divascancook
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- May 3, 2009
- Messages
- 19
aww she is adorable!
Depression Era Cooking
- Thread starter Toots
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
ILikePBCookies
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2009
- Messages
- 11
I watched this woman on the news a few weeks ago! She is SO CUTE!
Apparently her grandson started to tape her when she was cooking, and put it on youtube. They got so many hits they became recognized.
Oh youtube...
Apparently her grandson started to tape her when she was cooking, and put it on youtube. They got so many hits they became recognized.
Oh youtube...
TheMetalChef
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2009
- Messages
- 252
What a charming lady, and what a great project, to capture this piece of history. 
chefkathleen
Sous Chef
That was wonderful.
Claire
Master Chef
My parents were both born in the 30s (Dad in 1930, Mom in 1934). One thing Mom used to make us from "olden days" was what she called "poor man's soup". It was a mish-mash of what we called hamburger in my youth, a very little bit, and root vegetables. Then it was poured over a slice of bread that was slathered with peanut butter! I guess it was cheap in the 30s!
marcmanaois
Assistant Cook
i thought she doesnt have a chopping board coz she was cutting onions and potatoes on her palm. Then hotdog came!
Nana B
Assistant Cook
I just watched the video and it brought tears in my eyes. I didn't know that they even had hot dogs back then.
It brought back memories of my own grandma when I was a kid in the 60's. My favorite was the ring bologna we had. Simple cooking is what it was and just plain good eatin.
I wish I would have paid more attention to her cooking as I was growing up. I miss her so..............
It brought back memories of my own grandma when I was a kid in the 60's. My favorite was the ring bologna we had. Simple cooking is what it was and just plain good eatin.
I wish I would have paid more attention to her cooking as I was growing up. I miss her so..............
It's awesome that the younger generation is learning the recipes and history of the older. I know lots of people who wish they had mom's or gran's recipe for "whatever". That is so sad.
One of my fave depression era recipes is Salmon loaf (canned salmon, breadcrumbs, herbs, egg) mold and steam or make patties and fry. To this day it is delish!
One of my fave depression era recipes is Salmon loaf (canned salmon, breadcrumbs, herbs, egg) mold and steam or make patties and fry. To this day it is delish!
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
we had this when i was growing up on a weekly basis. still love the patties today, nice with tarter sauce. make em once in a while, still not an expense for a meal.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
"Salmon Loaf" was one of my favorite meals growing up - & it continues to be so! Economical, healthy, & versatile. Mom added sliced pimento-stuffed green olives to hers, as do I.
What's lovely about it is that it can be served hot with a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce on top, or tartare sauce or salsa verde on the side; or cold with tartare sauce, salsa verde, or a garlic/herb mayonnaise on the side (this makes an excellent supper for a hot summer evening).
Leftovers even make nice sandwiches a la "meatloaf sandwiches", or can be broken up & mixed with a little mayo to make a salmon salad.
What's lovely about it is that it can be served hot with a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce on top, or tartare sauce or salsa verde on the side; or cold with tartare sauce, salsa verde, or a garlic/herb mayonnaise on the side (this makes an excellent supper for a hot summer evening).
Leftovers even make nice sandwiches a la "meatloaf sandwiches", or can be broken up & mixed with a little mayo to make a salmon salad.
I went back to the beginning of this thread to watch the video, I couldn't see any of them, it kept saying "a mistake has occurred..."
But I understand the whole "cutting in the hand" type of cooking. That is how my mother and grandmothers cooked. I prefer to cut up hard boiled eggs in my palm. If you watch some world cooking shows, watch for this type of knife skill. When one doesn't have tables or counterspace, know how to cut food up in one's hands without cutting themselves is indeed a skill. It goes directly into the pot, usually, too.
But I understand the whole "cutting in the hand" type of cooking. That is how my mother and grandmothers cooked. I prefer to cut up hard boiled eggs in my palm. If you watch some world cooking shows, watch for this type of knife skill. When one doesn't have tables or counterspace, know how to cut food up in one's hands without cutting themselves is indeed a skill. It goes directly into the pot, usually, too.
Stella_maris
Assistant Cook
This is very similar to a dish my own grandma used to make, using any kind of leftover meat (hotdogs weren't available in this country back in the days) .
I also often use that cutting technique, i think it's easier. I would have cut the hotdogs that way too, just like carrots and other stick-like ingredients.
I also often use that cutting technique, i think it's easier. I would have cut the hotdogs that way too, just like carrots and other stick-like ingredients.
lowermeadow
Assistant Cook
Looks good, My Grand dad taught me to eat small white or red potato's sliced or quartered and steamed with carrots. Healthy dose of ketchup on top makes it pretty good
chefkathleen
Sous Chef
I just got a notification that there was a comment on this again. So I watched it again. I love that little old lady. I hope she's still living. It just goes to show you that you can eat well on very little. You make do with what you have and be glad your belly is full. After this recession, I'm sure people are revisiting the old recipes again.
Cheers and Merry Christmas all.
Cheers and Merry Christmas all.
GLC
Head Chef
Another very interesting slant on getting by cooking is M.F.K. Fisher's "How to Cook a Wolf." It's about doing imaginative and satisfying cooking under wartime shortage conditions.
