Stumping and Eating: Puerto Rican Cuchifritos

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas Recipe

Ingredients
Potatoes
Potato flakes or flour
Anatto powder seasoning (sazon) for coloring
Ground beef (vegan substitute)
Cooking oil
Salt
Adobo
Sofrito 

Method
Season ground  beef to taste and cook until brown. Cook potatoes as you would for mashed potatoes. Mash the potatoes, add potato flakes, annato powder and salt. Mix together. Make sure the potatoes are not too soft or too hard. Heat oil in the pot while mixing potatoes. Make a ball of the dough out of the mash potato making sure your hand is cuffed making a half a ball out of the dough. Now spoon some meat inside the dough in your hand. Make another ball and flatten over the stuffed half making a full ball out of the potato. If needed add some potato flakes or flour to make sure the ball stays intact. Deep fry the potato ball in hot oil and cook until the ball turns bright orange and crispy. 

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

In Florida, Vitriol Flies as Romney Sits Atop Polls Before Primary: [Watch or Listen 15 min 20sec]  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june12/campaign_01-30.html

If Gingrich Loses Florida, What's His Path Forward?: [Watch or Listen 38 sec] http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/jan-june12/stususan_01-30.html

Florida's I-4 Corridor Influences GOP Primary: [Listen 3 min 48 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/30/146073039/floridas-i-4-corridor-drives-votes-to-gop-winner

How Primary Skirmish Toughens White House Bid: [Listen 11 min 59 sec] http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=146087628

Bilingualism A Political Liability?: [Listen 4 min 24 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/29/146062632/bilingualism-a-political-liability

Stumping and Eating: Puerto Rican Rice and Beans

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Rice and Beans History and Recipe: http://www.foodasalens.com/2011/01/rice-and-beanspeas-and-rice-series-part_22.html

Bilingualism A Political Liability?: [Listen 4 min 24 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/29/146062632/bilingualism-a-political-liability

Gingrich and Romney Battle in Winner-Take-All Florida: [Watch 12 min  35 sec] http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june12/campaign_01-27.html

Frederick Douglass Opie, “Eating, Dancing, and Courting in New York Black and Latino Relations, 1930-1970”: http://www.amazon.com/dancing-courting-relations-1930-1970-CONSUMERISM/dp/B001PC9SIW

Stumping and Eating: Puerto Rican Barbecue

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern on Barbecue in Puerto Rico: [Watch starting at segment at 10 min 2 sec] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSz_EFMsBM0&feature=related

Puerto Rican in Central Florida Oral History Project: [Listen 10 min] http://myfloridahistory.org/node/1485

GOP Candidates Counting on Latino Voters: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/01/27/145995299/heading-into-final-fla-swing-gop-candidates-keep-courting-latino-voters

Jacksonian Democracy, Votes, and Food

Shaker Pie, this and other pie recipe below 

The Republican Primary in Florida is heating up with election day just around the corner. One common argument is that Governor Romney will win the primary because he has out spent his opponents 3 to 1.  As a Professor of History and Foodways this interpretation reminds me of the Jacksonian era. During the antebellum period party operatives used “election day treating,” a practice rooted in British political culture, to get people to vote (your vote in exchange for food and spirits—especially whisky and rum). Historically the tactic had a strong class dimension to it and particularly so after 1828 when Jacksonian Democrats increased popular participation in elections by reducing residency requirements for voting, eliminating the practice of voting by voice, and increasing access to voting places. For the poor election day meant a mouthwatering spread that might include in the words of traveler Adam Hodgson, “four or five turkeys on the table, and the greatest possible variety and profusion of meat, poultry, and pastry” and decanters full of brandy, whisky, and rum. When I think of an old put extremely good southern pastry, lemon shaker pie comes to mine. Here’s a recipe and some additional pies recipes that are often forgotten too. Also see the piece on history in the making in a Mississippi election today.

