I have been doing some research and reading on different ways people coped during difficult historical events. I thought I would share some of my findings, starting with Wartime Cooking. Although this is titled cooking, you will notice awesome stories throughout the links. Resourcefulness, comradity, ingenuity, and hope during extreme situations seem to be a common thread. A particular thing I like about this topic is it covers families from all over the world. I am hoping people will put in stories and recipes they remember, whether first hand or told to them, about their communities. Hope y’all enjoy this!!
Cowboy cooking: http://www.tradersbighorn.com/recipes.php
4-H skills: http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/4HYO/goldstar.htm
Cooking on the trail: http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/cooking.htm
Civil War cookbook: http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/cookbook.htm
Civil War recipes: http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/RecipesHome.htm
Liverpool meals and keeping animals during WWII: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/blitz/1800_info.html
Chuckwagon: http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/cowboy_chuckwagon.htm
Food in the Civil War: http://www.us-civilwar.com/food.htm
Civil War foods: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,civil_war_foods,FF.html
Frugal food from wartime Britain: http://www.allthatwomenwant.com/wartimerecipes.htm
Recipes of wartime Europe: http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/chatback/english/food/index.html
Old West Cooking: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-FrontierRecipes.html
Vintage Cooking Tips: http://www.in1era.com/KatesCandyGlass/cookingtips.html
Heritage Gateways: http://heritage.uen.org/resources/food_list.htm
Victory Home: http://tvh.bfn.org/recipes.html
Memories of the Great Depression/Australia: http://tvh.bfn.org/recipes.html
Some interesting books:
The Victory Cookbook: http://www.1940.co.uk/history/books/vcook/thevcook.htm
How to Cook A Wolf: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0865473366
Cooking in America 1840–1945: http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/GR3574.aspx
Dutch Oven Cooking: http://www.dutch-oven-books.com/
EnoughAlready, thank you! I have How to Cook a Wolf and am enjoying it, but I never knew of the others. :)
Wow, thanks! I am looking for these types of recipes too. A popular one is “Depression Cake” (eggless, butterless). It’s posted on a lot of recipe websites such as allrecipes.com. Still wanting to try this one which is like a simple fruitcake with raisins and nuts I believe.
Some of the older boy and girl scout … as well as Girl Guides … handbooks had very interesting cooking methods.
Also, there are some very interesting tails of the early Mormon pioneers and how they made do with very little for a prolonged period of time. You might even be able to find some of these recipes through provident living websites.
My favorite - Mouse Pie
Man If we are reduced to this? I dunno…..
Don’t worry, Goju - mice can probably get H5N1 so there won’t be any. (Goju has now been thrown into extreme worry mode!) :)
LA Escapee – at 12:05
Actually this is a great recipe. I make it for my dad now who has high cholesterol and some other heart ailments. Cooked properly per directions it is a moist, dense cake which is what my dad really likes anyway. <grin>
whew, for a minent Kathy, I thought you were refering to the mouse pie….
just this morning I am looking through a collection of 60′s/70′s vegetarian cookbooks. Many of the recipies are whole grain/ beany types-no meat/milk/eggs etc. Ive thought it would be interesting to do a new updated version of MFK Fishers-How to cook a Wolf-but in regards to pan-flu instead of WWII. Maybe we could call it “How to Cook a Goose….When your Goose is Cooked” in honor of Bird Flu.
yesterday went to my local library and they were having a big book sale, I purchased a cookbook called SQUARE MEALS by Jane and Michael Stern.. It is a book with reciepes some dating back to the early 20′s. I paid 50 cents for this book. I has an entire section in it about how to cook during WWII, and a victory cake and an entire chapter about nursery food, which would be very good when you are recovering from being sick. It is probably the most interesting cookbook I have ever purchased, and I have about 150 cookbooks in my kitchen right now.
Kathy in Fl at 12:23:
Are you using shortening for that recipe, or something else? I’ve seen a lot of different versions.
It’s nice to have some cookbooks around, even if it’s just to give you ideas for alternatives if you’ve run out of some things. I have my grandma and my aunt’s recipe collections, put down in notebooks and whatever sheets of paper that were handy. Alot of the recipes are from different family members with some of them dating back as far as the late 1800′s- when my great-grandparents were still in Sweden and Iceland.
There are alot of recipes for soups and casserole-type dishes. Some of them are quite good and some are too odd to try except perhaps when there would be no alternative- I sincerely hope I never have to try out ludfisk(fish preserved in lye) or harfiskur(dried out salted fish- my husband loves it {{shudder}}…:-)
Ask your parents or grandparents, or favorite aunt for some of your families recipes and you might be pleasantly suprised- you’ll also likely get to listen to some truly wonderful stories.
