Extra rations!

Back in the 1940s kitchen, time to dig all the books back out again! It was really difficult to find out what the rations were this time round, but I did manage to find one reference. It seems they haven't really changed too much, but I am assuming that actual access to things might be a bit more restricted as the war progresses. On the plus side, as an expectant mother I get extras! An extra half ration of meat, a pint of milk a day, extra eggs and various supplements. Of course all of the advice stresses how important it is for the mother to be sure to eat all of these herself, that not doing so potentially deprives her baby and will also leave her weak and unable to care for her family. In reality I can't see too many wartime housewives serving themselves 1 1/2 times as much meat as her husband got! I have decided to just throw the extra meat into the family pot but have most of the milk myself.

So, day 1 in 1943 began with toast for breakfast. Although a cooked breakfast was expected there are lots of recipes for things like wheaties (dry bread cubes served with milk as a breakfast cereal) that suggest most people weren't having the breakfast they would have liked. This week we will be sticking with either porridge from the hay box or scrambled eggs on toast. Since we would have hens we are lucky enough to have plenty of eggs.

Lunch was vegetable cutlets with chutney. Mashed potato mixed with flour, a little cheese and vegetables (I used carrot) then dipped into batter and fried. Crispy, golden outsides and melty on the inside, yum! One potato made three cutlets and two was plenty for lunch so I have one left over. Since batter is basically the same for many things (and has egg in it) I saved the leftovers to make Yorkshire puddings later on.

Sunday means Sunday dinner, and that means a roast! Of course meat for roasting would have been in short supply so I took a big piece of stewing beef, rolled up, and stewed it slowly in gravy. It came out beautifully, good flavour and so tender it just fell apart. Some was served up this evening and the rest saved for other dishes. We also had roast potatoes (lots), veg and Yorkshire puddings, which came out a little flat and dark since they were made from wholemeal flour but tasted good. Followed, as ever, by something with custard. "Something" in this case being apple charlotte, a great way of using up stale breadcrumbs and stretching a small amount of apple a long way.

Week three is off to a good start!