Shaker Pie Recipe: http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/gf/gf100623piecast_lost_pies_of


GOP Candidates Counting on Latino Voters: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/01/27/145995299/heading-into-final-fla-swing-gop-candidates-keep-courting-latino-voters

Stumping and Eating: Puerto Rican Tamales

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Pasteles or Puerto Rican-Style Tamales: http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/11/ethnic-borderlands-and-foodways-in.html

 

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

In Spanish-Language Ads, A Question of Sincerity: [Listen 4 min 36 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/26/145915069/in-spanish-language-ads-a-question-of-sincerity

 

Republicans Flight for the Latino Vote: [Listen 11 min 44 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/26/145905359/republicans-fight-for-the-latino-vote

Stumping and Eating: Cubans and Plantains

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Traditional Mofongo Recipe 
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/01/dining/011mrex.html

Vegan Mofongo Video Recipe
http://veganricans.blogspot.com/2008/11/vegan-mofongo-w-fried-tempeh.html

Cuban Plantain Soup Recipe: http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/09/hispanic-history-month-and-foodways_26.html

Plantain History and Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/2011/09/bananas-asia-africa-and-iberian-america.html

Various Plantain Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/09/hispanic-history-month-and-foodways_23.html

Stumping and Eating: Cuban Rice and Beans

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Cuban Rice and Beans History and Recipe:http://www.foodasalens.com/2011/01/rice-and-beanspeas-and-rice-series-part_22.html

Stumping and Eating: Cuban Barbecue

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Series The War For Cuban Independence and Food: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=The+Cuban+War+for+Independence+

La Caja China: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WDbU5OyhGg

Roasting a Pig Inside an Enigma: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/07/dining/roasting-a-pig-inside-an-enigma.html?pagewanted=all

Cuban Recipes: http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/gf/gf030712cuban_cooking_screen

Roast Pork Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/main_mojoroastpork.html

Stumping and Eating Part 2: Cuban Coffee in Florida

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

How to Make Cuban Coffee: [watch 1min 38 sec] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CQVzWfB_Ok

Comedian Ralphie Way on Cuban Coffee in South Florida: [watch 3 min 18 sec] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDcQoUHVukw

Coffee in the Cuban Diaspora: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/14/137152633/cuban-coffee-brand-may-pour-into-mainstream [Listen]

Coffee in Cuba Today: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130700949 [Listen]

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Cuban Migration History, Frederick Douglass Opie, “Eating, Dancing, and Courting in New York Black and Latino Relations, 1930-1970”: http://www.amazon.com/dancing-courting-relations-1930-1970-CONSUMERISM/dp/B001PC9SIW

Stumping And Eating in Florida Part 1

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

Cuban History with Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/01/feeding-revolution-spanish-american-war.html

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Food and the 2012 Campaign: http://www.p2012.org/food/index.html

Chitlin Circuit Veteran Etta James Dies

"Miss Peach," Etta James dies from leukemia at the age of 74

Singer Etta James Friday January 20 at the age of 74of leukemia. Born Jamesetta Hawkins in 1938 in depression era Los Angeles, James grew up as the child of a troubled teenager. As a result of her mother's lack of stability, James had a hard childhood filled with abandonment and abuse that continued into adulthood. Perhaps it's this history that gave her the ability to sing the blues with such authenticity. Similar to Aretha Franklin, James developed her sultry singing style in a black Baptist church, made her living singing secular music, and struggled with overeating.  James’ secular singing career first started on the streets of San Francisco where in addition to overeating problem she developed several substance abuse problems. Most notably she made her mark in a cappella group called the peaches from which she derived the nickname Miss Peach which stuck until her death. Like Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and others, James sang on the chitlin circuit with such notable artists such as Bo Diddley and little Richard. The chitlin circuit can be best described as a string of black owned and operated elaborate theaters and humble juke joints across the United States where entrepreneurs produced shows and sold iconic soul food dishes such as collard greens, fried fish, corn bread, sweet potato pie, and cheap cuts of pork, such as chitlins and pickled pig’s feet. Below find related links. And please share your comments below.

