.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Pickled Potatoes

Now I am a little ashamed for being so quick to criticize the Sanitary Commission at Memphis.

After letting the pickled potatoes sit for another few weeks to absorb the squeaky fresh goodness of spiced vinegar, the popularity of this item, in the humble opinion of this taste tester, is still not in any way shape or form going to surpass that of pie. Given the texture of a potato, this concoction does remind me of pickled watermelon rind, but without the sweetness of the latter. :tounge_sm

[boreguard]

Re: Throwing Fish

Great reading old friend. My grandmaw who's 95 y.o. and still wide open, says that "fish fills people up quicker than anything 'cause Jesus feed thousands on just a few !" If the army had only new.

See ya in Vicksburg.

[Mrs. Buttrick]

Re: Pickled Potatoes

I concur with Charles. After a couple of weeks our potatoes were disappointing--in taste, texture and color.

That the Sanitary Commission did not recommend them is not surprising.

From the Sanitary Commission Bulletin:
Wherever I go, the surgeons say, "Send us all the vegetables possible. The men in the field must have them or die; but do not send pickled potatoes, they are a waste of money. And send no canned fruits, send them dried.

The woman quoted in my original post was involved in a disagreement, to put it delicately, with Milwaukee USSC agents. We are searching for letters or documents to help us understand this disagreement. We do know that the women connected with the Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee had bypassed USSC channels in sending supplies to the 39th Wisconsin at Memphis, August 1864, and that feelings about their plans for a permanent home in Milwaukee were contested. Henrietta Colt, mentioned below in Fanny Buttrick's correspondence (Memphis, August 24, 1864), was the Corresponding Secretary for the Wisconsin Soldiers' Aid Society.

What think you of Mrs. Colt's letter? Of course, I shall take no notice of it but it may serve to amuse you and the other kind friends who sent that glorious box -- the real secret of the old lady's excessive irritation. She is a weak and foolish woman. Yet in some respects superior to the rest of her sex as one meets them in everyday life.

Fanny's correspondence is forcing us to reexamine our assumptions about Wisconsin Soldiers' Aid Societies. Now, if we can only track down some letters by Mrs. Colt!

We'll be working on preparing horseradish in Spring, but will keep preparing the potatoes. We can't let our privileged knowledge of their outcome interfere with our zeal to do our part.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Pickled Potatoes

After a couple of weeks our potatoes were disappointing--in taste, texture and color.

Oddly enough, the color improves after a while as the potatoes move through a blue/purple/brown phase back to a cream color. I was surprised to notice this last night.

You mentioned horseradish in your post, and while eating the potatoes I was thinking about how much they'd be like a mild condiment for cold roast beef if minced and spread about like a thick horseradish paste. Pickled beets are good. Pickled eggs are good. Kraut is good. Pickled beef tongue is excellent, so what did they do to make these confounded pickled potatoes edible?

The administration of pickled potatoes could really pep up those anti-scorbutic issues at events.

[BobbyHughes]

Double smoked bacon

Comrades,

I thought I saw an article on this august forum about double smoked bacon for use in the field, but nothing came up on the search func.

So here goes, anybody down here in the Hotlanta area know of a source??? any help is greatly appreciated

[Foggy Bottom Jim]

Re: Double smoked bacon

This isn't specific to your area but I have had good luck at better delicattesens finding double or "twice" smoked bacon. Some of the places I have found the pork have called themselves "The International Deli" and "The German Deli".

Hope it helps.

Jim Reynolds

[Charles Heath]

Re: Double smoked bacon

http://www.yellowpagecity.com/sys/pa...gp=&go=butcher

Try the Atlanta yellow pages. Granted, there is not much in the metro area in terms of German food and food service supply, but you may luck out with a few phone calls.

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Double smoked bacon

Any good pork store may also carry the product.

I'm lucky enough to live in an area where I have both German deli's and an Italian pork store that makes its own smoked bacon.

One thing though you should probably order enough for several reeanactments at one time. A couple of times I've tried to get it the week before and the store is out. They're making more but it takes several weeks if done right.

[flattop32355]

Re: Double smoked bacon

Check at a specialty meat/butcher shop. If they don't sell it, they may know someone who does.

Double smoked keeps well over a weekend and can be frozen and thawed without perceptible detriment, so you can buy in bulk.

It fries up well, with enough grease to cook eggs or potatoes afterwards. It also boils well for a mucket/skillet meal with vegetables and water thrown in.

Nothing beats a meaty chunk of it, though it's easy enough to get some with mostly fat, so look at the piece they'll be cutting yours from before they cut it. In Columbus, Ohio, it goes for about $5.00/pound. The fat-soaked wrapping paper makes a good fire starter.

It ain't quite Chawls Heaf's salt pork, but it runs a good second to it.

[Garrett Silliman]

Re: Double smoked bacon

Robert,

If you're ever down in the Decatur area, try the DeKalb Farmer's Market. They have a huge selection of locally produced smoked/cured meats. Good Luck,

[Rob Walker]

Re: Double smoked bacon

Many small butcher shops will make it for you if they don't carry it normally. There are even a few larger places like Karl Ehmer and the like that can get it. If you let them know in advance that you require twice or even triple smoked bacon, many places will have it done for you in just about any quantity but I have found most would rather you order no less than a pound. Last year we ordered 30 lbs from a butcher for local event and had no problems getting it.

[brown]

Re: Double smoked bacon

I second Garrett's suggestion of the Dekalb Farmer's Market. Of course, it's amazing-ness goes beyond just meat and the 19th century, but it is well worth a look for double smoked bacon.