1938 Cookery

My Mother (who has been a great help all through this project) works at the Glastonbury Rural Life Museum http://www.culture24.org.uk/sw000123, this got me thinking about 1938 food. The BBC ‘

In both the town and countryside, a boy with an air rifle could make money from pigeons or rabbits:-

To cook a pigeon
Remove feathers and skin, cut off head and feet, clean, put in the body a piece of butter the size of a walnut, 2 teaspoonfuls of any sauce (H.P, O.K, etc), a dash of pepper and salt.
Make a suet crust, roll out thin, place the pigeon on it, with a thin slice of bacon on the breast, roll the crust over the bird to shape. Bake it and baste with bacon fat or butter. This keeps the bird moist.

Stewed Rabbit
1 rabbit
3 cloves
¼ lb of bacon, 2 onions
Salt, pepper, ¼ pint milk
Split the head, soak with the neck in cold, salted water for ½ hour, dry them; cut the rabbit in to nice servings and the bacon in to little pieces.
Place with the seasoning in a pan, cover with water or stock. Simmer for 1½-2 hours or till tender. Mix flour with milk, stir gently until it thickens.
N.B- The rabbit may be fried brown in a little dripping if desired.

Pease Pottage
12oz peas
butter
4oz spinach,
mace or nutmeg to flavour
1 small onion, mint or pea tendrils
1 pint of stock
Peel and chop the onion and soften in the butter, add the peas and stock and simmer for 15 minutes, add the spinach and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes. Sieve or liquidise when cooked. Reheat before serving, garnish with mint, pea tendrils and a dab of butter.

Somerset Fritters

1 egg, 1 tablespoon of flour, milk to mix (¼ pint), peeled and chopped eating apples.

Make a thick batter, heat your griddle or frying pan and use a little butter or oil to prevent the mix sticking. Fold the chopped apple in to the fritter mix and spoon the mixture into the pan with a tablespoon. Turn over when the fritter becomes solid. These should be sprinkled with sugar and eaten as soon as they are cooked.

Courgette (or any other vegetable) Fritter
1 courgette, 2 chopped spring onions
2 tbsp self raising flour, 1oz grated cheese
1egg, beaten;  seasoning
Grate the courgette and mix with the spring onions, flour, cheese and egg. Mix all together and season.
Heat a large griddle or frying pan with a little oil or butter. Place heaped tablespoons of the mixture in the pan and cook for 2 ½ minutes or until brown. Turn over and cook the other side for a further 2 ½ minutes.Turn Back Time: The High Street, The 1930s’ also gave me some ideas. Here are some cooking recipes that people may have used.