HARDTACK Civil War Era Recipe & Taste Test -- Will I chip a tooth?

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  • Опубліковано 9 січ 2025

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  • @emmaponymous
    @emmaponymous 6 років тому +898

    When I was six, an American civil war reenactor came to my school. They offered us hardtack to try but no one volunteered except me. I was convinced that it would be like an unfrosted Pop Tart and I was horrified as bit into it. Pretty sure the reenactor was too. 😅😅😅 And that's how I lost one of my front baby teeth. Hardtack: 1, Emma: O.

    • @finnheisenheim8274
      @finnheisenheim8274 5 років тому +47

      Theres a reason why they are called mollar breakers.

    • @kylereese8727
      @kylereese8727 4 роки тому +8

      I bet your mother was horrified too!!!

    • @TY-km8hj
      @TY-km8hj 4 роки тому +10

      @Anonymous Person it's been 9 months and I ain't sure but I might be the only one who realised u said that u were in the woods shooting at PEOPLE and not anything else😂😂😂😂😂😂

    • @TY-km8hj
      @TY-km8hj 4 роки тому +3

      @Anonymous Person ahhhh ok makes sense

    • @alexalestareon695
      @alexalestareon695 4 роки тому +2

      Lol!! That sounds like it hurt! 😂😂

  • @katynewman2107
    @katynewman2107 6 років тому +912

    i lowkey always end up falling asleep to your videos you have just the kindest soothing voice ever

    • @Cookie4811Mau
      @Cookie4811Mau 6 років тому +51

      Sometimes I'll put on old emmy vids when i need to go to sleep. lol

    • @Cookie4811Mau
      @Cookie4811Mau 6 років тому +17

      Never new videos, have to be ones ive seen a few times

    • @jennifertaylor7388
      @jennifertaylor7388 6 років тому +11

      Katy N yeah, she could do ASMR

    • @joakuz
      @joakuz 6 років тому +11

      Cookie 4811 me too. „Emmy eats Hungary” is one of my favorites to fall asleep

    • @Cookie4811Mau
      @Cookie4811Mau 6 років тому +3

      @@joakuz Yeesss!!!!!!! lololol

  • @sweeps2709
    @sweeps2709 6 років тому +417

    I remember reading a book that mentions the soldiers eating hardtack in the dark so that they wouldn't have to know if they had bugs in them. Not sure what the book was, but it stuck with me.

  • @cynthialegge8890
    @cynthialegge8890 6 років тому +302

    Hardtack is still eaten in Newfoundland, Canada . It is part of a dish called fish and brewis, (salt cod and hard tack)it is often accompanied by scruncheons which is just fried pork fat. So yummy

    • @10030752
      @10030752 6 років тому +11

      Cynthia Legge yes! You have to soak it first. Delish with molasses and drawn butter!

    • @samurphy
      @samurphy 6 років тому +10

      Hard tack and hard bread served the same purpose with the same ingredients, but purity hard bread is flakier (such as it is) and in a different shape. They're both descendants of ship's biscuits from the olden days of sail.

    • @oh.its.mellissa4852
      @oh.its.mellissa4852 6 років тому +7

      coming from New Brunswick this was nice to see :) yay NFLD ,so beautiful

    • @citrinette
      @citrinette 6 років тому +10

      My grandparents were from Newfoundland and they used to give me hardtack to teethe on as a baby. I ended up loving that stuff and continued to eat it up into my teens. I remember it was oval and came in a sort of paper bag.

    • @BradMcDee
      @BradMcDee 6 років тому +1

      Likely Purity Hard Bread, was it in a red bag? Im sure I have a bag up in the cupboard somewhere haha

  • @tarstakars
    @tarstakars 6 років тому +320

    So you're supposed to take your "sheet iron biscuits" or "tooth dullers" as they were commonly known you soak them in some water or coffee after they're crumbled up and then you fry them up in bacon grease and eat them with your bacon. I've tried it actually it's pretty enjoyable. Another way is to soak your dried beans overnight and you fry up some bacon then you pull the bacon out of the grease and put your crumbled up hardtack and the beans and a little brown sugar in the bacon grease fry that all up and then you throw your bacon back in and eat that

    • @shmodzilla
      @shmodzilla 6 років тому +13

      Yea I just posted I fry mine in the pan right along with chicken thighs and by the time the chicken is done the hardtack has toasted up in the chicken stock in absolutely tasty and soft. I ended up eating the whole batch I made.

    • @jolienvsndijk
      @jolienvsndijk 6 років тому +11

      I used to soak bits of them in hot broth (with ramen if I had it). As a student it's pretty decent since it's fast and will fill you up while only using things that won't go bad.

    • @Dave2713
      @Dave2713 6 років тому +1

      That sounds amazing

    • @milomilo55
      @milomilo55 6 років тому +12

      tarstakars
      Gotta say that bean, bacon and hardtack concoction actually sounds pretty good to me!

    • @hilbertsinn6886
      @hilbertsinn6886 6 років тому +6

      That actually sounds pretty good. Hell, it even sounds like something I'd make when it wasn't my only option.

  • @indoorsandout3022
    @indoorsandout3022 6 років тому +16

    I make multigrain hardtack to take when hunting. The oat flour that makes up the bulk of the secret family recipe softens it a great deal. We also add more salt to replace what is lost by sweating during the hikes in and out. Our recipe is allegedly based on a Roman ration from the Hadrian's Wall garrison, but I think it is more likely to be from the Middle Ages. Anyways, it is oat, barley, and whole wheat flours, salt, and water. They are relatively soft. Rather than coffee, a cup of hot broth is better for dipping. My preference is mutton broth. But you can eat them straight and I do sometimes do that. When I was a child I would snack on them. On hunting trips, we also take jerky or pemmican. One piece of hardtack and one of pemmican makes a fine wilderness meal. Our pemmican is dried pounded meat, dried cranberries, peanuts, and rendered fat.

