War Meals

From The Cambria Daily Leader, 28th November 1916.

WAR MEALS.

A Middle-class Servant Problem and War Economy.

THERE must be a very large a number of housewives who, in their patriotic efforts to practice what the War Savings Committee are continually preaching, the "one meat meal per day" regimen, find themselves “up against” a very serious servant problem.  It appears that the average servant cannot or will not make vegetable dishes interesting and palatable, either because conservative ideas about what is really a respectable meal and a personal liking for meat two or even three times a day hold her in thrall, or owing to the fact that vegetarian and non-meat dishes need more careful preparation and cooking.  It is an undeniable fact that the “plain cook” likes plain dishes, which in plain language as she understands it mean dishes that require practically no trouble and little skill in the preparation.  The plain joint and the plain boiled potato generally meet all her ideas and ideals so far at least as the main course goes.

It is a real difficulty.  British prejudice in the matter of food is well known, but it is essential as matters stand to- day that there should be a radical change in diet; and in the transition stage mistresses are bound to suffer from the vagaries of their maids.  In fact, the home where the food revolution is affected with least trouble is likely to be the maidless one, where the mother is her own cook, or the “one maid house,” where the one maid is the housemaid in the widest sense of the word, and the housemistress her own “kitchen-maid.” Meatless dishes certainly require long and careful cooking, but though with an old-fashioned unreliable coal range they are troublesome to prepare, with a gas cooker, the heat of which can be so regulated that a stew over the simmering burner can be left to cook itself for hours, especially if this invaluable kitchen adjunct be supplemented by a labour and gas-saving “hay-box,” such difficulties quickly disappear.

A FEW RECIPES. 

There are all sorts of pleasing meatless dishes which can be prepared at very little cost by anyone who is willing to take enough trouble to make them a success.  Let me give a few examples:—
Maccaroni and Apples.-Boil 4 ozs. thin maccaroni in boiling milk with 2 ozs. sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, and a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon.  Drain and put round a dish.  Have ready six stewed apples, cut into halves and quarters, heap in centre of dish and pour custard over.
A nourishing soup and bread followed by this dish would make a very good “meatless meal,” that is, a “jointless meal,” as distinct from a strictly vegetarian diet, for it is not vegetarianism that the Government has been preaching, but economy in the use of meat, a fundamental fact housewives seem not yet to fully appreciate.  It is a question of spreading your “butter” — or in this case, your flesh meat — a little thinner than in the past days of plenty.

Maccaroni, of course, can be used to form the basis of a number of savoury dishes; the great thing to remember is that it must be thrown into boiling water, and that directly it comes to the boil again it must be moved on to the simmering burner, where it will take 25-35 minutes to cook.  If it is hot, but “off the boil,” it will not spoil if left in the haybox for an hour or more.

Cheese and Nut Savoury is another economical and palatable dish. One breakfast cup of grated cheese is mixed with the same amount of grated walnuts and grated breadcrumbs and a little chopped parsley, moistened with a little water and lemon juice, spread in a low dish and baked lightly.  This is a good way of using up stale bread and stale cheese.  (The walnuts can be bought at some shops ready prepared.)

Potatoes left over from the meat meal are an ingredient of another useful dish, Lentil Sausage.  Boil ½lb. Egyptian lentils for about half-an-hour just covered with water; when soft mash them, add the mashed potatoes and some chopped fried onions, and mix well. Form into sausages, dip into white of egg or milk, and fry.

VARIETY THE SPICE OF LIFE. 

Such dishes could be almost infinitely multiplied, and the experienced housewife will herself discover variants of the more familiar ones. For sameness in a vegetarian diet must be avoided; and since economy is the motive and not dislike of animal food, it is, of course, quite permissible to flavour the dishes with any meat or gravy that happens to be handy. The national taste cannot be altogether neglected.  Bits of bacon and scraps of ham, for instance, make a pleasing addition to vegetables.

THE PLACE OF SOUP IN THE DIETARY. 

It is hardly necessary to remark on the need for keeping bones and scraps for making stock; but it must be pointed out that soup should not be served in spoonfuls as a kind of appetiser, but should be an important item in the dietary.  It can be made a very nourishing food by the addition of various thickenings to meat and vegetable boilings from beans and peas, etc.  Flour, oatmeal, rice, barley, potatoes, bread, and so on, are all useful thickenings.  Forced meat balls dropped in soup add flavour, as does grated cheese, while where there are hungry children "baby dumplings" may be added.  Soup of this nourishing nature is very useful, as we have seen, for the meatless meal.

WHICH SHALL BE THE MEATLESS MEAL? 

It is rather a vexed question as to when this meatless meal should be taken. A light lunch is perhaps the ideal, but where there are children the principal meal has to come in the middle of the day, and so to avoid to sets of heavy cooking the evening meal should be a light one.  It is easy to make the dishes suggested when the bulk of the cooking is being done, and then re-heat them when needed; or the hay-box is very valuable for the long, slow cooking required, as also for father's meat dish if he is not home at mid-day.  If, then, the rule is that the meatless meal comes at night for the children's sake, the man of the family may have to go to » restaurant for a substantial mid-day dinner; but this will be cheaper than cooking two big meals at home—cheaper in fuel, food materials, time and energy.

THE ENGLISH BREAKFAST. 

A word about breakfast.  The Continental habit is repugnant to the average English mind, but it is really unnecessary extravagance if there is to be a substantial mid-day meal to indulge in the heavy meat breakfast that used to be so prevalent.  Oatmeal porridge, with crisp toast to induce proper mastication and teethwork, together with brown bread, margarine, and jam or marmalade provides a satisfying and nourishing meal for children and adults alike.  Porridge is not difficult to prepare; in a double saucepan it can be left to cook over the gas without any fear of burning, or it can be boiled for a few minutes overnight and then put into the haybox to cook all night, and only needs a few minutes' re-heating in the morning.