Recommend an Old Style Book?

Austin_Allegro

I have 'We'll Eat Again' and I enjoy reading it but I haven't tried many recipes. I did the 'mock cream' though, LOL!

A great tip that they used to give housewives during the war was 'don't tell your husband what is in his meal until AFTER he has eaten it'. This still holds true today (for 'househusbands' such as myself as well...)

I suspect however that you can probably get a lot of the content free in PDF format on the internet, if you search carefully. A lot of it is taken from government leaflets which are probably in the public domain.

See the 'kindle' thread also for a couple of Kindle books on rationing in the First World War.

[Deleted User]

I have''We'll Eat Again' as part of the Victory Cookbook and would second how good it is. I also have a book called'Cooking on a Shoestring' by Gail Duff which is really useful and one by Marika Hanbury Tennison called 'Leftover for Tomorrow' which is very good.

Absinthe_2

Great thread! I love making up meals from leftovers, and what I have in the store cupboard. I've added We'll Eat again (used) to my Amazon basket, and Waste Not Want Not (new), but its by a different author. Will check out prices on Ebay before purchasing though.

I look forward to making some interesting, but fun recipes. Great for everyday fill-ups. :T

DundeeDoll

I bought this book a while ago as a birthday present from my nan - she always gave us money and she was tickled pink when I bought this. Brought back lots of memories for her. I was doing a placement at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford so was able to find out the amount of meat the ration actually was. i would really struggle with the amount of tea allowed!

Bella79

I've just finshed reading this and WOW its a real eye opener, and confirms most of what i thought i knew.

Has any of you os'ers read it ? your thoughts?

For peeps who havent, info about it can be found here: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/

This ladys blog is all based on the book, some go as far as "raw milk"

They sayf if your great-grandmother wouldnt reconise the food in your trolly, you shoudnt be buying it.

Just wanted others opinions. i know most of us on here already cook from scratch etc but would u go as far as to not use sugar (except honey, maple) only wholmeal flour etc "raw milk", local meat?

lostinrates

Bella79 wrote: »

I've just finshed reading this and WOW its a real eye opener, and confirms most of what i thought i knew.

Has any of you os'ers read it ? your thoughts?

For peeps who havent, info about it can be found here: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/

This ladys blog is all based on the book, some go as far as "raw milk"

They sayf if your great-grandmother wouldnt reconise the food in your trolly, you shoudnt be buying it.

Just wanted others opinions. i know most of us on here already cook from scratch etc but would u go as far as to not use sugar (except honey, maple) only wholmeal flour etc "raw milk", local meat?

I love raw milk. We use a mixture of raw milk and bought skimmed.

My great grandmother could not cook a bean, but was an excellent candy maker...so perhaps the relative has to be older than that?:D

Alison_Funnell

Pasturisation has saved a lot of lives over the years, so no I would never consume raw milk. As for other things, wholefoods I prefer but I have no qualms about modern foods either. I prefer the concept that the more ingredients an item has the less likely it is to be as healthy. Of course that would exclude all those lovely, healthy, clear out the fridge soups that people cook, so hardly a perfect hypothesis.

Bella79

I think he means things that have 5 or more ingredients you buy from the supermarket, ofcourse if your making something yourself that different.

I just thought it was a interesting read, i also read on a website that anal glands from beavers are some how used to make raspberry and vanilla flavorings mmmmmmmmm lol

siegemode

I love old cookery books. Whenever I need to refresh my memory of techniques or recipe quantities or find a reliable recipe I use the books I rescued from my Nans collection when she passed away. I also have a couple that I managed to rescue when some friends cleared their mums place. The books were destined for the tip:eek: because they were old. I'd got to know the lady in the 6 months before she died and she shared many stories and memories with me. She had been a housekeeper and cook working for the wealthy in large houses and I was facinated especially since my own grandparents had worked in service in their younger days back in the 1920s/1930s. I remember those conversations with great fondness and feel privileged to have known her even tho it was only for a short time.

I was taught to cook by my Nan and have loved food and being creative in the kitchen ever since. I practically lived with my Nan and Grandad and spent my childhood inthe kitchen helping and learning or down the land with Grandad. Fresh fruit and vegetables were always in abundance and I gained much knowledge from Grandad too.

Our kitchen is the most important room to me and is far too full/cluttered according to OH. I'm not a fan of gadgets as such and prefer to use a wooden spoon and do things by hand using my own energy where possible rather than electickery. Whilst the internet is useful I much prefer my old books and OS tips and methods.

Here are my favourite books,

Phillip Harben's Cookery Encyclopedia (first published 1955)

Mrs Beeton's Cookery and Household Management (1960)
Much more than just a cook book

Practical Cookery For All

Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook (Which was mum's and is now held together with a great deal of sellotape)

Do you have favourite or treasured hand down books or been lucky to find them in second hand shops or CS ? Please share and we can save them from the tip for the next generation.

Butterfly_Brain

Siegemode
I have a lot of favourites:

• The paupers cookbook by Jocasta Innes
• Cookery in colour by Marguerite Patten
• Like you I love the Hamlyn All colour cookery book and have four of the series ( Not the new ones the old ones from the 70's and 80's)
• Everyday cookery by Marguerite Patten
• The Dairy book of food series (I have five of the books)
• Family circle books...The thrifty cook and Money saving menus
• Sainsbury cookbook series, I use the tea time favourites by Brian Binns all of the time
• Leftover for tomorrow Marika Hanbury Tenison 1971
• Creative cooking.... Marshall Cavendish 1987
• Cooking on a shoestring by Gail Duff 1979
• Farmhouse kitchen 1 and 2
• Woman's weekly cookery books from the 60's and 70's (little paperback ones)

And many many more :eek:
Modern Favourites are:

• River Cottage Everyday
• The Dinner Lady
• Economy Gastronomy
• Hairy Bikers Mums Know Best......... books 1 and 2
• Bread........Paul Hollywood
• Nigella Express

I am a cookbookaholic and have nearly 400 cookery books in my collection and am always scouring charity shops and carbooters for ones from the early part of the century. I do have one that was written in 1907 and a lot of wartime ones given to me by DH's Grandmother before she died and MIL has given me lots from the 50's, 60's and 70's.


I have made meals from most of them :eek: