French Settlers - Food

• Bread was the most important item in the diet and was eaten at every meal. Flour was not highly refined, so loaves were coarse, dark, and wholesome. Flour produced in the Illinois country also supplied homes in Louisiana.
• Pork and smoked hams were a preferred meat in the region. They also ate beef and domestic fowl as well as game, such as deer, bison, squirrel, bear, duck, and goose. Catfish was especially favored.
• Meat and vegetables were usually combined in soups, fricassees, and gumbos (derived from African cooking).
• People regularly drank wine, beer, and cider with meals. Coffee and tea were luxury items shipped from New Orleans.

How do they compare? Native Americans | French Settlers | African Slaves

© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96