The Poor Prisoner's Feast

[@townsends]

Poor Feast Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PL4e4wpjna1vzn_D5t7tBC4QPiU9LC2lXe

[@ivansilva4110]

You know you've commited a horrible crime against humanity when Jon refusees to add nutmeg to your meal Great video as always.

[@Mauishuck]

Hahaaaaaaa!!! No nutmeg is a guaranteed tell from him.

[@Coco.46]

His videos never fail to really put you into what it would’ve been like back in those years

[@masterbudwalker9181]

Agreed, just the way he explains things really makes you want to experience life back then. Though it would be rough, you still want to be a part of that world just by his explanations.

[@ENNEN420]

Not accurate, too little dysentery and plague.

[@ShitakiBoy]

cant take u seriously with that pfp lmao

[@doobyscoober5009]

Fortnite

[@DisemboweII]

Then you look at the modern obesity epidemic and realise we're not much different to animals; give us more food - tasty food at that - we're going to stuff our faces

[@archeantyl9452]

You really need your own history channel show. Far more entertaining and insightful that what they have on nowadays. Keep up the good work Mr Townsends and co

[@joshwalton25]

He's so entertaining and insightful because he's *not* on History Channel lol. HC would ruin this channel by finding some way to turn it into a reality show.

[@libertycowboy2495]

I'm sorry, but this wouldn't work on the history channel. You need at least one pawn shop and some aliens, then it might work! 😂😢

[@CookieMonster-nt8hh]

"and today on History Channel, i present you the poor aliens feast"

[@KohanKilletz]

They would never have his show on the history channel because it show is about history. It would be very off topic for their brand.

[@mikekz4489]

@CookieMonster-nt8hh Or, "there is no way people in the 18th century could have stored meat in this way without help of advanced civilization. Maybe extraterrestrial in origin?"

[@MrPSaun]

I'm from Maine and my late grandmother would recall a boy she attended grade school with who would try to hide the fact that his mother packed him lobster for lunch. This was in the 40's, well into the period where lobster was considered "luxury", but the stigma surrounding lobster lingered in Downeast and coastal communities. If you were a common person eating lobster, it meant that your family were likely fishermen and thus poor. The way my grandmother talked about it makes me think she regreted not being kinder to him. Her own upbringing was quite rough and she seldom spoke of it.

[@brucef310]

Sounds like your grandma was rude to people.

[@72ibises]

Get bent

[@randomclipsmilitary9056]

Ignore these fools

[@ouch74]

Sounds like what you replied to flew over your head.@@brucef310

[@dg-hughes]

I'm just east of Maine in Canada in The Maritimes, PEI. My Mom was born in 1944 and she said she heard stories of that time or even later when she was in school of lobster being seen as poor people food. edit: for the city folk the fishermen who catch lobster get about $8/pound (now in 2023). Upscale restaurants in NY sell it for what $50?

[@billbaggins7355]

I wish my history teachers were as enthusiastic about things as he is. We need channel's like this.

[@kardainzr161]

I bet your history teachers not going to cook you a stew either, using ingredients from those time periods ;) haha

[@sophroniel]

*channels no possessive "s" needed. Did you not attend school?

[@OdysseyABMS]

@@sophronielits not that big of a deal

[@EzekielDeLaCroix]

Just to clarify for others who associate lobster with prisoner's food due to the thumbnail and images: it should be noted that there was so much lobster, people couldn't eat them all after they were caught and killed, so instead of fresh or live lobster that was killed, most people ate canned or lobster that had gone bad. People who enjoy lobster today enjoy them in the freshest form they can get because holy crab... Preserved lobster is really really bad and you'd understand why it'd be inhumane.

[@valy673]

lobster even fresh was killed "as most animal" were, now they had no idea lobster can change taste in as little as 5 minutes due to that. we enjoy lobster now because as you said we enjoy it as fresh as possible, that means cooking alive. that is the only way of cooking that preserves and makes the lobster taste its best, even if killed 30 seconds before cooking could spoil its taste and make in unconsumable

[@michael_177]

@@valy673 I am seriously doubting that 30 seconds after death changes the taste of the lobster meat. That sounds like a super old wives tale / myth

[@anthonygawron7251]

Not to mention it would have been most likely served as a cold mash with little attention given to picking out the shells.

