WW2 Rationing Recipes - American

[Marianne]

Recipe for War Cake
2 cups brown sugar

2 cups hot water

2 tbsp shortening

1/2 lb seedless raisins

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

Boil this five minutes & when cold, add three cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in a little warm water. Bake about 45 minutes in a slow oven.

 

[Marianne]

Americans and Canadians had to be careful with flour products. The Brits took a different approach, people could buy as much bread as they could afford. But there was only one bread available. By law. Enter the Wholemeal Loaf, or National Loaf.
The National Loaf
National Flour was used to make the National Loaf, a yeast-risen, bakery-made bread for daily consumption.

A ban on commercial, pure white bread production came into effect on 6 April 1942 [11]. The regulations stated that 75% of the wheat flour in a loaf of bread had to be of 85% extraction (the rest of the wheat flour could be regular white wheat flour), that the bread had to be sold unwrapped, and unsliced, that the bread could only be sold the day after it was made, not on the day of, and that the official legal size of a loaf of bread was reduced from 16oz to 14 oz.

The definition of the National Loaf was adjusted over the years.

Man, those guys meant business, too. Here's a link about it: https://www.cooksinfo.com/national-loaf

The British Gov't said that beer/alcohol wouldn't be rationed as it would help morale. But sugar and other ingredients made the price increase as time went on. Bread and beer. That might be a welcome change from turnips and parsnips, eh?

Nothing Fancy Wartime Loaf

* 600 ml (1 pint) of warm water
* 5 teaspoons of quick rise yeast
* couple pinches of sugar
* 2 lb of wholewheat (wholemeal) flour
* 1.5 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon rolled oats (for top)
* drizzle of vegetable oil

Method

Place flour in large bowl
Mix in all dry ingredients except the rolled oats
Drizzle in vegetable oil
Pour in warm water
Mix thoroughly
When dough comes together knead for 10 minutes until dough is silky
Place back in bowl and cover
Let dough rise somewhere warm until doubled in size
Knead dough briefly again
Place dough into 4 x 1/2 lb tins (or 2 x 1 lb tins) that have been floured
Brush top with a little water and sprinkle on some rolled oats
Leave to rise for around 20 minutes
PLace in oven at 180 0C for around 30-40 mins (depending on the size of the loaf)
Remove from oven
Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting

 

[BarredBuff]

My husband, Bill, saw the turnover pic and said he'd like to have that tonight as well!
Do you use fresh fruit or pie filling? I used to make them with pie filling back in the day. I don't remember ever using fresh fruit

The cooks around here use fresh fruit that is slightly cooked until tender with a little sugar. That's how I like them. You can also use the canned fruit or pie filling...

Mom used to make cream cheese, jam filled croissant turnovers too. They were amazing.

 

[Marianne]

ONE-EGG VICTORY CAKE, from the Royal Baking Powder cookbook:

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 cup milk

2 cups cake flower

2 1/2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening well; add sugar slowly, beating in well. Add beaten egg and vanilla; beat until well blended. Blend syrup and milk. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with liquid to first mixture. Bake in greased square pan (8 x 8 x 2 inches) in moderate oven at 350°F. about 1 hour or in 2 greased eight-inch layer cake pans at the same temperature about 30 minutes. Makes 1 eight-inch or 1 two-layer cake.

Note: Honey may be substituted for light corn syrup.

Note: How are we going to find "cake flower"? hahahaahah
http://time.com/4791207/victory-cake-economy-loaf-world-war-ii-recipes/

 

[Marianne]

ECONOMY LOAF, from the Modern Hostess Cookbook:

6 tablespoons vitaminized margarine

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 cup cooked fresh or canned peas

1 cup mashed potatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup milk

2 hard-cooked eggs

1 can condensed tomato soup

Additional seasonings

Melt 2 tablespoons of the margarine, add crumbs, brown slightly, stirring constantly. Sprinkle half the crumbs on the bottom and sides of a well greased oblong loaf pan (approximately 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches). Mash peas through a sieve, add mashed potatoes, remaining crumbs and seasonings. Make white sauce by melting 2 tablespoons of the margarine, adding flour, then the milk — cooking until smooth and thickened. Add white sauce to potato mixture, blend together thoroughly. Place half of this mixture in crumb lined loaf pan. Top with slices of hard-cooked egg; add remaining potato mixture. Bake in moderate oven (350°F) 25 minutes or until set. Unmold, garnish with additional egg slices, or with broiled bacon, if desired. Serve with tomato sauce made by heating the soup with the remaining 2 tablespoons margarine, adding a pinch of herbs and a little Worchestershire or A-1 Sauce, to taste.

Note: Vitaminized margarine? Egads.
http://time.com/4791207/victory-cake-economy-loaf-world-war-ii-recipes/

 

[Marianne]

https://www.tptoriginals.org/10-weird-wartime-recipes-and-trends/

 

[Marianne]

 

[Marianne]

Ha! I made this in 8th or 9th grade Home Ec, maybe 1966?
To 'prepare grapefruit halves', you're supposed to loosen each section of grapefuit for your guests or family.
I thought it was a major waste of time to make, then and now.

 

[Marianne]

I just ate some in a bowl with some fruit. What would you mix in it for a sandwich? And how would you make cottage cheese balls?

 

[Marianne]

1918!!!!
Recipe from Use soy-bean flour to save wheat, meat, and fat (Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, 1918).