Etta James Photo Gallery: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-etta-james-obit-pictures,0,1599817.photogallery

Etta James Radio Interview: [Listen 19 min 5 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/20/138985700/etta-james-the-1994-fresh-air-interview

The Best of Etta James' Songs: [5 Videos] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/21/140810181/hear-5-etta-james-recordings

Etta James Obituaries: 

Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/etta-james-grammy-winning-blues-singer-with-pop-appeal-dies/2010/09/21/gIQApnhkDQ_story.html?tid=sm_twitter_washingtonpost

NPR: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/20/123125338/remembering-etta-james-stunning-singer

Book Discussion, The Chitlins Circuit and The Road to Rock 'N Roll: [Listen 41 min] http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/07/18/the-chitlin-circuit

Jimi Hendrix and the Chitlin Circuit: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Chitlin+Circuit

Peaches Recipes:

Traditional peach cobbler recipe: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/peach_cobbler/

Vegan peach cobbler recipe: http://chetroy.com/healthyvegan/?p=185

Grilled peach recipes: http://hubpages.com/hub/Grilled_peaches_Three_ways_to_enjoy_ripe_local_peaches_on_the_BBQ

Food Stamps In Recession Era America

Frederick Douglass Opie,  Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

'Food Stamp President': Race Code, Or Just Politics?: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/17/145312069/newts-food-stamp-president-racial-or-just-politics

Bob Dole & George McGovern - History of Food Stamp Program: [watch 14 min sec] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0_OWueb_8Y

Ethnic Breakdown of of SNAP 2010 Recipients: http://www.trivisonno.com/food-stamps-race 

Food Stamps and Invisible Americans

For South Carolinian Howard Furch the food stamp issue that Newt Gingrich raised during the last Republican primary debate is more about whether or not a candidate for president can empathize with unemployed and underemployed poor Americans struggling to put food on their table and feed their children. Furch asked, how can a candidate who can run up a $500,000 Tiffany bill and another one who can make a bet for $10,000 “relate to us?” His question reminded me of a book project that I'm working on that looks at Martin Luther King, Junior [MLK] through the lens of food. In his 1968 speech, “Remaining Awake Through A great Revolution,” King reflected on a recent trip he took to Marks, Mississippi, which at the time had the unflattering reputation as the poorest county in the United States. MLK recalled speaking with unemployed parents that had no kind of income, welfare, or food stamps. “I said how do you live? And they said well we go around—go around to the neighborhood and asked them for a little something. When the berry season comes, we pick berries; when the rabbit season comes, we hunt and catch a few rabbits that’s about it.”  In the northern ghettos of 1968 Newark, New Jersey and Harlem in New York City, MLK also found parents struggling to put food on the table and feed their children. King described these food deserts in the rural South and urban north “as kind of domestic colon[ies]” where the people remained invisible because the economic divide in United States limited contact between them and the more affluent Americans who worked, worshiped, and relaxed and in vastly different spaces. As King put it “our expressways carry us away from the ghetto, [and] we don't see the poor." I argue that in historic prospective Gingrich's current stump speech on food stamps and the president is more about class than race considering that the majority of citizens who have received food stamps have been white and poor. More on this topic tomorrow; in the meantime, enjoy the links below.

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

 My Food Stamp Post: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=food+stamps

'Food Stamp President': Race Code, Or Just Politics?: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/17/145312069/newts-food-stamp-president-racial-or-just-politics

Bob Dole & George McGovern - History of Food Stamp Program: [watch 14 min sec] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0_OWueb_8Y

Food Stamp Recipients in South Carolina: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/interactive/patchworknation/stats/food-stamps/food-stamp-recipients/sc/

Food and Females in South Carolina Political Culture

Frederick Douglass Opie, Professor of History and Foodways @ Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

South Carolina Voters and the GOP Debate: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/17/145357662/fiscal-conservatives-discuss-gop-debate

Women’s suffrage Timeline: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawstime.html

Oral History of Aikin South Carolina Suffragist League Leader Eulalie Salley: http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/G-0054/G-0054.html

Singing Before We Eat: MLK and Evangelical Leaders

 Frederick Douglass Opie, Professor of History and Foodways @ Babson College

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Santorum Gets Backing From Social Conservatives: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/14/145235051/social-conservatives-vote-to-back-santorum

Cooking Up Change: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/16/145179885/cooking-up-change-how-food-helped-fuel-the-civil-rights-movement

