Comfort Food Origins - Fried Potatoes

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  • Опубликовано: 2 апр 2023
  • Comfort foods make up some of our fondest memories. In this episode, we explore a common comfort food today and look for its roots in the 18th century. Let's make fried potatoes!
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Комментарии • 724

  • @johngalt969
    @johngalt969 Год назад +293

    "I don't go back in time and add nutmeg to every recipe." that's what a time travelling nutmeg saboteur WOULD say!

    • @Skubbes
      @Skubbes Год назад +9

      honestly i never used more than a quarter of nutmeg and its usually in milk dishes. this man would add it to his toothpaste :D :D

    • @armintor2826
      @armintor2826 Год назад +5

      Nutmeg saboteur is a crazy title

    • @MikeGameOver
      @MikeGameOver Год назад

      Guilty!!

    • @maeamaryllis_
      @maeamaryllis_ 2 месяца назад

      Pretty sure John is a Doctor Who for nutmeg

  • @thecreweofthefancy
    @thecreweofthefancy Год назад +45

    I read an account of a cook in about 1678 who said he saw a strange man in a blue jacket sneaking around his kitchen writing nutmeg into all of his notes. He was unsure if the man meant trouble so he left the nutmeg entries alone.

  • @GildedPoo
    @GildedPoo Год назад +147

    I think it's beautiful that the 23 member family will forever live on through this video. Something they never even imagined was possible when writing an otherwise simple letter.

    • @highlands
      @highlands Год назад +6

      I'm just amazed that 23 people could survive eating poop covered potatoes.

    • @gtccold
      @gtccold 10 месяцев назад

      The surprising thing is that it was probably a viral news article that saved lives during wheat crops failure.

  • @stumpyhigginbottom3466
    @stumpyhigginbottom3466 Год назад +494

    Potato + cow is just about as simple a recipe as can be, but almost every iteration of that - baked potato + sour cream + cheese; mashed potato + butter; scalloped potato + buttermilk; myriad others - ends up being a really satisfying meal.

    • @KairuHakubi
      @KairuHakubi Год назад +34

      I'm told the two together have basically all the nutrients you need. the irish survived and looked healthy at a time when they had almost nothing but potatoes and milk
      I have also heard the reason potatoes are so uniquely satisfying is they just take a long time to digest and make you feel full longer, sort of the opposite of rice.

    • @LazyLifeIFreak
      @LazyLifeIFreak Год назад +13

      @@KairuHakubi You'd still need a bulk source of protein to maintain muscle and bone health, whole milk is good and all but you're not drinking gallons of it every day.

    • @thegungeonmaster
      @thegungeonmaster Год назад +24

      @@LazyLifeIFreak the cow does end up getting old eventually.

    • @Big_Glizzy.
      @Big_Glizzy. Год назад +6

      Potatos and cabbage

    • @KairuHakubi
      @KairuHakubi Год назад +9

      @@LazyLifeIFreak well they also made cheese. that concentrates it a bit eh
      but yeah i believe this thing i'm referring to, they had the odd cabbage, and the odd bit of bacon when they could get it, but day to day it was like pure potatoes n dairy for a while

  • @ProSimex84
    @ProSimex84 Год назад +10

    “Maby you don’t like nutmeg”. I’m surprised this wasn’t followed up with “if so please unsubscribe from our channel” hahahaha. I have certainly sat down to a dish of potatoes and been thankful to have it. They are nearly a perfect food when you’re down and out.

  • @Hulaabeo
    @Hulaabeo Год назад +156

    I have never clicked a video notification faster.

    • @Vodkkah
      @Vodkkah Год назад +3

      Right tho lmao

    • @connorbaniak
      @connorbaniak Год назад +1

      I'm not here super often, yet subscribed. Exact same thought as you, though!

    • @ericwilliams1659
      @ericwilliams1659 Год назад +1

      A legate would have clicked faster.

    • @pizzalord3n
      @pizzalord3n Год назад +1

      *Fastest click in the west*

    • @missmaryhdream6560
      @missmaryhdream6560 Год назад +1

      Oh I do love these beautiful videos x Helpful in these times, of endurance

  • @jamesvatter5729
    @jamesvatter5729 Год назад +95

    Didn't take long to get that "nutmeg" in there! LOL I'm actually surprised the sugar version wasn't the choice. Thought it would bring out the spice.

    • @townsends
      @townsends  Год назад +65

      It's wasn't me, it was them. They did it!

    • @goatkidmom
      @goatkidmom Год назад +14

      @@townsends I think rosewater or cinnamon or ginger would add some layers of flavor that would go well with sugar. Nutmeg, though wonderful 😊, is probably too simple as a single flavor on its own to go with sugar. Even when I'm baking cakes or cookies, if nutmeg is the primary spice, a secondary spice is needed, along with something to give body to the flavor like vanilla or chocolate.

    • @PerMortensen
      @PerMortensen Год назад +12

      @@townsends Jon doth protest too much, methinks.

  • @bobgusky8140
    @bobgusky8140 Год назад +24

    Mr Townsend is the Bob Ross of historical cooking. I can be having a rotten day, and watch a video or two and will have learned something, and likely be in a better mood.

