TDS 60 History, Stories of Ghosts or Life Lessons? Interview With Stephanie Hoover

The Delicious Story

In this episode of The Delicious Story we chat with Stephanie Hoover, history author and podcaster, who researches and writes about true crime stories and the spiritualism movement of the 19th century. Stephanie digs deep to unearth events and people of intrigue and reveal historical culture and ancestors who often acted upon their belief in the supernatural.
With nine books to her credit and the ranking podcast “Stephanie Hoover Has That Story,” she has amassed impressive knowledge of our fascination with spiritualism. Her latest book, “Pretty Evil Pennsylvania,” comes out in 2021.
How relevant is spiritualism in life today? We discuss this during the show, so you can decide for yourself where you fall on the topic. From crossing paths with black cats to stepping on cracks in the sidewalk, many of us harbor superstitions. It’s ingrained in our thinking, passed on by family folklore and nursery rhymes.
Humans have been grappling with life’s meaning and what comes after it for centuries. Spiritualism has helped fill the void of that unknown. To get a quantitative sense of how long we’ve been searching, Universe Today provides some quick numbers: human-like creatures have walked the planet for about six million years, but it’s only been the last 200,000 that humans, as we are today, have been in existence.
Our civilizations are younger still, with only 6,000 years in our rear-view mirror. Most of the spiritualism that we have, came from within that same frame of time. Throughout that greater era, we’ve struggled to rectify what we see with what we don’t to make sense of what happens when the light snuffs out. Sometimes, the answers we create provide solace—and other times, the ideas simply freak us out.
CLARITY SPIRITUALISM, SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION
For anyone like me who’s a bit unclear about the word “spiritualism” (especially when compared and contrasted with the concepts of spirituality and religion), here are the definitions:
Spiritualism: (noun) Is a religious movement based on the belief that the spirits of the dead exist and have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living.
Spirituality: (noun) The quality of being concerned with the human soul as opposed to the material or physical things.
Religion: (noun) A social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural transcendental, or spiritual elements.
Whatever your thoughts of spiritualism and communing with the dead, Stephanie is not here to judge but to report on what she finds. She tells you stories enthusiastically based on her in-depth research and skilled writing that give you something to think about—no matter where you rest on the subject ghostly spirits.
A SIDE TRIP TO PUERTO RICO
We then make a complete segue to talking food, and on that subject Stephanie explains another project outside her usual where she helped craft a layered narrative that brought together a cookbook called “A Taste of Latin America.” You’ll find her anecdotes about the book a treat,
especially if you know little of Latin American food and want to learn more. My limited sampling is based in Peru because my daughter lives there, but I was surprised to discover some carryovers to Puerto Rican food.
As Stephanie explains, the cuisine is hearty, largely comprised of comfort dishes that have a lot to do with roasted meat, plantains, and starches. Think stick-to-your-ribs savory and flavorful fare and you’ll get the idea.
A prevailing item mentioned in the recipes I found online is something called pigeon peas. I’d not heard of them, and chatted briefly with my daughter to see if she had since she has traveled to other Latin American countries. She made the observation that potatoes are featured more in Peruvian food (because potatoes came from Peru), whereas beans are not so much (though, of course, there are plates that include them). Interesting! Anyway, it turns out that pigeon peas are a legume that came from India and have found their way into many Puerto Rican dishes.
Stephanie was fortunate to find a Puerto Rican restaurant in her community in Pennsylvania (she was surprised and pleased). I was curious if Des Moines, Iowa had one as well, and it turns out we’re on the map with one, too! (Double surprise.) How about you? Any Puerto Rican restaurants where you live? From Stephanie’s description the food sounds deliciously worthwhile.
PROFOUND SUBJECTS AND MEMORABLE MEALS
My favorite question to ask anyone in the field of history is to inquire as to how hopeful they are for the future given what they know of the past. I think you’ll find Stephanie’s answer both encouraging and insightful, not to mention a serious reason to dive in and learn yourself some history.
If there is one thing that remains true throughout time, it’s that people across borders and generations are inherently the same. We function on the same Richter scale of emotions from one people to the next. The circumstances of events vary, but our responses are predictable, and knowing that gives us something to work with.
Stephanie then shared her memorable meal, a particularly delightful recall of a tradition that will have you hankering to sit around a fire roasting food, too. What is it about food cooked outdoors that makes it especially tasty?
As I think about it, if fire is man’s first discovery, is it any wonder that it continues to be such a strong force? We count on fire to give us warmth, keep the dark at bay, and heat our food. It can also turn on us if left to do so. There is something primal about fire, I suppose and sitting around one brings us in almost at a DNA level. What better place to allow the darkness to seep in close, all the while feeling protected enough to swap our very best ghost stories.