Thriftlady's wartime experiment

Lily-Lu

thriftlady wrote: »

I've just bought myself this book (it was in WHSmith) and can thoroughly recommend it if you are at all interested in the subject.

Thanks. Will definitely buy that. Sounds very interesting.

Well, I've spent over 6 hours in total, reading this thread from start to finish. It was well worth it. Thanks for starting it Thriftlady and congratulations on getting through the two weeks. Thanks to all those that shared their memories with us, and a big thanks to Daisy for sharing her dad's letters. Daisy, your dad sounded like quite a character. A very caring man, too. And it saddened me to think he died so young and you didn't get to grow up with him. What a legacy you have there now in those letters though. I'm sure they've brought you lots of comfort since finding them

moanymoany

I've looked at the recipe for Mock Goose lots of times and finally I've made it. I followed the recipe exactly, well I did use fresh sage, and served it with kale. It was really good.

It is supposed to be for 4 people but it only did for the two of us. I think it would be very good with sausages.

http://timewitnesses.org/english/food/index.html

I had some redcurrant jelly with it. I really enjoyed it and it is going to become a regular. I think that I will freeze unsweetened stewed apple to use when the fresh apples are finished.

I poured the stock down the side of the potatoes so as not to wash the cheese off the top. The second lot I gently tilted the dish to spread the thickening agent. I think next time I might use a drop more stock to make more gravy. The top layer was lovely and crispy, I used a large flattish dish to get a lot of crispy topping.

Worth a try.

slrc

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

As sweets were so rationed, have you thought about making honeycomb? DD2 and I made it last night and it is wonderful (I know it's bad for your teeth, but hey, it's fat free). I used 200g caster sugar, 4tbs golden syrup and 1 heaped tbs of bicarb. I just put the sugar and syrup in a large pan and left on a VERY low heat until the sugar had melted. It is important not to stir at all - just swirl the pan around a few time. When it is bubbling and all melted chuck in the bicarb and swirl again and like magic it froths up. Quickly pour onto an oiled baking sheet or swiss roll tin and leave to cool, before breaking into chunks. It was wonderful - and not too hard either - just like crunchie inside actually. I have to say that these quantities made far too much so if I made it again I would use only 100g sugar and 2tbs syrup and 1dsp of bicarb - I have three tupperwares full of the stuff!! Curshed up it's nice on porridge or mixed into yoghurt.

I have just written my way of making this delicious treat too. Following finding this thread, about Nigella and her concoction for Hokey Pokey, here in the states we call it honeycomb.
I did the 5-2-1 method and it worked perfectly.
Our terms are different from those in the Uk but bicarb probably being baking soda, and castor sugar being white sugar, not powdered though, and then the golden syrup, I know as Lyles.
So, I did tablespoons not grams and teaspoons too.
5 tablespoons of regular white sugar, although I used raw sugar.
2 tablespoons treacle
1 teaspoon baking soda.
I did just what you did, no stirring, took off the heat, and dumped in soda, the stirred and dumped onto buttered foil to wait to cool, then broke into shards. Wonderful stuff. My dentist will be thrilled:T

thriftlady_2

slrc wrote: »

Our terms are different from those in the Uk but bicarb probably being baking soda, and castor sugar being white sugar, not powdered though, and then the golden syrup, I know as Lyles.
:T

Yes, baking soda is the same as bicarbonate of soda or bicarb as we lazily call it. It is sometimes called sodium bicarbonate too.

I'm interested to hear that you can get golden syrup in the states. Ours is made by Lyles and comes in a distinctive green and gold tin with a picture of a lion on the front -does yours have the same tin ?

You know now that you will be innundated with pleas for translations don't you ? A lot of us like American baking recipes, so be prepared and welcome

recovering_spendaholic

moanymoany wrote: »

I've looked at the recipe for Mock Goose lots of times and finally I've made it. I followed the recipe exactly, well I did use fresh sage, and served it with kale. It was really good.

It is supposed to be for 4 people but it only did for the two of us. I think it would be very good with sausages.

http://timewitnesses.org/english/food/index.html

I had some redcurrant jelly with it. I really enjoyed it and it is going to become a regular. I think that I will freeze unsweetened stewed apple to use when the fresh apples are finished.

I poured the stock down the side of the potatoes so as not to wash the cheese off the top. The second lot I gently tilted the dish to spread the thickening agent. I think next time I might use a drop more stock to make more gravy. The top layer was lovely and crispy, I used a large flattish dish to get a lot of crispy topping.

Worth a try.