How to Cook a Wolf: M. F. K. Fisher: 9780865473362: Amazon.com: Books
And if you've never read M.F.K Fisher, you missed a food writer that I would not hesitate to propose as the best who has ever lived and really one of the best prose writers of all time.
How to Cook a Wolf: M. F. K. Fisher: 9780865473362: Amazon.com: Books
And if you've never read M.F.K Fisher, you missed a food writer that I would not hesitate to propose as the best who has ever lived and really one of the best prose writers of all time.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
According to her Facebook page, she turned 97 in August: Clara Cannucciari. She also has a cookbook and DVD from the videos available for sale. The old lady is rockin' it 21st Century-style
chefkathleen
Sous Chef
I LOVE it! I just went and "liked" her page.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
I was born right at the end of the Depression. So my mother was still in the Depression mode of cooking. Creamed Salmon and Peas over mashed potatoes, Hamburger Soup with elbows, Flannel Hash from Sunday's boild dinner, were just a few of the dishes she made. She always told me and I passed it on to my kids, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread and pasta. You could get a lot of meals from those three items. Use it up and make it do. Never toss out leftovers. Somewhere there is a recipe for them. If there isn't then make one up. 
chefkathleen
Sous Chef
My mom was a kid in the depression and told me so many things about how things were back then. Some of the kids ate lard sandwiches because there was nothing else to eat. Baked bean sandwiches, etc. And hobo's would sleep in the coal bin at night to keep warm. They'd usually shovel in some coal in the morning as a thank-you and my grandma would give them a sandwich to take on their travels for the day.
My mom up until the day she died "saved" things that probably came from living though that time. Lots and lots of Pepsi or toilet paper. Anything on sale that wouldn't spoil she would buy. Flour, sugar etc. and she'd wrap it good to keep anything out that didn't belong in it.
My mom up until the day she died "saved" things that probably came from living though that time. Lots and lots of Pepsi or toilet paper. Anything on sale that wouldn't spoil she would buy. Flour, sugar etc. and she'd wrap it good to keep anything out that didn't belong in it.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
My own mom cooked things like creamed peas, or creamed carrots. She made home made macaroni and cheese, using the cheese loafs thaqt used to be given to the poor. My dad taught me to make salmon patties, and to put canned corn in pancakes. Oatmeal, cream of wheat, and eggs of all kind were things I regularly ate. At Grandpa's sometimes I was served bread in milk, sprinkled with sugar. The meat was always a more economical cut, and pounded with seasoned flour, then pan-fried. A lot of potatoes were served, usually boiled. We ate a lot of fresh veggies from home gardens, and a lot of fresh fish from trout streams. These were economical, and very tasty.
My family was where I learned to love home made food. We rarely ate pre-made, or processed foods. Chef Boyardee pizza kits were the only pre-made foods I ate regularly, and only at my dad's. And even then, we added other ingredients besides the stuff in the kit.
And baked beans, economical, delicious, nutritious, and keep well. They can even be canned. I adored then, and now, home made baked beans, and truth be told, most other bean dishes as well.
My parents were born in the late 1920's, and early 1930's, and so remembered the great depression, and the world war 2 years of rationing. Cousins had subsistence farms in the area as well. They never had much in the way of material things, but they had each other, and good food.
I believe we have lost much in our movement away from agriculture into the urban lifestyle. I'm a country boy now, just as I was growing up. I'm not comfortable in cities, and planned neighborhoods, or suburbs with neighborhood committees and such. Organized communities put too many restrictions on what you can do in your own yard for my tastes.
Everyone who wants them should be able to have chickens in there yard, or grow veggies, or fruits, or nuts. IMHO, everyone should have the right to produce their own food and extract energy through windmills, or water power, or geo-thermal, or solar, if they have the means available, and it doesn't harm the local eco-system.
I salute the ingenuity of our parents, and grandparents during those tough times. I only wish that our own modern governments allowed us the same freedoms that our forefathers had.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
My family was where I learned to love home made food. We rarely ate pre-made, or processed foods. Chef Boyardee pizza kits were the only pre-made foods I ate regularly, and only at my dad's. And even then, we added other ingredients besides the stuff in the kit.
And baked beans, economical, delicious, nutritious, and keep well. They can even be canned. I adored then, and now, home made baked beans, and truth be told, most other bean dishes as well.
My parents were born in the late 1920's, and early 1930's, and so remembered the great depression, and the world war 2 years of rationing. Cousins had subsistence farms in the area as well. They never had much in the way of material things, but they had each other, and good food.
I believe we have lost much in our movement away from agriculture into the urban lifestyle. I'm a country boy now, just as I was growing up. I'm not comfortable in cities, and planned neighborhoods, or suburbs with neighborhood committees and such. Organized communities put too many restrictions on what you can do in your own yard for my tastes.
Everyone who wants them should be able to have chickens in there yard, or grow veggies, or fruits, or nuts. IMHO, everyone should have the right to produce their own food and extract energy through windmills, or water power, or geo-thermal, or solar, if they have the means available, and it doesn't harm the local eco-system.
I salute the ingenuity of our parents, and grandparents during those tough times. I only wish that our own modern governments allowed us the same freedoms that our forefathers had.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
