I would definitely decide on food, because you have more energy because your body is containing a lot of protein and starches that are giving your body strength to move on. Coffee on the other hand will energize you but at some point it will stop helping. In middle school I had an english teacher who told me that when you drink coffee in the morning your brain tends to not work as it usually would. So that wouldn’t be a good idea for some of us. But it is a great helper after you wake up and have a hot cup of dark coffee. Based on the article, I read that the soldiers wouldn’t cook because usually the females would do that for them but the way they kept themselves with energy was eating proteins and starches as an example of potatoes and meat.

Skirt Steak & Mashed Potatoes

 Hibiscus passion fruit iced tea!

It’s pretty interesting, ever since the dawn of man, there has been countless wars fought, win or lose, there is one thing that has remained consult, the source of fuel and comfort and that is food.  During times of war, where survival is challenged, the ability to adapt is essential for victory. James M. Sanderson in many ways was a pioneer during the civil war.  His idea to educate men who were on the field about basic cooking and food sanitary skills is pretty amazing.  It is no surprise to me the vast amounts of coffee was consumed during the civil war, after all it’s a excellent source of caffeine and for staying up. Fast forward to the present, I was watching a show just yesterday about the elections that are approaching, it’s so ironic that the anchor referred to huge urban cities like New York City as “Starbucks Nation”.  He was spot on, I mean there is a Starbucks in our cafeteria, one across the street and two more locations just blocks from one another.  I believe that there is no longer blood running through veins of college students and professionals, but coffee!  I love a cup of ice coffee every now and then but I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I love iced tea. My favorite is the very fruity and floral teas, such as hibiscus passion fruit with a touch of fresh lemonade and lots of ice. It is both refreshing, delicious, filled with antioxidants, helps t regulate blood pressure and is  low on caffeine.

Food or coffee? I don’t need to think about it, I choose food, why? Because food is everything to me I can live without coffee,  but I can die without food. Also soldiers didn’t have that much choices available, they didn’t know how to cook plus the hardtack does not look to good, and I don’t think it taste good. A lot of people think that coffee give you energy, but a good breakfast work better for me. Also I think not every body system works the same, some times when I drink coffee in the morning to stay up I still feel sleepy no matter how much coffee I drink. One more think that makes me choose food over coffee is the many options and taste that food offer, coffee no matter what you put on it or how you drink it, it will always be coffee, it will always taste like coffee. https://www.google.com/search?q=lasagna&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=okEgVMX6G4_lsATErYL4Dg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgrc=SUyqBYlaurzRrM%253A%3BKDUIWRbfzQX6tM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn-media-1.lifehack.org%252Fwp-content%252Ffiles%252F2014%252F03%252Flasagna.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.lifehack.org%252Farticles%252Flifestyle%252F15-mind-blowingly-delicious-lasagna-recipes-you-cant-miss.html%3B3000%3B3000

Even though coffee smells great, I have never been a huge fan of it. Some people actually say that coffee has some aromas that stimulate the brain, and give you energy, but I think that it is psychological and that it depends on the individual. I can drink coffee and sleep without any difficulties. Coffee is just not a necessity for me, that’s why i don’t really get it when I see people going insane because they haven’t had any coffee. I’ll choose food over coffee anytime because I can live without drinking coffee for a whole year, but can’t without food. According to the article, the soldiers didn’t really know much about cooking because back in the days, cooking was done by mostly females. The only option they had left was coffee plus, it was during war time so I’m sure that their food resources were pretty scarce.

When it comes down to it, I would rather have food then coffee any day. If I lived in during the civil war, and was a soldier I would never even drink coffee. Soldiers need to be awake and on their feet, and coffee has a reverse effect on me. Instead of energizing and being fast paced, I become very serene and sleepy. The smell of the coffee soothes my brain, while the warm sweet taste relaxes my muscles. Food, on the other hand ; fulfills my every need to be  awake and on the move. I feel whole after a meal and I am able to conqueror anything in my path. Food trumps coffee in my book any day.

It is interesting to learned about the soldier’s diet during the civil war time from two articles New York Times and PBS. The soldier’s diet were simple, their meal consists of protein, starch and vegetables. What fascinated me was the hard tack, when I searched it up on Google, the picture of hardtack it reminded me of a simple cracker. I also understand why the soldiers were looking more forward to coffee instead of a meal. Coffee “fuels” the soldier and according to the article coffee was mentioned more than cannons and the war itself.

I prefer food over coffee because to me food is more satisfying to my appetite. This is not because I dislike coffee, coffee is something I enjoy but not love. I love food and it is hard to pick a food I can’t live without. However if I were to pick one, it will be fries. Especially “Banh Mi Fries” from my favorite Vietnamese Sandwich shop called JoJu in Elmhurst, Queens.

In the days of the Civil War, the soldiers relied on rationed food such as meat, stale bread or hardtack, and coffee which were scarce. They carried these items in their haversacks and would cook these items when they were settled. It’s difficult to declare which had a better effect on their health in the long-run, food or coffee. Food was extremely scarce that most meals were skipped due to the lack of resources. Also, mostly the soldiers had little experience with cooking which unfortunately lead most of their meals remain raw including the meat. The food was more susceptible to cause illnesses due to the fact that the food wasn’t cooked correctly and the maggots that had taken shelter in their meats as well as their hardtacks. However, coffee was more readily available. They had received about thirty-six pounds of coffee each year which was enough to satisfy the soldiers.

Personally, based on the existing war times, I would agree that the soldiers could have given up food for coffee because coffee was easier to prepare and had more availability. Consequently, even most of the food that the soldiers consumed was raw due to their lack of cooking skills. Also, the harsh weather conditions required the soldiers to reserve heat which was easy with the addition of preparing the soothing flavor of coffee. The coffee was also a good sleeping aid because of its warmth and flavor qualities. It was a great way to wash down all the horrible tastes of the meal, they had just consumed. As an added bonus, the caffeine in the coffee possessed a great energy boost for the soldiers that assisted them to continue in their battles with more willpower to pursue in the battle to conquer. Ideally, the most fascinating concept about the Civil War soldiers’ diet for coffee is in comparison to the numerous citizens now in this era. Americans run on coffee, just as the soldiers used as a staple to their day. Now, I am an avid coffee drinker, making it one of my favorite drinks that I can’t live without because it is ultimately one of the best beverages I have ever tasted.

“The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh depicted through latte art which is one of the best ways to enjoy a cup of coffee.

If I had to choose between coffee and food I would choose food. Food fills you up gives you energy and the nutrients your body needs to keep you healthy. While coffee has you energized and wakens you up for couple of hours and then you crash and you feel worse than you already were. In he case of these solders I think they were better of drinking the coffee because if they choose food they would get small portions, due to the food shortages. So they clearly needed something to keep them up and going. I found it fascinating how these solders would eat hardtack. This cracker is one of the hardest crackers I seen. It looks like you would have to soak it for hours before eating it. The food that I must have always is a fruit salad. I love fruit and I love to put walnut or granola on it.