My Grandma used to make something which she called "Poor Man's Goose". It was layered up apples, potatoes and onions in a big roasting tin, and then on the top she would put a layer of slices of belly pork. She would season it really well with salt and pepper (no liquid would be added) and cover with foil and cook for about 3 hours or more in a low oven and then she would take the foil off and do it for another hour or so on a higher oven so that the pork got all crispy, and it went all crispy round the sides and on the bottom too, because of the fat which rendered out from the pork, and which effectively "roasted" the veg as there had been no liquid added. It was delicious.

slrc

kat79 wrote: »

Just found this on google (why didn't i think of that before!!!!:rolleyes: )

Rock Cakes (Hurrah!!!!:T )

Ingredients:
8ozs [250g] flour,
3ozs [75g] sugar,
1/2 teaspoon spice, a little milk,
1 reconstituted egg,
4ozs [125g] mixed dripping,
cooking fat and margarine,
3 or 4ozs [75-125g] fruit,
1 teaspoon [1x15ml spoon] baking powder and a pinch of salt. Sieve all dry ingredients together and then rub in the fat until the mixture is like very fine breadcrumbs. Then add the egg blended with the milk and not with water, so as to make a very stiff mixture. Lastly the fruit. Put in rough heaps on a greased baking tin and cook in a rather quick oven for 20-25 minutes with the dial at 6 or 425-450ºF [225ºC gas mark 7].


Wonder if they taste like nanny's????:rolleyes:

boy I wish I knew what some of this meant. being a 'westerner', not quite sure of some of this. a tsp spice, what kind? reconstitued egg, what's that?
mixed drippings? < no clue. oh gosh, and we don't use the gas mark term at all, shoot, bet I'd love this though:o

slrc

thriftlady wrote: »

Yes, baking soda is the same as bicarbonate of soda or bicarb as we lazily call it. It is sometimes called sodium bicarbonate too.

I'm interested to hear that you can get golden syrup in the states. Ours is made by Lyles and comes in a distinctive green and gold tin with a picture of a lion on the front -does yours have the same tin ?

You know now that you will be innundated with pleas for translations don't you ? A lot of us like American baking recipes, so be prepared and welcome

Oh thriftlady, you can't. I was raised with it. When I was 6, our family moved. The girl I became friends with from the start, was newly here with her family to California from England. Her father an architect, landed a lucrative job here and we became fast/famous/best friends. <She had horses, need I say more. Her MinnyTitty Coots grandmother, was the family resident cook and they always had Treacle and Lyle's Golden Syrup in their pantry. Her grammie would make us on home made bread, peanut butter and Lyle's golden syrup sandwiches. We'd ride into the sunset with our sandwiches on our horses. Well to say the least, my home has never been without the Lyle's for sure and the Treacle if possible too. And my Lyle's and Treacle are in their custom gorgeous tins too, wouldn't want it any other way. They're cherished.
I will welcome any and all questions, I am SOOOO pleased to be able to find another foodie site for my addiction to reading and writing about anything kitchen/cooking/baking/appliances/gadgets/etc. Bring 'em on...:rotfl:
And thanks for the welcome, much much appreciated.
I will be a hundred and twelve by the time I finish [reading this thread] alone.:eek:

slrc

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

My Grandma used to make something which she called "Poor Man's Goose". It was layered up apples, potatoes and onions in a big roasting tin, and then on the top she would put a layer of slices of belly pork. She would season it really well with salt and pepper (no liquid would be added) and cover with foil and cook for about 3 hours or more in a low oven and then she would take the foil off and do it for another hour or so on a higher oven so that the pork got all crispy, and it went all crispy round the sides and on the bottom too, because of the fat which rendered out from the pork, and which effectively "roasted" the veg as there had been no liquid added. It was delicious.

gosh recoveringspendaholic, I'd love a really detailed recipe if you could make it as complete as possible, I'd love it and I bet so would others.:j :kisses:

thriftlady_2

slrc wrote: »

boy I wish I knew what some of this meant. being a 'westerner', not quite sure of some of this. a tsp spice, what kind? reconstitued egg, what's that?
mixed drippings? < no clue. oh gosh, and we don't use the gas mark term at all, shoot, bet I'd love this though:o

As this is a wartime recipe the mixed drippings and reconstituted egg are pretty strange to us as well. The drippings would be any fat you could collect together from cooking bacon or rendering down from meat. Of course butter or marge would work as well, but all fats were rationed during the war. Reconstituted egg was dried egg. The spice is most likely to have been 'mixed spice' which I believe is pretty similar to pumpkin pie spice.

recovering_spendaholic

slrc wrote: »

gosh recoveringspendaholic, I'd love a really detailed recipe if you could make it as complete as possible, I'd love it and I bet so would others.:j :kisses:

Okay - I don't have an exact recipe but will detail it as much as I can:

you need a big deep roasting tin and you lightly grease it with a little marg or oil (only a tiny bit though), then you get about 5lbs of potatoes (I reckon Maris Piper are the best, but any floury ones will do) which you peel and cut into thin rounds, as if you were making hot pot. Peel and thinly slice three medium onions, and peel, core and slice about 6 eating apples (I use cox's). Layer the potatoes onions and apples, starting with potatoes on the bottom and season each layer with salt and pepper (my grandma used to also sprinkle each layer of apples with sugar, but I don't) and a bit of dried sage and thyme. You will get about three layers in the tin. Really pack them down and then cover the top with slices of raw belly pork, cut about 1 - 1.5" thick. Season again and cover the whole tin (which will be full to the brim and heavy) with double foil and bake in the oven at about 150 for 2 - 3 hours, then increase the heat to 210 and remove foil and bake for a further hour to hour and a half, until it is really crispy on top and the sides are coming away from the tin. That is the best I can do,sorry.