  • @jeromethiel4323
    @jeromethiel4323 Год назад +85

    My mother used to always bake extra potatoes when baking potatoes. Because the next morning, she would slice those baked potatoes up and fry them in a cast iron skillet with butter and sometimes a little added vegetable oil. A little salt and pepper and you have a hearty breakfast dish.
    And i have personally eaten a freshly baked potato with nothing but a little salt to dip the spud in. Perfectly edible and tasty, but a bit thirst provoking. But if you were hungry, it just doesn't matter. ^-^

    • @jd9119
      @jd9119 Год назад +3

      The cast iron skillet is essential.

    • @parallelcircuit
      @parallelcircuit Год назад +3

      My grandpa would make this for the two of us for lunch every Saturday growing up. We'd have that, peanut butter sandwiches, a cup of Rose Red tea, and a small glass of his home made wine. Just the thing between weeding the garden and going out the fix some fence.

    • @annienewman8312
      @annienewman8312 Год назад

      my family does that too

    • @billyyank5807
      @billyyank5807 24 дня назад

      I have no issues eating baked potatoes with just a little butter. I don't like sour cream so I don't put it on potatoes.

    • @jeromethiel4323
      @jeromethiel4323 23 дня назад

      @@billyyank5807 Nothing wrong with that, eat your spuds how you like em! Potatoes are very egalitarian that way. You could eat them raw, baked, fried, stewed, even fermented. Just doesn't matter. The lowly spud will be there for you. ^-^

  • @mikefranklin1253
    @mikefranklin1253 Год назад +49

    Mama made "German Fried Potatoes". Fried with bacon and onion in a cast-iron skillet. Good stuff.

    • @StarDustForge
      @StarDustForge Год назад +5

      Yes! That is what we call "Bratkartoffeln" over here in germany. It is made with or without egg and typically served with pickled gherkins (small cucumbers) on the side.

    • @justicedemocrat9357
      @justicedemocrat9357 10 дней назад

      Does mama have an onlyfans?

  • @pfalzgraf7527
    @pfalzgraf7527 Год назад +51

    Fried potatoes are THE BEST!
    Recently at a larger gathering in a restaurant I was flabberghasted when people ordered fries instead of the fried potatoes on the menu. The real fun was when I got my plate with fried potatoes and all the fries-people who saw those (really well done ones) regretted their order of fries ...

    • @ThePerfectRed
      @ThePerfectRed Год назад +4

      Fries vs. fried potatoes is like toast bread vs. rye bread

    • @bryan97908
      @bryan97908 Год назад

      Well done fried potatoes 😌

  • @armyrabb1
    @armyrabb1 Год назад +18

    I grew up with fried potatoes, not because we were poor, but because we loved them. Fried with onions and served with white gravy…yowsuh!

  • @margaretbarclay-laughton2086
    @margaretbarclay-laughton2086 Год назад +22

    If you added some flour to the egg or eve to water before dipping the potato slices and frying was and still is around Glasgow a comfort treat its even sold in local chip shops

  • @sumbius1576
    @sumbius1576 Год назад +5

    I have always been more used to fried potatoes for various dishes being made from boiled potatoes. Usually from last day's leftovers. Different texture but it works especially when trying to make do on a budget (and eating a lot of potatoes) instead of specifically planning to make fried potatoes

  • @josephstevens9888
    @josephstevens9888 Год назад +26

    My Dad always made fried potatoes with onions every Sunday morning. This video took me back to a much simpler time of my life. Thanks Jon!

  • @awildgengxr9021
    @awildgengxr9021 Год назад +42

    can we just take the time to thank books for all they have and all they give. completely invaluable as time goes on.

    • @wendyrotchstein98
      @wendyrotchstein98 Год назад +3

      Agreed! I have re-started buying real books again instead of books online. It just isn't the same as having a real book in your hand and turning the page.

    • @Carz6
      @Carz6 Год назад

  • @therealshug
    @therealshug Год назад +6

    your thoughts here about returning to a more self-sufficient state with actual family units really resonated with me, it's something I think about all the time.

  • @emazey5044
    @emazey5044 Год назад +32

    Mmmm, potatoes! I went to the market yesterday, got some yellow potatoes, will add some onions and butter beans to the fry mix. And have a magic crust custard pie in the oven to continue with the comfort food theme. Yum! Agree John, on the lack of community. The older I get the more I feel it, especially if health issues come up. Great video as always. 😊

  • @dr.froghopper6711
    @dr.froghopper6711 Год назад +122

    My two favorites are straight out of Appalachia. Fried potatoes and sausage gravy is one. Another is pinto beans and cornbread. A third is cornmeal mush. All three will stick to your ribs and keep body and soul intact. They’re poor people food and they are delicious!

    • @cassm395
      @cassm395 Год назад +1

      My kids like cornmeal mush!

    • @kounurasaka5590
      @kounurasaka5590 Год назад +5

      Fried potatoes were always a staple for any family get together my family had with each other. There was always enough food to go around, but fried potatoes made their way to the table alongside the expensive items like chicken and ham. Excellent side dish (but not great for the waistline!).

    • @krono5el
      @krono5el Год назад

      "rich people food" is just food stolen from the Indigenous and relabeled.

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Год назад +1

      Appalachia knows how to use corn.