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

A lot of modern chefs kill the lobster before cooking it because it's more humane, and because the lack of heavy stress make it tastier. They do so right before cooking, though. @@valy673

[@SaintBrick]

@@michael_177 It is, fairly common to kill before cooking now; albeit just before.

[@arthurmarinelli9418]

I saw you posted a picture of "NewGate" in what was then Simsbury CT, it is now Granby, CT. It was a disused copper mine converted into a state prison about 1774. The prisoners were kept down in the mine caverns. The original intent was for the prisoners to earn their keep by mining copper. That did not last long. It seems the prisoners had this idea they could dig their way out of prison -who would of thought~! The prison was occupied until 1827 when the prisoners were transfered to a new prison. The prison still exists today as a history Museum in Granby, CT, it is open to the public from May to September

[@justicedemocrat9357]

Meh, I'm not interested.

[@commandingsteel]

i spent 90 days in jail, back in 2019.... while it sucked, it was never lost on me how much worst things could be...and the food actually ranged from decent to pretty darn good, they actually served the best lentil soup i've ever had

[@eldibs]

Man, this channel is so positive he can broach a dark topic like historical mistreatment of prisoners with full honesty and understanding without sounding like a downer. It really makes you want to learn from him.

[@26ClownFace]

No nutmeg?! You're breaking my heart. Sincerely, thank you for this episode and everything you create. Your videos are entertaining, informational, and always humble me with the abundance we have available to us today.

[@clausroquefort9545]

imagine letting a common prisoner have nutmeg. even the pepper was stretch.

[@sophroniel]

there is such a thing as too much fan service. putting nutmeg in EVERYTHING would get so trite and cringe. he only does it when necessary.

[@sharpskilz]

Thanks for another great video. Lamb plucks, isnt the "guts" as you say, Pluck refers to the liver, lungs and heart. Its is what is used in making haggis (extremely delicious Scottish delicacy for anyone who isnt in Scotland/doesnt know.)

[@SilvaDreams]

Now days people would turn their nose up at those but not even 100 years ago that would still be fairly common foods for the lower class. It wasn't till after WW2 that (at least in the US) that the more common cuts of meats become normal in the average household.

[@sharpskilz]

@@SilvaDreams Yes, but to go even further, the flavour of those organs, (especially the lungs) are insanely good. I get that some people are squeamish about such things, (I have things I am squeamish about that I'm sure are delicious) There is no such squeamishness about haggis in scotland though, it isnt an occassional delicacy its eaten every day by people from all walks of life its on 99 percent of breakfast menus here. (And Scotland, I am sad to say has a lot of "fussy eaters") but yeah haggis is delicious. And the combination of sheeps lung, liver, heart, oats, spices and fat, cooked in sheeps stomach.. is probably one of the greatest flavours I've ever had.

[@sharpskilz]

I dont eat it very often, purely because of health reasons, (its full of bad fats and calories) but Ill have it once a month or so and look forward to it every time.@@SilvaDreams

[@SilvaDreams]

@@sharpskilz That is a bit of a lingering myth since the 90s of there being "bad" fats and cholesterol, the study that was run was proven wrong not even a year later but it was still run with till the 2000's. All of them are good it's just we tend to eat too much for our sedentary modern life style.

[@sharpskilz]

True or not that may be, but its still a lot of calories and Im a bit overweight so i avoid too many calories in the one sitting. If I didnt have some kind of "mantra" to stick to I would be as big as a house. I know guys who do 18 hour days on farms who are still unhealthily fat because of their food choices. So theres some sense in being careful about what you eat. At least thats my thinking I think I misspoke about "bad fats" but I mean it just is very calorie dense, and extremely yummy @@SilvaDreams

[@amasterfuldesktop4935]

If this guy was my history teacher I’d have paid so much attention, and always looked forward to his classes

[@throwplate]

It's official, I'm eating worse than a prisoner who's being fed as bad as he possibly can without croaking.

[@pinkroses135]

😂❤

[@bizznick444joe7]

That soup was probably thinned out. It maybe 17 ox hearts but that was probably to feed over 200 prisoners.

[@Pigness7]

My irish ancestors were sent to this country as prisoners, we escaped and ran off into the woods and lived with the Native Americans, we got along with them cuz we both hated the english.

