The Poor Prisoner's Feast

[@townsends]

Poor Feast Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PL4e4wpjna1vzn_D5t7tBC4QPiU9LC2lXe

[@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?

[@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.

[@MatsJPB]

In Sweden, at least during certain periods, "bread and water" was basically a death sentence. The water wasn't very clean, so you can imagine what that did to people. And they only had a limited amount of both, causing both dehydration and starvation. It was even offered as an alternative to execution; spend some time on bread and water, followed by a prison sentence if you survived. Some tried, gave up and went back to the original sentence of execution to end it quicker. Dark days.

[@BreadFred3]

Now, Swedish prisons give gourmet meals.

[@johannesisaksson7842]

@@BreadFred3 Is your agenda to say that prisoners deserve torture?

[@pjubo]

​@@BreadFred3 They are given people food, yes. And treated like human beings, which in turn rehabilitate em and makes it far less likely that they will re-offend. If you look at the number of re-offenders in the Nordic countries compared to the US, you'll see what actually works.

[@naelyneurkopfen9741]

​@@pjuboThey don't have the same demographics as the US. It makes a verifiable difference. And no, prisoners, at least the violent ones, don't deserve anything close to human food or human concern. You're like a child.

[@pjubo]

​@@naelyneurkopfen9741 I could say the same. Not being able to take a step back and seeing what is beneficial to society instead of going purely going of feelings. This is why people commit violence in the first place, cause they haven`t learned how to deal with their emotions.

[@creptile1718]

I swear the "Feast" series is my favorite lineup on this channel. I just love how much of a good narrative the team is able to compose around these dishes which makes their more simplistic styles of cooking just that much more fasciniating, I've never enjoyed history more than when I watch this channel. Love it!

[@alice88wa]

100% agree. I was so excited to see this video pop up, I was just thinking about the prisoner lobster connection yesterday and wondered if Townsend would do a video about it. It really does create a great narrative framework for them to hang their stories on. I also really love about this channel how much comments focus on not just Townsend but his team in general. Warms my heart!

[@mamadoom9724]

There is something so comforting about historic channels like this. I’ve been experiencing some semi mild depression and this channel is helping a little. It’s also making me hungry for fresh bread and “mush.” I think toast and oatmeal is going to be my breakfast tomorrow.

[@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?"

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@Pieces_Of_Eight]

Phenomenal presentation of this heavy historical subject, thank you kindly for delving into such an important aspect of this time period. Wonderfully covered, and the feast at the end was very heartening. Hats off to all of you!

[@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.

[@2GITEVERYW]

Love this channel, reminds me of Good Eats with Alton Brown. I watched every night before bed. I just found this channel and love the history and themes in these videos. Great work Townsends!

[@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.

[@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

[@amasterfuldesktop4935]

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

[@Thomas-vh9th]

My 4th great grandfather was held prisoner by the British in 1776 for firing at a Man-o-War in New York Harbor. He was held in the Dutch Reformed Church. He tried escaping by tunneling with others, but was caught. His older Loyalist brother would bring him food, though it was not divulged in our family documents what the food was. He was 15 at the time and was eventually paroled. The family moved back to New Jersey.

[@janetprice85]

My ancestors, several in fact, fought with Frances Marion in the swamps of the Carolinas against the Brits. They raided Loyalists to get enough food to carry on. To this day the first son of some of cousins are named Marion. Many got land grants in Georgia for serving in the Revolution because the Continental Congress had no money to pay them.

[@fraserihle4847]

Ok bud cool story

[@lizisasleep]

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

[@PrototypeKOG]

Without exception, every single video is truly amazing.

[@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.

[@steveniemyer9288]

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

[@lukyw720]

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

[@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!

[@ThatOneBlackGuy]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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?

[@jasonesler2716]

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

[@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!

[@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

[@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 😉

[@ek-nz]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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!

[@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

[@jjpetunia3981]

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

[@spookschrijver]

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

[@nighthawk7151]

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

[@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?

[@TRAVISGOLDIE]

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

[@John_Locke_108]

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

[@watcherowl5387]

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

[@phyllisclark3896]

Thank you for the look back 🙏🙏🙏

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

thanks for sharing with us Fred.

[@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.

[@Andrew-nz7mz]

Thank you for your videos, Mr. Townsend

[@valkyriebait136]

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

[@allisonashby626]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@pinkfloyd7572]

Another fascinating video. Thank you.

[@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

[@odium3510]

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

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

Great video as per usual. Thank you

[@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.

[@delavalmilker]

Townsends---you need to do a video on "Rumford's Soup", invented by a Count Rumford in about 1800. It was the first attempt at "scientific" nutrition, and feeding as many people as cheaply as possible. It quickly became the standard food served in prisons, workhouses, and military rations.

[@ashleighlecount]

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

[@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.

[@benled00]

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

[@fugu4163]

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

[@j.j.savalle4714]

Great history lesson for us all! Thx Townsends!

[@FigthAGAINSTSCOIALISM]

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

[@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.

[@sbrazenor2]

We don't really rehabilitate anyone anymore in prisons. A few people learn from their situation in prison, but many just end up back in there. Once institutionalized, some people prefer the order to prison over the chaotic situation of being free.

