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Bake, Boil, or Fry
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grades
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4, 5, 6
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subjects
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language arts, math, reading, science, spelling, U.S. history
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time allotted
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60 minutes
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setting
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classroom, home
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group size
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no limit
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skills
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reading historic material, performing measurements and conversions, and analyzing social differences in historic periods
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methods
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students will work with authentic recipes from the Civil War and determine how they are similar to recipes of today.
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materials
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recipe from A Country Kitchen 1850; Cookbooks from home or library, Ingredients as stated in recipes
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keywords
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hardtack
receipts
recipe
saleratus
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Objectives
At the end of this activity, students will be able to:
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Background Information
Today it is difficult to imagine life without amenities. Simple things like a refrigerator and a freezer are commonplace in traditional American homes. Nearly all families have a microwave, a stovetop, and an oven. We have the freedom to purchase pre-packaged and canned foods from the marketplace. Few people today rely upon growing their own crops of fruits, grains, and vegetables, raising their own livestock, and curing meats in the smokehouse. Some traditionalists buy into the concept of “living off the land,” and try to live the way the “old-timers” did, but most modern families enjoy modern conveniences and are happy that they don’t have to do things “the old way”.
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Activities
Pre-activity
Students will write a journal entry entitled, “Where does my food come from?”
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Ask the students to read their journal entries and discuss the various crops and their local growing places within the United States. Explain the import / export process.
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Ask the students to make a list of the products and services, which would have been available to them in Tennessee during the Civil War. Also
determine whether or not the types of foods they enjoy today would have been available. Why or why not?
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Talk about what type of sacrifices would have been made if you lived on a plantation (over 1000 acres), or a farm (less than 1000 acres.). Ask who would have prepared the food. How long would it take to prepare? What would you prepare for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack? When would you eat? What time of day? Where would you eat? Would you eat in the same place that the food was prepared? (If the students visited the Sam Davis Home, this would be an opportunity to discuss detached kitchens).
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Have the students go to an individual workspace in the room. Explain that they are going to have the opportunity to choose an authentic recipe dating back to the Civil War time period. Tell them to take a few minutes to study the recipe they choose.
View the recipes from the Civil War era
Download a PDF of this lesson
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Next have the students pair off and play “Guess what I am cooking in my kitchen?” game. They will share their recipes with each other without telling the other student what it is. The purpose of this activity is to see how similar the recipes are today with those written 100+ years ago. Each partner must guess the correct recipe to be prepared prior to leaving that kitchen: meat, chicken, vegetable, casserole, stew, and dessert.
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Once each partner understands how to play the game and the rules involved, then rotate to a new partner. Students should visit as many “kitchens” as possible in the limited time allotted. (10-15 min. per game would be adequate).
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Follow-up Activities
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Resources
Coulter, Merton E. Confederate Receipt Book: a compilation of over one hundred receipts adapted to the times. University of Georgia Press, 1960.
Cornelius, Mrs. A Country Kitchen 1850. Maynard, MA, Chandler Press, 1987.
Gowan, Hugh & Judy. Blue and Grey Cookery: authentic recipes from the civil war years.
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