    • @iamgeesegoose1783
      @iamgeesegoose1783 2 місяці тому

      It’s so strange but intriguing to see someone with a raiden profile picture say this but this is an awesome read!

  • @fishandgarden4514
    @fishandgarden4514 6 років тому +126

    Roman rusk is really hard. 50% honey 50% flour bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes. It is like eating flour flavored hard candy. The Romans gave it to there army as rations.

  • @Losttoanyreason
    @Losttoanyreason 6 років тому +130

    They weren't really meant to be eaten like Saltines or Ritz crackers despite those that tried to do so. Many breaking teeth in the process. They were usually soaked to soften them before eating like say in coffee or milk or crushed and added to soups and stews to thicken them in place of flour which wasn't readily available many times. You should talk to reenactors to see how they used them in camp cooking.

    • @TreatPetite
      @TreatPetite 6 років тому +40

      She literally said they soaked them prior to eating...she soaked hers in coffee.

    • @Dani1998elle
      @Dani1998elle 6 років тому +6

      Thankyou for letting us know that they used them as flour , that’s really cool

    • @seanmccambridge7122
      @seanmccambridge7122 6 років тому +8

      It's like you didn't even watch the video.

    • @TheCoffeehound
      @TheCoffeehound 6 років тому +4

      @sean - It's like you didn't read the second half of the comment. Let me help you out - "or crushed and added to soups and stews to thicken them in place of flour which wasn't readily available many times."

    • @6p9d9x
      @6p9d9x 6 років тому +3

      obviously you dont either because a standard daily ration in the Civil War consisted of 10 pieces of hard tack, salted pork, and coffee, these items were almost always combined. If you want to learn more "hard tack and coffee" a famous book written by a civil war veteran offers a lot of insight into what soldiers often ate at the time.

  • @CallieMasters5000
    @CallieMasters5000 6 років тому +864

    My teeth aren't strong enough to try this.

    • @SatansStizzy
      @SatansStizzy 6 років тому +33

      Same. My teeth are so fucked up. they would forsure break lol.

    • @ashleymuller4462
      @ashleymuller4462 6 років тому

      Sameeee

    • @chinchilladivine81
      @chinchilladivine81 6 років тому +7

      Callie Masters honest to god when I was a kid I opened the glass Coke bottles with bottle caps with my teeth. Black walnuts too.

    • @emeraldshellions
      @emeraldshellions 6 років тому +6

      Callie Masters you could try a Swedish Hardtack. Its slightly softer and a bit sweet compared to what Miss Emmy made. Always worth a try!

    • @CallieMasters5000
      @CallieMasters5000 6 років тому +4

      @@chinchilladivine81 In the 1980s I went on a school trip to Turkey. At the hotel our group ordered a couple dozen Cokes. The waiter delivered them and, as a bit of a party trick, proceeded to open all of the bottle caps with his teeth. It was disgusting and fascinating all at the same time!

  • @Entiox
    @Entiox 6 років тому +12

    I've made hardtack several time. I like to cook them twice. The first at a higher temperature, around 400° for about 20-30 minutes, then they're removed and allowed to cool. After they're cool they go into a 250° oven for about 3-4 hours until very dry. A couple of years ago I came across some hardtack that had been forgotten in a pack that wasn't used anymore, it was about a decade old and tasted the same as when a week old.

    • @chrisml8105
      @chrisml8105 2 місяці тому

      That looks good. Mine never quite came out properly. I'll try that second time through the oven.

  • @johnsimcoe1722
    @johnsimcoe1722 6 років тому +56

    When I was a kid my family and I did 1812 Reenactments where I used to have to eat a lot of Hardtack and other period dishes. It's nice to see someone else "suffer" through this.

    • @pebbles0200
      @pebbles0200 6 років тому

      What was your favorite?

    • @johnsimcoe1722
      @johnsimcoe1722 6 років тому +1

      @@pebbles0200 Hey, Honestly I was a big fan of the cast iron Apple crumbles we used to make, oh and some of the stews were quite tasty!

    • @KaedFuyou
      @KaedFuyou 6 років тому

      I konw how you feel reancted the amriscen Civil war for a long time

    • @pebbles0200
      @pebbles0200 6 років тому

      @@johnsimcoe1722 that sounds delicious. I might try to find a recipe.

    • @johnsimcoe1722
      @johnsimcoe1722 6 років тому

      @@pebbles0200www-chatelaine-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.chatelaine.com/recipe/desserts/classic-apple-crisp/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chatelaine.com%2Frecipe%2Fdesserts%2Fclassic-apple-crisp%2F this but no ice cream... Although it adds a nice moisture to the crisp.

  • @Kallolaina
    @Kallolaina 6 років тому +8

    I used to be a Civil War reenactor. And, speaking from experience... the best way to eat hardtack is to soak it in the drippings from fried salt pork (which is like really thick bacon). It's still not a culinary delight. But, the addition of fat does make it easier to consume.

  • @tippib2222
    @tippib2222 6 років тому +17

    I was told my great-grandfather had hardtack when he was a riverboat engineer on the Mississippi way back in the day. I'm also told that's where he developed a love of very strong, very sweet coffee. Makes me wonder if the hardtack had something to do with it...

  • @tracyheyward5125
    @tracyheyward5125 6 років тому +383

    When my family went through hard times and we use flour, water,salt, and sugar to make our version of hoe cakes.