[@alpham777]

Same my family also mixed with Africans at a very early time period we are still mostly white as rice but everyone in my family has like 20% African in em.

[@AlRoderick]

Irish native American solidarity is a big thing. Native people in the United States actually sent food relief to Ireland during the potato famine.

[@dottyk1637]

Just as an addition to the lobster comments, brother's coworker, poor family from The Maritimes,as a child, had lobster sandwiches for lunch everyday as it was readily available, cheaper than anything else but singled you out as being poor, because that was all they could afford, this was in the 1950's, not that long ago.

[@PrototypeKOG]

Without exception, every single video is truly amazing.

[@TheDkbohde]

This channel should be one of the biggest on KZbin. It’s so high quality and the entertainment factor is always there. Much appreciated

[@lizisasleep]

I really appreciate your compassion for the real people that make up our history.

[@adotare9180]

I’m waiting for Max’s hardtack *CLACK CLACK* clip to magically appear in a Townsends video.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

Who the hell is max hardtack?

[@AceDelPilar]

Still looks way more delicious than my daily diet.

[@MakeMoney-zh7uc]

oh yeah i love me some processed meat in the morning !

[@peted2770]

Sadly, it is way better for you than the standard American eats daily. We are in a time where the poor suffer from obesity issues. This would have been unimaginable only 100 years ago.

[@davidortiz3094]

​@@MakeMoney-zh7ucStep your game up

[@ligma212]

​@@MakeMoney-zh7uclobster is processed ? Wow

[@cvspvr]

​@@MakeMoney-zh7ucimagine not knowing what a lobster is, so you think it's ground meat shaped into a lobster shape

[@John_Locke_108]

Go to jail get lobster. Nowadays you have to pay 60 bucks to get a lobster pizza.

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

Uh, oh, Jon's in the Big House! The Clink! The Slammer! Great video, Jon, Aaron, Caleb, Will, Ryan, and all the other beautiful people at Townsends!

[@masterbudwalker9181]

I love history so much! I also love food related content. This channel is so informative and I’m glad I came across it a year ago. Haven’t missed a video since. Please keep up the amazing content!

[@lukyw720]

From the UK. Been sick today and stuck off work miserable in bed. Stumbled upon these videos...they are wonderful!

[@ThatOneBlackGuy]

I love this channel and everyone who is a part of it over the years

[@skynote1728]

Amazing never suspected you to actually do something along the lines of a prisoner's meal this is truly intriguing and I love the thinking path please do more similar to this maybe what would a picnic look like or something or even a family gathering

[@ek-nz]

Jon’s positivity is wonderful. I really love these videos ❤

[@agimagi2158]

This actually looks good, I bet it's especially nice on a cold any rainy autumn day to warm you up! The video was very indormative as always.

[@shydog7276]

I'm addicted to this feast series. I also love that you've embraced the comment section teasing about nutmeg and adding that as an ingredient, if you will, to your episodes 😉

[@jasonesler2716]

You are a true national treasure of historic information. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

[@johnathanwoods3094]

Can’t wait for the day Townsends begins a partnership with education programs. Content like this would’ve gotten me way more excited about history class as a child in grade school.

[@normanshadow1]

Can we all just appreciate how well fed everyone is in this day and age in America, even the poorest?

[@gaybogagins5392]

My grandmother told me once about how lobster used to be an inmate food, and I found this so interesting that I decided to share this historical note with my friends. My teacher overheard this story and called my grandmother a liar and me an idiot. An evil little part of me wants me to send that teacher this video out of the blue (this was 4 years ago).

[@bigmohawkguy]

Do it

[@venturefanatic9262]

Back then all forms of Seafoods were so bountiful. You could literally walk onto the Beach and pick up buckets worth of pristine qualify Clams, Muscles, Oysters and Lobster.

[@jjpetunia3981]

As always this video is amazingly interesting, well presented, and researched. The movement in the pictures and maps is great. Awesome job ❤

[@alexhaladay2681]

This reminds me of a question I always wanted to ask on the live stream but I work on Friday's and never get a chance to ask. What kind of cases did courts of the time tend to see? Are there journals or diaries of court clerks, lawyers, or judges that talks about the daily events of a courthouse?

