Hello again!  Our next issue will be mailed out soon!  For a sneak peak at our featured articles, please see the list below.

Featured in the April/May 2012 issue (sections in bold, titles in italics):
    1.  Arts and Artisans – Tecumseh’s Northwest Trade Gun by Mark Sage
    2.  Hoppus and Hatchet – The Indian Corps: Grant's Campaign 1761 by William B. Jack
    3.  Hearthstone – The Flight of Some Weak Women Apache Prisoners of War in New Spain:
            A 1799 Incident: Part I  by Mark Santiago
    4.  Early Americas – Redcoats in Green Bay: The British Occupation of Fort Edward          
             Augustus (Green Bay, WI) 1761-1763: Part II by Richard FC Seidemann, Jr.
    5.  To Arms – Slush and Mud:  How the Cannons of Ticonderoga Beat the British at Boston              by Gerry Barker
    6.  Discerning Re-enactor – …to remain in the Indian country:” Euro-American Trapping 
            and Hunting in the Great Lakes Fur Trade by Isaac Walters
    7.  Punchbowl – “Such things as they cannot do without:” Equipping Joseph Brant's        
            Volunteers During the Revolutionary War by Mark Hersee
    8.  A Matter of Taste – The Beginnings of Horticulture in the California Missions 
            by Michael R. Hardwick
    9.  Musings Around the Inkpot – Our letters to and from the editor.  
  10.  Review – Thus Fell Tecumseh: A Book Review by Casey Criswell

For more information about what topics we cover in each section, please click here.  Haven't secured a subscription yet?  Don't delay!  Visit our subscriptions page today.  We hope you find something you love in each and every issue of Journal of the Early Americas.

P.S.  We are always looking for writers and advertisers wishing to publish their content with us.  Please visit our writers page and advertising page for more information.  Our new website is being updated frequently, so please come back and visit us again soon to see what's new.  If you have additional questions or comments, visit our contact us page.  Thank you!

Here's a tasty recipe from our December/January 2012 issue.  Browse our recipes archive by clicking on "Recipes" in the bottom right or under the "more..." section at the top of each page!  Enter Chris Cheney...

Beaver Sweet Meat by Chris Cheney

Beaver meat is rich and tender.  In texture and taste, for me it lies somewhere between pork and veal. A staple of Native diet, it was also relished by the voyageurs as well mountain men.

The story goes that bishop of Quebec, Bishop François de Laval in the 17th century posed the question of beaver being aquatic animals, like fish; therefore acceptable under Church Doctrine to be eaten on Fridays.  He submitted this proposal to the theologians of the Sorbonne who ruled in favor of this decision.

Ingredients
The front, hindquarters, and back-straps from two beavers
1 large onion chopped fine
1 tbsp. Minced garlic
1 tbsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
1 pint maple syrup (or a handful of maple sugar dissolved in a like quantity of water)
1 pint Saskatoon berries

Directions
Separate the hind quarters from the beaver carcass but take particular care not to disturb the oil sacks and castors.  Disjoint the quarters at the hip and slice them clear.  The back-straps lie on either side of the spine, from the base of the neck to the top of the hip; fillet them out from the ribs and spine.  The fore quarters are removed much like the hind.  Soak the beaver meat overnight in lightly salted water (1 tsp. salt/gallon).

Boil the beaver meat in a large trade kettle filled with fresh water until it starts to separate from the bone, about an hour or so.  Then drain and set aside to cool a bit.

While the meat is boiling, in a sheet iron pan sauté the onion and garlic in butter or marrow fat, then add the maple syrup, salt, pepper, and Saskatoons.  Let this simmer at low heat at the edge of the fire, taking care not to scorch it.

When the beaver meat is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones and cube it into one inch or so pieces.  Using a large iron pot, brown these well in butter or marrow fat.  When the meat is well browned and the seasoned sweet sauced has simmered a bit, pour the sauce over the meat, mix it all well and keep it over a low heat for a quarter hour or so.

Serve with wild rice or boiled potatoes.  This beaver sweet meat is one of my favorite dishes, somewhat resembling barbecued pork, or sweet and sour veal, and visually pleasing as well, with all of the dark red and purple berries. Yum!
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