    • @teresahiggs4896
      @teresahiggs4896 9 месяцев назад

      That’s where my family settled and have lived since the 1700’s. I love that area of the country, it will always be home to me.
      And I do cook the foods I grew up earring in East Tennessee, Applachia

  • @51rwyatt
    @51rwyatt Год назад +66

    I wonder if the potatoes in a pit, with a layer of straw/manure/sod, was to create a compost heat to keep the taters unfrozen during winter.

    • @chuckmaxfield7787
      @chuckmaxfield7787 Год назад +7

      That's how they used to make hot beds for the garden. Should the potato pit be below the frostline? Fascinating.

    • @51rwyatt
      @51rwyatt Год назад +16

      @@chuckmaxfield7787 Back then and in some northern areas today the frost line is impractically deep, like 6 feet. So maybe they used the "compost" method so they wouldn't have to dig so deep. With rocky ground, you can't really even dig that deep without heavy equipment today.

    • @pattheplanter
      @pattheplanter Год назад +7

      @@chuckmaxfield7787 Also how they heated greenhouses for growing pineapples in England all year round. So pretty effective.

    • @vaylonkenadell
      @vaylonkenadell Год назад +4

      The proper term for this preservation technique is "storage clamp". It was intended to keep the root vegetables cool and dry.

    • @pattheplanter
      @pattheplanter Год назад +2

      @@vaylonkenadell Isn't a storage clamp mostly above ground? This is the most basic form of root cellar (or earth cellar in Britain), I would think.

  • @spicydoge3847
    @spicydoge3847 Год назад +3

    As soon as the recipe came up with "... ,with a grated nutmeg or two" I saw the sparkles in Jon's eyes 😄

  • @MetokursGhost
    @MetokursGhost Год назад +61

    Greetings from The Netherlands!
    Your videos are my comfort food, love the positivity and insight into the past, keep up the good work.

  • @tadsklallamn8v
    @tadsklallamn8v Год назад +514

    Potatoes are a first foods for indigenous people. I am indigenous and working here on my 4th season as a test-farmer for our tribe's food department. I'm gonna make this recipe out of the makah ozette potatoes I just planted in the garden a long with some frybread.

    • @terryt.1643
      @terryt.1643 Год назад +18

      That sounds scrumptious! My standard potatoes have been doing well all winter, very unusual for here in Central Coast California. Usually I plant in late March for our first harvest and then I may get one or two more after that, this year I harvested potatoes in January and February. Weird year. Good luck with your potato crop. I am going to have to look up your potatoes, since haven’t heard of those before. 👍

    • @faithwalker5196
      @faithwalker5196 Год назад +8

      I’ll be there in time for dinner!

    • @SpanishEclectic
      @SpanishEclectic Год назад +15

      This sounds like a fascinating occupation. I saw an interview with an indigenous chef who was experimenting with ways to combine traditional and modern foods. I love the purple and blue potatoes I find here in Southern California; imported from Peru, I think. They have a nice texture and the flavor is outstanding. I've grown a few informally from the eyes. One day I'll get organized and try a full crop. Smaller potatoes like your makah ozette are so versatile and easy to prepare. I hope to try them sometime. Peace.

    • @Wolfietherrat
      @Wolfietherrat Год назад +2

      Keep us in touch, would love to hear your work.

    • @geradkavanagh8240
      @geradkavanagh8240 Год назад +11

      Bizarre comment. Are you from South America, The original source of potatoes.

  • @beau-urns
    @beau-urns Год назад +4

    What I take from this video: support local, shop local. You are putting money right back into your community.

  • @katashley1031
    @katashley1031 Год назад +14

    Just finished a lovely bowl of skinned, boiled potatoes to soothe my tummy and was just saying how comforting it was, lol. The timing! 😂

  • @juliegolick
    @juliegolick Год назад +26

    On the topic of large families (or "family units"), I think one of the huge pressures on modern parents is the idea of the "nuclear family." Parents today are expected to do *everything* themselves, whereas in the past you'd have a whole extended family and household to support you. No wonder modern parents are struggling! They're having to take on SO MUCH WORK all by themselves!

    • @ValeriePallaoro
      @ValeriePallaoro Год назад +4

      Agreed. I sometimes wonder (really) whose stooopid idea it was to push the husband/wife and two kids (with dog) family unit. It benefits property development most, because every family unit needs a house, but surely that's not the original idea? However, even The Jetsons, definitely an ad for the nuclear family, had a robot helper. Hmmm, at the same time (ok, I'm just working this through) there came about a lot of technology aimed at making housewives lives easier; stoves, hot water units, toilets, microwaves, vacuums, tv (and tv dinners) but then its hard to see the chicken and the egg. Do we have tv dinners because women needed them and business saw the niche market? Or do we have them because restaurants were too expensive to go to all the time? I see the upswing in America and the advertising of it as a lifestyle to the rest of the world, but ... still, whose idea was this?

    • @Longlius
      @Longlius Год назад +1

      The nuclear family was already well-established in Western Europe and North America by this point (having been the predominant model of family since the 13th century in England). Large intergenerational extended families like those described in the letter would have been rather rare in this period.

