These recipes were featured on our social media series "Flavors of the Mountain Past." It is from Sarah Rutledge’s The Carolina Housewife (1847), a collection of nearly 550 recipes prominent in mid-19th century Charleston.
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, many people ate passenger pigeons because they were abundant and reliable sources of protein. Native Americans and settlers both hunted them, especially in the 19th century. The massive consumption of passenger pigeons led to their extinction in 1914. However, people have still found ways to eat domestic pigeons. You may have heard of squab—a young, domestic pigeon that many say tastes like tender dark meat chicken. Popular in Cantonese, Moroccan, and French cuisines, squab is considered a delicacy, which has led to its higher prices compared to other poultry. If only 19th-century Appalachians had known that their humble pigeon meals would someday earn a place on fine-dining menus.