Today, December 29th, is Pepper Pot day. So why am I writing about Pepper Pot Day? I am writing about it because the history of why it started caught my interest. Pepper Pot soup was first made for the Continental Army on December 29, 1777 and all during that cold, harsh winter. As the story goes, the Continental army was camped at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary war. The conditions were horrible, and food was hard to find. George Washington asked his army’s chef to make something for the army that would make them warm and lift their spirits. The chef found pieces of tripe, scraps of meat and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with other ingredients, creating Pepper Pot soup. Pepper Pot soup also became known as “Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The troops liked this hot and spicy soup, and it was called “the soup that won the war”.
You can celebrate Pepper Pot Day by making some Pepper Pot soup for the family or friends. Even though tripe was a main ingredient of this soup, you can use chicken or beef instead. Let know if you make some and like it!
