Thriftlady's wartime experiment

Agapanthus

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Hi
My mum and dad were both born during the war and this thread has reminded me of the frugality of my maternal grandmother who would wash plastic bags and peg them on the line and made eveything herself including icecream in the days before ice cream machines.

Sorry - haven't mastered quotes yet!

Ice cream machines were earlier than you think. My great grandmother had one in the 1920s. My father remembered being sent on his bike over to the ice factory to bring back a block of ice (wrapped in a piece of sacking and balanced on the handlebars).

The ice cream machine was two buckets, one inside the other. You placed the ice - once you'd crushed it - in between the buckets with some salt (to lower the freezing point). Then you put your cream, eggs etc in the inner bucket and wound the handle on the top that moved the stirring paddle.

When it got cold enough - or your arm dropped off - you ate it. I bet it was absolutely delicious after all that effort!

thriftlady_2

Good morning everyone:)

Wet and horrible here today, so something warm and comforting is in order. We seem to have an unopened packet of butter in the fridge still. I must have used more in baking last week than I have this week. There is plenty of fat and a chunk of cheese still. Eggs, bacon and ham gone though. Quite a lot of sugar and milk left.

Today's menu

breakfast -toast, butter and jam

lunch - lentil soup and croutons, apples

tea- liver and onions (Venetian style -thanks Jennybb;) ) with rice and vegetables
pudding -apple betty (breadcrumbs layered with stewed apple), custard

I think I'll do a bit of baking as I'm fairly butter-rich, not sure what yet though.

Justamum

GarethM wrote: »

Biltong .. hmmm ... you really bring back my homesickness :P Although of course biltong (dried meat to those not in the know ... don't knock it before you try it)

Maybe I should dig up a recipe for Pap and Derms for this thread. Now THERES a dish I think the Brits might balk at. Hell, even I don't like it

My husband is South African and used to love biltong - and then he met me and became vegetarian! (I told him I wasn't prepared to cook meat so he'd have to cook his own so it was easier for him not to eat it at all).

Now pap we do like. I cook it quite often, the family favourite is stywe pap. I haven't heard the word "derms" before though - what's that?

redmandarin

thriftlady wrote: »

The children are keen to carry on with the rationing even though I promised to retain the sweet ration after the war They're enjoying the more traditional style meals we've been having. So onwards and upwards:)

Plus they're eating mackerel and liver too and enjoying it! Your children have obviously been well brought up. They're a credit to you!
Well done! :T

Churchmouse

At last I'm back on broadband! I have to say that a large proportion of my precious (and expensive!!!!!) internet minutes on dial-up were spent trying to keep up with this thread.

It really has developed way beyond what I expected! You're doing brilliantly, thriftlady:D Did you ever imagine it would become such a *community* affair? Well done you, and I hope you win thread of the month.;)

Penelope_Penguin

Hi there, and Welcome Back CM!

My *Wartime Kitchen and Garden* arrived today (it spent a couple of days at the sorting office, and I couldn't get it yesterday). My purchase inspired by this thread.

It's brand new, and it looks great. I remember watching and enjoying the BBC series in 1993 (when I was expecting DD). DH is away, and I have a house full of children overnight, so think I'll take to my bed early to have a read.

Penny. x

Hapless_2

Aaaah mealy pap, my dear OH favourite..NOT. Although Koeksistersis still a firm favourit as well as vetkoek. We make our own biltong with a homemade machine (strong light bulb). For those not in the know, if you eat beef jerky, that is similar to biltong. But nothing beats a meal done in a poikjie pot or an ostrich steak on the braai.

sophiesmum_2

Finally got to the end of this thread - enjoyed every bit of it so far. I also have a fascination with the ration type food and love trying out recipes from the books of that era.
daisyroots i have loved reading the excerpts from your parent's letters. I think they would make a lovely book too, especially if you have some photos to go with them.

Thriftlady good luck with your challenge although it sounds like you are enjoying every minute of it. I have often thought of doing something similar but never got around to it. Look forward to reading more of your rationing experiences.

Talking to some elderly ladies recently they were telling me that although sausages were not on the meat ration they were sometimes hard to get hold of and even when they did get them they learned not to question what they were made from:eek:. One of the ladies had a large family and made the sausages go further by allowing one per person for dinner and using them to stuff a baked potato. They cored out the potato stuffed with the sausage and baked in the oven then had them with veg from the garden. The potato corings were thrown into the soup stock pot that they always had going for peelings and outer leaves, which they used for soup,stews etc.If they didn't get enough sausages they opened them and mixed the meat with onions and herbs before stuffing to make it go further.;)
I might try the sausage stuffed potatoes over the weekend they sound tasty.

sophiesmum:D

thriftlady_2

redmandarin wrote: »

Plus they're eating mackerel and liver too and enjoying it! Your children have obviously been well brought up. They're a credit to you!
Well done! :T

Don't sound too impressed, the liver was not enjoyed by the thriftlings :rolleyes: OH ate enough to stave off anaemia for the rest of his life though. It was very tasty -in the end I went for liver and rice. The liver was cooked briefly in a bit of butter, then a gravy made with flour, sherry and stock plus a sprinkle of Compton's gravy salt. The liver was diced and returned to the gravy to heat through.

Ds1 and Dd ate a few chunks each, but Ds2 looked as if he was going to throw up throughout the meal :rolleyes: Anyway here's a pic



Pudding was not apple betty as planned but a gooseberry and elderflower jelly. I used my hm elderflower cordial but it made it much too sweet -so not a great success.

Tomorrow I've got a real wartime classic planned -stay tuned

Justamum

Hapless wrote: »

Aaaah mealy pap, my dear OH favourite..NOT. Although Koeksistersis still a firm favourit as well as vetkoek. We make our own biltong with a homemade machine (strong light bulb). For those not in the know, if you eat beef jerky, that is similar to biltong. But nothing beats a meal done in a poikjie pot or an ostrich steak on the braai.

Koeksisters - yuk! Sweet and greasy. I made some for my husband once because he likes them but the faff involved - not to be recommended. Mind you they were better than the bought things.