Potawatomi Food   The Potawatomi Indians hunted, went fishing, and gatherd natural foods from plants, and other trees from their land in which they lived. They were foragers, or in other words, people who got what they needed from their surroundings. The men were mostly hunters and fishermen. The woman gathered the food, and sometimes helped out by taking hold of the fish the men had caught. As the Potawatomi moved along the shores of Lake Superior they would gather things like canoes, and tobaggons, and snowshoes.Since they had these new things, it gave advantage to them from the other tribes, because they helped them gather new kinds of foods.They moved into small and medium sized villages and began to plant corn fields. As a result corn became a major crop. In this picture you see many of the actual Potawatomi dancing and singing in this celebration. When they moved closer to the South they found ways to make their own food and not just rely on the land they lived in. The woman were the ones who got to do this process, and got as much food as to feed the whole village. At some points they would take what was left over and were able to trade for even more different things to eat. Would you like to learn to make something like what they had made in that time? Follow these easy steps and you'll be eating a feast in no time at all! Mohawk Corn Saute 2 cups of whole kernel corn in 3 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 cup of black walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon black walnut flavoring. Heat and serve. Serves 2. Maple-Molasses Baked Beans 1 pound dried navy, kidney, baby lima, pinto, or black beans 4 to 6 strips salt pork or thick sliced bacon 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup molasses 1 teaspoon dry mustard salt (optional) Place beans in a large pot and cover them with water completely. Soak overnight. In the morning, drain and cover with fresh cold water. Cook beans in liquid, over low heat, for 2 to 3 hours until tender, adding more water as needed to keep beans from sticking. Drain water from beans. Place salt pork or bacon on the bottom and sides of a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine beans, syrup, molasses, and mustard. If using bacon, you may want to add a little salt. Pour bean mixture into baking dish and bake, covered at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Serves 6.
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