When The Cupboard Is Bare - Herb Pottage From 1767

No matter when you are alive, sometime throughout history or in the present, times can be tough. This is a recipe that was using the bare minimum ingredients that folks could get their hands on. This recipe is the modern day equivalent to opening up the refrigerator and cabinets and getting creative with what dinner might be tonight. Sometimes it turns out extremely tasty!
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Original Title - Empty Pantry? VICTORY!!

[@townsends]

This recipes is out of the cookbook "Primitive Cookery" www.townsends.us/products/primitive-cookery-book-bk627-p-1434

[@DavidZanter]

I knew a friend in college who ate horribly. He went to the doctor when he wasn't feeling well. The doctor said "I've never seen this before but you actually have scurvy. You need to eat some fruits and vegetables."

[@OneTraveller]

That's terrible, poor guy. I almost feel bad that I burst out laughing, and didn't stop for 2-3 minutes. It's hard when you arrive at college directly from an 18th century whaling ship.

[@derBenIsPlaying]

I've been sick with Vitamin deficiency before, even though I ate nothing but fruit and vegetables. Turns out, you need to eat meat as well, or at least, a good amount of processed animal products like cheese or milk. Eating horribly comes in many ways, and I don't envy full on vegans who eat no meat or animal products at all, some vitamins and stuff are only found in those items, B12 for example doesnt exist in anything but meat and animal products like milk or organs like liver. Crazy how messed up accurate our bodies are when it comes to food, you always assume that 'yeah just eat healthy' is enough, but what is eating healthy? That's right, its neither fasting nor eating only plants, you need to literally eat everything, like the cavemen we evolved from did. Otherwise you become sick. Learned that the very hard way.

[@Fistmybeer]

@@derBenIsPlaying Wise words good Sir!!! ^^

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

I knew someone that went through the same sort of thing while at pirate school. ☠️⚓️⚔️💣

[@erickf899]

He's lucky he didn't get cancer

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

I LOVE these "poor folks" videos.

[@derekkrause9251]

I agree. Making something from hardly anything. Amazing.

[@sd-ch2cq]

Agreed. It's fascinating to hear how they made the best of very scarce inputs.

[@sdfft820]

The world today is still filled with “poor folks”.

[@MattSuguisAsFondAsEverrr]

hey, people love those whom they can relate to ...me too

[@onemercilessming1342]

There was a story told in third grade (1958 for me), when we were learning about the pioneers moving west across America. It was impressed on us that there were no Acme's or A&P's, no corner shops, nothing but open air, and whatever the pioneers brought with them. The story was about a little girl whose daily fare was hoecakes and milk. She complained to her mother about the scant diet, and her mother promised something different the next day. Imagine the child's dismay when hoecakes and milk were served to her again. She complained that her mother had lied to her, but the mama only said that she DID make a change in the diet. Instead of hoecakes and milk, she had served up milk and hoecakes. As an 8 year old, I found the story uproarious funny. As an adult, not so much.

[@app103]

Reminds me of the stories my father told me, of being raised by a single mother, during the Great Depression, where they often ate oatmeal for every meal, for weeks on end, supplemented by whatever my grandmother could find from urban foraging. To this day, he won't eat oatmeal, saying he already ate his lifetime limit, as a child.

[@onemercilessming1342]

@app103 My father, born in 1923, told of spreading lard (not Crisco) on slices of bread and frying the slices on the back of a coal fired kitchen stove. That was his main meal. They had no fry pan.

[@ghw7192]

I still have the slingshot my father made to hunt squirrels during the Depression. They had a gun, but couldn't always afford bullets.

[@308dad8]

I have known the sting of having little TOO many times. It’s caused lots of problems for me. I hate an empty pantry, fridge or freezer. God is good and we should prioritize our fuel over our comfort.

[@exsanguinenation]

​@@app103 same for my wife's grandmother (born 1927) and eggs.

[@illmade2]

Bread, cheese, and tuna fish got me through some tough years.

[@imxploring]

Add canned tomato soup and you're describing my childhood.

[@illmade2]

@@imxploring couldn't afford the milk for the Campbell's condensed

[@imxploring]

@@illmade2 LOL.... We just added water... still do. Tough times call for adjustments.... been there done that... and I feel I'm a better person for it.

[@imxploring]

@@illmade2 Maybe not my best days... but considering the world today maybe they weren't as bad as I might have thought at the time.

[@cahallo5964]

Back when Cheese was affordable

[@flintandball6093]

I work in agriculture and compared to wheat, Oats can grow in more acidic soil, they can handle higher levels of aluminium, are less prone to disease, and can handle wetter soils. It's a resilient and low cost crop to grow to this day. looks cold, that and being hungry makes anything taste great

[@darlenebradley6756]

I love this! I was a single mom and had to raise two kids on $1300 per month while I went to college on the quest for an 'RJ' (real job). I became a master at eating on the cheap and oatmeal held a pride of place in my pantry, making as many appearances at dinner as at breakfast! Today I have developed a hobby of foraging the weeds for edible freebies! My most favorite is something called Lamb's Quarters. It is abundant and can be put raw in salads, or cooked and even canned. It is as nutritious and tasty as spinach.