LA Escapee – at 11:09
The really old one my mom has calls for lard … I replaced it with shortening. But, I’ve also used one that called for oil (used safflower oil). It also calls for boiling water.
The flavor reminds you … at least the ones that I’ve fixed … of a lighter-colored gingerbread that is very moist and has raisins in it.
I’ve fooled around a bit with the spices and flavorings. Made one with apple pie spice, another with pumpkin pie spice that was pretty good, and I’ve added extracts like lemon and orange.
The extracts didn’t appeal to me as much because I couldn’t get the “color” of the cake to match what my brain expected it to be. Caused a bit of a disconnect with my taste buds.
I was going to try and fix a strawberry one by using strawberry extract and some red food coloring and changing the spices so that they didn’t color the batter quite so much. Just haven’t gotten around to it yet … but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
At the checkout line at Walmart, I picked up the Fall 2006 edition of Taste of Hoome: Hunting and Fishing Cookbook. I’m going to post a recipe from each section. There’s 181 pages of recipes!
1. Venison (which includes moose, deer and elk recipes)
Moose Meatballs (okay, I don’t have a moose anywhere close to near me, but somebody may!)
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 T cornstarch, divided
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T chopped onion
1 pound ground moose meat
1 T vegetable oil
3 T white vinegar
1 can, 8 oz, pineapple chunks
1/2 C sugar
1 T soy sauce
1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
Hot cooked wide egg noodles
1. In a bowl, comine egg, 1 T cornstarch, S&P, onion. Crumble moose meat over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in oil. Cover and cook over low heat until the meatballs are done, about 10 minutes.
2. In saucepan, stire vinegar and remaining cornstarch until smooth. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set pineapple aside. Add enough water to juice to equal 1 1/2 cups; stir into vinegar mixture. Add sugar and soy sauce; cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Add the meatballs, pineapple and green pepper; cook until heated through and the green pepper is tender. Serve over noodles. Yield: 3–4 servings
VENISON PARMIGIANA (I know I said one recipe from each category. BUT, I have made this and it is GOOD!)
2 pounds boneless venison steaks
1 egg
1 T milk
2/3 C seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 C grated parmesan cheese
6 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 C hot water
1 can, 6 oz, tomato paste
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t dried marjoram
2 C, 8 oz, shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Pound steaks to 1/4 in. thickness; cut into serving size pieces. In shallow bowl, beat egg and milk. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Dip venison in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs.
2. In large skillet, brown meat in oil on both sides. Place in greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. In the drippings, saute onions for 2–3 minutes or until tender. Stir in the water, tomato paste, S&P, sugar and marjoram. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour over venison. Cover and bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until meat is tender.
3. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10–15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings
Game Birds and Small Game
Jalapeno Quail Appetizers
2 large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
12 boneless quail breasts (about one pound)
12 bacon strips
1 – 16 oz bottle Italian salad dressing
-Cut each jalapeno half into 3 long strips. Place a strip widthwise in the center of each quail breast; roll up from short side. Wrap each with a bacon strip and secure with toothpicks. Place in a large resealable plastic bag. Add salad dressing; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
-Drain and discard marinade. Grill appetizers, covered, over indirect medium heat for 16–20 minutes or until quail juices run clear and bacon is crisp, turning occasionally. Yield: 1 dozen
FISH
fisherman’s specialty
2 eggs
2 t lemon pepper, divided
6a bluegill or perch fillets (2–3 ounces each)
1 cup crushed saltines (about 30 crackers)
Vegetable oil
In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and 1 1/2 t lemon pepper. Dip fillets in egg mix, then coat with cracker crumbs. Sprinkle with remaining lemon pepper. In a skillet, heat 1/4 in. of oil. Fry fillets for 3–4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 3 servings
CAMP BREAKFAST
German Farmer’s Breakfast
6 bacon strips, diced
3 large potatoes, peeled, cooked and cubed
1 small green pepper, diced
2 T finely chopped onion
S&P to taste
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/4 C milk
-In skillet over low heat, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towel. Reserve 2 T drippings; add potatoes, green pepper, onion, S&P. Cook and stir over medium heat 6–8 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Stir in cheese and bacon; remove mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- Beat eggs and milk; pour into same skillet. Cook and stir gently over medium heat until eggs are completely set, about 3–5 minutes. Add potato mixture; cook and stir gently until heated through. Yield: 4–6 servings
PORTABLE SNACKS
BBQ Peanuts
1/3 C BBQ sauce
2 T butter, melted
1 t garlic powder
¼ to ½ t cayenne pepper
1 – 16 oz can or jar of dry roasted peanuts
- In large bowl, combine BBQ sauce, butter, garlic powder and cayenne. Add peanuts; stir until evenly coated. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
-Spread on waxed paper and cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 cups
WILD INGREDIENTS
Dandelion soup
1 package (6.9 oz) chicken flavored rice mix
3 cans (10 ¾ oz each)
5 C water
2 C cubed cooked chicken
4 C dandelion greens, torn
Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside. In a large saucepan or Dutch Oven over medium heat, combine soup and water. Add rice and chicken; heat through. Add dandelion greens; cook until tender, about 6–8 minutes. Yield: 10–12 servings.