    • @bjrneirikstrkersen1021
      @bjrneirikstrkersen1021 Год назад

      And there are so many things and so much work modern families don't have to do

    • @not1word331
      @not1word331 Год назад +4

      Also, as new children come along, the older ones can help raise them, and contribute to the family with full work in and around the home. The concept of man-children, and perpetual adolescence, men in their mothers' basements playing video games, has further eroded the value of families.

  • @SpanishEclectic
    @SpanishEclectic Год назад +5

    My New York grandmother (first generation child of German Immigrants) used to make something she called a 'Dutch Lunch'. Boiled potatoes lightly mashed with cottage cheese, seasoned with salt and pepper. Add chives if you want go really crazy. So simple, and really tasty. I served it to a friend and she was shocked how good it was. She had a German grandmother too, but had never heard of it. :)

  • @danialmeeker7456
    @danialmeeker7456 Год назад +3

    The nutmeg commentary reminds me of “king of the hill”. There was an episode where the neighbor was making Peggy’s recipe better. The scene was her trying each dish and simply saying, “add nutmeg”.

  • @kahl4077
    @kahl4077 Год назад +75

    Boiled potatoes, quartered, with sugar sprinkled on them were a pretty common snack in the Korean kindergarten I worked at. I do wonder what the rose water would have done for the flavor, though.

    • @adeemuff
      @adeemuff Год назад +1

      I'm surprised by the number of comments mentioning sugar on potatoes. Whyyyy? They have so much starch in them already

    • @kahl4077
      @kahl4077 Год назад +31

      @@adeemuff I can only assume it's for the same reason people put icing on sugar cookies.

    • @adeemuff
      @adeemuff Год назад +8

      @@kahl4077 fair enough, you got me here 😂 still, sugar on potatoes feels so strange.

    • @ICULooking
      @ICULooking Год назад +7

      @@adeemuff why? it's not like potatoes are inherently savory. They taste like the earth

    • @adeemuff
      @adeemuff Год назад +6

      @@ICULooking maybe, it's territorial preference. Eastern Europeans aren't fond of potatoes with sugar.

  • @likkleginger
    @likkleginger Год назад +164

    My Irish family always part boil potatoes before frying. Same with my English family - it comes partly from the texture (very crisp outside, soft inside) and partly as cooked potatoes were everywhere and frying them was a quick way to reheat and add calories.

    • @rettichdergeile9361
      @rettichdergeile9361 Год назад +18

      We do that here in Germany too, it's heavenly. I suggest using some Duck or Bacon fat, it makes them even better

    • @dr.froghopper6711
      @dr.froghopper6711 Год назад +2

      @@rettichdergeile9361 we use bacon fat for lots of recipes.

    • @Zelmel
      @Zelmel Год назад +3

      I'm in the US and I do it much of the time that I fry potatoes because it cuts down so much on the time (if I'm doing stuff ahead of time) and makes the temperature for frying less critical since it's already cooked through and soft.

    • @Zelmel
      @Zelmel Год назад +4

      ​@@rettichdergeile9361 duck fat and bacon grease are the absolute best things for frying potatoes. So delicious.

    • @banthaexplosion
      @banthaexplosion Год назад +5

      If you try to fry raw taters you end up burning the outside before the inside is cooked.

  • @amaruqlonewolf3350
    @amaruqlonewolf3350 Год назад +10

    Seems like fried potatoes are sort of a universal language when it comes to comfort food.
    I come from a not-so well to do family myself, and ever since childhood, fried potatoes had been something that's rather comforting. No matter where I'll be, fried potatoes remind me of home. Mom's recipe would be to coat the potatoes in red pepper powder and a small pinch of salt, and then slowly fry them on a skillet with vegetable oil for about thirty minutes or so.
    Simple as that, quite delicious.
    It acts as a gateway into nostalgia for me. Thank you for your amazing content, Jon.

  • @Keeperoffyre
    @Keeperoffyre Год назад +7

    fried potatoes until some of them are crispy in the cast iron, then serve them with ketchup drizzled over them. my mema would fix them when she'd make pinto beans and ham with some cornbread to go with them. or, she would make them whenever she made fried catfish (fish sticks for me lol). fond memories of watching her make dinner for us after school (or my pop's breakfast since he worked 3rd shift)

  • @earlshaner4441
    @earlshaner4441 Год назад +17

    Good afternoon from Syracuse NY brother and everyone else thank you for sharing your live history videos

  • @meganlalli5450
    @meganlalli5450 Год назад +11

    Another potato head here.
    This recipe looks like a keeper, and one I shall surely try soon. For the sugar option, which doesn't sound as appealing to me, I'd probably use some maple syrup to pour over. Or maple sugar.
    I grew up in a small town, then moved away and for quite a while lived in a city or suburbia. I'm back to small-town living once again, and there's a sense of community in small towns that's largely absent from cities and suburbia. At least, that's been my experience.
    At the moment, I am blessed with wonderful neighbors. While I wouldn't expect them to grow potatoes with me per se, I know if I need help with something, they will help as they are able, and I do the same for them.