[@erikanichols9633]

My mom loved lambs quarters. They are easy to find

[@mollygardens6646]

I’m a fan of lambs quarters! Easier to grow than spinach! Of course it would be, it’s a weed. And so are most herbs!

[@jfsabl]

Lambs quarters (chenipodium) is excellent in flavor, and has a lot of protein, but is strikingly high in oxalates (safe for most, not safe if you have kidney disease, and also a problem if you form calcium oxalate kidney stones or get gout attacks). This is somewhat reduced in cooking... but still best to use in moderation, if you have other options.

[@darlenebradley6756]

@@jfsabl Agree. Not something to eat every day. But then again, what isn't toxic in large quantities? Spinach is also high in this, as is rhubard, peanuts, sweet potatoes, bran flakes, potato chips and French fries, and -- oh no! Say it isn't so! Cocoa powder! Thanks for engaging!

[@PraveenKumar-ms4gp]

1300 dollars per month in india is lot of money, you can live good life

[@paulredinger5830]

I was homeless for about two months once. Without the kind people that donated, prepared, and then serve that one daily meal. I probably would of literally starved to death. I’m still amazed at the kindness of some beautiful people out there. It also amazes me seeing self-centred people that abuse that kindness and EXPECT IT. The two side of us. Good and the bad. I still am very humbled when I think of those men and women who gave me a daily meal. Wish we had more people like that today. Self-centred people today make me sick. It’s embarrassing we think we’re the most intelligent species on earth with our greed. 😢

[@extraordinaaron]

Just goes to show how important growing your own herbs can be this day in age. With dried herbs and spices being priced so extravagantly ($1-5/oz.) in our modern markets, a dish like this could end up costing a lot more than it should.

[@RoseNZieg]

I planted a small bush of basil and at the end of the year I got more dry basil than I can used. two years later, I'm still using my old batch. herbs are so easy to grow, even in pots.

[@alexmckee4683]

Rosemary and sage are very rewarding useful herbs. For a more vegetable herb, arugula/rocket is handy, and landcress.

[@patriciagodfrey6345]

Glad to see that I was not the only one to survive "lean times". Post divorce my daughter and I lived on ramen and peanut butter. Once we were on our feet again I couldn't look at the stuff. Now that I'm older, wiser, and semi-retired I have learned to take that ramen and do great things with it, and peanut butter can be worked into amazing things. Eating well does not need to eat expensively.

[@benw9949]

A trick I noticed from Asian cooking: a tbsp. or two of peanut butter stirred into hot water with some chopped green onion, is sort of like Pad Thai peanut noodles. If you add a bit of meat or seafood / fish, or some bouillon (chicken, beef, vegetable, etc.) and maybe a few herbs and spices, bingo, you have a tasty, filling enough meal. You don't have to have much more or less than that; just the p.b. and green onion can work, plus hopefully bouillon, with your ramen noodles. (the flavoring packet instead of bouillon, fine.) hah, I have been learning how to extend freakin ramen too, and by now, I/ve tried nearly anything. Thankful I don/t have to have it constantly, just once a week or more lately. But a little creativity goes a long way, and it/s not so bad to begin with.

[@JaneDoe-ng3zm]

You can get 50bls of potatoes for 15dols 25bls of pinto beans for under 25dols and 50bls of cornmeal for 20dols add foraged greens and you can eat well and healthy for over a month for 60dols

[@likejohnnyandjune2024]

Sounds like cheap pad thai! Yum!

[@cleanerben9636]

My sister loves noodles and peanut butter. Even has an egg with it. Pretty much her staple now.

[@jeanieschrag5378]

I lived in Newfoundland, Canada, for over 20 years and just wanted you to know they make boiled puddings. They have salt fish, salt beef, and pork. Currents and other berries grow there that they use in all kinds of dishes. I have cooked many a jiggs dinner and peas pudding for a Sunday dinner.

[@applegal3058]

Newfoundlander here too. I grew up eating lots of bread and cheese, bread and butter, bread and butter and molasses, etc. We also ate a huge amount of fish....my father was a fisherman. My mom would cook root vegetables, meat, moose, etc. We would berry pick and bottle jam. Mom bottled pickles. I remember tasting just about everything that looked edible in the woods lol. I still travel across the province every fall to go berry picking.

[@aarontuplin]

Boiled dinner sounds pretty frickin good right now

[@dwaynewladyka577]

​@@applegal3058 Canada has a lot of great food for sure.

[@applegal3058]

@@dwaynewladyka577 indeed! So many food cultures!

[@nildabridgeman8104]

You ate good. The people there were brought up right 🍲

[@BillHallProductions]

As someone who was recently laid-off this is useful

[@kellijones6481]

I been there before. As easy as it may be to only have negative thoughts, keep your head up and your eyes open for new/better opportunities. By doing that, things can improve quicker than you might think.

