Penny For Your Thoughts
By: Nancy Whitaker
If you lived any time during the Great Depression, you may recall the shortage and the high cost of food. Unemployment was high and it was hard to feed a family
I have heard and read about Victory Gardens and the various methods and substitutions which people used in order to enjoy and cook some of their favorite foods during war time and the depression.
If you have ever gone to anyone’s house for dinner and a big, sloppy “secret family recipe” dish is placed down in front of you, chances are high that the messy goodness could have originated in the Depression era.
Then families were taught to creatively stretch out their food budgets and toast, potatoes and flour seemed to be the popular most inexpensive ingredients.
Some foods were actually invented during the Great Depression, such as Spam, Ritz crackers, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Kraft macaroni and cheese. (I did not know that Mac and cheese was that old.
Learning to “make due” with what they had sometimes took some creativity to feed a family. My grandma and mom lived during the Depression era and Grandma had all kinds of substitutes and various ways to cheaply make a meal.
During this time the Department of Agriculture (USDA) had created a matronly radio personality named Aunt Sammy, who was meant to be the wife of Uncle Sam. Voices of the radio show was women from various parts of the country.
The 15-minute “Aunt Sammy” radio show was originally targeted toward rural homemakers. She would share recipe ideas and cooking tips on how to stretch every bit of food to feed.
Some food was rationed and distributed and by 1933 Aunt Sammy was instructing recipients on how to use the ingredients that were distributed to their maximum potential.
If cans of kidney beans were being distributed, then Aunt Sammy gave you 5 different recipes that you could make using a can of kidney beans.
One thing my grandma made was called “Cauli Ka Maush.” I still like it, but many think it is weird when I talk about it. (Yes, it used kidney beans)
Cauli Ka Maush is a can of kidney beans and a can of creamed corn mixed together and warmed. Then you can eat it atop bread or plain. Personally I love it. Lots of people say “yuck” but actually it is good
Now here is a few foods that was served in the depression. Do you remember eating them?
There was milk toast, chipped beef on toast, cucumber and mustard sandwiches, mayonaise or ketsup sandwiches, turtle, gopher, hot rice and milk, potato soup with a water base, and lard sandwiches.
Some of these I have ate such as the chipped dried beef and hot milk toast. (With sugar and cinnamon)
I ran across a recipe the other day which sounds pretty good and I may have to try and bake one.
If you’ve never had or heard of Depression-Era Cake, or “Crazy Cake” as it’s also known, then you’re in for a real treat.
This recipe goes as far back as the Great Depression.
It might seem crazy, hence the name, “Crazy Cake,” but this chocolate cake they say is just as good, if not better than one stuffed to the brim with butter, milk and eggs.
The fact that the cake itself is vegan should have everyone with an intolerance for eggs or dairy products jumping for joy.
Well here is the recipe:
Depression Cake:
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon coffee, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 1/2 -3 cups powdered sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1,teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt, teaspoon of coffee (optional) stir and pour batter into a lightly greased pan and bake in a 375 degree oven until a fork comes out clean.
I tried, I liked so if you try this chocolate cake, let me know how you liked it. Oh and save me a piece!
If you do I’ll give you a Penny for your Thoughts