    • @jeebus022
      @jeebus022 6 років тому +78

      Fry it up and you got fry bread, which is a staple of native american food. Because that too was all they had

    • @druinnbarkhimer3098
      @druinnbarkhimer3098 6 років тому +4

      Tracy Heyward I tried ASMR... tell me what y’all think plz 😂😂😩😩💀💀

    • @zzydny
      @zzydny 6 років тому +21

      In really Hard Times, there's no oil or fat for frying. Also the addition of oil or fat can cause food to go rancid. Hard Tack can last for years and years without spoilage.

    • @SonsOfLorgar
      @SonsOfLorgar 6 років тому +10

      @@zzydny the fat & frying is added in a second preparation, not as part of the hard tack recipie.
      It was also common to eat with meat broth or to make meat stew by crushing the hard tack in replacement for flour and add it to the cooking meat.

    • @clydecavalieri4511
      @clydecavalieri4511 6 років тому +9

      Who you callin' a ho...cake?

  • @dannyfox4156
    @dannyfox4156 6 років тому +4

    Oh Emmy, you are so fun!! I love the learning factor of your video's, but,you always make me laugh and/or smile!

  • @inge6280
    @inge6280 6 років тому +4

    Reminds me of the “ships biscuits” we used to eat as kids, holidaying on the seaside. The bakery made them as a reminder of the sailors long ago, who would have these as a staple. One of those biscuits would last us days as we would nibble away at them, until my mom threw them out. Happy days.

  • @jmcosmos
    @jmcosmos 6 років тому +15

    Hard tack and ship's biscuit kinda presumed you were first gonna soak them anything from a couple of hours to overnight to soften them AND get rid of the weevils (known in some places as "watering" it). After that you threw in whatever else you had available (soaked bully beef on board or on the march, fish if Cookie was any good with a long line) and boiled the hell out of it all, then ate the resulting mush.

  • @chinarodriguez9593
    @chinarodriguez9593 6 років тому +27

    My daughter watches u also. She's addicted to your videos just like me. I think her fav ones are when u do the tastings from around the world. That's mine also. And also your vintage gadgets u try. Plus your M.R.E

    • @brie1226
      @brie1226 6 років тому +1

      Vintage gadgets deff! Love them all.

  • @pauln2661
    @pauln2661 6 років тому +5

    There are several things in the Grocery Store that are U.S. Civil War hold overs. Canned milk, Canned ham, Bouillon cubes, Deviled ham, desiccated vegetables, and instant coffee. Chicory coffee is still sold here in Utah.

  • @michellegobat9809
    @michellegobat9809 6 років тому +2

    Some recipes that I've seen for hardtack called for rolling the dough out to a thickness of about a quarter of an inch. This thickness made it easier to put into tins and store for sending to troops in the field. The soldiers would then let it soak in a broth or in a stew to soften it.

  • @xSaucySirenx
    @xSaucySirenx 6 років тому +69

    We’d make homemade Christmas ornaments with basically the same recipe when I was a kid. As long as they were sealed after painting they lasted forever lol You can use cookie cutters and have any shape you wanted.

    • @alliequinn8401
      @alliequinn8401 6 років тому +5

      We added more salt to ours when I was younger

    • @andieluke1366
      @andieluke1366 6 років тому +6

      We used to make those, too! Saltzteig, as we called them in Germany.

    • @xSaucySirenx
      @xSaucySirenx 6 років тому +2

      Andie Luke yes those! My Grandmother is from Fulda. 🙂

    • @andieluke1366
      @andieluke1366 6 років тому +3

      @@xSaucySirenx This is making me want to hunt down the books we had on how to make the little dolls and ornaments using the saltzteig haha... Wonder if we still have them. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :)

    • @TruthTroubadour-xi9cc
      @TruthTroubadour-xi9cc 6 років тому +2

      We did, too! Called it salt dough, painted and varathaned them! Such fun!

  • @alh2791
    @alh2791 6 років тому +1

    My favorite part is 2:45. We just love watching your channel in Colorado

  • @benthere8051
    @benthere8051 6 років тому +65

    Hello Emmy. Dentists everywhere will love you.

  • @donna6368
    @donna6368 6 років тому +1

    My Great Great Great Grandfather fought and died in the Gettysburg war. A distant relative of mine still has a small wooden box with some of his hardtack in it as well as some more of his belongings. Pretty amazing how resilient that stuff is.

  • @SakuyaLuigi
    @SakuyaLuigi 6 років тому +54

    Hardtack is hard.
    I want to try and make this but trying to recreate the original mixing and cooking methods. I don't have a stand mixer, so I have a head start xD

