Anna’s AdventuresEat Like a Powhatan

Engravings by Theodor de Bry, from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Collection. Pictured Above: ‘The broiling of their fish over the flame.’ Below: ‘Their sitting at meate.’

© Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation • P.O. Box 1607, Williamsburg, VA 23187 10.2012

of dried foods to eat, while summer was their most abundant food season due to the fresh food readily available. The Powhatan divided their year into five seasons: Popanow (Winter), Cattapeuk (Spring), Cohattayough (Summer), Nepinough (Early Fall), and Taquitock (Late Fall).

The Powhatan: At the time English colonists arrived in the spring of 1607, coastal Virginia was inhabited by the Powhatan Indians, an Algonquian-speaking people. The Powhatan were comprised of 30-some tribal groups, with a total population of about 14,000, under the control of Wahunsonacock, sometimes called “Powhatan.”

Agricultural products – corn, beans and squash – made us about half of the Powhatan diet. Men hunted animals and fished, while women farmed and gathered wild plants. Food was cooked over an open fire in clay pots.

The Powhatan practiced food preservation by smoking and drying their foods, but their diet was mainly determined by what was available each season. Spring was their least abundant season as they ran out

Act i v i t ie s Ins ide :• Comparing Cornbread Recipes

• Matching Game: Seasons of Food

To watch the video click the play button to visit the website:

http://www.historyisfun.org/annas-adventures.htm

PARTONE

COMPARING CORNBREAD RECIPES Ask an adult for permission and help with the following cornbread recipe. Read through the ingredients and equipment lists, as well as the directions before starting, to make sure you have everything needed. Have an adult help with placing and removing the pan from the oven.

The Powhatan Indians’ version of cornbread (also called a corn cake) was much simpler than the modern version. They only used cornmeal, water and sometimes berries or nuts. This mixture was cooked over hot coals. In this recipe you’ll create six cornbread muffins. Five of the muffins will have modern ingredients like self-rising flour, while the sixth will use only those that the Powhatan had available. After the muffins are done baking compare the taste and texture of each and see which one you prefer.

Di re c t ions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease the muffin tin.

2. Powhatan Cornbre ad Start by making the Powhatan cornbread. In a small microwavable bowl heat up the water for 1 minute. Carefully remove the bowl with oven mitts. Stir in 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and a few blueberries until combined. Pour this mixture into one cup of the muffin tin.

3. Modern Cornbre ad Now you’ll make the modern cornbread. In the medium micro-wavable bowl heat up the butter untill just melted, about 10-30 seconds. Carefully remove the bowl with oven mitts. Let cool for one minute.

4. Crack the egg into the bowl, discarding the shell. Beat the egg and butter together with the fork until combined. Add the sugar, milk and 5 tablespoons of cornmeal. Stir until well combined.

5. Add the self-rising flour to the wet mixture. Stir until the dry ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix.

6. Using the rubber spatula, fold the blueberries into the cornbread mixture and equally pour into five cups of the muffin tin.

7. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a golden brown.

Powhatan Ingre dien ts4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornmeal

Modern Ingre dien ts5 tablespoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the muffin tin

6 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup self-rising flour

Opt iona l Ingre dien ts1/2 cup fresh blueberries, washed

Equ ipmentmeasuring utensils

2 microwavable bowls (small & medium sizes)

large fork for mixing

small rubber spatula

6-cup muffin tin

oven mitts

microwave & oven

© Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation • P.O. Box 1607, Williamsburg, VA 23187 10.2012

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