MLK Through The Lens of Food Part 4: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Down home Montgomery, Alabama pound cake, recipes below

Yesterday I started talking about Martin Luther King (MLK), Georgia Gilmore, food, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. When Montgomery authorities arrested Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, just about the entire black community of the city rallied to her aid. ED Nixon, President of the Montgomery NAACP and active member of A Phillip Randolph’s Pullman Porter’s Union, organized a meeting of the city’s black leaders. To insure solidarity among this often fragmented group, they agreed on MLK, a newcomer with impeccable credentials (Morehouse grad, PhD. from Boston University, Daddy King’s son, and a gifted orator) to serve as the president and spokesmen of the newly established Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). Women, who Nixon did not invite to the MIA organizing meeting, organized their own groups. Georgia Gilmore, who took the lead, called them the “Club from No Where.” They included black women from the south side and west side of the city who organized clubs dedicated to using their baking skills to raise money for the MIA and the success of the bus boycott. I'll have more tomorrow on the Club from No Where, MLK, the bus boycott. Here’s a pound cake recipe like one members of the Club from No Where" would have used with my food translation.

Translated Simple Pound Cake Recipe:
1 pound butter substitute like Smart Balance
3 cups sugar
5 eggs (or egg substitute)
3 cups cake flour (you can get whole grain cake flour like baking with spelt flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup soy milk
A splash of vanilla, almond, or lemon extract

Method:
Mix butter, sugar, and eggs. Beat until light. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add slowly to butter mixture alternating with milk. Bake for about an hour and some change at 325

Vegan pound cake recipe: http://aveganfordinner.blogspot.com/2006/12/promised-poundcake-and-pizza-friday.html

Lemon coconut vegan pound cake: http://www.nibbledish.com/people/laraadler/recipes/lemon-coconut-pound-cake-vegan

MLK Through The Lens of Food Part 3: Montgomery, Alabama

Stuffed pork chops, recipe below (photo from http://mistyyoon.com)

After Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) graduated from Morehouse, he left the South from 1948 to 1953 to attend graduate school in Pennsylvania and Boston. By age 24, MLK earned a Master’s of divinity and doctorate degree! He then married Coretta Scott and moves to Montgomery, Alabama become Pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. In Montgomery King lived just three blocks from Georgia Gilmore a renowned cook in that city. When the bus boycott started in 1955, Gilmore testified in court in support of it and her employer, the National Lunch Company where she worked as a cook, fired her. MLK encouraged Gilmore and gave her the capital necessary start a catering business and restaurant out of her home. Gilmore had both black and white customers and folks from all walks of life who came to love her fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, stuffed pork chops, stuffed peppers, and chitins with coleslaw. Anytime VIP’s came to town King would bring them to Gilmore’s restaurant and he often retreated there to a get a good and safe home cooked meal. Let me suggest these stuffed pork chop recipes to go with this story.

Apple stuffed pork chops: http://mistyyoon.com/2010/01/15/apple-stuffed-pork-chops/

Stuffed pork chops: http://recipes.aarp.org/recipes/stuffed-pork-chops

Vegan stuffed pork chops: http://jennshaggy.blogspot.com/2008/12/vegan-goat-cheese-spinach-and-sun-dried.html

MLK Through The Lens of Food Part 2: The Morehouse Years

Collard and Pinto Bean Chile, recipe below  (photo from http://www.atlantamagazine.com/)

MLK attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, an all male Historical Black College (HBCU). MLK enrolled at the house at age 15 in 1944 graduating with honors in 1948! Morehouse was part of the Atlanta University Center (AUC), located in Southwest Atlanta, and African-American community. AUC schools included the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University), Morris Brown College, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Most HBCU students like King “were trying to go some place and get good food off campus. Because the food was just institutional,” remembers Spelman grad Stanlie M. James. The fact that HBCU cafeterias served one meal option that tasted “institutional,” translation—lacked soul, seemed the biggest complaint of students in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. More on MLK tomorrow. Here is a soulful recipe from Atlanta Magazine that fits with this story.