[@BigSeth1090]

It's not "anymore," the US has never actually set up a prison system with the goal of rehabilitation. We harp on about rehabilitation to feel better about ourselves but still take a punitive approach to it because being "soft on crime" is a political loser. We covered that whole bit extensively in law school. Then look into the Norwegian prison system. Only 20% re-offend within two years, lowest rate in the world, and it holds about even over time (i.e. they don't just wait five years to do crime again). In the US we see 43% within the same year, 68% at three years, 77% within five years, 83% within nine years. But if we just punish harder, surely that will fix them!

[@sbrazenor2]

@@BigSeth1090 what's really caused our system to be such a failure is that a person will come out with no skills, their record makes finding good work hard, they get back into their old habits to make money, and so they end up back in the same prison later. Vocational training and more tax incentives for companies to hire ex-cons can be helpful.

[@BigSeth1090]

@@sbrazenor2 that would help to a point. but the bigger problem is that prison is absolutely unlike society to the point that people lose the skills to just live in society. The Norwegian system, prisons are more like enclosed communities. Separate housing units almost like bungalows (that they're responsible for maintaining), a degree of freedom within the community, everyone has a job within the town, so they basically still live "in a society" with access to educational and vocational resources as well. Rather than learning to live inside then having to re-learn how to live outside years later. Only the most dangerous prisoners are sent to anything that resembles our lower-security units.

[@badart3204]

@@BigSeth1090Well we punish them not to fix them but to provide justice which can often be defined as morally correct vengeance. Punishment is generally not about reform in general. I would say a hybrid system of rehabilitation and punishment is ideal because For some crimes yes they can be reformed but it is immoral to not have some negative consequences and it ultimately undermines the state’s legitimacy when it provides punishment that the victims and larger society do not satisfactory as that is the social contract of giving up the right of individual violence to the state.

[@BigSeth1090]

@@badart3204 The whole "justice" point overlooks the fact that we live in a fundamentally unjust society. And that's before we get into the racial and economic disparities in criminal punishment. Not criminal activity, criminal punishment. People agree with our punitive process because they want to see the lesser people hurt, rather than address any of the problems that leads to crime in the first place. Being taken out of society even in the Norwegian sense is punishment, yet to the average American they pop off "well it's just like vacation." No, it's involuntary confinement without enforced suffering. That can, y'know, be a thing. When people tell themselves "it is moral and just to make them suffer for what they did," they are acting immorally and using "justice" as a word to, well, justify it. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Either someone is the equivalent of a rabid dog who cannot be allowed to continue existing in society because they pathologically cannot be rehabilitated (and the places Norway keeps them look a lot like the places we do), or they're deserving of actual rehabilitation, there's no in-between. Either look in the mirror and say "yep we're bad people on purpose" and own it, or advocate that the system change. Yeah, the government should act in accordance people's wishes. If our wishes are inhumane, the least we can do is nut up and own it, quit lying to ourselves. If they'd say "yes I want to see unfortunate people suffer needlessly in prison to make myself feel good," I'd at least respect their honesty, if not their immorality.

[@JelMain]

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

[@Jay-ln1co]

"Please, warden, may I have some stew?" "Not until you've finished your lobster."

[@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.

[@nuenull9740]

it's not like you're here only for the food. you're also here for the story.

[@shiNIN42]

Of course. I am here for everything, the great voice and the visuals too... This channel is so wonderful, great on every level. Even if I don't care about the actual dish now and then, it's never a boring watch :D

[@peterlutz7191]

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

[@ninyofts]

What is that style of editing called @00:35? When the photo is moving, but the subject is also moving seemingly detached from the background?

[@townsends]

It is called 2.5D Parallax effect

[@ninyofts]

@@townsends Thank you so much! Love your work

[@vwluv8283]

What was the painting you showed at roughly 12 seconds into the video? It was incredibly beautiful and haunting at the same time!

[@LightningBolt-sf9mt]

The Prisoner, c.1787-90 by joespf wright of derby

[@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.

[@Gravedigger933]

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

[@colonelkurtz2269]

The biscuits I ate in prison were some of the best I've ever eaten. I worked at the prison. Two of those, and you were full. 😊

[@kuno_ichi]

“Seriously, Barry, how much is a liter?” “About 8 gills.” so 2 gallons, 3 quarts, and just about one liter of molasses at 8:51. neat!

[@RuneChaosMarine]

@7:20 do you have any information on the meals for the australian prisons? the lobsters and other foods? seeing the lobster infront of you made me hope to hear somthing about those prisons

[@-_-_-_-318]

I'm loving this series of videos!

[@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.

[@adamheeley285]

Great video, loved the topic.

[@debbralehrman5957]

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

[@zwiesinn]

05:23 "Maybe even something like hard tack" I expected Max Miller from TastingHistory to appear any second. but Townsends doesn't do these jokes. :D

[@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.

[@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

[@rocketjohnny3173]

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

[@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 😂

[@MrInuhanyou123]

Another excellent video jon? Any thoughts on video about feast of the slaves?

[@nothinglp5978]

I Love this Series! Interesting Information AND Food, its like christmas

[@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!!!

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

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

[@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.

[@Runingncircles]

Honestly this looks so good! On a good fall cool eve... Chunk ov bread oh my goodness. YUM

[@Eric-vs2he]

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

[@spinninggardener]

Edwin G. Burrows wrote a wonderful book, "Forgotten Patriots," detailing revolutionary era prisons.