New Englanders were extremely prolifi c—which is what happens
with abundant natural resources, hard-working people, and lots
of land—but it’s still not very crowded, so there aren’t major
epidemics like in Europe. Longer life spans and lower infant
mortality rates cause the population to boom. Most people lived on
small farms, so there were no real extremes of wealth. Their food was very simple and based for the most part on local
ingredients. There was a cornmeal bread called johnnycake or
hoecake. Codfi sh went into chowders, along with clams. Lobsters
were so plentiful that they were considered a poor man’s food.
Meats like beef or mutton tended to be boiled or made into a Yankee
pot roast. There was also substantial dairying, especially to make
butter and cheese. Baked pumpkins and apples and a whole slew
of vegetables could be stored in a root cellar. New Englanders were
also inordinately fond of pies.Clam chowder, a hearty soup, is a specialty of New England.
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