Collard and Pinto Bean Chile: http://www.atlantamagazine.com/southernrecipes/entrees/story.aspx?ID=1339550

Morehouse Cafeteria worker strike: http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/morehouse-cafeteria-workers-on-663491.html

MLK Through The Lens of Food Part 1: Feed the Preacher

Sweet potato cobbler, recipe below

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr's (MLK) Birthday. For me MLK, the black church, Atlanta, and Morehouse College are synonymous. MLK’s father, “Daddy King” was a prominent black preacher in Atlanta, the Black Southern Baptist Convention, and nationally. As such MLK and his family spent a lot of Sundays as the dinner guest of a member of his father’s congregation or that of another congregation when he was an invited speaker, “every family was expected to feed the preacher at least once during the year” writes  Joyce White who grew up in Alabama in the 1940s across the borders from MLK's native Georgia.  These great down home meals included various dishes ranging from roast pork, rice with gravy, fried chicken, stewed tomatoes, corn, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, corn bread, okra, and you had to leave room for a great dessert. Here is a sweet potato recipe that I’ve hear is sensational:

Sweet Potato Cobbler recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Sweet-Potato-Cobbler

MLK the College Student in a 1947 op-ed: http://www.mlkonline.net/the-purpose-of-education.html

Barbecue And The South Carolina Primary

 Frederick Douglass Opie, Professor of History and Foodways @ Babson College

The Barbecue Song!: [watch 3 min 25sec] http://filmshare.info/view/812/the-bbq-song/

Barbecue history with recipes:

http://www.foodasalens.com/2011/12/european-influences-on-american.html

http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/05/african-roots-of-carolina-and-florida.html

http://www.foodasalens.com/2010/05/barbecue-sauce-eastern-north-carolina.html

Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Religion, Politics, And Food In The South Carolina Primary

Frederick Douglass Opie, Babson College

The Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

South Carolina History And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=South+Carolina

In Search Of An 'Anti-Romney': Guide To The Players: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/13/145129137/in-search-of-an-anti-romney-guide-to-the-players

Evangelical Leaders Struggle To Crown A Candidate: [Listen 4 min 22 sec]

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/13/145121706/evangelical-leaders-struggle-to-crown-a-candidate

Eating and Stumping: The South Carolina Primary Part 1

Professor of History and Foodways Frederick Douglass Opie from his office at Babson College

They say confession is good for the soul. Well after many weeks and days of fear and trepidation of learning this new technology, today I'm posting my first of, Lord willing, many more video blogs. Like many things in life, the fear of learning this new technology held me back for too long and once I did it, I said, why did you wait so long? This is easy! As I learned when I first started this blog some three years ago, practice makes perfect, or as one of my lacrosse coaches once told me perfect practice makes perfect. Hope you enjoy the blog and share your comments and stories in the comments section below.

The Series Stumping And Eating And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

South Carolina History And Related Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=South+Carolina

GOP Candidates Turn Attention To South Carolina: Listen [31 min 6 sec]: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/11/145046984/gop-candidates-turn-attention-to-south-carolina

The Country Store: Campaigning in New Hampshire vs. South Carolina

A 1940s Louisiana Country Store, recipes below (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)  click to enlarge image

The New Hampshire primary is over and those still in the race have turned their attention back to South Carolina.  I can't help but notice the contrast between retail politics in New Hampshire and South Carolina. In New Hampshire retail politics has historically meant meet and greets at Rotary clubs, country clubs, coffee houses, private homes,  taverns, clam bakes, lobster bakes, barbecues, bakeries, sandwich shops and something unique—the country store.  A look at candidate visits in South Carolina and one is hard-pressed to find a country store on any of their itineraries. Country store have been important institutions in rural South Carolina, yet they are not part of retail politics in 2011 and 2012, but they were in rural New Hampshire.  Historically, general stores, town stores, or country stores served as the center of rural communities. They functioned as spaces and places where farmers  families could purchase items that they did not or could not raise on their farms such molasses, sugar, salt, baking powder/baking soda, and snacks such as pickled pigs feet, chewing gum, soft drinks, ice cream, and cheese and crackers among others. It was not uncommon for a country store owner to save up enough money to convert the store into part grocery store and part eatery that included a short inexpensive menu steeped in local staples, produce and seafood and game that few could prepare as well as the cook at the country store. These stores/eateries also served as spaces where one shared and gathered information on events near and far. As a result they naturally evolved into important spaces for candidates running for office. In short, candidates and or party activist  well-versed  in the per functionary traditions of retail politics (shaking hands, breaking bread, and a well-rehearsed stump speech tailored to the needs of locals) have historically had to make the rounds at country stores if they wanted the support of rural New Hampshire voters.  Below I have links to related stories with recipes. More tomorrow on retail politics and food in the South Carolina primary.

