Pepper Pot Day 

Pepper Pot Day is a December 29 holiday. It commemorates the creation of this thick spicy soup, which was served to the Continental Army during the cold, harsh winter of 1777-1778.  Pepper Pot soup, also spelled “Pepperpot”, was first made on December 29, 1777. The soup is popular in Pennsylvania where it is called Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup. It is also a popular dish in the south. This soup has roots in Guyana, where it is also popular.

According to the legend

During the Revolutionary war, the Continental army was camped at Valley Forge.  The winter was cold and harsh. Conditions were deplorable. Food was often scarce. George Washington asked his army’s chef to prepare a meal for the army, that would both warm them, and boost their morale. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat, and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other spices and ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as “Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot and somewhat spicy soup was well received by the troops. It was called “the soup that won the war”.

Celebrate Pepper Pot Day by making some Pepper Pot soup for the family. Note: while tripe was the main ingredient of this soup, you can substitute it with chicken, pig, or beef.