Great Depression Cooking - The Poorman's Meal - Cooking With Clara
Clara's Poorman's Meal is one of my favorite dishes. It was the reason we began this channel. I could never remember just how Nana made it, and being a visual person, what better way to have the recipe than as a video.
My mother saved everything. She'd have meat from two or three meals left over. Some boiled potatoes. She'd make hash. I was probably four and used to turn the crank on the grinder for her. A little meat, a chunk of onion, some potato and repeat. Hard work turning that crank. Then I think she put in some salt and pepper and milk. We owned a dairy and had a big garden by the way. I loved that hash.
My grand parents on Mom's side always had a big garden. The other grandma who actually lived on the farm did not. On Mom's side they planted a lot of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and green beans and peas. They had one cherry tree and 4 apple trees.
Can't get the wife to buy in on growing veggies. Maybe when this depression hits it full stride.
I had a lot of heirloom seeds and gave them away when I moved off the mainland six years ago. I'm back on the mainland now and and buying heirloom once again. These are the ones you can save the seed and never buy seed or plants again. This winter my wife and I will be establishing raised beds. I'll have chickens in about a month. Hog pen is ready and we have four heifers, beef cattle, in the fields. Mainly have oranges, figs, grape arbor and limes. WE will be ready for the depression if or when it hits.
She published a cookbook some years back. Beside similar recipes are pictures & stories about her life growing up. No softie, that's for sure. Makes you appreciate what we have (soon to be, "had"?)
My Dad talked about eating Pap Soup. He said it was a mostly flour and hot water, maybe salt, pepper, or bacon grease if you had it. It was all they had. He also said you could go into a restaurant and ask for a bowl of hot water, then make your own tomato soup with the ketchup, salt, and pepper, on the table. That might explain his rickets
I remember a friend of mine said her grandparents lived next to a big pumpkin patch. Every meal had some sort of pumpkin dish, usually as the main course. I didn't live through the depression, but I have lived through poor. There were times when buying things like paper towel, just was something I wouldn't buy. Couldn't eat them. TP was the exception of course. 50lb bags of oatmeal at the bulk store, 29c a pound on sale. You do what you have to do.
I found that channel awhile back. Watched it like a mental patient.
My mom made that dish as well, only with ham. My mom grew up poor during the depression. My dad's father had a job with the city, so he was lucky. They both were very frugal still.
Back when my son was in high school he had to read a book called "Scratch Beginnings" about a dude seeing if he could replicate the american dream by moving to a new city with on $20 in his pocket. It sparked a lot of great conversations between us. The most memorable when we were food shopping and I showed him what he could buy to eat on $20 a week.
Doubt that will be the case now. Back then it was only a depression. They didn't have hyper-inflation as well. Like she said in the video, a dollar was a lot of money in those days, because it was still worth a dollar.
Mostly city folks ate like that. Appalachian people never missed a beat in the food department because they hunted and raised gardens. Grandad said he would see the headlines but didnt understand what they were talking about because it never effected their lives. You dont miss what you never had! Hope cakes for all. R
My mother saved everything. She'd have meat from two or three meals left over. Some boiled potatoes. She'd make hash. I was probably four and used to turn the crank on the grinder for her. A little meat, a chunk of onion, some potato and repeat. Hard work turning that crank. Then I think she put in some salt and pepper and milk. We owned a dairy and had a big garden by the way. I loved that hash.
ReplyDeleteMy grand parents on Mom's side always had a big garden. The other grandma who actually lived on the farm did not. On Mom's side they planted a lot of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and green beans and peas. They had one cherry tree and 4 apple trees.
ReplyDeleteCan't get the wife to buy in on growing veggies. Maybe when this depression hits it full stride.
I had a lot of heirloom seeds and gave them away when I moved off the mainland six years ago. I'm back on the mainland now and and buying heirloom once again. These are the ones you can save the seed and never buy seed or plants again. This winter my wife and I will be establishing raised beds. I'll have chickens in about a month. Hog pen is ready and we have four heifers, beef cattle, in the fields. Mainly have oranges, figs, grape arbor and limes. WE will be ready for the depression if or when it hits.
DeleteWe make about the same dish. Use Hillshire Farms smoked sausage or Polska Keilbasa instead of hot dogs and put some bell pepper in the mix.
ReplyDeleteMy parents ate a very similar meal.
ReplyDeleteDad said that usually theirs didn't have any meat.
ReplyDeleteBack in the '50s my grandma (God rest her soul) made me milk noodle soup - her Depression favorite. It was delicious.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/recipe-milk-noodle-soup/
gotta love her and her energy and her genuineness
ReplyDeleteGod bless Cara and all the ladies like her!
Looks delicious. Maybe scramble a couple of eggs over the whole thing. Fry in butter instead of oil.
ReplyDeleteShe published a cookbook some years back. Beside similar recipes are pictures & stories about her life growing up. No softie, that's for sure. Makes you appreciate what we have (soon to be, "had"?)
ReplyDeleteMy Dad talked about eating Pap Soup. He said it was a mostly flour and hot water, maybe salt, pepper, or bacon grease if you had it. It was all they had. He also said you could go into a restaurant and ask for a bowl of hot water, then make your own tomato soup with the ketchup, salt, and pepper, on the table. That might explain his rickets
ReplyDeleteI remember a friend of mine said her grandparents lived next to a big pumpkin patch. Every meal had some sort of pumpkin dish, usually as the main course. I didn't live through the depression, but I have lived through poor. There were times when buying things like paper towel, just was something I wouldn't buy. Couldn't eat them. TP was the exception of course. 50lb bags of oatmeal at the bulk store, 29c a pound on sale. You do what you have to do.
ReplyDeleteI found that channel awhile back. Watched it like a mental patient.
ReplyDeleteMy mom made that dish as well, only with ham. My mom grew up poor during the depression. My dad's father had a job with the city, so he was lucky. They both were very frugal still.
Back when my son was in high school he had to read a book called "Scratch Beginnings" about a dude seeing if he could replicate the american dream by moving to a new city with on $20 in his pocket. It sparked a lot of great conversations between us. The most memorable when we were food shopping and I showed him what he could buy to eat on $20 a week.
Doubt that will be the case now. Back then it was only a depression. They didn't have hyper-inflation as well. Like she said in the video, a dollar was a lot of money in those days, because it was still worth a dollar.
Mostly city folks ate like that. Appalachian people never missed a beat in the food department because they hunted and raised gardens. Grandad said he would see the headlines but didnt understand what they were talking about because it never effected their lives. You dont miss what you never had! Hope cakes for all.
ReplyDeleteR