WW2 Rationing Recipes - Canadian and British

[Marianne]

Even though most of us have eaten it or still have it on the menu, I found this image on a Canadian site so plopped it here for a new thread.

"Because meat was scarce, a product was invented that was found on almost every table during the war and beyond. Short for “Seasoned Ham,” Spam was a processed meat product that people ate in great quantities."

http://www.elinorflorence.com/blog/rationing/

 

[rodeogirl]

What are "Land Girls"? Sound like a bunch of girls, I would like, down to earth.

The land girls where essentially City and town girls that volunteered to be shipped off to Farms to help. They would be trained and given there uniform then sent to a farm to help. Farm girls weren't allowed to volunteer because they were already in place in a farm. (When I get bored I research some random things)

 

[Britesea]

There was a mini series about Land Girls a while back, we watched it on Netflix

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That was a cool article.

There's only one way I like spam - but it's delish! We always had it cooked over an open fire on a camping or deer hunting trip. It's purely comfort food in my book. It's very simple - just fried onions, potatoes and spam. Thin slice it all and fry it up. My kids always think I'm over cooking it - but the best stuff is what sticks to the bottom of the pan. I only have it maybe once a year because we don't really eat potatoes...but I'm thinking hard about it right now. Wonder how it would be with sweet potatoes? Hmmmm….

 

[Marianne]

That was a cool article.

There's only one way I like spam - but it's delish! We always had it cooked over an open fire on a camping or deer hunting trip. It's purely comfort food in my book. It's very simple - just fried onions, potatoes and spam. Thin slice it all and fry it up. My kids always think I'm over cooking it - but the best stuff is what sticks to the bottom of the pan. I only have it maybe once a year because we don't really eat potatoes...but I'm thinking hard about it right now. Wonder how it would be with sweet potatoes? Hmmmm….

I didn't want Spam for years. I just remembered that blop when it came out of the can and all the gel goop around it. My daughter had a friend that was Hawaiian and those folks eat a LOT of Spam. She shared a lot of recipes that our daughter tried. I knew one day it was going to be on the menu when we ate at her house. Spam Fried Rice.

Ohr Mer Gerd!!

The little Spam cubes were really crispy and it was really good! So we have that and just fried Spam slices occasionally. It's not gross when it comes out of the can now.

Our friend's grandson brought back 6 cans of Spam from Hawaii when he was there visiting relatives. He didn't know they sold Spam in Nebraska.

 

[CrealCritter]

I'm watching the news about the power outage in NY City. OH MY GOD it's DOOMSDAY. Sorry but I have to shake my head, "what if" something REALLY bad happened? I mean a power outage in NY City is like a doomsday event. The majority of people don't even know how to grow a flipping tomato, it would be bad, real bad, if something major ever happened.

 

[Britesea]

wow, I missed that.
Found this info:
“Household Milk” was government-issued powdered skim milk distributed in Britain during World War II. Rationing of bottled fresh milk began in November 1941. Distribution of “Household Milk” began in December, 1941.

The dried milk came in a blue and white tin with red stripes and a printed label stating: “Specially packed for BRITISH MINISTRY OF FOOD” along with “Dried Machine Skimmed Milk. Not to be used for babies. Contents equivalent to four pints of skimmed milk. From the United States of America.”

 

[Marianne]

"Weekly Rations Per One Adult:
Sugar: one cup (the average Canadian today eats twice that much)
Tea: two ounces, OR Coffee: eight ounces. (because these came from other countries)
Butter: four ounces (one-quarter pound)
Meat: 24-32 ounces (less than five ounces per day)
Beer, spirits and wine were also rationed, but the amount varied between provinces.

Children’s rations were smaller. Needless to say, there were very few leftovers! Besides, wasting food was considered absolutely unpatriotic."

"Canadian culinary historian Mary F. Williamson of York University wrote an article about wartime rationing in which she quotes from one of her mother’s letters, dated September 1942:

“We are asked not to use any pork or bacon for seven weeks while our commitments to Britain are being filled, there is no beef at all for sale (I think a lot is being sent to Russia), the sheep raisers are asked not to slaughter in order to raise more badly-needed wool, so a great many butchers have shut up shop.”

http://www.elinorflorence.com/blog/rationing/

 

[Marianne]

Apple and Rhubarb Crumble

Filling:
1 lb rhubarb
1 lb tasty apples
2 tablespoons of golden syrup or 2 oz sugar

Topping:
7 oz plain flour
3 oz oats
3 oz margarine or butter
3 oz sugar for topping
1 oz of light brown sugar to sprinkle on top
pinch of salt

Method:
Wipe the rhubarb and cut into small pieces. Simmer in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water for about 10 minutes until cooked.
Slice the apples into small pieces. Simmer in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water for about 5 minutes until cooked.
Mix rhubarb and apple together when cooked and mix in the golden syrup or sugar.
Grease a pie tin and spoon in the mixture.
Place plain flour, pinch of salt, 3 oz sugar and 3 oz of butter or margarine (in small pieces) into a bowl together.
Rub between fingers to create a breadcrumb like mixture and spoon over the top of the stewed fruit thickly.
Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Place in an oven at around 170 C for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Serves 6.
Serve with custard.

https://the1940sexperiment.com

 

[Marianne]

Salad Dressing for Immediate Use

"In one of my books there was a recipe for a quick salad dressing and luckily I had all the ingredients to hand. Well the taste was interesting…wasn’t exactly horrible but wasn’t exactly nice either. However, it did the trick."

• Blend 1 level tablespoon of household milk powder with 1 level tablespoon of dried egg powder (just don’t sniff the dried egg or you’ll never use it again..), 1/2 teaspoon salt, a little pepper and dried mustard powder
• Add 1 tablespoon of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and mix until smooth and beat well until thickens a little
• Place in fridge until chilled and then use

https://the1940sexperiment.com/2009/08/16/salad-dressing-for-immediate-use/