Cooking in wartime.

[Texas 10]

My missus, in the kitchen today, knocking up my favorit concoction of red beans and rice. Electric cooker, four rings, two of 'em in action, plus the oven doing the chicken and sausage garnish, no problem. It got me thinking though,of the old days, my Ma' and my Grandma' juggling and struggling with the old Yorkshire range about a square foot of fire plus the oven. How did they do it? Impossible, I'd say. My old man, a real hardcase, had his standards, wouldn't have fish and chips within a million miles, so no ready meals there.

We got gas around 1945, so there was another option, a little luxury, if you could get the ingredients, something extra.

Never went without a good meal though, given the times. To say he was a steelworker, my old man was a culinary genius, full of ideas.

I'd like to see some of these celebrity cooks do a number with the good old Yorkshire range, our Gordon for instance. F' and Blind your way around that buddy boy!

[flyer 10]

not war time but in 1950 lots still ration, I got my own bake shop in a works canteen at only 15 all the nice lady's would mother me to death ,I could turn out a pretty good bun & puff pastry but when i started to roll my doughnuts in sugar one of the lady had to come up and remind me sugar was still on ration opps no wonder they sold like hot cakes,i was using the whole canteens ration:D:D:D

[happyhippy 11]

Woolton Pie, anyone?

[Floridablade 11]

My mother would produce the most marvelous meals cooking on a Yorkshire range, bread cakes ,Yorkshire pudding, Custard also in the Yorkshire pudding tin. Sheeps head boiled to make a stew. pigs trotters with vinegar and always the kettle boiling on a ring which swung in and out of the coal fire. No washing machine she had to use a posher in a tub but we bought her one when we started working it was an ADA.

[julado 10]

I have a book - only bought last week - of Wartime Recipes....Marguerite Pattern.....its an interesting read as it gives an insight of rationing and what women did to make the rations go round....including Woolton Pie.

 

I plan to actually cook some - well lets face it...there were very few obese people during the war and I could do with losing a stone or six

[CarolW 10]

I have a book - only bought last week - of Wartime Recipes....Marguerite Pattern.....its an interesting read as it gives an insight of rationing and what women did to make the rations go round....including Woolton Pie.

 

I plan to actually cook some - well lets face it...there were very few obese people during the war and I could do with losing a stone or six

 

I bought my parents a wartime cookbook - "We'll Eat Again..." it's rather interesting to say the least!!!! I don't think they've tried any of the recipes yet....

[Magjim 10]

I bought my parents a wartime cookbook - "We'll Eat Again..." it's rather interesting to say the least!!!! I don't think they've tried any of the recipes yet....

 

 

The wartime cookbook "We'll Eat Again" sounds interesting. As one who grew up in the war I'd love to know where you got it? My grandchildren love my stories of sweet rationing and comics with about 4 pages in them at times!!!

[CarolW 10]

The wartime cookbook "We'll Eat Again" sounds interesting. As one who grew up in the war I'd love to know where you got it? My grandchildren love my stories of sweet rationing and comics with about 4 pages in them at times!!!

 

I think I probably got it from one of the book clubs in work...

 

This link is from Amazon - the one I got looks a little different, it may be the same as Julado bought - the same author anyway!!!!!! Looks as if there's quite a few wartime cookbooks.....

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Well-Eat-Again-Collection-Recipes/dp/060061185X

[Magjim 10]

Thanks CarolW, think I might treat myself to this book. Maybe it will bring back happy memories or give me indigestion!!!

[Aries22 10]

my memories of the kitchen ranges are these, my Grandmother 1876 to 1957on my mothers side, cooked and baked on these, the fire was stoked up and she could just tell if the oven was the right temperature for what she was doing, must have been good as she used to have her own bread and cake shop. the top oven of the stove was good for drying your gloves overnight after a day playing in the snow. My other grandmother 1880 to 1966 never used a proper cooker the kettle and the saucepan just sat on the edge of the grate and cooked very well. Also it makes sense to have l fire for warmth. hot water all the time, and to cook on, with global warming perhaps the old ranges will come back into fashion.

[Janner 10]

In the early forties on Hatfield House Lane, we had the usual range in the front room,in the kitchen there was one moveable gas ring connected to a gas tap by a rubber hose.