History of Chewing gum

[bnail]

Anyone have any references to people chewing verious items prior to the proliferation of Commercial chewing gum?
I have a story that my uncle used to chew on some type of sap, Pine pitch I think, but I can't see how that would be plausible as it would seem to me to taste too much like turpentine!
anyone have similar stories?

 

[Berk]

As a kid we would chew the sap from the neighbors plum tree. I cant remember what it taste like but I can remember climbing up and pulling it off and chewing it and saying this is what the pioneers and Indians used to do.

Berk

 

[redwing]

The early Greeks had chewing gum, as did the Aztecs. The American Indians chewed Spruce Sap. They passed it on to the early Whites. The settlers added Bees Wax to the Spruce Sap. Some one in Maine started selling the Spruce Sap and Bees wax before the Civil War. They started adding flavors to it by 1850, maybe before. Anyways its been around a very long time. Its older than "Chewin Tabbackee". :hmm:

 

[Buffalo Bones]

I haven't thought of chewing pine gum for a long time. All you have to do is pull a chunk of the hard dark sap from the side of a big pine tree and chew it up. After some chewing and spitting, the bitter taste goes away. It's not something you would want everyday but, it is fun to try.

 

[bigbore442001]

I remember the spruce gum for sale as a kid. It was a popular tourist item for sale at the various shops throughout northern New England.

I do see one advantage. It would camoflage your breath.

 

[Walks Alone]

Having grown up on a ranch in the back country of the high Rockies from the 40's, I was probably pushing my teens before I ever chewed store bought gum (Black Jack, Beemans, Clove). My family had chewed Pinyon Pine pitch (and gathered pine nuts) from the trees on our property and surrounding mountains for generations.

The best comes from natural wounds on the trees. Gramps always told us kids the extra flavor of the very best came from the porky damage where they peed on the tree while stripping the bark. Small to medium drops or globs that are fully hardened and clear make the best chew, are the least bitter and easiest to get transformed to gum. They turn to ultra fine powder when bitten that mixes faster with your saliva and tends to reduce the almost uncontrollable urge to spit, which just wastes the best flavors and fine texture of the finished product. When we'd get tired of chewing we'd save the wad to make for an easier restart later by adding a few more pieces to increase the bulk, elasticity and bring back a stronger flavor. Makes my jaws ache just thinking about it. :grin:

I still gather a stash whenever I get in country where the pinyon's grow, and share it with my aging parents who can no longer go out and collect their own. It will keep forever in an open container in the cupboard. Sadly I never could get my son weaned to it, neither could my sister with her kids. So I guess since the rest of the family is gone now this family tradition dies with us.

 

[mbw907]

Hello Walks Alone, That was some great information that you shared with us. I think that there are a lot of things that will be lost if traditions are not passed to someone else. Too bad that your kids were not interested. I also have some information that I would like to pass on. And plenty that I want to learn. There is a lot of information out there, we just gotta preserve it and hope that someone takes interest.

 

[patch knife]

When I was a kid , me and a friend used to chew the fresh tar from where they patched the cracks in the street . Anyone else do this or were we just :youcrazy: ?

 

[bpbrs]

When I was a kid , me and a friend used to chew the fresh tar from where they patched the cracks in the street . Anyone else do this or were we just :youcrazy: ?

Was that before or after PCB's were banned?

Yes I have collected and chewed sap..I can remember the pine gum being sold in local mom n' pop stores all through WVa and western Pa.

A few fur auctions also take in sap for re-sale to this day.
bpb

 

[bnail]

Hey Walks Alone, I'm sure glad I asked, that was a wonderful recollection, I really appreciate you sharing. Between you and Rock, I feel gratified that I wasn't imagining the whole story, as It was drawn from a memory that's over thirty years old!
does the sap really maintain some sort of elasticity?
it's hard to believe. I'd like to try it now.

I almost hate to ask, but does anyone know if Pine gum is carcinogenic?

 

[AdirondakDD]

A time line for chewing gum
[url] http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/gum.htm[/url]

 

[bnail]

I'm gratified that I wasn't imagining things. here's a site selling Conifer saps for chewing: Spruce gum

 

[rebel727]

When I was a kid , me and a friend used to chew the fresh tar from where they patched the cracks in the street . Anyone else do this or were we just :youcrazy: ?

Never chewed it off the street but a friends dad built a doghouse when I was about 9 or 10 and sealed the roof with tar. We chewed off that doghouse for a looooong time. :grin:

 

[DCF]

We used to chew roofing tar as children. If there was grit in it it made it sort of crunchy!!

Very good for the teeth.........not!

 

[Stony]

Did anyone notice who helped introduce chewing gum to America? Santa Anna of Alamo fame.

 

[Walks Alone]

Skagan -

A new wad of pine pitch (once formed) has nearly the same pliabilty and texture as store bought gum. But over time chewing it, it looses alot of volume and elasticity and gets much harder to chew. Can be renewed by adding another piece of hard pitch from time to time, but eventually your jaw muscles get so tired you have to put it away for another time.

Carcinogenic? I have no idea, but then it todays world they say everything is bad for you. Probably the most PC thing I do... enjoy pine gum (and many other things from my youth) with no regards at all as to whether they are good for me or not. I'd rather die with a wad of pitch in my craw smoking my sage pipe and remembering the good times of my youth they both instill than without.

 

[bnail]

Is there a best season for harvesting Pine gum?
forgive my ignorance here, but how to you harvest it without getting a chunk full of bark? I don't think I've ever seen chunks of sap big enough to just break off and start chewing.

 

[bnail]

Whole lot of rambling, but maybe of some help. Best is to just get out there and you'll figure it out. When you start your gum refrain from spitting and you'll soon have an excellent "PC" chew.

Walks Alone, this has been one of the most satisfying threads I've read in a while, and it's due mostly to your input, I especially like the picture of the chewedec gum, now tell me that ain't Wrigley's! :winking:
The memories and tips I've recieved have really helped me get this figured out, now, as you said, I gotta get out and try it. I just gotta find a space of woods not covered over by Jack pine!
I'm especialy curious about Berks recollection of plum sap "Plum gum"? :rotf:
I won't be trying tar though, and, to beat Ghost to the punch, I ain't gonna try Labradore either! :winking:
I work with a woman from SC, and she remembered chewing bits and pieces from something she called a gum tree, sounded vaguely familiar, but nothng more. I guess I'll have to look it up.

 

[barebackjack]

Well, Callard and Bowser (makers of altoids) have been around since something like the 1780's I believe.

 

[Walks Alone]

Skagan -

I'm glad this turned into some good info for you. Thanks for your kind words. It's always fun to take a trip down memory lane, and this trip takes me back at least 55-56 years to my first pine chew. Got me thinking that I need to make a run to collect some as soon as I get back on my feet.

The picture is garnered, but of a wad of 100% pure pine pitch (not Wrigley's). Hoped the clean white appearance would win over any doubters that pitch from certain pine or spruce trees does make fine natural gum.

BTW, pine gum doesn't loose its flavor after a short chew like store bought does - flavor lasts as long as the wad does, and lingers after your jaw muscles have given up chewing it for the day. It's also an excellent breath freshener (worthy of note to still hunters who usually forget to mask that odor), and actually helps prevent tooth decay and mouth diseases.

As has been alluded to already pine gum could be considered nasty to get started to those not already hooked on it. I remembered you can easily start a milder version by starting with a wad of either paraffin or bees wax, chewing it until pliable and adding pieces of pine pitch one at a time, crushing and incorporating them into the wax until you get the flavor you want. Not as good a chew, but a way to get chewing until you can muster the 100% stuff.

WA