“More die in the United States of too much food than too little’’

— John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) economist, author and Harvard professor in The Affluent Society (1958)

“Fieldmouse Pie

5 fat fieldmice

1 cup macaroni

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 medium-size can tomatoes

1 cup cracker crumbs

Boil the macaroni 10 minutes. While it is cooking, fry fieldmice long enough to try out excess fat. Grease casserole with some of the fat and put a layer of macaroni on it. Add onion and tomato, then salt and pepper it well. Add fieldmice and cover with the remaining macaroni. Sprinkle the top with cracker crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until mice are well done. (Note: if insufficient mice are available, substitute sausages.)”

— From a 19th Century cookbook created by some Vermont women, who used a lot of unusual sources to keep the wolf from the door.