Breaking fast, circa. 1700

From David Doar, A Sketch of the Agricultural Society of St. James, Santee, South Carolina, . . . 1907, p. 8-9

“Mr. Lawson and Mr. Porcher both state that agriculture and Indian trade were the main occupation of the early settlers, and no doubt they used stock-raising to add to their revenue and comfort. Of course, all that I have said applied to settlers also on the coast part of Parish for they were a homogenous people intermixed with some Scotch, English and Dutch emigrants. These Frenchmen had some curious notions, and one of them was that no good baking could be done outside of a brick oven, and always had them, even in my early days I can remember that in nearly every yard could be seen one under a shed. The pillau was one of their favorite dishes, and the Gauffre, or waffle, the jerked and potted beef and venison are still used amongst us as a direct inheritance from these old pioneers of good living. Coming down to a later date and quoting freely from Messrs. S. DuBose and F. A. Porcher: Between 1700 and the Revolutionary War, we find these old settlers and their descendants expanding in their pursuits, in order to gain wealth, engaging in the culture of indigo, rice and cotton, and in working of naval stores and making of tare, to the latter of which the many tar mounds in our woods testify.”

For our modern-day adventurers, here’s a 21st-century recipe for French waffles.

Thanks to Society researcher Cheves Leland for sharing her discovery.