I enjoyed your piece about Indian pudding, and was struck with a bit of nostalgia. This was ain infrequent but still regular winter dessert at our home in Massachusetts (which also maintained the beans, frankfurters and brown bread tradition on Saturdays). Made by my grandmother or my father, it was always done the slow, overnight way. Later, working at Harvard University, I regularly enjoyed it at the faculty club with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. But a new chef did away with it, along with the horse steak. Can you imagine ?
I'd say for at least the history of the coonization of the US. Thanks for referencing Keith and Kathleen's book. They are in my bread group. Much to their credit they recognize the destruction of thousands of tribes and tribal lands at the expense of the animals they brought to the US for dairying and meat eating - all the rage at that point in time - but also the cause of severe malnutrion in the US and Latin America at the same time. Stealing lands for animal husbandry as opposed to leaving it forforaging and gathering destroyed indigenous societies throughout North America. And the dairying that these animals allowed led to further exploitation and abuse of even more enslaved people. Native Americans became de facto homeless, enslaved people in their own country because of molasses and dairy cows. Although many African and Native American people excelled at making cheeses - some were actually noted in histories - they never benefitted financially to the exrtent that the white land owners did. As for Indian pudding, it was served up until the 70s quite widely in New Englandrestaurants. Thankfully, on Thanksgiving Day 1970 in Boston AIM activists and Russelll Means staged a protest against the whole Puritan and White people's hagiography of the abuse and torture and murder of so many Native Americans. Chefs throughout the city, in Boston at least, began to disavow Indian Pudding. I believe primarily because it was hardly a status symbol. But not those immigrants without means. Corn is and always was, especially in porridge form, what people ate when they could not afford much else. Most Irish, Italian, etc. immigrants lived on porridge of corn more than anything else. Eventually it became oats as well, and then wheat. But ask a First Nation or Native American person what they think of Indian Pudding, and if they ever make it. The use of molasses, a by-product of the rum trade that drove the enslavement of millions of Africans with what was called Indian Flour, and milk which led to the displacement of milllions of Native Americans in what is called Indian Pudding is the ultimate expression of mindless racism and arrogance. But we should think about how the kids feeling might be hurt if we tell them the truth that the Triangle Trade was a bad thing because it allowed all those White immigrants to survive and often thrive by enslaving the people that lived here to rerecreate their hasty pudding and Triangle Trade in rum. Somehow, as with grits in the Southern US, people are allowed to claim food created by enslaved people or people whose land they have stolen as their cultural heritage while continuing to abuse both historical and newer immigrants whose country of origin has fallen out of favor.
Thank you SO much Ken for bringing this to the table! When I researched this dish I didn't find anything about the 70s protest that led to the disappearance of Indian pudding from the restaurants. The history of many New England dishes is very sadly linked to the enslavement of native Americans and Africans, which is essential to remember.
I enjoyed your piece about Indian pudding, and was struck with a bit of nostalgia. This was ain infrequent but still regular winter dessert at our home in Massachusetts (which also maintained the beans, frankfurters and brown bread tradition on Saturdays). Made by my grandmother or my father, it was always done the slow, overnight way. Later, working at Harvard University, I regularly enjoyed it at the faculty club with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. But a new chef did away with it, along with the horse steak. Can you imagine ?
Thank you so much for sharing John! I think it's difficult to find it in restaurants nowadays, sadly. But we can always enjoy a homemade one!
I'd say for at least the history of the coonization of the US. Thanks for referencing Keith and Kathleen's book. They are in my bread group. Much to their credit they recognize the destruction of thousands of tribes and tribal lands at the expense of the animals they brought to the US for dairying and meat eating - all the rage at that point in time - but also the cause of severe malnutrion in the US and Latin America at the same time. Stealing lands for animal husbandry as opposed to leaving it forforaging and gathering destroyed indigenous societies throughout North America. And the dairying that these animals allowed led to further exploitation and abuse of even more enslaved people. Native Americans became de facto homeless, enslaved people in their own country because of molasses and dairy cows. Although many African and Native American people excelled at making cheeses - some were actually noted in histories - they never benefitted financially to the exrtent that the white land owners did. As for Indian pudding, it was served up until the 70s quite widely in New Englandrestaurants. Thankfully, on Thanksgiving Day 1970 in Boston AIM activists and Russelll Means staged a protest against the whole Puritan and White people's hagiography of the abuse and torture and murder of so many Native Americans. Chefs throughout the city, in Boston at least, began to disavow Indian Pudding. I believe primarily because it was hardly a status symbol. But not those immigrants without means. Corn is and always was, especially in porridge form, what people ate when they could not afford much else. Most Irish, Italian, etc. immigrants lived on porridge of corn more than anything else. Eventually it became oats as well, and then wheat. But ask a First Nation or Native American person what they think of Indian Pudding, and if they ever make it. The use of molasses, a by-product of the rum trade that drove the enslavement of millions of Africans with what was called Indian Flour, and milk which led to the displacement of milllions of Native Americans in what is called Indian Pudding is the ultimate expression of mindless racism and arrogance. But we should think about how the kids feeling might be hurt if we tell them the truth that the Triangle Trade was a bad thing because it allowed all those White immigrants to survive and often thrive by enslaving the people that lived here to rerecreate their hasty pudding and Triangle Trade in rum. Somehow, as with grits in the Southern US, people are allowed to claim food created by enslaved people or people whose land they have stolen as their cultural heritage while continuing to abuse both historical and newer immigrants whose country of origin has fallen out of favor.
Thank you SO much Ken for bringing this to the table! When I researched this dish I didn't find anything about the 70s protest that led to the disappearance of Indian pudding from the restaurants. The history of many New England dishes is very sadly linked to the enslavement of native Americans and Africans, which is essential to remember.
Thank you again!
❤️