[@zaubergarden6900]

Let me reemphasize what Jon said about the nutritious value of dandelions. eat them

[@Pleasedontmakeascene]

I've been there too. It's amazing how creative you become in the kitchen when money's tight. Keep your spirits up and You will find a great new job in no time!

[@BillHallProductions]

@@kellijones6481 interview Wednesday I'm just trying to land on my feet

[@terryt.1643]

Good luck! Pulling for you! 🕯🙏🥰

[@floraldays5642]

I loved foraging with my mother for fiddlehead ferns and having dandelion greens to supplement a dinner when I was young. She also taught me to make bayberry candles from the bush out in the back yard. I enjoyed this video as a harbinger of Spring!

[@onemercilessming1342]

My grandmother foraged for the earliest dandelion greens each spring and served up a bacon and egg-based hot "German" dressing for it. I loved the dressing and despised the bitterness of even the earliest dandelion greens.

[@ShellyS2060]

Fiddle head ferns are on my food bucket list. I've never had them, but I really want to.

[@aarontuplin]

​@@ShellyS2060 i always had them frozen when i lived on Prince Edward Island. I wonder how much better they would be fresh

[@ShellyS2060]

@@aarontuplin I'm on thee southern east coast and I KNOW these Lil buggers are blooming and ready. But I have a fear of foraging. It's super cool that you could get them frozen. Maybe I should search that way?!?

[@isaiahgimlewicz8298]

Did the same in Massachusetts growing up, good days!

[@jasonvoorhees7288]

I am a stay at home mom. I have a 10 year old (goes to school), 2 year old and husband. We are struggling but whenever my husband empties his pockets of his change I take it and save it up. Last month I saved it and cashed it in, went on Etsy and got some seeds and scattered them around to create a food Forrest to support locals and animals. Almost everyone I know is struggling and stressed out. Might as well grow your own food. And I planted a garden in our yard as well. Can't wait to see all those edible flowers, "weeds", root vegetables, squash, herbs and fruits.

[@OJtheModerator]

How did your harvest go in 2023? I hope you got good food growing!

[@dallacosta2868]

Based wife.

[@jasonvoorhees7288]

​@@OJtheModeratorIt went very well. The herbs took over and we were able to supplement our dinners with what was grown. We actually found Jalapenos in one spot where we had scattered the pepper seeds. I want to collect mulberries this year and maybe plant a tree or two.

[@terminallyonline5296]

The energy of "I HOPE it's good!" is probably very ancient. Hoping that the things you can scrounge out of the pantry, pick down dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, and whatever was available at high discount from the market, and putting together the best you've got.

[@reeserichardson8377]

Amazing, you even film in the cold to reflect the struggle. Your commitment to acutely reflect history continues to impress me.

[@Lilygreen2]

My mother was a master of the empty pantry victory, and has passed to me a love of the inventive nature of cooking that has persisted well beyond our times of struggle. Brilliant video!

[@brokenglassshimmerlikestar3407]

When I don't know what to eat, I often make rice porridge. I take any meat and vegetables I find in the fridge, chop them small, throw them in together with the rice and water. Boil for a long time until all becomes smooth, add salt and pepper and a little spices, and I have the most comforting bowl. It's warm, nutritious and easy to digest, not to mention budget-friendly.

[@marilynmitchell2712]

I make a variation of this rice dish for my adult son (I am allergic to rice, so I have to use millet).

[@shelleyshulamite5976]

That sounds so good to me right now.

[@lovecraftfan2793]

I cannot express enough how much I love Your channel, good Sir! If the Internet was made for any reason, content such as this would be the prime example. Thank You for what you're doing

[@margaretbarclay-laughton2086]

St Columbas Broth Water/milk or stock as you can get it a nevfu(small handful) of oats a little salt and ransoms(wild garlic( or such wild herbs as could be found) Boiled together A more afluent version of his broth today is Boyndie Broth Melt butter in a large pan over a low heat. Add onions and carrot and cook gently until soft. Add oats to pan and cook for about four minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes. Add milk and heat through. Season to taste. Add chives or parsley, and a little cream if desired. The above makes a thick broth - use less oats and more stock if you prefer a thinner soup. The addition of good undyed smoked haddock or smoked salmon makes a good alternative to Cullen Skink.

[@TheLurker1647]

Sounds delicious!

[@darciemerriweather1206]

What a wonderful meal

[@andrewz2854]

I bought some smoked haddock and was just going to bake it but this sounds like an excellent way to prepare it

[@mongrello9318]

my partners anorexic. how dare you. wheres the trigger warning?

[@christophercain8749]

Hmmm and in today's world you can keep the herb's add them to say mashed or baked potatoes to extend even further. Of course any stalks and stems can go to the animals or compost, love it! I also must thank you for the cinematography of this episode. I really enjoy all that everyone at Townsend's does to bring this to life for us!!!

[@shadodragonette]

Actually, you can keep the stalks and stems in a freezer bag and use them to make bone broth Along with any veg peels, bones, herbs that aren't so pretty... Bone broth is very healthy. Don't take my word for it, look it up!

