Depression Era Cooking

[Sammi1961]

My great grandmother on my mother's side never had an indoor bathroom. She had an outhouse and I remember always having to go to the bathroom when we visited her but then never actually going. We just wanted to see the outhouse and see what was down the hole - yuck. I had several relatives who never had an indoor bathroom until the mid-70's. (My parents did have one so I grew up with a bathroom) We still own a camp that has an outhouse.

[Haleys grandmom]

yes my parents lived through the depression.Mom made poor mans soup which is potato soup with onions and salt pork chopped up, also corn chowder.

[Pag36]

My G-mom use to make poor mans soup with macaroni, bit of milk salt and pepper and some margarine if she had it. I still fix it that way now and then myself. We were happy so never realized we were that poor.

[Sammi1961]

Patti, my mom used to make us macaroni with canned tomatoes. it was like chop suey without the ground beef. I still like it.

[Pag36]

My g-mom did that too Sammi and likewise I still like it. Also she would put canned tomatoes in fridge and then heat up some corned beef hash and that with saltines would be our frugal supper

[Vrsherren]

I surprised a few people here in the south when they found out I knew about Polk, when to pick and how. It wasn't a staple in CA, but my g-mom loved polk greens cooked with bacon fat and little vinegar. She'd grow a small section and pick till the stalk and leaves turned slightly pink. She'd let it seed then pull it up. We were always told not to eat the poisenous "berries" cuz if it didn't kill us g-mom would!
We always had a large garden, and did a lot of canning and freezing. We were always told not to waste food and horror stories from the "great Depression" so we wouldn't. We learned early to put as little as possible on our plates of the things we didn't care too much for. We weren't allowed to be wasteful and if we took a big helping, then didn't like it..... e still had to eat it. Great portion control!!


Vivian

[apricot]

Vivian, I'm an ignorant Californian. What is polk?

[Pag36]

Apricot you are not ignorant Californian or otherwise. It is actually a weed but people in the south have been eating it for years just like Vivian said. I have never fixed it myself but have eaten it when I was little at my dear g-moms table. I think it is an acquired taste.

[apricot]

I think the closet I've come to eating a weed is last week when we had a Mother's Day potluck at work and someone brought a cactus dish with some very spicy meat mixed in it.

[Pag36]

I have never eaten cactus and don't intend to either. Likewise dandelions I know a lot of people that eat those as well as make wine from them. And some eat nasturtiums the pretty little orange flower but again not me