Country store history and recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=store

The Series Stumping And Eating: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Stumping And Eating: The New Hampshire Primary Part 2

New England Clam Chowder, recipes below (photo from http://heatovento350.blogspot.com)

Today is the final push to get voters to the polls in the New Hampshire primary.  Let's talk about the lunch and dinner events that candidates did leading up to today. Similar to the number of breakfast events which I discussed yesterday, I counted 41 lunches with campaign staff, volunteers (Republican Activist), and meet and greet voters' events. I found about the same number of public and private dinners among them spaghetti dinners . Among the dinners the First in the Nation Presidential Dinner Cruise on the M/S Mount Washington on Lake Winnipesaukee looked like a very posh event for those flush with discretionary money. Coffee with the candidate events served as the least expensive for campaigns and activist to organize and they seemed a necessary for gaining support of New Hampshire voters. Candidates met voters and coffee houses across the state, as well as in private homes. Republican activist hosted coffees in their homes as a way of convincing voters to support their candidate. At such events an event an activist host might serve cheeses, fruits, donuts and/or pastries. Moreover, New Hampshire’s WMUR-TV in collaboration with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics hosted a “Candidate Café” held at the Airport Diner in Manchester. The same station held a “Coffee with the Candidate” series at the Portland Pie in Manchester as well. Napoleon famously remarked that an army marches on its belly. The same could be said of candidates and their 2012 March to the White House. Below find a clam chowder from the Old Salt Restaurant in Hampton one of the stops on the New Hampshire Primary campaign trail and other related links. Please share your campaign and food stories in the comment section below.

Old Salt Restaurant Clam Chowder Recipe 

N.H. Female Voters Weigh In On Primary Issues: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/09/144888871/n-h-female-voters-weigh-in-on-primary-issues

The Series Stumping And Eating: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food

Stumping And Eating: The New Hampshire Primary Part 1

Rum raisin French toast, recipes below (photo from http://www.looplane.com)

As a professor of history and foodways I have been looking electoral campaigns through the lens of food and doing a related series. Today let's talk about  the current New Hampshire Republican Primary race. During the summer months New Hampshire lobster bakes and clam bakes topped several campaign managers' must do events. Campaigns event list. Stump speeches moved indoors with the arrival of cold weather in the fall. I found 40 registered breakfasts with the voters meet and greet events held at favorite local eateries such as the Old Salt Restaurant in Hampton, Coach Stop Restaurant in Londonderry, The Friendly Toast and Geno’s Chowder and Sandwich Shop in Portsmouth, Joey’s in Amherst, Bonhoeffer’s Café in Nashua, the Country Cooking Circle in Epsom, Lindy’s Diner in Keene, the Village Inn in Bedford, Lena’s Lodge in Rindge, and Weeks Restaurant in downtown Dover just to name a few. Activist also held breakfast event in private homes, political clubs, and civic institutions such as Rotary and or Lions clubs. I am not sure if a Politics and Eggs Breakfast event is a distinctly New Hampshire institution, but from all accounts it’s a necessity to win the state in which a voter decides who he or she will support after they have shaken a candidate’s hand three or more times and broken bread with them. More on lunch and dinner on the campaign trail in New Hampshire tomorrow.  In case you were wondering a typical New Hampshire breakfast might include smoked bacon, ham and salmon, farm fresh eggs, French toast, jams, breads and muffins.

New Hampshire Recipes: http://www.countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com/country-inn-recipes.htm

The Series Stumping And Eating: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Electoral+Politics+and+Food