  • @HailRider
    @HailRider 6 років тому +1

    I used to make something similar as an outdoorsman and such. Those are great for long keeping and for carbs to keep you going. You would not eat those as a stand alone. no, no, no. You would as I did in my outdoor forays, would have something soupy. Rabbit stew, fish, or just some dried beans that I bring along and soak all day while I am out hunting or fishing. Then back at camp would cook the beans, add some natural surrounding plants for spicing and dip the tack into that. Fills you up nicely and gets you the calories you need. I would bet that the soldiers ate a lot of beans with that bread. You can add in some orange zest to liven it up a bit. Soften the bread up with a little water in a covered pan for breakfast and if you were lucky and found a nest of say..ducks eggs..you could have a splendid scrambled egg breakfast with a touch of sage if in your area. I know I would have been creative if this was a staple for me as a union / rebel soldier. Food can be found anywhere..you just have to know where to look. many wild plants can be eaten and add real kick to your meals. On my property for example wild onions grow everywhere, so does mint, mushrooms and berries. People, especially city rats, go bonkers when they think there will be a food shortage for whatever reason. I never worry. I have lived in the low desert as well..there is ample food..just have to open your mind a bit. Caution: Do not just start picking plants to eat. KNOW what plants are edible. many books and videos on that subject. Be wary of mushrooms..you really need to know which are edible.. some can kill you. My rules of thumb - if there are mosquitos there is water. If there are bees there are fruits and honey and blooms. If there are moist grounds and fallen trees there may be mushrooms If the water is stagnate avoid it unless you have the means to purify it..but if there are white salty looking rings on the banks...avoid it. See deer tracks ? Follow it, they know all the good spots. See bear tracks ? head the opposite direction they are going..unless you are after bear,,,and even then...just stick to hardtack and beans..much easier.

  • @carlossebastiannecroticgot7232
    @carlossebastiannecroticgot7232 6 років тому +3

    I love your passion for cooking and the effort you put in every video it makes me want to try your recipes

  • @moonjelliespodcast1855
    @moonjelliespodcast1855 6 років тому +2

    I absolutely adore this series. Hard times and retro recipes are by far my favorites. Love your channel as you probably know since I comment a lot. Just want you to know you're appreciated.

  • @hanonondricek411
    @hanonondricek411 6 років тому +42

    Wonder if it would be fun to make these with a little more salt and maybe some thyme and garlic powder and onion powder, cut them round and put one at the bottom of a hot bowl of broth or soup.

    • @Miss_Kisa94
      @Miss_Kisa94 6 років тому +1

      I was thinking the same thing. Treat them kind of like a crouton. Maybe add some rosemary or other herbs perhaps some lemon zest?

    • @nelsonfamily8578
      @nelsonfamily8578 6 років тому +1

      Fabulous idea!

    • @nelsonfamily8578
      @nelsonfamily8578 6 років тому +1

      Certain herbs would help repel bugs, too, if you were actually going to store it...

    • @gw4451
      @gw4451 5 років тому

      Maybe French onion soup? It's a great idea. I always thought hardtack was supposed to be soaked. It was so hard because it kept forever and travelled well. I can't imagine with the poor dental health of that era that this would have been pleasant to eat.

    • @kennpeters1973
      @kennpeters1973 5 років тому

      @@gw4451 it's quite possible these contributed to the dental condition of the era.

  • @charliekeller6435
    @charliekeller6435 5 років тому +2

    i learned about hardtack in fourth grade when we did an oregon trail simulation, and i've always been curious about it since. it was very satisfying to have that curiosity brought back by emmy so many years later!

  • @MJ_207_
    @MJ_207_ 6 років тому +140

    This makes me want to see you make Lembas Bread from Lord of the Rings.

    • @cthulutech4697
      @cthulutech4697 6 років тому +12

      This needs to be higher up. But yeah, Lembas Bread would make a good video.

    • @riatorex8722
      @riatorex8722 3 роки тому

      Though would it be enough to fit the stomach of a Hobbit?

    • @annabell3385
      @annabell3385 2 роки тому

      That's got LSD or something in it.

    • @garethbaus5471
      @garethbaus5471 2 роки тому

      Lemabas bread used magical grain. I have a huel based recipe that sortove does the same thing albeit with a significantly higher volume for a days rations due to us being limited by non magical chemistry and containing adaquate amounts of fiber. You could probably make a significantly denser nutrient block using some sort of saturated fat, protein powder, and the adaption of various isolated micronutrients I won't guarantee comfortable bowel movements if you try to live on such a food..

  • @denisvincelette9758
    @denisvincelette9758 Рік тому +1

    I haven’t heard from you in quite a while. This hardtack post I used about 4 years ago. I find that raccoons enjoy hardtack and would desire a second helping. I love the way you express yourself your literally very down to earth in presently your programs. I made mine a little thinner than yours and have them vacuum wrapped and stored in boxes.

  • @nkbabyof3
    @nkbabyof3 6 років тому +8

    *Hardtack is hard.*
    My favorite thing about Emmy? She burps. Like a sailor. *love it!*

    • @denisvincelette9758
      @denisvincelette9758 Рік тому +1

      Yes Ennie is a classic Chef in a league of her own. Martha Stewart and other greats cannot compare to her.

  • @carylackley9478
    @carylackley9478 6 років тому +2

    I went to Gettysburg, PA about a month ago and learned some things about the Civil War. I got to visit the battlefield also I went to the house where the only civilian was killed during the civil war her name was Jenny Wade and they still have the little board where she making dough for bread for the soldiers, she was making dough at the time she was killed. It was a really interesting historic place and i loved it so much! I'm glad you are making and trying to experience what it was like during hard times!

    • @momofiasco224
      @momofiasco224 6 років тому +2

      I actually went to Gettysburg a couple of years ago for a Halloween trip, and my friend (at the time) and I got to do a tour of the Jenny Wade house! It was very fascinating!

    • @donna6368
      @donna6368 6 років тому +1

      My Great Great Great Grandfather is buried there. He fought and died from being shot in the leg.

    • @deborahphillips500
      @deborahphillips500 6 років тому +1

      Caryl Ackley I’ve been to Gettysburg too. Huge battlefield. Reading about it doesn’t truly convey the large amount of terrii

    • @deborahphillips500
      @deborahphillips500 6 років тому +1

      Caryl Ackley ...territory encompassed by that battle.
      Have you ever been to Antietam? If not, I recommend reading the book, Landscape Turned Red, then touring the battlefield. It will be an emotional experience.