[@townsends]

Jon talks about this a bit in this livestream kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXqqhn-ugZqFmsU starting at about minute 59. Yes, there are records from the courts, a great source is the Old Bailey Records www.oldbaileyonline.org//static/GettingStarted.jsp

[@Mis-AdventureCH]

There was a riot in the early 20th century at Thomaston State prison in Maine over the repeated feeding of lobster that at the time was regarded as a trash fish. They demanded cod at least once a week. How times change, LOL.

[@SarafinaSummers]

John… You have a wonderful, soothing voice. I want you to know that please, never change. Your videos are one of the few things I can listen to after a string of seizures, and not feel like a dog in the middle of a thunderstorm.

[@steveniemyer9288]

1:42 witnesses are still sometimes held in jail, especially if they ignore subpoenas.

[@vilstef6988]

I recently finished reading Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin Napoleonic wars books. Many of the videos from Townsends add to the content of the books. I'm very grateful to Jon and company for the excellence in presentation and for the bigger picture they make of 18th and 19th century history!

[@nighthawk7151]

Wow your videos get better and better. You have a knack for creating them. Keep it up!

[@robroaring7175]

Definitely one of my favourite channels. Always so informative. First time commenting, but have been subscribed for 6 months. Keep these coming. One of your southernmost subscribers. Rob, Tasmania, Australia

[@watcherowl5387]

I love your videos esp readings of SH and Xmas Carol. You bring humanity back to even the darkest of subjects.

[@spookschrijver]

Everytime i return to this channel i cant help binging the entire series. Its a calmig wholesome learning experience. ❤

[@fugu4163]

It makes sense to keep the potatoeskin on the potatoes because it is very nutritious.

[@TRAVISGOLDIE]

Loving the feast series! I’m so glad this is on KZbin and you control it rather than a cable network…

[@percocetbingus]

I like the part at the end where he says this is (name of meal being shown in the video) and it is very good

[@phyllisclark3896]

Thank you for the look back 🙏🙏🙏

[@j.j.savalle4714]

Great history lesson for us all! Thx Townsends!

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

thanks for sharing with us Fred.

[@JamieZero7]

Thanks for doing this video It's important to understand.

[@TheJollyLlama875]

I was kind of hoping John would do the whole episode in the prisoner's outfit in the thumbnail

[@Andrew-nz7mz]

Thank you for your videos, Mr. Townsend

[@pinkfloyd7572]

Another fascinating video. Thank you.

[@mikemcshane6094]

I love the cutaway to a depiction of Count Ugolino and his sons locked away in the Tower of Hunger. (0:48-0:53)

[@JelMain]

The Gevangenpoort (Prison Gate) in the Hague had a thoroughly Dutch punishment: they were on a starvation ration, but housed over the cookhouse!

[@rocketjohnny3173]

“No” and “nutmeg” are not allowed to be beside each other

[@valkyriebait136]

I appreciate so much that ya'll looked into this difficult and painful topic!

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

Great video as per usual. Thank you

[@brendanhoffmann8402]

In colonial times where I live near Melbourne Australia they fed the prisoners abalone! They called it 'mutton fish'. It wasn't until the Chinese came and showed them how to cook it right that it became a luxury!

[@92bagder]

That needs to happen to carp

[@ArchangelMichael.]

Abalone is actually really good, i actually have had sea cucumbers before, they are really good too, worth a try, you have to have them cooked right though

[@amaruqlonewolf3350]

@@ArchangelMichael. Yes, it's what he said.

[@benled00]

I love a new townsends video to wake up to in the morning ❤❤

[@Sigurther]

Literally eating a lobster roll as I watch this. XD Always thought it was funny how what was once considered the food of prisoners and poor people was raised to something only the rich could afford by clever marketing on TRAINS. Amazing video as always!

[@VoodooMcVee]

Yeah, I once read an account of a Frenchman who travelled through my area during the industrialisation era. He reported in disgust that the poor people catched salmon out of the rivers when they wanted to eat something with their potatoes. Nowadays salmon is quite easy to buy everywhere, of course, but it's really not cheap and has to be imported from far away.

[@heroe1486]

The most funny thing is that people will now say you that it tastes amazing but would have said the opposite back then. Really shows you how clueless people are and just associate too much things to the monetary value.

