I don't think so. Even if they'd fully made the transition from "ew, they're poisonous!" to "yum," which I'm not sure about the timing of, I don't think they were grown much in my region at that time. They're difficult to raise from seeds with such a short growing season, unless you've got a lot of leisure and indoor space at your disposal.

They were in common use in England by the end of the 18th century. I'm fairly certain your grandparents would have recognized them as food.

Hee. If I ate like my great-grandmother, I bet I'd have a completely different diet than he intends. Lots of rice, lots of fermented bean products. Probably a good bit of fatty pork. Fish. Seaweed. Lots of pickled and dried things.

Yum.

What's the deal about pastured vs. free range poultry?

In other news, snow day! So all you people east of me will probably get this storm in a couple of days. I made one trip out to the house already, but the highway was so bad there was no way I was making it to the school. One of the schools between here and there canceled, for the first time in over a decade. So it's pretty messy out that way.

But it's really good timing for me because most of the stuff is out at the house. We have a lot of fidgety little packing things to do here at the duplex. Because tomorrow our buddies with the trailer come and we're finally moving! (Weather permitting.) But we're close. And even if they can't make it out, we've got enough over there that I think we could stuff the mattress in our van and get there ourselves, enough to live, anyway.

The SO is mostly over his cold, so I took him out for breakfast this morning to celebrate. We ate pancakes and watched the cars struggle on the street.

Now I'm snuggled up with the dog for a bit before I call time and get going on my tasks here.

--Eat more like people with traditional food cultures (the French, Italians, the Japanese, Indians, Greeks) and regard non-traditional foods with skepticism

I don't get this. Don't all people have traditional food cultures?

Don't all people have traditional food cultures?

I think he means "Don't eat like an American."

I don't get this. Don't all people have traditional food cultures?

Yeah. Traditional German food isn't all that good for you, right?

I suppose Twinkies and Diet Coke may be traditional foods for some people, but I think he means historical traditional...

I think he means "Don't eat like an American."

Bah! I'm going to start eating more rotten meat and drinking beer at every meal, in recognition of the American tradition.

My great grandmother having been so familiar with sushi and dal?

In other food news, I have a new favorite knife block.

I love food discussions!

Hey, here's a recipe that one of my great-grandmothers submitted to her church's cookbook:

[link]

Canned spaghetti!