Depression Era Cooking

[Addie]

I remember a cake my grandmother used to make called a hot milk cake. Don't know if it was a "Depression Era" thing or not as she was born in 1893. My mom was 39 when I was born. I really liked that cake, but since my mom was not a good cook, she didn't keep the recipe after granny passed.

It is still around. I used to make it for my kids. Easy. I like to make it because I didn't have to frost it. Just sprinkle 10X sugar over it.

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[Summer May]

what a wonderful video I really loved that going to watch her others now thanks

 

[CarolPa]

It is still around. I used to make it for my kids. Easy. I like to make it because I didn't have to frost it. Just sprinkle 10X sugar over it.

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I never heard of this cake but the thing I like about it is it's made with ingredients you always have in the house. Nothing unusual. My husband would like it because it's yellow cake, but I think he would want frosting. I also try to find recipes for cakes baked in a 9 X 9 pan because a big cake is too much for just us. Half aways gets thrown away.

 

[Addie]

One of the foods my mother would make for me was a hard boiled sliced egg in a white sauce over two pieces of toast. I still love it and make it every so often for myself.

 

[Zhizara]

One of the foods my mother would make for me was a hard boiled sliced egg in a white sauce over two pieces of toast. I still love it and make it every so often for myself.

That's what I was taught in Home Ec. Eggs a la goldenrod. Same, but the yoke of the egg is pressed through a tea strainer to sprinkle on top.

Thanks for the memory lane trip.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

There are a great many people in my neck of the woods who insist that the best mac-'n'-cheese of all time is baked in the oven and made with government cheese, sometimes called "comod's cheese". I know it was a favorite of my stepfather, and is a favorite of many people I know. That was a true depression era food, as cheese was handed out by the government as a source of protein for many people who had lost jobs.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Zhizara]

Many of us over 60 and on low income receive a box of "Commodities" each month from Catholic Charities. It's always been called that here.

Included, almost always, is a 2# box of Land O Lakes low fat cheese. Great for making mac & cheese.

Your comod's cheese is probably a mangled mispronounciation of Commodity.

 

[Rocklobster]

My mother has a book from the depression. When a recipe calls for eggs, it also says"if eggs aren't available, use a handful of snow".

 

[Addie]

Many of us over 60 and on low income receive a box of "Commodities" each month from Catholic Charities. It's always been called that here.

Included, almost always, is a 2# box of Land O Lakes low fat cheese. Great for making mac & cheese.

Your comod's cheese is probably a mangled mispronounciation of Commodity.

Many years ago we used to receive the Commodities. I don't think it is done anymore in this area. It was mostly for folks on Welfare and now we have very low welfare recipients in this part of Boston. When my husband got hurt at work and before Workers Comp. kicked in, I applied for the food. I think I received two months of it. It sure came in handy. My kids loved the cheese. And I got so much butter.

 

[Addie]

My mother has a book from the depression. When a recipe calls for eggs, it also says"if eggs aren't available, use a handful of snow".

That is funny. I wonder what the snow is supposed to do?

 

[CarolPa]

When I was a kid I remember getting it. It was called "surplus food." I remember the brick of cheese, and I didn't like it because it was so hard to slice for a cheese sandwich. We also got these cans of beef chunks in gravy. I loved it, because we rarely got meat at home, but now that I think of it, it didn't actually say it was beef, and it didn't taste like beef. But it tasted good and it didn't kill me. Our circumstances were not my parent's fault, but I always swore I was never going to live like that, so I've always been a penny pincher.

 

[cave76]

Loved the video of the elder in the first post! 91 years young!

I haven't read all the replies here yet but as a kid (when the depression was just barely in the past but my parents still felt the repercussions of it) we made Snow Ice Cream!

Fresh snow, evaporated milk and sugar, vanilla.

But I wouldn't suggest that anyone do that these days!!!!! But then it was a treat.

 

[Zhizara]

When I was a kid I remember getting it. It was called "surplus food." I remember the brick of cheese, and I didn't like it because it was so hard to slice for a cheese sandwich. We also got these cans of beef chunks in gravy. I loved it, because we rarely got meat at home, but now that I think of it, it didn't actually say it was beef, and it didn't taste like beef. But it tasted good and it didn't kill me. Our circumstances were not my parent's fault, but I always swore I was never going to live like that, so I've always been a penny pincher.

We often get a 1-1/2# can of real beef in juices. I love it. After melting off the fat and juices I put that in the fridge in a tall tumbler and throw away the fat plug. It can then be turned into a really nice beef stew by adding a can or 1/3 package of mixed vegetables.

The meat can be turned into a tasty taco meat mixture, or chili.

We get 1% milk, 2 quarts, and often dried milk which comes in handy. Often large boxes of cereal, 4 cans of a vegetable, 2 cans of fruit, and 2 large bottles of fruit juice - grape, orange, apple, and cranberry.

There is usually some kind of starch. 5# bag of oatmeal, macaroni, or rice and dried beans.

Some of the other meats are Chili, no beans, lower sodium; 2 cans pink salmon, 2 large cans of chicken breast meat or 2 large cans of tuna.

It's really nice, and what I don't want, I pass along to a neighbor who doesn't qualify for her own.

 

[Addie]

My first two kids were on evaporated milk formula after I stopped nursing. So I know they were passing out canned milk along with the powdered milk. There was no baby formula at that time. They also were passing out cream of wheat. I think a lot of the food they passed out was regional. I know when I went down to live in Texas, they passed out grits. I had never even heard of grits until then. My neighbor got some and brought it over to me and taught me how to cook it. She also got bulgur. I still don't know what that is. And from what I saw of it, I didn't want to know.

 

[my_psychosis]

I make something quite similar, no tomato sauce, and I use ham or leftover steak. To make it really good, scramble some eggs in with all of it.

I like a bit of ketchup on it when its done.

Potatoes are still a good bang for the buck. A 10lb bag of potatoes goes a long ways.

I do this to. Mine has hamburger, potatoes, onions, and scrambled eggs. Sometimes we add some cheddar cheese. I'm gonna try all these ideas now to.

 

[Addie]

When I was a kid I remember getting it. It was called "surplus food." I remember the brick of cheese, and I didn't like it because it was so hard to slice for a cheese sandwich. We also got these cans of beef chunks in gravy. I loved it, because we rarely got meat at home, but now that I think of it, it didn't actually say it was beef, and it didn't taste like beef. But it tasted good and it didn't kill me. Our circumstances were not my parent's fault, but I always swore I was never going to live like that, so I've always been a penny pincher.

I think all children of Depression Era Parents became penny pinchers because of what our parents taught us. They carried over what they learned during the Depression not being certain of the future. I think we as their children were the better for what our parents learned and passed on.