spam

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Week 2 (again)- another 3 lb off!

Last weeks weight = 309 lb

This weeks weight = 306 lb

Total weight loss (this time around) = 8 lb

Well despite a social function in the loft above the pub, a couple of hours on the deck at Lunenburg Yacht Club and a fun couple of hours in a floating holiday cottage moored in the harbour at Mahone Bay I’ve pretty much successfully stuck to food that was available in the 1940s with only one slip up. I guess my only vice this week has been drinking too much ale and too much rhubarb wine… have decided to not drink alcohol except socially or on special occasions in the future. Will save money and get the weight shifted quicker that way…

No interesting meals this week- have more or less stuck to quite basic foods based on my rations and ones that were quick to prepare liked fried spam (see above)

Trust me, when you no longer have salty junk food in your life SPAM becomes a real treat!

SPAM became widely available in the UK around 1942 and was not rationed… most families if they could afford to buy it, would have done so to supplement their meagre meat rations. Grocers may well have limited their distribution of it so it was available to more people (but that is just my guess)… it seems there are many favourable memories of spam during WWII from the families who enjoyed it.

C xx

PS If anyone has any further information on spam used culinary in WWII please share!

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Spam Spam Spam Spam- everybody loves Spam..

spamcan

The last time I ate Spam (and it has only been once until today) it was not a memorable experience. Infact I seen to remember I wretched as it slithered out of the can..

All that changes when you are HUNGRY and when your food choices are limited so for the sake of authenticity I decided to open the can of SPAM in the cupboard (which I bought 6 weeks ago) and cook with it as any good housewife would have done in the 1940’s.

Would SPAM still be ikky? Could I physically eat the stuff given my inaugural exeperience? And what about the ethics?

Would SPAM still be ikky…?

Putting all this stuff aside the can of Spam was tentatively opened and true to previous form slithered out of the can and I cut two slices from the block of processed luncheon meat with its jiggly, jelly coating. Into a pan I placed a little butter and heated until hot, sprinkled the spam slices with a little thyme and pepper and placed into the pan and slowly browned the slices, turning once, over medium heat.

Once cooked they actually looked OK!

An even bigger surprise when I tasted the offensive article…it actually tasted pretty good! It was quite salty but  quite yummy and an ideal accompaniment for a plate of rather bland cauliflower and potatoes.

Now I can see how the 1940’s housewife sang it’s praises…

SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM everybody loves SPAM!

spam1940

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The eating out challenge..

I knew it was going to be difficult .. living for a year on wartime rations.

Because I am committed to trying to do this as close to 100% authentically as possible, when I go out to friends houses, parties, the pub, or any social function, inevitably there are real challenges when faced with modern menu’s and cuisine. I no longer can choose just anything from the menu and it takes quite a bit of willpower NOT to do so..

This past week has once again been socially busy (lucky me!)… lunching at the Grand Banker, dinner at the Yacht Club, lunchtime buffet with family visitors at home and meetings and all of them involve FOOD. I have a mental list of what I KNOW is 100% OK to have and I have several ‘occasionally available’ items but finding these things on a modern day menu without some modern bastardization can be real difficult! I love just plain baked potato and I know I am safe with that but even that can be hard to find on a menu without some ‘improvements’ done to it!

BUT there has been one saving grace- good old fish and chips. This was available in the 1940’s so twice this week I have enjoyed this- once with chips and the other time with salad. Unfortunately the meeting I attended was accompanied by dip and modern crackers so I had to sit there being anti-social while everyone else feasted but the buffet at home contained many items I could enjoy (as I had been the one to put it together) however greed overcame me and I managed to eat all my bacon and cheese ration in just one day..

This week I am left with 1/2 lb mince beef, a tin of spam, and an egg..

That’s not so bad..

PS It’s Sunday- can’t wait to get cooking and share some more recipes!