The PA Melting Pot: biscuits

Showing posts with label biscuits. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

The PA Melting Pot: THE PA MELTING POT - Part 7 - 1 Southcentral Euro...

The PA Melting Pot: - Part 7 - 1 Southcentral Europe – Romania

Friday, June 26, 2020

The PA Melting Pot - Part 4 - African Americans

HISTORY

The largest influx of African-Americans (1910-1930) from Virginia, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas increased the black population 115% in the southwestern PA area. They immigrated because they were recruited by northern industries to break white workers' strikes. They didn't get paid much and were allotted minimal amounts for living.

Even though the Wagner Act in 1935 was passed which gave workers the right to collective bargaining and blacks were allowed to join unions, there was still much discrimination and often they were not eligible for government housing for misplaced families. They lived frugally as they had in the South. More immigration occurred from World War II to 1950.

FOOD HISTORY: From the south they brought the knowledge of wild greens cooked with ham hocks and other slave dishes. What was discarded from the main house by their masters was eaten by their slave ancestors. This was where the term “soul food” originated. Castoffs from the main house included: pigs’ feet, hind-parts, jowls, intestines, cow brains and tongues and others. The southern slaves cooked the bitter collard, mustard and turnip greens with pork leftovers. This “make-do” or “soul food” which was the mainstay at that time and its transformation now has become part of white and black households today.

FOODS:

Collard Greens, Shrimp Pilau (bacon, onion, tomato, hot pepper, parsley, rice, shrimp stock, shrimp), Cornbread, Cracklin’ Corn Bread (cracklins are pork rinds), Sweet Potato Casserole, African Chicken (chicken breasts, onions, tomatoes, garlic, ketchup, peanut butter, cayenne, hard boiled eggs), Shrimp Creole (green pepper, garlic, butter, tomatoes, lemon juice, Tabasco, shrimp, rice), Sweet Potato Pone (sweet potato bread) and Old Fashioned Hoecake (corn meal, flour, bacon fat, etc. – NOTE: This was called Hoecake because out in the fields often they didn’t have cooking pots so they baked the bread on a hot hoe over a fire!!)

MORE FOODS:

Scalloped Pineapple (sugar, butter, eggs, white bread, milk, crushed pineapple baked in casserole & topped with whipped cream or as side dish to meats), Sweet Potato Pie (I think everyone knows what this is), Southern Ham & Brown Beans, Fried Okra, Okra-Corn-Tomatoes, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Black-eyed Peas and Gumbo, Sausage Biscuits and Gravy, Grits in various ways, Hoppin’ John (a thick, hearty stew of black-eyed peas, ham, and rice served on New Year’s Day for good luck), Pinto Beans with pork, Chow-Chow (not really from the South although they claim it – from the PA Dutch who immigrated to the south), Black eyed-peas, Hush puppies, Corn pone and the list goes on.

NOTE: OXTAIL STEW IS ANOTHER RECIPE TO BE INCLUDED. IT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM JAMAICA.

LINKS TO SOUL FOOD RECIPES BELOW PHOTOS

LINK TO All Recipes - Soul Food

LINK TO MY RECIPES SOUL FOOD

LINK TO 15 SOUL FOOD RECIPES FROM ABOUT.COM

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

THE PA MELTING POT - Part 7 - 1 - Southcentral Europeans - Romanians

A look at the evolution of food in southwestern Pennsylvania –

7 – 1 South Central Europe – Romania

In 2017 there were claims of Romanian-Americans (1st and 2nd generation) ranging from 478,278 upwards to 1.2 million living in the US (225,000 Jewish Romanians). According to EARLIER records there were 1,500,000-2,500,000 people in the US claiming Romanian ancestry. In the 2000 census 340,000 spoke Romanian as their first language. The Romanian immigrants came to the US to escape the Austro-Hungarian Empire oppression. The first wave (1895-1920) settled in western PA, Delaware and eastern Ohio. In 2017 a Romanian group called Roma settled in California, PA.

They were unskilled laborers and peasants (33% were illiterate) who gravitated toward industrial areas for unskilled jobs. As the second generation of Romanian-Americans grew they became more educated, worked in skilled jobs and placed emphasis on vocational training and college. These professionals made significant contributions to society.

Family, community & religious dynamics are very important. In addition they kept and still keep close ties with native Romanians in Europe. Today, there are active communities and major media including TV, radio, newspaper and magazines. They have assimilated but keep their roots. As with many cultures food is an important part of their heritage.

ROMANIAN CUISINE: (An overview)

NOTE: Romanian meals are flavorful, savory and appetizing to the palate. The Romanian people take great pride in preparing old ethnic recipes as well as adapting new ones. Romanian cuisine is influenced by the Romans, Greeks, Austrians, Turks, French and Hungarians.

Appetizers:

Mezeluri (salamis, sausages & cheeses) served with Tuica (strong plum brandy), Oua Umplute (stuffed eggs), and Mititel (called wee sausages: ground beef seasoned with garlic and rolled into cylindrical forms) which is often served with Gratar (a steak prepared with garlic, usually pork, accompanied by pickled cucumbers and tomatoes and other grilled meats).

Soups and Salads:

Supa de Porumb Verde (green corn soup), Ciorba (sour soup made with vinegar or pickle juice), Ciorba de Burta (tripe soup), Ciorba Teraneasca (cabbage soup with bacon), Salata Primavara (Spanish derivation) (spring salad), Salata de Boeuf (Boeuf is French derivation) (potato meat salad) (NOTE: Olivier Salad in Russia) and Salata de Ardei or Piper (roasted pepper salad).

Main Dishes:

Plătica Roulade (rolled flounder), Miel in Sos de Laurt (lamb in yoghurt sauce), Tokana (shepherd’s stew), Sarmale (stuffed cabbage), Ardei Umplute (stuffed peppers), Frigari (kebabs), Ghiveci (vegetable stew with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, green pepper, onions, celery roots, eggplant, squash, string-beans, fresh peas, cabbage, and cauliflower), and Mamaliga (considered a national dish which is a corn mush eaten with butter, cheese, meats). Chiftelute (meatballs) and Ficat de pui reţete (chicken liver recipes) are more popular main dishes.

Desserts:

Straturi Tort cu Datele şi Frişcă (layered cake with dates and whipped cream), Cozonac (Easter bread), Clatite (crepes), Savarina (yeast dough cake soaked in rum & filled or topped with pastry cream and plated with fruit), Straturi Tort Alune (hazelnut layered cake). Other desserts include Mamaliga (above and if served with marmalade or fruit jelly is then a dessert), Cozonac cu Nuca (walnut filled pannetone) and Cozonac cu Brinza Dulce si Stafide (pasca – sweet cheese panetonne with raisins) (pannetone is Italian).

Beverages:

Ţuica is a brandy made from plums or wheat. Vin (French word for wine) and bere is beer.

SCENES OF ROMANIA