  • @agimagi2158
    @agimagi2158 Год назад +10

    Oh this reminds me of a dish the mother of a friend used to make when I was small. We would play outside and she'd bring us potatoes and carrots fried in a sort of eggy pancake batter. Definitely comfort food

  • @bryanparkhurst17
    @bryanparkhurst17 Год назад +16

    Truly a treasure John. Simplicity at it's tastiest.

  • @lukeguy6091
    @lukeguy6091 Год назад +13

    Those look a little like "scollops" popular in fish and chip shops in (at least) Manchester, England to this day. I have a mate who loves scollops in a bread bread bun, colloquially known as a "barm" with curry or gravy sauce. He's a food FIEND although he managed to shed a few pounds lately lol.

  • @floridaprepper751
    @floridaprepper751 Год назад +3

    I have a small garden in the back yard. Last saturday, i harvested 25 potato"s from 7 plants. It was my first big harvest. Nothing like fresh mashed potatoes. Great video sir.

  • @RemyVorender
    @RemyVorender Год назад +17

    So happy you guys are back to doing more cooking videos mixed with a little backstory. I just wanted you to know that while I'm sure it's old hat for you to make, it's what I love about your channel. Thank you!

  • @kareningram6093
    @kareningram6093 Год назад +7

    Jon: Guys, I swear it's not me. There was already nutmeg in this recipe, I'm just doing what it says. Honest.
    Us: Sure, sure. 😉

  • @RollerPigg
    @RollerPigg Год назад +5

    This man lives the life we all wish we could.

  • @SVDBYTHBLD
    @SVDBYTHBLD Год назад +6

    John your delivery and the overall quality of these videos have just gone leaps and bounds and these videos should be archived as these will ALWAYS do for our future generations. You’ve done well with passing these traditions - you are the keeper of the identity of our country. Thank you to you and yours for your service and dedication.

  • @miraclefarm1927
    @miraclefarm1927 Год назад +6

    Love this and will be trying this recipe. Building a community together and depending on each other is so much better than just two people in every house with their selfish ideals.

  • @RigalicReign
    @RigalicReign Год назад +4

    I got my Mom to cook some fried potatoes the other day, first time we've made em that style in probably a year. I missed them, 100% gonna try this recipe this weekend

  • @flowercatsmeowmeow4744
    @flowercatsmeowmeow4744 Год назад +7

    I love your "Monday Messages" series...The world needs more of this...❤

  • @12thsonofisrael
    @12thsonofisrael Год назад +25

    I love to watch a video made by you about the recovery of the Irish after the potato 🥔 famine. ❤

  • @Jellzorro
    @Jellzorro Год назад +3

    The sugary ones remind me of a Dutch food called 'aardappelkoek'. You make a batter with potatoes and then fry them in a pan. Add sugar right before consumption. Absolutely delicious!

  • @jd9119
    @jd9119 Год назад +3

    On cold rainy days, my mom would make fried gizzards and hearts for my brother, sisters and I. A lot of people think they're gross, but they always were something that we all loved. They don't cost very much either, but finding supermarkets that carry them can be difficult. Same with pig's hooves.

  • @chrisphillips9377
    @chrisphillips9377 Год назад +6

    Brilliant! Your talent as a historian through food is awesome and makes it feel as if we are connecting with past generations, which in fact we are!

  • @michaelthayer5351
    @michaelthayer5351 Год назад +3

    Another thing to add to the eggs would be fresh herbs, like dill, parsley, or whatever else you have.
    This seems like a recipe that substitutes potatoes for bread. We often think of French toast (or bread soaked in egg) as a sweet breakfast dish. But going back thousands of years when you had bread that went stale many would soak it in egg or simply toast it over a fire. And I must say, savory French toast, with herbs, or cheese or ham or both on top is splendid and the recipe would likely be just as good with potatoes.

  • @nilo70
    @nilo70 Год назад +5

    Cheers from California ! It is Very windy here in the Central Valley, just right to stay home and enjoy another Townsend Episode 😊

  • @jenniferpingleton8389
    @jenniferpingleton8389 Год назад +6

    Grew up on these, pinto beans, and cornbread! Can you tell im from Appalachia?😂

    • @nilo70
      @nilo70 Год назад +1

      My folks fed us the same here in California when I was a kid. I Always liked the meals my mother made for us. How about “Chow chow” and pickel lily ?😊

  • @TheAldocaro
    @TheAldocaro Год назад +4

    I can’t even imagine how people in the old world survived before potatoes arrived there.

    • @OffRampTourist
      @OffRampTourist Год назад +1

      I think they ate a lot of turnips and/or parsnips and/or beets but I'm not excited about any of those. Potatoes and sweet potatoes flavors are much preferable and the choice of creamy or crunchy cinches the deal.

    • @xTruncz
      @xTruncz Год назад

      Bread

  • @dianebondhus9355
    @dianebondhus9355 Год назад +11

    Are you sure you didn't go searching for a recipe with nutmeg Jon? 😉😂
    Great video 🎉

  • @thundercat8601
    @thundercat8601 Год назад +24

    I grew up with potato pancakes sprinkled with sugar, along with a side dish of sausages. Can't think of a better nostalgia meal.

    • @adedow1333
      @adedow1333 Год назад +1

      That sounds so amazing

    • @adeemuff
      @adeemuff Год назад +1

      I can't imagine eating sweetened potatoes and sausages which are supposed to have a savoury taste.

