[PW] ? "soft hardbread

[Cramer, Jeff]

For an excursion to the wilds of Maine Thoreau recommended bringing “soft hardbread” - a term which seems somewhat oxymoronic. Elsewhere in his writings he mentioned simply hardbread. I have been trying to figure out what he could possibly mean by the term “soft hardbread.” Since hardbread is an unleavened bread or cracker, such as hardtack, by extension, soft hardbread could be simply a soft unleavened bread, such as flatbread, nan, lavash, etc. However, I can find no reference that shows that anyone in mid-19th century Massachusetts (Concord, to be specific) would be aware of such breads. 

 

My question is two-fold: I’m open to any other interpretations of the phrase “soft hardbread” and is it possible that anyone in mid-19th century Massachusetts would have been aware of any kind of flatbread?

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestion. I am completely stumped.

 

Best,

Jeff

 

 

 

Jeffrey S. Cramer, Curator of Collections 
The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods 
44 Baker Farm, Lincoln, MA 01773-3004 
Telephone/Fax: (781) 259-4730
E-mail: Jeff.Cramer at walden.org <mailto:Jeff.Cramer at walden.org> 
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"I have sometimes imagined a library, i.e. a collection of the works of true poets, philosophers, naturalists, etc., deposited not in a brick and marble edifice in a crowded and dusty city. . . but rather far away in the depths of the primitive forest. . ."
 -- Henry D. Thoreau, 3 February 1852

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