    • @deborahphillips500
      @deborahphillips500 6 років тому

      Donna G Most likely, that shot shattered the bone, forcing amputation of the limb.

  • @LBELIZABETH96
    @LBELIZABETH96 6 років тому +5

    I am always so amazed by the amount of research you put into each video. 💕 if you ever go to Harpers Ferry, WV, there is a historic candy shop that I believe sells these (along with other historic candies, obv). Very worth checking out!!

  • @SmetadAnarkist
    @SmetadAnarkist 6 років тому +1

    The Swedish navy used a type of biscuit that also was hard and dried out so they last. But the instructions the sailors got was to dunk them in beer before eating so they would soften up.

  • @slubclubslughorn1780
    @slubclubslughorn1780 6 років тому +5

    Oh my God when she starts hitting the dough I can't breathe, I love watching her videos just for her.

  • @ChristinenJoel01
    @ChristinenJoel01 6 років тому +1

    ❤❤❤❤❤ I was sooooo hoping you would try making hardtack for your hard times series! I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS!! The nostalgia is strong in this video! Thank you so much for this video Emmy :)

  • @joeyd.6172
    @joeyd.6172 6 років тому +142

    Can you make a version of Clara’s pizza!?

    • @749allicat
      @749allicat 6 років тому +20

      YES more Clara videos please!!!

    • @ourfamilysvarietyshow
      @ourfamilysvarietyshow 6 років тому +3

      Yes please do

    • @oh.its.mellissa4852
      @oh.its.mellissa4852 6 років тому +8

      Clara is just lovely. her loving nature reminds me of Emmy.

    • @Fershizzal
      @Fershizzal 6 років тому +4

      are you talking about depression cooking Clara? she was so sweet. RIP

  • @MultiGreen89
    @MultiGreen89 6 років тому +1

    We call them "skibskiks" because sailors ate them to keep the seasickness at bay. We eat them with greenlandic food🤓 When I was a kid I made tea with milk, then put the skibskiks in and let it soak the tea

  • @kevspss
    @kevspss 6 років тому +11

    Soldiers used to break it up with the musket butt. They would soften it in their mouths. They would also make a paste with salt pork grease and wrap it around their ramrods over the fire.

    • @happycakes45
      @happycakes45 6 років тому +1

      Kevin Springer sounds sexy.

    • @mikegallant811
      @mikegallant811 5 років тому

      Ram rod rolls, also could be made with cornbread dough

  • @janebutz5375
    @janebutz5375 6 років тому

    Yea, Townsend's!!! I am a docent and do open-hearth cooking. Townsend's is an invaluable resource for clothing, implements, DVD;s, etc. Kudos to you, Emmy, for mentioning them. And Clara, too.

  • @greylocke100
    @greylocke100 6 років тому +7

    Many soldiers during the Civil War would crumble it up to add to their coffee , stew or soup. Or they would soak it with water and fry it up with bacon grease.

  • @milkboy73
    @milkboy73 6 років тому

    A Townsend shout out was nice. His channel is very entertaining. Has some really neat colonial era recipes and I found out a year ago that they are located 9 miles away from where I live. Also enjoy your channel too,Emmy!

  • @ulfricthorsson8347
    @ulfricthorsson8347 6 років тому +50

    In Revolutionary War times, soldiers would also carry pocket soup to reconstitute and eat with their hardtack

    • @chartle1
      @chartle1 6 років тому +10

      I see another Townsons follower.

    • @shmodzilla
      @shmodzilla 6 років тому +2

      I tried making pocket soup. Turns out you need to cook a large amount of meat to make it happen. My 3 pounds of roast by the time it was "pocket soup" there may have been a teaspoon left. So now Im going to try just keeping, freezing stock until I have a larger amount.

    • @skinni_the_P00hBear
      @skinni_the_P00hBear 4 роки тому

      @@chartle1 My first thought too lol

    • @mrspeigle1
      @mrspeigle1 4 роки тому

      @@shmodzilla may want to try a bone cut with alot of colegin.

  • @gsilveroak
    @gsilveroak 6 років тому +1

    I love your videos, so entertaining as well educational. Hard tack keeps indefinitely. Historians have found hard track with writing on the back because the soldiers used it sometimes to write notes/letters on when paper wasn't available.
    **just an odd history find**

  • @JumbaFan
    @JumbaFan 6 років тому +91

    I experimented with this last year, and you could kill somebody with one of these! You know what's good, though? Break up the hardtack into smallish pieces (easier said than done), and cook them in about 2 cups of chicken broth for about half an hour. The texture is sort of like a thick al dente noodle, very chewy.

    • @AloneInTheGarden
      @AloneInTheGarden 6 років тому +31

      JumbaFan You have to cook them THAT LONG in liquid just to get them to an al dente noodle consistency?!? I think I’m severely underestimating how hard they must be.

    • @JumbaFan
      @JumbaFan 6 років тому +2

      @@AloneInTheGarden Twenty minutes would probably be enough, but I wanted to make sure. I wouldn't have bothered, but I wanted to use it up and I was trying to come up with ways to soften it so that I wouldn't break a tooth.

    • @shmodzilla
      @shmodzilla 6 років тому +6

      @@AloneInTheGarden if youve ever eaten rock candy, these are twice as hard. Youd only consume them in this solid state if there was literally no other option.

    • @AloneInTheGarden
      @AloneInTheGarden 6 років тому +2

      shmodzilla I don’t think I’ve had rock candy since I was a kid so I don’t fully remember its hardness, but that’s insane. I could tell it was really hard just by the audible crunch when Emmy chewed it, but I never imagined it would be that hard.