    • @constructionbootgazer
      @constructionbootgazer Год назад +2

      @@adeemuff the sugar definitely seems a little bit strange, but yet, I love when my hash browns get some accidental maple syrup on them (when eating French toast/waffles/pancakes)

    • @adeemuff
      @adeemuff Год назад

      @@constructionbootgazer looks like you've given me a reason to try it out! Thanks !

    • @singerredeye6639
      @singerredeye6639 Год назад +1

      @@adeemuff Look up potato candy and needhams. Both candies are made with boiled and mashed potato. The potato acts as a filler and takes on the taste of the other ingredients.

  • @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon
    @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon Год назад +2

    I can't get enough of this channel. So simple, yet so philosophically important.

  • @knightofastora1324
    @knightofastora1324 Год назад +3

    I always fry my eggs and potatoes seperately for the exact reason you mentioned.
    Boiling them before slicing so you can coat them with the eggs and fry it all at once into a patty is a little convuleted imo, but it does (kinda) make it into finger food which could have its merits for a blue collar man I guess

  • @krisb8781
    @krisb8781 Год назад +1

    You know why I like this guy? I fell in love with his channel since the first episode I watched. Calm almost therapeutic episodes with no drama. Very good content.

  • @sandrataylor3723
    @sandrataylor3723 Год назад +4

    LOL...as I was watching this, I chuckled because I had just eaten a plate of smothered potatoes and onions. Love my potatoes!

  • @alphasierrazulu
    @alphasierrazulu Год назад +7

    Thank you for everything you do!

  • @taikaperhonen6484
    @taikaperhonen6484 Год назад +3

    I have a fun story about potatoes that my boyfriend told me. I don't remember some of the details, but this happened somewhere, sometime in Germany. A king saw the value of potatoes for his people, but they weren't interested since above ground, the potato plant doesn't look that interesting. So, after a bit of thinking, the king devised a plan. He ordered one of his farmers to plant this boring crop. Once that had been done and the potatoes had started to grow, he stationed guards around the field that were under orders not to stop anybody from entering the field and taking some crops. The presence of the guards piqued the peoples interest. "Something very precious must be growing on that field, why else would the guards be there?" they thought. So, some snuck by the guards, dug up some of the potatoes and took them home, where they were cooked and eaten. Due to the perceived value by the public and the fact that they provide an easy and filling meal, the potato became incredibly popular and soon other farmers started growing them too. Thus, the king's plan had succeeded.

    • @Yesica1993
      @Yesica1993 Год назад

      Love it!

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Год назад +1

      Yep, that's a story about Frederick the Great. It's probably apocryphal, but it's a fun story.

    • @olenickel6013
      @olenickel6013 11 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721It's most definitely apocryphal, since the same story is told about a number of different European rulers!

  • @ChevalierdeJohnstone
    @ChevalierdeJohnstone Год назад +1

    Potatoes became popular in Europe as a necessity during the 30 Years War. The grain crops would get taken or destroyed by marauding armies, but since the potato tuber is underground, they survived. That’s why they start showing up in cuisine around 1650. They always had a reputation as “poor people food”.
    Sir Walter Raleigh brought them over to England, originally, but they were just a novelty item grown in very few gardens until the mid 17th century.
    Earlier “potato” recipes from Italy and so on refer to sweet potato, not the regular potato.

  • @kamonic6571
    @kamonic6571 Год назад +3

    I've never been so early in my life. Thanks for the video! Who doesn't love potatoes!?

  • @eloisebennett1673
    @eloisebennett1673 Год назад +1

    Growing up, we only made fried potatoes from leftover boiled potatoes. With sliced onions, or throw an egg on it once crispy.

  • @williamstewart1883
    @williamstewart1883 Год назад +1

    My family has always made potatoes and eggs. Pan fry the potatoes until they are almost done, then add in the well beaten eggs. Finish cooking. Salt and pepper to taste.

  • @werecatauthor4249
    @werecatauthor4249 Год назад +1

    As a young guy having moved out for the first time with very little cooking skills, videos like this help out a lot

  • @crome2sniper
    @crome2sniper Год назад +4

    How amazing could it have been if that family had figured out you can use potato starch to make bread !

  • @superiorbear6382
    @superiorbear6382 Год назад +3

    Potato
    Done correctly and never stop eating them

  • @internetcatfish
    @internetcatfish Год назад +2

    You mentioned books about small, self-sufficient family farms. What are they called and where would one acquire copies of them? Its an interesting subject to explore, especially since society depends so heavily on people being able to get goods and services from other people. More importantly, it may become useful to know about ways to have a family or a small community exist as a self-sufficient colony that does not rely upon the outside world for its necessities. Considering the way the economy and society in general is going, we might not have any choice but return to such a lifestyle in the relatively near future.

  • @rubenskiii
    @rubenskiii Год назад

    Did some plowing yesterday to prepare the small patch in my garden for spring, came across a number of potatoes i missed last harvest, they where in edible condition, looked like they where put there yesterday!
    Potatoes are extremely resilient and almost always give return on investment: every year i can harvest more potatoes then last, and then i can plant more, they also get stronger every year: the plants that get sick, are seceptible to rots and bugs die of, and the strongest ones live. I am in my 3th year now and without spending a single penny on them or even much manual labour i had no problems with rot and critters last harvest, and none of the ones i found left in the ground was affected by rot either. Amazing crop.

