As easy, quick, convenience foods are rapidly flying off our supermarket shelves at an extraordinary speed in recent days during the ‘Coronavirus Global Pandemic’, NOW is a good time to perhaps turn to simple foods from yesteryear to create nourishing meals for ourselves and loved ones with ingredients that still appear to be more readily available.
I’ve selected several of my re-created authentic wartime recipes below that fill tummies, are surprisingly delicious, and simple to make. Many of them use porridge oats, dried lentils, root vegetables, butter/margarine, basic fruit and flour. Add herbs, salt and spices to your own personal taste!
And if we at some stage, can’t get bananas, for a bit of fun I’ve included a video recipe to make yourself some ‘mock banana’ sandwiches out of parsnips.
Keep calm, keep your spirits up and let’s keep carrying on!
Much love,
C xxxx
PS: Check out my links to some prepping and self-sufficiency websites and YouTube channels at the bottom of the page!
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
It’s been forever since I’ve baked a proper British pudding and every spoonful that entered my mouth was accompanied by sounds of wanton desire that were slightly obscene. There is something wrong with a pudding if it’s consumer doesn’t groan a little…
Here is the authentic WW2 recipe. Enjoy and groan a little yourself… Click here!
Marrow and Lentil Stew
Just to clarify a question that has been popping up on Facebook and Instagram… a marrow in the UK is pretty much an overgrown courgette (zucchini) and not bone marrow (but I can understand the confusion there for sure!). You can use courgettes for this recipe too!
So far out of 1 marrow I have created 3 large portions of ‘Marrow Masala’ (not a 1940’s recipe), a ‘Courgette Cake’ (not a 1940’s recipe), 3 large jars of ‘Marrow Chutney’ and today a ‘Marrow and Lentil Stew’. The stew today was delicious!
Here is the stovetop recipe. Click here!
Potato Salad with Dutch Sauce
Curious as to what (during rationing in WW2) people slathered their spuds in, I delved into ‘Feeding the Nation’ by Marguerite Patten OBE. Heinz Salad Cream became a wartime favourite like any convenience food was often in limited supply so many of the ration book recipes called for making homemade dressings which tried to replicate salad cream or mayonnaise. Click here for the recipe..
Oaty Biscuits
I’m in love with this wartime cookie recipe. These oaty, sweet, buttery, wartime biscuits really make you appreciate a 15-minute break with a hot cuppa tea in some old vintage china.
This recipe is super simple and quick. Click here!
Hunt Pie
So I have yet to find out why this pie is called ‘Hunt Pie’. The closest I have come is finding a business called ‘John Hunts’ which established itself in 1860 manufacturing pie-making equipment. Could this possibly be linked? Click here!
The Original Lord Woolton Pie
I’ve made a couple of versions of ‘Woolton Pie’ which you will find in my list of re-created recipes here BUT after much research I think now I’ve found the original recipe.
I love Lord Woolton Pie. Thing is I go bonkers for pastry and a generous serving of this comforting vegetable pie with a thick brown Bisto gravy made with the vegetable water, was exactly what I needed today. Click here!
Homity ‘Land Girl’ Pie
Here it is… the promised Homity Pie recipe! Let me tell you, it’s totally delicious, TOTALLY!
Homity Pie is an open-topped pie said to have first been made by Land-Girls during WW2 and supposed to have originated in the West Country.
It’s REALLY difficult finding the original recipe as there are so many bastardised versions hanging around on the internet, so after having researched for hours (yes I am a food nerd) and comparing recipes with rationing, the below recipe is likely the closest version to it’s origins taking into account the scarcity of eggs and onions. Click here!
Mock Banana
Here it is… why not try it for fun. You have to laugh, hopefully we will still have our bananas and there will be no need to resort to parsnips!
Click here for recipe and video!
SOME GREAT YOUTUBE CHANNELS & BLOGS BELOW!
Prepper Princess – Love this gal! She lives in the USA, an independent strong woman with lots of self-sufficiency skills working towards financial independence. Click here!
Homestead Tessie – She loves being as frugal and self-sufficient as possible with what she’s got and she loves creating daily videos! Click here!
Compost and Custard – I’ve known Naomi online for over 20 years. She has a passion for self-sufficiency and home schooling, nature, permaculture and wildlife. Click here!
Riverford Organic Farmers – loads of online recipes as well as supplying organic fresh veg via box. Click here!
Alaska Granny – The AlaskaGranny channel teaches how to become more resilient and resourceful. I like to use what I have to make what I need, and enjoy sharing tips and tricks to help others do the same. Click here!
Thank you for the recipes. I love wartime recipes anyway and it’s good to know I’m not the only one! Not tried Homily pie before and will definitely be trying it over the weekend. All the best and stay safe. Babioli
Stay safe too… that’s all we can do and keep our spirits up! The Homity Pie is really tasty! Especially if you add in plenty of salt, pepper and herbs! xxx
Perfect timing – thank you!
Oh you are welcome, was trying to see what I could make out of oats and lentils (as I’ve got loads of those!) and thought it’s probably a good idea to share some of the old recipes xxxx
What a lovely post. The photos look so tempting…. Well done
Cheers from Nova Scotia. Blandford.
Judith
Awww thank you Judith….oh my Nova Scotia. Such a beautiful province xxxx
Thank you, Carolyn. Great recipes. Fortunately I already have quite a stock of flour, sugar etc. because there was no flour in the shops today. I’ve also had a job getting porridge oats today, finally managed to get a small box in Marks and Spencer.
Gosh… things definitely seem to be getting worse. Here’s to hoping some sort of fairer system is implemented to make sure everyone can get basic supplies otherwise we will have people heading out to the shops every single day to try and find a few things that they need which isn’t great for distancing xxxx
Thank you for everything that you are doing! I have just come into the ‘puter to have a few moments before the ironing. Saw your post and had a little giggle. I have just prepped a rhubarb and apple crumble! New season rhubarb from the garden and the last of last year’s apples from our ancient Bramley apple tree! Now what can I make with fresh parsley and garlic?? Don’t answer that as I am not a fan of garlic but there is loads growing in the garden!!Iforonwy
Oh how lovely to have an old Bramley apple tree!!!! Sounds wonderful!! xxxx
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Hahaha Im drinking a bottle of Spitfire ale!! Xx
There ya go – you were way ahead of me!!
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Thanks for the roundup of recipes! Here in Illinois, we’re going on an official “stay at home” (as in shelter in place except to get groceries, prescriptions, etc.) order later this afternoon that lasts until April 7. I’m not concerned about shortages, but these will give me something to play with while the order is in effect. Especially the pies…yum!
Some of these recipes sound familiar, as I grew up during WWII. One of my favorite meals was what my Grandmother called “Bags of Gold”. She made pie crust or scone dough, rolled it out fairly thick, and wrapped squares of it around cubes of cheese. She’d put two quarts of canned tomatoes in a pan and when they boiled, dropped the “packets” into the liquid. Simmer for ten minutes or so, and serve with a green vegetable or salad. My first husband left me bankrupt and the girls and I ate this many times.
Thank you so much for this recipe and the story behind it…I will have to make and photograph this. Sorry to hear about you going through hard times in the past….the resilience of women never ceases to amaze me. Xxxx
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