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Food for your trek or whats in your haversack
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Hivernant
Picture of Fincastle
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Boartooth,

It's my understanding that flint corn has a much lower water content, which more readily lends itself to making hominy, and it is less resistant to freezing, which may or may not be relevant to this topic, but I just thought I'd throw that out there. As far as sweet corn goes, the Eastern Woodland peoples have been harvesting green corn "sweet" corn and preserving and cooking it in a myriad of ways for several hundred, if not thousands of years. Corn in the milk stage, such as sweet corn, has a higher calorie content, and thus is higher in energy when eaten fresh or preserved in drying or parching.

Parched corn, was kind of like the original granola bar, it's a very high energy and easily portable trail food, and when handled and stored properly and kept dry, it will keep for a fairly long time in storage or on the trail.

I'm no expert, but hopefully that helps.


A nod's as good as a blink to a blind horse
 
Posts: 143 | Location: Indiana Territory | Registered: 22 September 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Modern "sweet" corn is a label that covers several hybrids. "Dent Corn" is one such hybrid developed in the second half of the 19th century.

At the time of contact through the 18th century, you would be looking at a heirloom variety of flint corn. All of the heirloom varieties were not known to all of the native peoples. For example "blue" corn was a type of "flint corn" not known East of the Mississippi. Flint corn was the type used to produce hominy up to and through the first half of the 19th century. It was also used to make parched corn, though modern "dent" corn will also work.

Any of the types of flint corn can be ground, or could be made into hominy or parched, or it could be harvested "green" and cooked immediately into a stew or soup.

As for preparation of hominy, it is boiled in a kettle with water for about 45 minutes, then allow to stand for another 15 minutes, and it becomes soft enough to chew.

Grits were found to cook faster, so ground hominy, aka hominy grits became one of the first "fast foods" since it cut about 45 minutes out of the boiling time.

If you look at a copy of Camping and Woodcraft by Horace Kephart, there is a chart showing relative calories yielded by different foods, and parched corn is very high though doesn't contain any of the fat. In Kephart's case, the parched corn was probably made from dried Dent-corn, instead of an Indian flint type.

OH and field corn will look like large Dent-corn, and will parch up nicely too...but the cellulous content is waaaay too high for a human stomach (as it's meant for cattle and horses), and it will give one the "green apple quick step"... Eeker

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Thanks for the help in understanding,this has been fascinating so far.I'd like to try both versions someday......


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
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Have you gents ever made hardtack? stuff last for months Big Grin
 
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Booshway
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Hardtack would last for years if I owned it. I think Townsend has instructions for making it.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
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I have a recipe that I've used for years. Razzer
 
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Factor
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I have tried Hardtack,the most difficult part of eating it is getting it soft enough to eat...Wink


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
<mtnmike>
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Secret is chicken bouillon for soaking/dipping Roll Eyes
 
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Factor
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Actually...

The problem with most folk's version of hardtack or ship's biscuit, is that they use modern ingredients. I will post a ship's biscuit recipe and explain.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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That would be interesting.....Please do....


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Biggest problem most people have is the habit of eating to much. It's surprising how long you can go on way less then you think you need. It's about retrain your MIND and body to accept way less then your used to consuming. You get hungry now because you're used to eating by Volume a certain amount to feel full n satisfied. Most folks dont NEED that much but they are used to it by habit. A handful of parched corn, a couple pieces of jerky should be enough for a normal person for a day. Think about it a minute. 3 pounds of raw meat equals about 1 pound of dried jerky. Dried corn, corn meal, beans is about the same fresh to dried. How much do you really Need vs how much you want or are used to to feel full? That's why so many erocans are so overweight, we eat what we want verersus what our bodies truely NEED
 
Posts: 229 | Location: Southeast Pa. | Registered: 03 February 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Actually, the obesity of Western Civilization (regardless if one's ancestors came from Europe or not) is based more on the processing of what is eaten, not the quantity. Removal of nutrients when going from natural to fast or junk food, plus the abundance of processed sugar, causes us to require more intake to approach what we need. It's not a habit, but an actual lack of nutrients. Even today if one simply removes most if not all processed foods, we are eating more hybrid plants, that mature faster, but in doing so store less nutrients. BUT this topic "branch" is really for another forum...,

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Three things I always try n have are a bit of honey, mixed dried fruits and some chocolate discs. All are good for a boost of energy, the inherent sweetness is fantastic after a couple days of jerk n dried corn etc. Also the honey is a great sealer infection fighter on a smaller open wound, cut, scrape
 
Posts: 229 | Location: Southeast Pa. | Registered: 03 February 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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If it's local honey and not cooked to process it....it can also help sometimes with reducing reactions to local pollen.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Graybeard
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Dave that is so true. A buddy has some hives can get raw from him. Sure helped with my hayfever. Except for the eyes itching LOL but better for the most part
 
Posts: 229 | Location: Southeast Pa. | Registered: 03 February 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Try taking some Golden Seal herb with your honey. I've a friend who has bad hayfever, but couldn't get any work other than as a roofer for years, and swears by the stuff. You have to find a brand that's good quality, though, as herbal supplements don't have the same controls as meds on the market.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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