  • @samuski36
    @samuski36 Год назад +10

    I remember walking into the house one day as a 10 year old and smelling chocolate chip cookies baking. I ran to the kitchen where I found my mother and asked her when the cookies would be done. She laughed and said, "What are you talking about, I didn't make any cookies! I'm just boiling some potatoes!"
    To this day boiling potatoes smell like chocolate chip cookies to me Lol! :D

  • @Ernescme
    @Ernescme Год назад +2

    Reminds me of a simple recipe I like to cook time to time - cut in small pieces boiled potatoes from yesterday and fry on a pan. When potatoes are turning golden, just add some eggs and mix in. If you want to be fancy, you can even add some smoked meat or sausage and even scallions.

    • @mrdanforth3744
      @mrdanforth3744 Год назад

      In our house it was potatoes eggs and onions

  • @The_Northerner
    @The_Northerner Год назад +23

    Hey! Are you planning to make a video on any old school Norwegian food anytime soon? So many options there!

  • @mkodweis
    @mkodweis 2 месяца назад

    I grew up with fried potatoes because my grandparents lived through the Depression and both World Wars and said it was filling and was especially good if they were able to find herb (in the wild) or a precious chicken egg! Thank you so much for all of your videos. It is great to see what you find in receipt books and literature and bring it forward to the 21st century.

  • @danielowens9295
    @danielowens9295 Год назад +1

    Egg in a Cup is my comfort food,as far as I’m aware it’s quite an old “dish” perhaps Victorian or Georgian… still fairly popular here in Dublin! All you do is get a cup with two soft boiled eggs, then break up a slice of slightly stale bread into tiny pieces add a knob of butter and plenty of salt. Then mix together, not too much or you end up with a paste just enough so you get a bit of everything in each spoonful 👍🏼

  • @mykolatkachuk7770
    @mykolatkachuk7770 Год назад +1

    Our family survived on potatoes through a great deal of 1990s in a post-soviet Ukraine. Refried boiled potatoes was the dish I leared to coock myself very early in my life. We also got unrefined sunflower oil from the same garden.
    But I wouldn't advise this diet for a extensive period. So carbs heavy menu may cause diabetis and other health issues.

  • @VoicesByZane
    @VoicesByZane Год назад +1

    "I don't go back in time and add nutmeg to every recipe!"
    I don't know Jon, that sounds like something someone who does EXACTLY that would say

    • @matthewanipen2418
      @matthewanipen2418 Год назад

      yeah...he got a little too defensive about that didn't he?

  • @chrismaverick9828
    @chrismaverick9828 Год назад +1

    I think the subject of the extended 'family' or neighbor community is quite a valid subject in this day. It wasn't that long ago that a person knew they weren't alone because they had cultured those close relations with family, friends, and neighbors. In the rural communities this is still present in most places. A farmer will help a neighboring farmer when the times are tough and they are able to help.
    The fact is that we have become a society that tends to keep its head down, because keeping it up and looking around means having to acknowledge the world around us and the problems that we don't quite know how to deal with. It's not a lack of caring, but mostly a fear of caring too much and being hurt by the results. Many don't have much they can afford to lose if they are burned by attempts at kindness.
    At the end of the day it comes down to whether you personally believe that good deeds are repaid by God, Fate, karma, whatever, and are willing to take that chance.
    Everything else comes down to how you create and define relationships with people, which isn't getting any easier with everyone closing in on themselves.

  • @karenfitzpatrick6256
    @karenfitzpatrick6256 Год назад

    My grandmother was born in 1899 in her Amish/Mennonite grandfather's home in a tiny village in upstate NY. One of the potato recipes she made a lot for us was fried potatoes, served as a side dish with meat main such as pork chops and applesauce. Raw potatoes were sliced thin and cook in leftover bacon fat until lightly browned and crisp. Then sprinkled with salt. Similar to the french fries of today, but much better tasting.

  • @kylegonewild
    @kylegonewild Год назад +1

    Things lost, things left behind. Things that fell through the cracks, for all of us to find. Pull up a chair, if you dare, and let's unwind with a trip through time.

  • @TheMosinCrate
    @TheMosinCrate Год назад +2

    Your videos are comfort food. Love the music and setting. Can watch and get lost in another time. (Sorry for being corny.)

  • @mooham8762
    @mooham8762 Год назад +1

    Isnt it amazing, the most incredible ingredients yet one of the chespest. Potato, we salute you!!!

  • @rahannneon
    @rahannneon Год назад +2

    My Amish gramma would boil taters and keep them cold in the fridge. Handy for quick cooking. Her version of this meal would be to chop up a small amount of bacon into a pan and start to cook it slowly to get the grease out, then slice in the boiled taters pretty thin, then slice onion on top of that, and after turning once to get the crispy ones facing up, break some eggs over the entire mess and cook until done. So good.

    • @lc8119
      @lc8119 Год назад +1

      That sounds delicious.

    • @Yesica1993
      @Yesica1993 Год назад

      Yum!

