Part 6/11:
Occasionally, fortunes brought about indulgent meals such as the Hangtown fry, a dish combining eggs, fried oysters, and bacon—a reflection of the miner's newfound wealth. This dish was named after Placerville, formerly known as Hangtown, and tells the story of miners celebrating newfound riches with lavish meals. However, such luxuries were rare, and the average miner's diet was often limited to hard bread, salt pork, and occasionally fish.