[@christophercain8749]

@@shadodragonette most definitely! I can and use bone broth for everything. I just didn't think to boil it twice. Another useful tip to stretch that home grown goodness! Thanks!

[@carolyn3543]

I "recycle" pot herbs by passing them to the birds too! I've been cleaning out my pantry this past month. The cochins and ducks are on half grain rations and whatever I can find in the pantry/freezer. Last year's nuts, freezer burned garden produce from early last summer lost at the bottom, canned carrots that got too mushy, grits....all are on the menu. I only really have a week left before I need to get them all back on full grain rations in prep for the egg flush. HA

[@shadodragonette]

@@christophercain8749 I appreciate you giving me credit, but it's not my idea. I learn from many people, too many to list right now. I will give credit to Townsends (of course), and Mary's Nest, but they are not the only channels I learn from, just the ones I use the most. Some things just fit better into our lives than other ideas, no harm/no foul. Keep looking for what works for you, modern or ancient or in between.

[@tildessmoo]

The nettles themselves make a great meal; the very young leaves can be eaten raw as a salad, and once they start stinging, you can make them safe just by cooking. Since they're _all over_ the place in England, nettle soup was actually a common springtime dish and is still not unheard of in rural England today. Another herb that would probably make its way into something like this would have been sorrel, which would change the flavor a lot, giving it a bit of a citrus/sour flavor. Some people might also have used pine needles, especially white pine, though I'm not sure whether that would be the poorest people who got last pick of the herbs near town or the people with better relationships with the natives, who would have told them about the local edible plants most English settlers might overlook. (Or both.) And cabbage, of course; cabbage has been the go-to food for poor Europeans for centuries, and the seeds were easy to take across the Atlantic.

[@erickf899]

My wife takes spring nettles and dries large amounts still very dry, powders them in the blender and stores the powder till winter. We then make powdered green drinks by mixing it into water and then drinking it down. Tasty!!!😊

[@jasonvoorhees7288]

​@@erickf899 Very cool

[@maevan360]

Thank you for videos like this. We shouldn't still have hunger in this day and age. But here we are.

[@BrendansMomFitnessOfficial]

If we didn't have hunger than we would be much too overpopulated. It is a nice thought though.

[@puma2334]

Hunger and humans go hand in hand it has always been a problem and will continue to be as long as humanity exists

[@DanielFerreira-ez8qd]

Considering the economic power of the 1st world, yeah this is our problem now. Nothing to do with nature or scarcity. Just human shittiness.

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

@@BrendansMomFitnessOfficial Wrong. slowly starving to death is not only not a solution to over-population, it's just needlessly cruel.

[@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat]

Poor harvests and inefficient practices are simply always going to happen. Unfortunately.

[@GeckoHiker]

My starving student days in the late 60s, early 70s were supported by brown rice, chickpeas, green onions, garlic, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and Indian spices. Some of that is still cheaper than ramen noodles today.

[@bigboi980]

Ahh, Jon and his team are a light in these worrying times. Both giving credence, and respect to our ancestors, and showing the youth how to survive on a tight purse. God bless everyone here!

[@skyhappy]

What worrying times? we are living like kings in the first world countries

[@eladam135]

@@skyhappy lol most kids don’t eat like kings cause they rather eat junk

[@dylantaylor5829]

@@skyhappy Yeah bud kings didnt worry about not being able to afford rent or food at the same time, and a ~lot~ of people in places like america absolutely do.

[@skyhappy]

@@dylantaylor5829 most people can

[@skyhappy]

@@dylantaylor5829 as I said most people are not worrying about their rent. Especially in this economy is not hard to find a low skilled job that pays enough to rent a room. Kings back then had bigger worries like how to keep their land safe from invaders. Having a castle and food doesn't mean much if you are scared of an imaging army.

[@THall-vi8cp]

Ah, Ramen. Been eating more of that lately. I ditch the flavor packet. I usually use chopped carrots, celery, and onions, then add some bay leaf, salt and chicken or beef pieces, and boil them to make a broth. When that's ready, I add the noodles to the boiling mix and cook. When finished, I might add some Sriracha if I feel like it. Comes out pretty well and is more nutritious.

[@andrewwebb917]

Keep the packet aside. It's great to cook into beans or boiled vegetables for flavour

[@CormacHolland]

I love how you poise the video as if we’re on a team and joining you on the challenge. Feels like we’re all a part of the village, and you’re the leader!

[@LazyLifeIFreak]

Oatmeal is amazingly versatile, mix in just about anything and there's food.

[@angrytater2456]

Yep. I get big containers bogo.

[@jeromethiel4323]

True! Dried oatmeal keeps for a very long time. And it's food. Even if all you have is rolled oats and water, you can make food. Add a little salt, even better. If you have anything to add to the oatmeal, even better. A lump of butter, a lump of brown sugar, dried raisins.

[@angrytater2456]

@@jeromethiel4323 Cut up apple and cinnamon is my favorite.