    • @7James77
      @7James77 6 років тому

      I was thinking when she was first trying to bite it that I would imagine this bread would be used while eating a soup, broth, or meat.

  • @Booshiehallie
    @Booshiehallie 6 років тому +1

    Hey Emmy! Just wanted to let you know that I LOVE your fruity fruit episodes! I’ve recently purchased a couple fruits that you have introduce me to! Thanks! Also, I’m unsure if you’re aware of cotton candy grapes but they are a hybrid of grapes that taste just like cotton candy! They have other flavors as well. They’re in the stores from mid August until Sept so if you haven’t tried them, do a video!

  • @madbug1965
    @madbug1965 6 років тому +7

    My boss is a civil war reenactor. According to him, I don't think are suppose to eat it as is. He told me that you could break it up and mix it with bacon grease to make a gravy. Hardtack is more a portable version of flour so use it as you would flour in any recipe.

  • @williamm374
    @williamm374 4 роки тому +1

    I enjoyed this video. I was always fascinated by hardtack and the stories I read about it... soldiers breaking it up on the muzzles of their muskets, needing to soak it in coffee for 2 hours just to make it edible... as a kid I even tried making my own hardtack replica. Good video, well researched.

  • @DollarTree259
    @DollarTree259 6 років тому +266

    OMG my son said y is she eating heart attack crackers I SMH and said really.

    • @DollarTree259
      @DollarTree259 6 років тому +34

      I told him it's called hard tack he said. O that's what I said .. lol

    • @h2n090
      @h2n090 6 років тому +9

      Sharon Cielocha i have captions on and they say heart attack instead of hardtack too

    • @gigiw.7650
      @gigiw.7650 6 років тому +4

      @William Mills
      That's after you get your dentist's bill, LOL

    • @pandalala888
      @pandalala888 6 років тому +1

      @@gigiw.7650 🤣

    • @phantomlover1000
      @phantomlover1000 6 років тому +1

      Your son needs to be in improv lol

  • @pennyrutter2782
    @pennyrutter2782 3 роки тому

    Remember that hardtack was also added to portable soup (basically an old form of bullion), and they'd make a nice soup that would be thick and satisfying.
    For the explorers of the u.s. and native tribes, (we had versions of this), and pemmican, would feed whole parties for months.
    Thanks for another great video!

  • @CirceWasJustified
    @CirceWasJustified 6 років тому +3

    I live in an area of the north where the Civil War still has a heavy impact on our culture and psyche. A history teacher once told me that some of the hard tack issued to soldiers was actually left over from prior military engagements like the Troubles and the Mexican-American war. So it could potentially be decades old. I imagine the worm issue was probably particularly bad with that batch. Anyways, hard tack is hard.

  • @charlottewall4675
    @charlottewall4675 4 роки тому

    My grandma, ( I'm 67) made these. She would drop one into a bowl of broth, or the juice of her homemade peaches. Let it sit a little while, trust me yum happened. In these times of uncertainty, I'll be making hardtack. And sharing. Thanks sugar, your so enjoyable in your videos, trust your family is well. 💞

  • @Boodieman72
    @Boodieman72 6 років тому +7

    Hard tack with worms just meant some protein. Lots of sailors used hard tack long before the Americas were discovered. Of course not having any fruit meant they got scurvy.

  • @ashleyhighland9560
    @ashleyhighland9560 6 років тому +1

    I love your videos, especially these historical ones. Thank you for making such great content!

  • @alittlefurtheralmostthere2508
    @alittlefurtheralmostthere2508 6 років тому +3

    Emmy your awesome! I loved the pemmican video cause I never knew they used berries in it.😊 love this recipe.

  • @AdventureFreak86
    @AdventureFreak86 4 роки тому

    I love your videos, espically your historical videos! When soldiers were in garrison, and not on the march, they would soak the hardtack in water until it was soft and then use the grease from salted pork to make kinda a greased pancake.

  • @patriplaymobil
    @patriplaymobil 6 років тому +16

    In Spain is typical dip the bread on coffee. May be has a poswar origin, but you can see people who dips plain bread, plain toast on their coffees or teas, just because they like it or because they dont want to waste the bread from the day before.
    I suppose is common in other countries too. Sorry for my colloquial english, I am not use to write it.

    • @nelsonfamily8578
      @nelsonfamily8578 6 років тому

      I toast bagels extra crunchy & dip them in black coffee. Yum!

  • @wi54725
    @wi54725 4 роки тому

    Your videos are always A-1. As a Civil War buff actually living on a piece of the battlefield from the Battle of Nashville, I have found minie balls in our woods. Having researched hard tack, a Civil War scholar showed me how the soldiers in the field made coffee over the fire and then dunked their hard tack in the coffee before attempting to bite into it.

  • @tyghe_bright
    @tyghe_bright 6 років тому +9

    Totally unrelated to this video -- but I just wondered if you've ever made Hawaiian-style shaved ice with your ice shaver? I love the lilikoi (passionfruit) flavor
    with adzuki beans
    and vanilla ice cream!

  • @Kellerkind80
    @Kellerkind80 6 років тому +1

    The german army has these kind of hard cookies, with the same design but smaller and harder. You hardly can break them with the hands. They are called Panzerplatten, what means tank armour. I loved them as a kid when my uncle brought them from the army.

  • @markiangooley
    @markiangooley 6 років тому +3

    I think that in one of the Horatio Hornblower books, Hornblower is served some excellent chicken... then the people eating it are told it’s so good because it was fed on the insects from ship’s biscuit (essentially hardtack): infested biscuits shaken in a sack to dislodge the pests, pests become prime chicken feed. Hornblower loses his appetite.