EnoughAlready – at 22:16 these all sound good
MaMa
The dried out salted fish your husband loves and you shudder at is probably what the Italians call bacala, and the Portuguese call, I believe, bacaolo?, basically salted dried codfish, from the days before refrigeration. You can still buy it today in many markets here in New England, home to many of both ethnic groups. It must be soaked for about 24 hours with a few changes of water, and may be fried, cooked with various vegetables and is really quite tasty although an acquired taste for some. Now that I am retired maybe I will try some of the old recipes.
http://www.three-peaks.net/cooking.htm
That website has tons of info… books, recipes, cooking methods.
This is a recipe for a war-time cake that I’ve made for a lactose intolerant child - it’s very good and if you have oven capacity could make a great birthday cake surprise.
Preheat oven to 350
Sift: 1 1/2 c flour 1 c sugar 3 heaping Tbsp cocoa 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda
Add to dry: 6 Tbsp oil 1 Tbsp white vinegar 1 cup cold water 1 tsp vanilla
Mix thoroughly and bake in ungreased 8×8x2 pan for 30–35 minutes.
oops - sorry for the formatting!
I just recieved my Nov/dec Vegetarian times which featured cookies made with no milk, butter, eggs-the recipies looked really great but havn’t tried any yet. I’ll try some and report back-I’m sure I can find some cookie testers at my house……
Just wondering…. I was reading the cut bait/start fishing thread and was interested in Dr. G’s book so I went to the Amazon link. They had a couple of cookbooks featured with his- Apocylpse Chow (Love that title) and Storm survival cooking. Both were about $10. I’m wondering if anyone else has seen them/used them/knows about them? They looked really interesting and quite useful.
I have Apocolypse Chow. It is written by a married couple. The wife is a professional cook, the husband is a writer. They are vegetarians, so the recipes are vegetarian, although some could be easily altered to include meat. They are heavy on using gourmet type ingredients. They also give an ingredient list for an empty wine box you can fill with supplies to last for a period (several days? Don’t remember.), using the recipes they give. They live in Florida and have stayed put for several hurricanes, and been without power for days or more at a time. The book is writen in a humorous fashion. They recommend using a butane stove as you can use it to cook indoors safely. They also give some general advice regarding bug out bags, etc.
BTW, they look on Dinty Moore stew, spam, etc with absolute horror. They prefer homecooked meals for the most part, using canned tomatoes, mushrooms, wine etc. They assume you have a heat source to cook.
I ordered the book from Barnes and Noble (which doesn’t keep it in stock) and avoided paying shipping.
Thanks LA-E! I’m vegitarian,and my kids and I have food allergys/sensitivities. Alas, we have to steer clear of too many processed foods. Beleive me, I would LOVE to open of a can of Dinty Moore and say “Dinner!” This has made it really hard to prep! This looks like something that would be really useful.
If I order it with Dr. Grottons book through Amazon I can get free shipping.
Apocalypse Chow… http://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-Chow-Well-When-Power/dp/1416908242
Cooking Without A Kitchen - Survival Cooking, Revised Edition (Plastic Comb)
I couldn’t find anything titled, “Storm survival cooking”, I did find: The Storm Gourmet: A Guide to Creating Extraordinary Meals Without Electricity
Thanks for the info, y’all!
Please, post any recipes y’all have! Who knows what may become not only helpful, but necessarily important to health and survival. I am very interested in these types of recipes being mentioned… the “heirlooms”, the old cookbooks, the “alternative” recipes! Thanks in advance.
E-A- your right, it was The Storm Gourmet.
How did I get Storm Survival Cooking”???????