[@rkbkirin5975]

I saw one of those scam diet ads with a 'doctor' claiming humans were never meant to eat oats LOL Even better, the only proof his quack offered in the ad was telling people that his daughter raises horses and she said they only used oats to fatten them! So the only evidence against oats this guy could offer wasn't based on anything real (probably much like his supposed medical degree).

[@jesusmywholehaschanged]

@@jeromethiel4323 Savory oatmeal is great too, congee-style.

[@matthewellisor5835]

7:48 The encouragement is valued, I have no doubt, by a great many here. I hope this theme on making do continues, I have no question that the attitude of joy that you bring to the channel will.

[@matthewjohnson1510]

Samuel Johnson on oats: what the Scotch eat and the English feed their horses. Stone soup and home baked bread works wonders when the wolf is at the door. Stone soup tastes really, really good on the third day of eating it. Thank you for this excellent channel.

[@1One2Three5Eight13]

And that's why England has such find horses and Scotland such fine people. (I came looking to see if someone had referenced Johnson, and I am happy to see that you did.)

[@meganlalli5450]

Thanks for this video, Jon. I had a bowl of steel cut oats this morning to which I added an apple with a use me now status, and a shake or two of cinnamon and nutmeg. I like this savoury suggestion and will try it soon!

[@danceswithbears2521]

There's nothing better on a cold morning than oats with apples and spices.

[@tangsolaris9533]

Mmm.

[@carolyn3543]

@@danceswithbears2521 I had oats with apples and pecans this morning! The apples were from a neighbor down the road last October and the pecans were traded with a friend from GA for fresh maple syrup.

[@terryt.1643]

That was something I put in my pantry at the beginning of the pandemic. Grains, beans and rice. This time of year, I also use nettles for greens and I have carrots and potatoes that overwintered. The rest of the year pots on my patio will provide plenty of veggies. I watched one of your videos and found to my surprise that my favorite soup has turned out to be barley cooked with a with ham hock or a beef shank. Oats are my goto hot breakfast but barley makes one mighty fine supper. Thanks, Townsends, you are an inspiration for many. 🥰💕❤️👍

[@carolyn3543]

Thanks for the reminder about barley! I'm not in the habit of using them, but certainly enjoy them when I do. I too stashed some grains, various beans and rices. Then I got earnest about dehydrating a lot of the season's garden harvest. It feels so good to know that I can feed my family, the pets and the egg-producing birds....even if it involves scraping the bottom of the barrel, or canning jar as the case may be. Also, lucky me, my son has recently been growing mushrooms!

[@terryt.1643]

@@carolyn3543 oh, yes, I grew mushrooms, too! My nephew introduced me to it and my brother drilled some five gallon buckets for me to use. So now I have a tub of herbs, celery, onions and garlic at the back door with buckets of mushrooms and all I need at the grocery store are meat and eggs and when those are pricy I can go vegetarian. I share what I have with neighbors and they share what they have with me. It’s worked out great for me. During the warm months things are dried and canned for winter. I feel connected to my ancestors and really feel blessed.

[@carolyn3543]

@@terryt.1643 My 20-something is attached to several processed foods. HE is the one who wants a grocery trip nearly every week! I did that (with sometimes just a $20/wk budget when he was younger) before the pandemic. I rely primarily on whole foods now. It's the shoulder season of March - May that is the hardest. The pantry has dwindled and I crave fresh produce and dairy. I applaud you!

[@theresaanndiaz3179]

Your videos are always uplifting. Thank you. My mom gave my roommate and me a 25 pound sack of rice, " because she bought the wrong kind". We made a lot of rice dishes including hot dog fried rice and we ate rice pudding for breakfast made with powdered milk and sugar.

[@jjudy5869]

There were plenty of meals when I was a young adult that were supplied by Mom "cleaning out the freezer" and asking if I wanted it. Things like soup bones, tongue, and liver.

[@jasonvoorhees7288]

Rice pudding is so good.

[@JohnZombi88]

I use a pressure cooker to make 4 cups cooked rice using powdered chicken base and garlic water. It's good with a dash of soy or fish sauce and probably only costs like $1 to make.

[@nessamillikan6247]

I absolutely love the last acoustic track starting at 7:30; it's so inspired and heartwarming and bolsters this soothing optimism that displaces the defeating feeling of uncertainty. I absolutely love the innovative shots with the oat grains and the text overlay with the recipe, too--that's something I've missed from earlier seasons! Tremendous work, as always, guys!!

[@Bayan1905]

When I was a kid, we had pretty much next to nothing. I spent the summer catching bullhead pretty much every day at my Grandfather's pond while my mother worked. When the summer was over, we had a freezer stacked full with bullhead fillets and we ate them along with Ramen noodles and potatoes from my Grandparent's garden darn near every day until spring. The only real thing that was done to the bullhead was that they were dredged in flour and then put in a pan. I love fish to this day, but bullhead is the one fish unless I absolutely have to eat gets tossed back in the water when I catch them now. It's tough when you have to eat the same thing especially when it's prepared the same way over and over again.

