Foods of the pioneers

<p dir="ltr">When you dig into questions of what Hoosiers ate in the 1820s, '30s and '40s, when they gathered for meals, the dining utensils they used, and related topics, you have a lot to savor.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Indianapolis</strong>-based food historian <strong>Sheryl Vanderstel</strong>  will even describe what she calls "lost" foods when she is Nelson's guest for a smorgasbord of information and historical facts about the food of pioneers and their dining routines during Indiana's earliest era as a state. Misconceptions abound, including  the "myth of pioneer self-sufficiency," Sheryl says.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src= "http://hoosierhistorylive.org/images/Sheryl-Vanderstel.JPG" alt= "Sheryl Vanderstel" width="211" height="283" align="right" />"Even the earliest settlers were interdependent, bartering with each other," she explains. "Grocers and merchants were among the first residents of Indianapolis and could easily obtain goods from thriving, established communities like <strong>Salem</strong> or <strong>Connersville</strong> and<strong> Ohio River</strong> cities <strong>Madison</strong>, <strong>New Albany</strong>, <strong>Cincinnati</strong> and <strong>Louisville</strong>."</p> <p dir="ltr">During the first half of the 19th century, the largest meal was eaten at midday and called "dinner," not "lunch." The evening meal, "supper," was much lighter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Except for the spoon, Sheryl says the pioneers' dining utensils "looked much different."</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to explaining the utensils used by the pioneers, she will describe <strong><a href= "https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/vegetables/growing-jerusalem-artichokes-zmaz10onzraw">Jerusalem artichokes</a></strong>, <strong><a href= "https://parade.com/250649/linzlowe/what-the-heck-is-salsify-and-how-do-you-cook-it/">salsify</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/grilled-pattypans/">pattypans</a></strong> and other food items that fell into obscurity when subsequent generations did n