[@tnntaronewsnetwork4514]

Prisoner: Is incarcerated for Murder Townsend the Nutmeg Guy: I want a VICTORY for this Poor Prisoner!

[@jakekaywell5972]

Acting like the only crime someone can ever be incarcerated for is murder, are we?

[@tnntaronewsnetwork4514]

@@jakekaywell5972 My man it's a joke

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@tnntaronewsnetwork4514 Ah I see. Carry on then.

[@oldboy117]

No nutmeg? It's unbelievable what those poor prisoners had to live through!

[@TimChuma]

Van Diemen's Land (now called Tasmania) was the gaol for the gaol that was already known as "the prison of infinite space". Funny thing is now it has some of the best food in the country now.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Speaking of prisoners of war and the food they had, *Antoine-Augustin Parmentier* is a very interesting character. Parmentier was a french pharmacist who was captured and imprisoned by the Prussians, during the Seven Years’ War (1754-1763) His diet in prison consisted mainly of potatoes, which the French considered animal feed. When he was released from prison after three years and returned home to France, he realized that his health was fine. Potatoes were quite suitable for human consumption. And then he started to promote the wonderful potato all over France. He developed many recipes with potatoes, and several of them still caries his name.

[@105C09]

I worked as an RN in PA's state prison system for 17 1/2 years. There is No such thing as rehab anymore. They are used to feed the legal system and are viewed as no more than animals. It started in this direction in 1995 thanks to Marty Horm and Jeff Beard.

[@allisonashby626]

I appreciate both the sociological and religious history behind the changes in prison that you have shared with us. Thank you.

[@haroldishoy2113]

The prisoner’s food is still far better than the fast food of today.

[@peterlutz7191]

I'd like to see you do a special on Christmas foods of the time. Defiantly different from a German Christmas Dinner

[@lauramater4098]

My uncle worked at the federal prison in Michigan long ago, and when he worked there they got giant truckloads of lobster. The prisoners had lobster so much, they had to find ways to disguise it as another meat, like chicken. Definitely odd to think of these days 😂

[@Eric-vs2he]

If they fed me lobster in prison, I'll break every law known to mankind

[@ashleighlecount]

I wonder if Jon added to it when they were done filming.

[@kraataface]

The British prison hulk fact is fascinating to me considering the recent construction of their migrant holding barge. Wasn't aware this behavior was historical precedent

[@Chrivs]

Love Your "Food" Videos! With history. Like the soldier or the sailor or the normal man or higher class and so on! But am from Denmark and I would love that it was in metric system. You dont have to say it. Just have it up on the Video Screen when you read up from the recipe or something (; I know its more work. But would love that. And I think other would too Because I have NO idea of how much it is (; Anyway Keep up the GOOD WORK!

[@meganlalli5450]

In the time period, the Imperial system still reigned over Europe. In the late 18tgmh/early 19th century, England decided it would change its measurements in some areas, so that's where you see short vs long tons of tonnes (2000 vs 2200 pounds [~1000 kg], and US pints and quarts remaining at 16 and 32 ounces (480 and 960 mL) while Britain's p's and q's changed to 20 and 40 ounces (600 and 1080 mL), respectively. There were also two chief units of weight, avoir dupois where 16 ounces =1pound (lb) or ~454 gram(mes) and Troy weight where 12 oz=1 lb. The US uses the avoirdupois system. British pubs still serve pints and half-pints, although they are imperially sized (20% greater or 20 and 10 ounces) than what you'd find in a US pint or half-pint (16 or 8 oz). For a benchmark, and in the time period typically covered by Townsend's, a quart is just shy of a liter (litre), a pint just shy of 500 mL, a half-pint just shy of 250 mL. A pound of beef is typically around 454 g. A tea spoon (tsp or t) is about 5g or 5mL. A desert spoon is 2 tsp or 10g or 10mL, and a tablespoon (tbsp or T) is 3 tsp or 15g or 15mL; 15 mL is about an half-ounce. Many recipes also use volume rather than weight, so a cup of sugar is what fits in a cup, as opposed to weighing out 8 ounces of sugar. Or if needing a half-cup or gill, it would be 4 ounces. A friend in the UK who's Danish and I have had many discussions about the different systems of measurements. We tend to use what we have been taught, but once you understand how the different system works and can find benchmarks, it makes it easier to navigate. Once she understood US recipes were more by volume than weight, she made them successfully. Once I understood her recipes required me to weigh everything, I was more successful, too.