[@JohnZombi88]

That's how we prepared our catfish too

[@LeftClick]

When I first moved out of my home and was by myself in my first job, oatmeal was the fuel for my workday. I agree that if you don't have oats in your pantry, then you are really struggling. As long as you have oats and some canned veggies, you can live to the next week. I'll have to take a look around my Carolina home to see what natural herbs and edible plants are around. I know dandelions are everywhere!

[@applegal3058]

As a Newfoundlander, flour, butter, salt meat, and root vegetables are the bare minimum needed to live. Oh, and Tetley Tea and evaporated milk. 😊

[@violetopal6264]

I wouldn't eat any weeds growing in a neighborhood. Lots of stuff sprayed and the weeds are still growing fine and dandy 😅

[@applegal3058]

@@violetopal6264 ahhh...not much sprayed around where I grew up. Lots of woods, Barrens and beaches to explore.

[@jasonvoorhees7288]

​@@violetopal6264 The stuff at the store is sprayed too.

[@ladyofthemasque]

Stinging nettles are roughly 40% proteins, which is the single highest percentage among commonly sourced plants. They do have formic acid as a defense mechanism, so you need to either completely dehydrate or heat-treat the plant to remove the "sting"...which sautéeing in a pan, wilting over a bed of coals, or boiling in a soup or stew can do for you.

[@jackvegas3705]

Wow! This post brought back memories. In my poor (but never starving) student days I lived for nearly a year on lentils, rice, and wheat. All bought in bulk. Nothing else but salt and a few spices. Much like your post, I foraged dandelions and fresh spices (from my window garden). Every meal was some variation on rice and lentils with fresh ground wheat bread, occasionally augmented by sprouted wheat and lentils. One of the best years of my life!

[@KGRumph]

Thank you do much! I’m having a time of scarce means myself the mindset of frugality can be emotionally taxing. This video really inspired me and lifted my spirits. Looking forward to making the best out of making do.

[@Yaboisal3m]

I'm going through some struggles myself right now and this has brought me some comfort. Like you said in the past they got through difficult times and we can too. thank you.

[@gaetan4164]

"Today we deal with things that are just as difficult" Thanks for acknowledging that tough times are tough times, no matter which period in history you live in.

[@GigaBoost]

It's not true. Today is the best time in history to live. Individuals will have struggles, but humanity as a whole faces A LOT fewer struggles.

[@Toxic_Male_Minimalist]

It’s also important to learn how to make you own stocks, broths, potato chips, sourdoughs, etc. The more stuff you have at your disposal ready to go the better. My grandma used to make her own dry brownie cake mix and store it in large tubs to make whenever she wanted in no time

[@jamesellsworth9673]

My wife's grandparents emigrated from The Lake District in the UK. Her grandmother attributed her health and long life to a bowl of oatmeal every morning. I LOVE oatmeal-chocolate chip, walnut cookies. This is a wonderfully-filmed and produced video. We find yet another way to prepare oatmeal!

[@drsch]

I moved overseas to a rather overpopulated Asian country years ago. I got married and now have three beautiful daughters. Watching this show makes me want to move back to where I grew up in the Great Plains countryside. I feel like my children need to know more about the land and the world than they could ever learn over here.

[@eaglepeakalpha]

I guess that limited-budget diets don't change too much over the centuries

[@jeanetteschulthe1andOnly]

I like to make oatmeal savory. I put the makings for fried rice in oatmeal, peas, carrots, egg drop and meat brownings, au ju. Save your bacon grease. Put a bit of cheddar and wild onions. I also make a parmesan cheese, cherry tom.halves and basil leaves, a sprinkle of parm on top and you can add in your choice of spices and broth, chicken. This is good when you have just a small piece of meat.

[@Ranger_Kevin]

This reminds me of something my mother would sometimes make, that she called "Witches' Soup". Basically she took oat flakes, roasted them with some oil or butter until golden / dark brown. Then she poure in some vegetable- or meat stock and boiled it for a few minutes (much thinner consitency as shown in the video) The roasted oats gave it almost the feeling that there is actual meat in the soup. Quite tasty.

[@naomivanharn2300]

More videos like this one, please!! Love the idea of using what is on hand to make a meal.

[@maxibake9323]

Beans on toast. On a good week, Marmite on the toast under the Beans.❤🙂🐶

[@Realcaramelli]

Nice to see a practical application of history

[@nildabridgeman8104]

In 2003 I was a single mother who was working 2 jobs working to pay off my college loans and several credit cards. I didn't get any food stamps or government assistance. Apparently you have to look like a lunatic & show up to appointments in your pajamas & house slippers. My food budget for the week was 20-22 dollars. I mainly lived on different breads & frozen vegetables. I paid everyone back & I never put myself in credit card debt again

[@titiung]

Once you learn more about credit card and have discipline, credit cards can be outstanding tool for you to travel free. Of course, always pay your statement balance in full.