  • @Rovertimes
    @Rovertimes 6 років тому

    I remember my Jr High School History Teachers husband brought some of these one day for a Civil War presentation she arranged outside her class, he brought an entire outfit and some civil war trinkets is such as old camping gear and equipment.

  • @lamelama22
    @lamelama22 6 років тому +11

    So I don't know why exactly but I was trying to find some hardtack myself a few months ago... found out there's a historic place in Milton, MA (outside Boston) that had been making it since 1801 and supplied the Union troops during the Civil War; they have the original machines in the upstairs and the building is also original from that time. Unfortunately, it seems that in 2016 or 2017 the business got sold to an New Zealand husband/wife who stopped making the hard tack and everything else on the menu, starting making hipster-ish overpriced sandwiches, and apparently have already gone out of business. So sad. :(

  • @singsong7118
    @singsong7118 6 років тому +1

    I adore your channel

  • @ittay123
    @ittay123 6 років тому +3

    Hi Emmy! Would be cool to see you make caramelzed white chocolate. It tastes really good, lots of recipies online

  • @BackDownSouth
    @BackDownSouth 6 років тому +2

    Love you videos, thank you for your work and making them entertaining. I always thought hardtack was double baked like biscotti. Look at that...Learned something new...But I usually do when I watch the Em....and Seriously..who would "thumbs down an Emmy video"

  • @jaimejohnesee
    @jaimejohnesee 6 років тому +71

    Maybe add nutmeg? Hee hee. 😁 I love the Townsend and Sons channel, so I had to.

    • @healinggrounds19
      @healinggrounds19 6 років тому +1

      Never enough nutmeg!

    • @robertlombardo8437
      @robertlombardo8437 5 років тому

      Lol. How do you think *I* got here?

    • @MP-ng1sc
      @MP-ng1sc 4 роки тому

      The natural oil in the nutmeg will make the crackers go rancid,
      Therefore will defeat th3vpurpose

  • @DianeHasHopeInChrist
    @DianeHasHopeInChrist 3 роки тому +1

    Lol.....I burst out laughing, spitting out my coffee, watching her "beat the hardtack dough and growling...lol. Too funny. Love it.
    Thank you for the recipe and the laughs.

  • @amygirl1983
    @amygirl1983 6 років тому +23

    Before you even started my Alaskan brain said “Pilot bread!” Definitely a staple of my childhood but now it’s occasionally enjoyed with cream cheese and lox with capers.

    • @lydiakies9053
      @lydiakies9053 6 років тому +2

      I live in Western Washington, and grew up eating Pilot Bread. I put butter on it.

    • @notsosure5924
      @notsosure5924 6 років тому

      @@lydiakies9053 Ditto

    • @EnvisionAmbition
      @EnvisionAmbition 6 років тому

      I like my pilot bread with some mayo and a slice of cheese as a snack:)

  • @marktoth2534
    @marktoth2534 5 років тому +1

    In Hungary there is a similar kind of biscuit. We call it domestic biscuit - "háztartási keksz". I think everyone have a pack of it at home . We eat it when we have some kind of stomach illness e.g. dierrhea, becaues it is easy to digest. We usually eat it with hot tea cause it easily melts the biscuit and also helps to recover your health. It is also a good ingridient for other kind of sweets and desserts. :)

  • @GordonPhillips
    @GordonPhillips 6 років тому +4

    Looks like jaw breakers for sure! I was saying that you needed your rolling pin to whack the hardtack and break it! :) “Hardtack is hard.”

  • @8jerasikapark8
    @8jerasikapark8 6 років тому

    I really want to make this with my kids,we homeschool,and use this as an activity to do with a lesson on the era. Thanks Emmy! Love your videos as always!

    • @8jerasikapark8
      @8jerasikapark8 6 років тому

      I would try to make it not sooo hard hahaha

  • @sarahelmiraroystershelton1888
    @sarahelmiraroystershelton1888 6 років тому +5

    You are gold Emmy!!! Make BARK BREAD! Yes from the tree. Pls pls pls pls...

    • @emmymade
      @emmymade  6 років тому +3

      Yes! It’s on the list. 🌲

  • @poubelle_blanche
    @poubelle_blanche 6 років тому +1

    I use to eat this as a kid. (Poor in the south) you have to dip them in milk or put them in soup. Or the best is to dip them in the grease of meats. They are good that way.

  • @Kikilang60
    @Kikilang60 6 років тому +7

    When I was a kid, our school took us to very small museum. They had this Civil war collection. There was uniforms, guns, and a hardtack biscuit. The biscuit was in box with glass lid. The currator passed the box with the hardtack around so we could all see it. The hardtack was designed so it could be hands on. While the currator lectured us we looked at the hardtack. The hardtack was a little to hands on, one kid opened the box, and ate it. We all got yelled at, but the kid who ate the hundred and fifty year old hardtack was only six years old. On the way home the six year old who ate the hardtack said it was okay, but he need a drink.

  • @pmsnowraven4211
    @pmsnowraven4211 6 років тому

    One of the things my parents would make Irish Potato Cakes. Mashed potatoes, flour and caraway seeds. Mixed together to form a dough. Roll it out and back it till golden brown. It keeps for a long time. We'd make it right after Halloween and have it will well into New Years. Sooooo yummy.

  • @EvelynnLuxe
    @EvelynnLuxe 6 років тому +10

    Red shirt! Giving me Nana Clara vibes ♥️♥️

  • @Camo720
    @Camo720 3 роки тому

    You remind me of a mother I wish I had. Thank you for the nice comfort.