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

My daughter wants to know if the "potatoes and molasses" footage was a nod to Over the Garden Wall.

[@-_-_-_-318]

I'm loving this series of videos!

[@odium3510]

Something about this channel calms my anxiety, even though he’s talking about prisons in this episode.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks Jon like you said not a fun topic but one we need to know. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🍞

[@jamesrashbrook9485]

In England we sent our criminals and undesirables to America,transportation was not for big crimes but little crimes,I think if you stole over £1 of value you were executed

[@adamheeley285]

Great video, loved the topic.

[@Gravedigger933]

2:00 "Are there no workhouses? Are their no prisons!?"

[@1Dougloid]

I did a study about ten years ago about the cost of meals in Iowa prisons. At that time the low (depending on the institution) was 65 cents per plate and the high was $1.25. Some of the cost may be accounted for by prison farm produce and meats. Anyone who thinks people in jail are living high on the hog is mistaken.

[@mikececconi2677]

That thumbnail is the best Hamburglar cosplay I've ever seen.

[@sdunn5643]

In Halifax, Nova Scotia. We had a penitentiary called Rockhead Prison (1859-1969). My grandmother would tell my father as a child in the 50's that if he did not behave he would be eating lobster in Rockhead Prison. That is what they ate in prison. Any child who came to school with lobster sandwiches was obviously poor. Now we serve it in Michelin rated restaurants.

[@richki.24]

another awesome video

[@BooTeaCheeks]

Many people get flabbergasted to hear prisoners used to be fed lobster, but don't understand just how quickly it goes bad and how bad it gets. If not chilled properly (and this was in the 18th century) it more or less starts to immediately break down and smell like ammonia. And not just a faint whiff. I've been to (and promptly walked out of) restaurants where the smell burned your throat before you took a bite! They weren't getting lobsters directly from the ocean and sending them to prisoners, these were what couldn't be sold and were starting to go bad BEFORE being shipped to the prisons... and you certainly wern't getting any butter to drip then in! These were food poisoning in a shell.

[@namaan123]

How this actually becomes prisoner's food: imagine that being served cold.

[@GO0DWOLF]

For just a little clarification, pluck tended to refer to the lungs, heart, trachea, and sometimes esophageal tract, vs offal, ie, the guts. Pluck was used in the making of Haggis.

[@xavierisrael3320]

Fun fact, mass incarceration as we know it today is just a holdover from prohibition. “Rehabilitation” or even the morality of a crime aren’t considered much. Great video!!!

[@Zelmel]

Max Miller has indoctrinated me to expect the sound of two pieces of hard tack clinking together every time I hear it mentioned in a video.

[@NoahSpurrier]

Material witnesses can still be imprisoned before a trial or deposition.

[@feminismoinvestigacion6036]

There's no much rehabilitation today either

[@garcalej]

“Sir, might we have some pea porridge this evening?” “Nooo! You louts have impressed upon these good citizens long enough. Eat this loathsome giant sea louse we found on the beach.”

[@ashtonparrish]

I got to study this in college. Lobster was actually illegal to give to prisoners in many parts of America as it was considered so inhumane, inedible, and dehuminizing. Many times, it was the bottom of the barrel lobsters that were basically just boiled into rubbery paste.

[@resourcedragon]

I've heard that the thing that makes bread and water so bad is what happens inside the human gut when the owner consumes nothing but bread and water. It pretty much gets stuck, resulting in extremely painful constipation. I've only heard this from one source, so some fact checking may be required. I don't know whether a wholegrain bread would produce less unpleasant results or whether those are the results with a wholegrain bread.

[@victoriahortus]

Great research

[@zahiramalakh6352]

I recall reading something about lobsters. They were considered to be a food commonly given to the poor and to servants. They complained that having it more than three times a week was a burden to take. Funny that now the lobster is considered to be a high-class food.

[@yunawong8119]

Saw a BBC special that covered how chicken and white bread were for the upper class and salmon with fresh herbs were for the poor in medival England.

[@vitriolicAmaranth]

The prison rations in Pennsylvania sound like Thoreau's meal plan for himself (except sub the meat broth with bean soup).

[@Joshua-of9vq]

Excellent video