[@onemercilessming1342]

My first engineering job in 1972 paid $100 per week. About $85 after taxes. My dumpy apartment was $200 a month--more than half my take-home pay. After bus fare, utilities, etc. I had about $15 if I was lucky. $2.50 or so a day. Ramen noodles, an orange, a carrot, raisins, and milk. Powdered eggs. That was it.

[@nildabridgeman8104]

@@onemercilessming1342 I know where your coming from.. I been there

[@wyominghome4857]

Thank you for filming these, especially on days when it's so cold you can see your breath.

[@earlshaner4441]

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

[@f.goossens8118]

I'm Scottish, in the Highlands we grew up eating porridge (oats) every day for breakfast, normally with a pinch of salt and knob of butter for adults or a spoonful of jam and splash of milk for bairns (children). I still eat porridge at 61. Another grain Scotland relies heavily upon is Barley. In the north we still have Bere Bannocks, a large griddle baked scone/cake made from barley flour. It's a very old way of cooking and quite delicious. My Mum and Granny both cooked over an open range in the kitchen. Many simple but delicious dishes came from the barest ingredients. Thank you for your wonderful channel. No matter what country we're in(and I'm now "exiled" to Sweden) it brings memories of older, often better times to us.

[@f.goossens8118]

PS btw, "porridge" is actually plural. In the Highlands you'd say "the porridge" meaning more than one grain of oat. Yup, I know that sounds silly, sorry....:)

[@satanous_one7590]

Just wanted to say, I've been a big fan for a looong time and I absolutely LOVE all of your content, please NEVER stop. God bless you all!

[@fugu4163]

This kind of knowledge might be of good use before we know it. this channel are abviously about historical cocking and the lives of people during the 18th century but it is also educational from a survival standpoint.

[@kreigthepsycho]

We have these things called "maruya" where I live, it's basically chopped up bananas covered in batter and then deep fried. It's cheap, easy to make, and pretty tasty. I survived grades 11 and 12 (I think you guys call it sophomore and senior year) eating nothing but maruya for lunch almost everyday for two years.

[@roopeharri9502]

Porridge is one of my favorite dishes to consume in the morning with a little butter and some salt, accompanied by some rye bread and a sweetened coffee :) Simply delicious!

[@k.p.1139]

Thanks, John! I started watching this, and remembered that I moved a box of oatmeal, in my pantry, last night. AH- I love oatmeal bread. So, pause the video, and now my bread is in the works! Soup and bread for supper. 😃 The simplicity of making a humble, healthy meal is comforting!

[@SkyandMoon909]

I grew up in a very large family and sometimes there wasn't a lot. I remember being fascinated by the fairytale Stone Soup, where the begger tricks the elderly woman to make him a pot of soup bit by "magical" bit.

[@oaksparoakspar3144]

I had a season where I lived almost entirely on grits - and while I had plenty of salt, that was about it. It was much harder on the digestion that you would think, but back then you could get 15lbs of grits for about under $3 (almost $9 at Sam's today - darn inflation). I did most anything I could to flavor those things - salt and sugar were easy, but if I had any kind of meal out (church potluck, holiday meal with someone's family, etc), those leftovers would be in my grits as long as I could. Got some dried out leftover hamburgers from a neighbor's 4th of July party that they didn't want the next day. They were not so dry when I ground them up into my grits for the happiest week of that summer. Those hard times of early youth are an inventive struggle that we all grow from - in thankfulness, resourcefulness, and thrift. I pity anyone who goes through life without them. They make hard times less scary and soft times sweeter. That said, I'm of Samuel Johnson's opinion on oats - they are what the English feed their horses, but in Scotland supports the population.

[@samuelb6960]

When I was a kid we use to eat all kinds of wild plants while out playing like honeysuckle, dandelions, wild mustard and one of my favorites wild licorice.

[@davidortiz3094]

Your methods have not only helped me during hard times but also teach others. Thank you for the knowledge you share. I truly do mean that.

[@amcalabrese1]

My grandparents were from southern Italy and my grandmother often cooked with dandelions.

[@bettyboadwine4890]

Cheap and calorie packed ! That's the key to survival. Flavor helps.

[@SanaSamaha]

That looks amazing. I would also add some fresh chopped herbs, just for visual appeal. (I think I saw you picking wild garlic! That would be great in this!)

[@Gabrong]

ive been eating oatmeal with fruits (and before I was allergic to milk products, joghurt) and cinnamon and whatever I find, for the last... almost 10 years as dinner

[@WIImotionmasher]

these videos lately have been so immersive and compact. With lots of context and presented perfectly. This style of video might be the very best of Townsends

[@jlshel42]

Reminds me of what I read of peasants in roam eating, porridge of cheap grain or lentils that herbs, meat bits, and vegetables were added to. Base meal that they could add whatever to.

[@salan3]

I have porridge (oats) for breakfast every day. Have done for years. I love them. A guy at college lived on oats and Guinness for five years!

[@marynimocks6791]

Your channel has turned into a first class production! Everything in your production, research and presentation are simply terrific! I’m so happy for you! 👏👏👏 My go-to empty pantry is brown rice, canned black beans, with a chicken flavor cube, Montreal Steak seasoning, and a little olive oil to cook them in. Haha! We all have something!