    • @rahannneon
      @rahannneon Год назад

      Another dish of hers that I loved was "Push and Shove It". This involved frying chunks of day old bread in some butter, sprinkling on some brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon if she had it, pushing and shoving it around as it fried, then at the end cracking eggs all over it. Sort of like a country version of french toast. It was amazing.

  • @lenatownsend9070
    @lenatownsend9070 Год назад

    You are a gem. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and light with the world. ❤😊

  • @rhysodunloe2463
    @rhysodunloe2463 Год назад +1

    I will definitely give this a try.
    My favourite comfort food is just as simple: boiled potatoes with sour cream.
    My German granny made that on very warm summer days, when she couldn't be bothered to stand next to the hot stove all the time.
    But her recipe is a bit different than American ones because she uses other dairy products. Namely quark, a specific type of dairy that is somewhere between sour cream and curd cheese and hard to get in mpst of the US.
    She then mixes that quark with single cream and adds salt, pepper and - of course - nutmeg.
    It's so simple and fast to make. If there's any leftover it's also great as a spread for breakfast and you can put any fresh herbs, onions or vegetables in it.
    And on very hot days I let the boiled potatoes cool completely - sometimes even in the fridge - before eating.
    And on very cold days: Palatinate Potato Soup.
    Peeled and diced potatoes are cooked alongside diced soup green (that's a bundle of vegetables you can buy in any German supermarket or greengrocer - some carrots, a half or quarter celery root, leek and a bit of parsley). When the vegetables are soft you pass the soup through a sieve or blend it, then add some cream and season to taste with salt, pepper and marjoram.

  • @MelancoliaI
    @MelancoliaI Год назад

    You have to respect a man who makes painstakingly accurate historical cooking videos just in order to satisfy his nutmeg Jones.

  • @ElizabethJones-pv3sj
    @ElizabethJones-pv3sj Год назад

    Having just been reading about the potato famine that description of 'we eat potatoes for every meal' just goes to show why potato blight was such a huge issue across Europe. Mismanagement that had its roots going back centuries in Ireland meant that Ireland couldn't effectively recover the way that other countries did, but across Europe many people were one bad harvest away from starvation.

  • @brandonfuchs538
    @brandonfuchs538 Год назад +1

    What a great video and the info spot on as usual thank you

  • @Hato1992
    @Hato1992 Месяц назад

    In Poland we make potato pancakes and eat those with sourcream and sugar. But we grate raw potatoes into a bulp, also a bit of onion into it (also grated), pinch of salt and pepper, and fry them on pan about the size like those on video. When on plate, add cream and sugar on top.

  • @EggShen905
    @EggShen905 Год назад +1

    We haven't progressed from large family farms; we *re*gressed from them. Clan living, with aunts and uncles and cousins and elders and children all living on adjacent plots of land, is still viable for survival. And it's still happening in some places, mostly overseas, but out here in the western parts of Virginia we're still working at it. I'd bet, as respect for family and tradition rise and the need for close-knit communities and farming are more and more necessary for survival, we'll see this way of life return somewhat.

    • @wendyrotchstein98
      @wendyrotchstein98 Год назад

      I long for that here on my 10 acres. I cannot convince my kids to join me but they like the idea of a farm from afar lol.

  • @awakenedgarou8542
    @awakenedgarou8542 Год назад

    Love these videos, perfect way to relax after work and learn something. Great content

  • @aonghusmor333
    @aonghusmor333 Год назад

    Great video, class as always.

  • @SoulisStar
    @SoulisStar Год назад

    I love your videos. From the content of each video to the filming and framing of your shots. But most of all your exuberance about what you talk about is wonderful

  • @ErokowXiyze
    @ErokowXiyze Год назад

    "Sugar and potatoes, I'm not ready for that." Perfect critique. No notes.

  • @The_Stoic_PhilosopherAU
    @The_Stoic_PhilosopherAU Год назад

    I have learned so much from this channel. It’s fascinating!

  • @CinnamonToastKing
    @CinnamonToastKing Год назад

    I definitely plan on making these. Thank you for the great video!

  • @royeckhardt9016
    @royeckhardt9016 Год назад

    Par-cooking potatoes for purposes like this quickly became a go-to for me last summer when I was in Idaho. I didn't have a ton of active time to spare, so parboiling or microwaving and then finishing them in a pan was really convenient. It's also minor, but depending on when you do that, you can either let them firm up by cooling or cut into them while hot so that some of the starch/potato flesh coats the rest of the larger pieces which ends up adding a bit of a unique quality.

  • @trevorus
    @trevorus Год назад +1

    Is it just me, or in Jon the Bob Ross of historical reenacting? I love this channel, and I hope to make the pilgrimage to the shop one was l day.

  • @sststr
    @sststr Год назад +1

    Michaelmas... The only reason I know about that holiday at all is last year I stumbled across a comedy skit by Alasdair Beckett-King entitled "The Nightmare Before Michaelmas". Which is here on youtube, and despite the name is very mild. He's British, so it's the dry and subtle humor. Only 75 seconds long, it's worth a watch.

  • @joanhelenak
    @joanhelenak Год назад +1

    The butter, sugar, and rosewater sounds like it's meant to be boiled together as a syrup. Great video!