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1800-1860 - Farm families and home cooks during the Depression and Dust Bowl period.
This traditional stewed tomatoes recipe reflects the practicality of Dust Bowl-era and wartime farm survival cooking. Using fresh or canned tomatoes, it creates a homey, warming stew often served with staple grains or breads, highlighting the resourceful use of garden produce.
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Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
40 minutes
Servings
4-6
Region
Southern and Mid-Atlantic tomato-canning and supper kitchens
Era introduced
1800-1860
Introduced by
Farm families and home cooks during the Depression and Dust Bowl period.
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During the hardships of the Dust Bowl and the Depression, home cooks maximized use of available garden produce and preserved foods. Stewed tomatoes provided a nourishing, affordable dish made with fresh or canned tomatoes slowly cooked with basic seasonings. This recipe embodies the spirit of farmstead resilience and kitchen ingenuity during tough times, when simple ingredients became comforting sustenance.
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