A few months ago I came across a book that I really thought was pretty neat. To be honest, when I first bought it I had no ideas about using it for schooling purposes. I bought it for me. I bought it because it seemed practical for our family. I bought it because the title just really caught my eye.
So what was this book that I just couldn’t live without? How To Feed An Army: Recipes and Lore From The Front Lines by J.G. Lewin and P.J. Huff. As a mother and chef to 9 children, I thought the book might provide some invaluable ideas on how to feed my children on a tight budget.
As I flipped through the book at the bookstore I saw that there were some very interesting stories about the military and how certain recipes came about. Not only that but while it gave the original recipe and how to make that particular recipe for an army of 100 soldiers it also provided instructions on how to make it for an army of 10! Perfect for my family!
When I got the book home and had time to truly look through it I realized that I had struck gold! Not only was I going to have recipes that were made to cook for larger crowds, many at a low cost, but the stories that were written in the book, the pictures that were included, were all so amazing. They showed how soldiers lived and ate during various wars, from the American Revolution all the way to the Gulf War. They would not only interest my former Marine husband but engage my children in history as we fixed meals and ate too! I was proud of myself. Without thinking I had bought something that could easily aid us in our studies but would provide us amazing family time as well. To cook together, to eat together and to learn together all without effort… how can you go wrong?
About a month after I found this book I also came across another historical cookbook: “Cooking for the Cause” by Patricia B. Mitchell. In this book we found a large number of old southern recipes from the Civil War era. In addition to the recipes the book contains stories regarding the War and how both soldiers and civilians alike survived on little rations. It gives recipes that substitute some of the most interesting things in place of normal ingredients all because there was so little to eat during that time. There are letters from wives and quotes from generals, all making the cookbook an enjoyable and historical read.
While I have read numerous articles and posts on how to use cooking to teach reading or math it never occured to me that I could also use cooking to teach history. I am so thrilled to have found these cookbooks. There are so many others out there like them and I encourage you to find one that might interest you. Take your children into the kitchen with you, bond over cooking and learn in the process as well. You won’t regret it!
And for your cooking enjoyment, a recipe for Hardtack, a hard bread that was a staple in military diets for nearly a hundred years. To eat these soldiers often had to soak them in milk or water or grease if they had it. During the Civil War they were often called “tooth dullers” or “sheet iron”. They will give your children a newfound appreciation for the bread they have each day to eat!
Hardtack
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons salt
Water
Directions: Mix flour and salt thoroughly. Add water to form a dough that is elastic, but not sticky. Roll to about 1/2 inch thickness. Back in a 400* oven until slightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Prick with fork or nail over surface of bread. Score with a knife into rectangles. Place in a 200* oven for about 2 hours or until hard. Yields about 44 crackers. Enjoy! (Taken from “How to Feed An Army: Recipes and Lore From the Front Lines”.
Michelle can be found writing about her family, their homeschooling adventure and all that entails to a life with 9 children at her blog Pass The Flu Bug Please. Come on over and visit!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks fabulous!!! Why have I never thought of cooking through history!!! Love it!!!
se7en´s last [type] ..The Week That Was – 38
I have a similar cookbook of depression recipes. We haven’t gotten to the 30s in our history studies, yet, but we have used cooking in our study of various states and countries. Both of my boys LOVE to cook. In fact when, in a particularly weak moment, I threatened to send my 9yo to school, he burst into tears exclaiming, “But then I wouldn’t have time to cook anymore!” Cooking really is a wonderful addition to any homeschool curriculum… and your cookbook sounds like a great one. I’m going to see if our library has it. Thanks for sharing.
Jennifer´s last [type] ..TOS Crew Review- Peterson Directed Handwriting- Cursive
sounds like a great book. i going to hunt one down and read it for myself. by the way love the recipe for hard tack. personally i love the stuff. i know weird. (my sister made it once when for school when we were younger. and i ate it all so she had to make more).thanks for the review.
Thank you for sharing this. I LOVE these book ideas!