Goju: where is the Mouse Pie? I have to see this! (This from someone who has a recipe for Hornet Soup. (American Indian))
I’m reading a book my mother gave me several years ago and I never could get around to reading it. It is very old (book falling apart) and is called “ruffles on my longjohns”. It is in 1932 when this young woman (she wrote the book which probably had a very small number published) and her husband moved into the backwoods of west central British Columbia when most of that area was largely unexplored (inland from Bella Coola which is still remote). Anyway she gives a woman’s perspective on living in a tent the first winter, sleeping on grass type cots, her husband making a heater with a sheet of metal, her first attempts at making sourdough biscuits (everyone kept sourdough starter by the stove). I’m thoroughly enjoying this book because this couple went in with almost nothing and make what they needed. She was not a country girl (grew up in Victoria) and she had to learn fast. She had to be as tough as any man but make the meal and keep the home going as well. She was incredibly tough and hardworking.
One thing she has mentioned already (read about 25%) is that she canned meat using only a copper boiler she found in an abandoned cabin and what she didn’t can they smoked until dry. They ate a lot of fish, wild meat, potatoes, rice, biscuits, and drank tea. That’s their main diet. I’ll post anything else I learn. Now for you history buffs does anyone know what a “spanish windlass” was; she explains somethings in great detail.
the bacalao comes from Norway :D its two types, salted dried fish and just dried, it is extremly good, and nutritues, And its storage time is “endless” whitout any freezer. Its a deliacatesse but you may find it any shops that sells food from from latin america or Norway. We have exported it since the viking age..
Easy to make your self, fish codfish, clean it and remove head, hang to dry outside during late vinter in the nothern climate, (before the flies starts to fly around) you may use a mosqito net to keep it safe, let dry for some months, and keep in a dry place for storage.
put in water the day before, change the water one or two times if its the salted version, coock for aprox one hour. Best is the traditonal brassilian/portugeese meal with toamtaos, potatos and onions with chilli.
I’ve never eaten it, but they sell it in the supermarkets now and again. I believe it has some fishlike odor, so it could scent up the storage area unless packaged. I’ll stick to my canned and foil packaged salmon, tuna and sardines.I think I’ll buy a bit and try it when next I see it, just to see what its like.
My Swedish FIL loves dried fish and we buy it for him when we see it. Ive gotten to a point were I actually like pickeled herring, but can’t do Lutefisk. My FIL tells of his mother making Lutefisk on their back porch for them when they were children.
My husband the sailor says a windless is the wooden thing sailors turn to wind a rope to haul up an anchor-you may have seen this in movies. I think a Spanish Windless is similar, but used on land where you use a pole as a lever to wind a rope around a second pole (or tree) in order to move the heavy object (rock?) that is tied to the other end of the rope.
I googled windlass and found this neat site with lots of campcraft explanations (including dutch oven stacks). It looks like a Boy Scout site.
Jane at 22:53, LOVE that website! It is jam-packed with information and I’ve bookmarked it in my favorites.
Green Mom you are absolutely correct. I didn’t quite get it in the book so I read it to my clever husband and he explained it much like you did. This book is making me see that there are many solutions to a problem; they had plenty. I’ll keep them coming.
Jane good website.
http://www.amazon.ca/Ruffles-my-longjohns-Isabel-Edwards/dp/0708937527
Ruffles on my long johns, by Isabel Edwards
Jane – at 22:53 WOW!! That’ll occupy me for awhile! The home page has even more!
http://members.aol.com/ntgen/hrtg/wol1.html#Cooking The Way of Life of Our Pioneers
Anzac Biscuits
These biscuits are named after the Australian and New Zealand Army. Instead of using eggs, golden syrup was used. These biscuit would keep fresh for a couple of months which is often how long they took to reach the army in the far away countries they were based.
Ingredients: 1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 tbsp Golden Syrup (or honey) 1 tsp bicarb soda
2 1/2 tbsp boiling water
Method: 1. Combine flour, oats, sugar and coconut into a bowl. 2. Melt the butter and golden syrup (honey) in a pot over low heat.3. Mix the bicarb soda with the water and then add to the butter and Golden Syrup (or honey). 4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix well. 5. Teaspoon dollops of the mixture onto a greased tray (leave space for spreading). 6. Bake in a 180°c (or 350°F) for 15–20mins (Source: Wartime Recipes- Soups, Snacks and Sandwich fillings)
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/dynaweb/eaa/cookbooks/ck0053/
On the left is clickable book index for uses of junket. If you click on the larger image you can read from the book.