Civil War Era Housewares

Rebel Cornbread and Yankee Coffee: Civil War Campfire Cooking

Civil War soldier recipes and folk wisdom. When Garry Fisher was 8, listening to stories about his ancestors fighting, he noticed in all the Civil War accounts that the most vivid details recalled were about food. The men's lives depended on the quantity and quality of food they received, and both areas were severely lacking. Forced to make do with what they had, they created new recipes as the war progressed. Garry has compiled many of these recipes from stories and letters of actual Union and Confederate soldiers. His historical accuracy is impeccable as he describes the food and recipes used by soldiers, all of which he tried for himself as part of his research for this book. For example, he gives exact instructions for making hardtack, a common wartime cracker, including its dimensions, ingredients, and the best ways to eat it. $7.95