Culinary Chronicles

Tastemakers: How Women Helped Shape the Early American National Identity Through Food
Since the late 19th century, America has been referred to as a ‘melting pot,’ describing both its culture and cuisine. Yet, from the founding of Jamestown, Virginia (1607) to the War of Independence, the political and cultural connection to Great Britain is undeniable. This connection shaped colonial and early American culture including gender roles and cuisine. It wasn’t until 1796 that we see the first American cookbook published: American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. Simmons’ book is distinctive because it not only encapsulates the British-influenced tastes of colonists and the ingredients available in the United States, but it is also the first cookbook published in America that was not a reprint of a European cookbook. Furthermore, embedded into the text is support for the independent democratic ideology of the new nation, and women as key participants in its formation. Colonial and early American women played a central role in the dissemination of the political ideas across American society, using food to enter the traditionally male sphere of politics, thus aiding in the construction of an American national identity.

Combining British Tastes with American Foodways
Cuisine is a key variable to understanding both a nation’s identity and the construction of a commonly imagined culture. American Cookery could be perceived as an extension of British culinary practices; recipes for roast beef, veal, lamb and mutton are included in the book, using common British cooking techniques and seasonings. Recommended side dishes include root vegetables, boiled potatoes, beans, onions and lettuce. British classics like minced meat pies, boiled plumb pudding or tea cakes can also be found within this book. What makes this book uniquely American, however, is how Simmons integrates ingredients native to North America and Native American dishes into her cookbook. She includes ingredients in the recipes such as sturgeon, bass, shad, turkey and frost grapes, all native to the American northeast. Her recipe for Indian pudding, a cornmeal-based dish, highlights the inclusion of native recipes into this newly emerging American cuisine. The novel combination of these recipes, ingredients, and techniques into one seminal cookbook additionally made this book one in which America’s origin story can be subtextually understood. American Cookery undeniably participated in the formation of the early American cultural identity through food. 

American Independence, Democratic Ideals, and Culinary Nationalism
Since the 1760s, increasing British regulations and taxes made many colonists enraged. A plethora of boycotts and food riots occurred in the name of patriotism, leading to a decreased consumption of many imported food goods. Given women’s role of feeding their families, they deeply felt the expense and taxes on ingredients and became politically involved in this food rioting movement. Food price gouging and the withholding of goods, including staples such as tea and bread in addition to the luxury goods like wine, fell at the intersection between politics and domesticity, allowing women to become more politically involved. By the 1790s, there was an increasing awareness of an American national identity rooted in independence from tyranny and pride in the democratic ideals ratified by the constitution. Amelia Simmons chose to center her voice around these ideas, using food as the avenue for political engagement. Within the pages of American Cookery, you will find recipes for federal pan cake, independence cake and election cake. While all of these recipes are standard in flavor and method, Simmons made a statement by choosing overtly political names. This display of culinary nationalism conveyed to her readers that these democratic ideals were foundational to both their national identity as American and American cuisine. 

Raising a New Generation of Women in America
Women were key participants in the American Revolution, through boycotting and food rioting, and in the formation of a national American identity through cooking. Prior to the American Revolution, the increasing accessibility of imported goods socioculturally reframed women as consumers for leisure; the gender roles surrounding domesticity began to extend outside the home and enter the economic sphere. Because of this, women were socially permitted more of a political voice. In the preface of American Cookery, Simmons calls on her audience, the rising generation of American women, hoping to share vital skills to support this new country as well as reaffirming the contributions of all citizens, whether they could vote or cook. Women were uniquely positioned to disseminate the democratic ideology given their firsthand experience in the food riots, and their active mothering of the raising the next generation of Americans. The quantity and expense of the ingredients in the independence cake recipe – it requires 15 pounds of sugar, 20 pounds of flour, 48 eggs, and gold leaf – implies that the dish was intended to be eaten by a large group. The ingredient quantity, yield and title of these recipes showcase the importance Simmons placed on celebrating nationalism and provided women with a means of participating in the formation of an American national identity. 

For Further Research:
Anthias, Floya and Nira Yuval-Davis. "Women and the Nation-State." Hutchinson , John and Anthony Smith. Nationalism. Oxford Readers, 1995. 312-316.
Clark Smith, Barbara. "Food Rioters and the American Revolution." Mulder, Phillip N. Colonial America and the Early Republic. Routledge, 2007. 3-37.
Ferguson, Priscilla Parkhurst. "Culinary Nationalism." Gastronomica vol. 10, no. 1. University of California Press, 2010. 102-109.
Siegel, Nancy. "Cooking Up American Politics." Gastronomica. University of California Press, 2008. 53-61.
Simmons, Amelia. American Cookery: Or, The Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the Best Modes of Making Puff-Pastes, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves, and all kings of Cakes, from Inperial Plumb to plain Cake. 2nd. Albany: Charles R. & George Webster, 1796. print.
Trubek, Amy B. "Nationalism, Culinary Coherence, and the Case of the United States: An Empirical or Conceptual Problem?" Ichijo, Atsuko , Venetia Johannes and Ronald Ranta. The Emergence of National Food. Bloomsbury, 2019. 142-150.