  • @marim9487
    @marim9487 6 років тому +8

    2:50 had me dying 😭🤣🤣🤣

  • @joeyd.6172
    @joeyd.6172 6 років тому

    Love you, Emmy! Thanks for the smiles.

  • @veryberry39
    @veryberry39 6 років тому +21

    It took me way too long to see why you'd put up the "CUTE" text. I was sitting here thinking "I mean you are, but I didn't think you'd be the type to just announce it like that..."
    Then I finally saw the flour. :P

    • @ReshiLuna
      @ReshiLuna 6 років тому +1

      Where was the flour? I couldn't see it.

    • @courtneywuerz4374
      @courtneywuerz4374 5 років тому

      I thought she was pointing out her hair barrette.

    • @desertbreeze69
      @desertbreeze69 5 років тому

      veryberry39 I wondered also. Had to replay then I saw the flour in her hair😂

  • @_tristanluciano
    @_tristanluciano 6 років тому +2

    No lie I just saw this at the National Infantry Museum. Little fun fact because they were resilient soldier would actually write on them, sometimes with little memoirs and even using them as postcards.

  • @siempreamor5149
    @siempreamor5149 6 років тому +65

    "Hardtack is hard."

  • @MichaelMartin-eh6wl
    @MichaelMartin-eh6wl 2 роки тому

    Certainly, you can did them in liquid, or crush them and add them to soups, or, you can fry them, cover them in a cinnamon/sugar mixture, and dip in maple syrup or honey, cover them with cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture.
    If you fry, you can use a seasoning mix out of the fryer, if you're looking for more flavor.

  • @mosingbubble
    @mosingbubble 6 років тому +6

    I wonder if herbs would be good in it to add flavor.

  • @crozraven
    @crozraven 6 років тому +1

    some modern military army rations also still provide hardtack. definitely need a warm water/coffee/tea or maybe even a warm soup to eat it more "comfortably."

  • @blooddarkking
    @blooddarkking 6 років тому +4

    that's some beating to that baddy dough hahaha

  • @sopranomegs
    @sopranomegs 6 років тому

    We sell this in Newfoundland (where I’m from). It’s made by the company Purity ( there’s also a sweet kind too). It is made in oval cakes and we soak it in water and eat it with cod. It’s called fisherman’s brewis (pronounced “bruise”) when it’s all mixed together or fish & brewis when you eat it separately. There is also fried pork fat put in it as well. It sounds gross but it is YUMMY.

  • @ChristelVibezz
    @ChristelVibezz 6 років тому +5

    I love your videos❤❤❤ cant eait for the next one

  • @thatgirl6155
    @thatgirl6155 5 років тому

    I love learning history through food. It makes something so distant and inconceivable relatable.

  • @twocvbloke
    @twocvbloke 6 років тому +7

    Sailors used to have this a lot in the days of wooden sailing vessels, they'd bang the hard tack on the table to evict any weevils & maggots that were in it (unless they wanted the extra protein!), then break it up and throw into whatever soupy gruel they had been served to soften up, it's amazing sailors managed to survive on this stuff... :S

    • @MrAranton
      @MrAranton 6 років тому +2

      Lots of them didn't. In the 17th and 18th century ships embarking on long trips hired a lot more sailors than were actually needed to run the ship because they expected plenty of them to die during the trip.

    • @Not_An_Alien
      @Not_An_Alien 6 років тому +1

      In the Royal Navy, sailors often had to choose the lesser of two weevils.

  • @ChuckstaGaming
    @ChuckstaGaming 5 років тому +1

    "CUTE ->"
    That made me LOL IRL 🤣🤣
    Brilliant!

  • @SimplyMissJenny
    @SimplyMissJenny 6 років тому +11

    Emmy, I thought you were calling yourself cute until I saw the flour in your hair lol😂😂

    • @jordanlp02
      @jordanlp02 6 років тому +1

      +John Smith
      Hiding your playlist with music so mommy doesn't see it when you're on UA-cam? :o

    • @JohnSmith-mj6xg
      @JohnSmith-mj6xg 6 років тому

      Ill put something in your hair 🍆💦💦🤤 for you 😈

    • @SimplyMissJenny
      @SimplyMissJenny 6 років тому +1

      John Smith bro, no one wants your two incher

    • @jordanlp02
      @jordanlp02 6 років тому

      @@JohnSmith-mj6xg oh I see how you swing 😉 saaaame not my type tho. I generally prefer men who don't harass women on social media 🤔

    • @SimplyMissJenny
      @SimplyMissJenny 6 років тому

      Jordan Peckham he clearly doesn’t get laid in real life😂

  • @nivikka
    @nivikka 6 років тому +1

    They are called ‘Nagguteeqqat’ in greenland (which i believe means small pieces of ice, but i could be wrong). We still eat those 😍 we would bang them on the table corners to get small pieces when we were kids 😂 they’re great dipping in tea

  • @Mthyjal
    @Mthyjal 6 років тому +7

    Ahahah. I didn't realize your "cute" was pointing at your hair at first. I thought you were just calling yourself cute.

  • @unrivaledsurvival
    @unrivaledsurvival 5 років тому

    Wow great Video. The best content(info, demo, quality, jokes).No wonder why you have 1.7M subs! Also your teeth are freakishly perfect. Keep up the great work.

  • @donnamclaren952
    @donnamclaren952 6 років тому +3

    Ancient Marshmallow, made out of mallow root!!!

  • @sruthib.5899
    @sruthib.5899 6 років тому

    I love your channel so much, as a student in the RD program, I find this so interesting!!