[@B_uttcrumbs]

This is so inspiring and exactly what I needed to see today.

[@johnt.4947]

Thank-you again, for another nice telling of how everyday people of the 18th century got by. I remember getting "inventive" with Ramen. This was very early '80's. Add some cheap veggies like carrot. onion , and celery...it went a long way. Some leftover meat was a plus.

[@frillability]

I just laughed so hard! I used to do something super similar. I'm disabled, and when I started dating someone years ago and staying at their place, I couldn't walk to the grocery store. It was too close for a bus I think, and this is before grocery delivery. They didn't have much food at their apartment because their work place catered, so for weeks, all I ate was rice with olive oil, capers, lemon, and spices. It worked well enough though! I would still eat it today. It's very cheap, except for the capers depending, and uses few resources. Eventually, we got the grocery situation sorted, haha.

[@joseamadorsilva7395]

I love this channel and I support this merchant because of what I've learned here and the humility it taught me.

[@HISsheep777]

These are ultimate prepping skills and advice, and that kind smile at the end sums it all up perfectly 🤗❤️

[@hawks9142]

Tip for the modern day. Animal/birdseed is typically the same stuff as human food but substantially cheaper. Sunflower seeds, wheat, millet,flax,buckwheat, oats, corn. All avaliable as animal feed. Just sift through it and pick out anything you don't want in there, sifting is the main difference between Animal and human grade food

[@titaniumdiveknife2]

Excellent research Mr. Townsend.

[@joshuamacdonald4913]

When you were reading the recipe I was picturing a gravy like thing made from oat flour espically when you mention the bread. I have eaten bread and gravy as a meal.

[@igamewhenimbored7696]

Such an amazing channel I appreciate the effort and simple, wholesome vibes!

[@dalebaker9109]

Another masterpiece of a video. You really take us back in time. These are so entertaining.

[@HaphazardHomestead]

So many of our modern "weeds" are plants that were brought over as food plants, like the dandelion. But the Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is native to North America, without something similar in Europe. People sure came to rely on poke greens for feeding even large families over a long season. But I'm not sure when it became commonly used for food by settlers. Does it show up in any of your cookbooks from the 1700s? All those wild greens have served, and saved, so many people over the generations. I hope that more people can start to notice, recognize, and get to know the edible plants around them. They have fed me so well over many years, with feelings of abundance rather than being without. They've helped me feel connected with the people of the past, too, and the challenges they faced.

[@healinggrounds19]

I can't look at Mac and cheese because that's what I lived on in college.

[@jjudy5869]

With 75 cent a pound hot dogs on the good days. And don't read the label! It will scare the bejeezus out of you.😁🙃😉

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks Jon another great video. I not only enjoy the information that you bring us. Also how you and the gang present it. This recipe does give a good way to add flavor to a blend meal. Way to go!👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@rockycvs3]

"Chopped" 18th century is a show I would watch. 😅

[@Dr.Mrs.TheMonarch]

Very interesting. It's always good to learn these kinds of recipes. Thank you for doing the research and sharing. 😊

[@johnthatcher2293]

Great Video and an important subject matter. Thank you!

[@gigikoury4840]

Nice lighting in this piece. Love your videos. This was very informative.

[@carolyn3543]

For years in the 2000s our small family lived on various versions of "bread and cheese". All-you-can-eat pancakes was a Saturday thing for us, as was "Sunday soup". One of my favorite Quaker flavors was the savory Cheddar, Apple Rosemary! I was so glad to see other ideas for oats, farro, etc. Thank you!

[@imsteph21]

Townsends videos always lift my spirits. Thank you❤🙏🏼

[@warmonsterj]

Same! The music and setting just fits its lovely

[@lymb3914]

A charming and relevant lesson, and one I always appreciate hearing delivered with such positivity and creativity! Thank you guys for your dedication to sharing history!

[@Aradinx2]

Another great video. Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us.

[@brittanylooney7623]

I absolutely love the direction this channel has gone. Amazing content. Never stop 😊

[@angrytater2456]

You have to love rice and beans. Our ancestors figured out mixing the two made a complete protein.

[@rhonda8231]

We grew up with potato's. We always planted potato's, and we have them probably 50 different ways. They were always our staple in our family. We have traced it back 5 generations.

[@Yesica1993]

This is amazing! These are the kinds of skills that should be taught to everyone. I've over 50 and I just never learned any of this type of thing. I can barely cook. It's pathetic.

[@JohnZombi88]

I learned to cook when living on my own and barely making rent.

[@KingTempIar]

These videos are very inspiring, especially the part where you said that people have been struggling with food how we might be today and they got through it. I love this style of video and would love to watch more in the future.

[@alessandrofuligni4015]

As usual from this channel, a little treasure of a video. Thank you!

[@chrystalgreene892]

This was great, thank you.

[@angelamcentee1277]

So glad it warmed up in there because to see your breath gave me the shivers. The recipe sounds great, thank you.