One of the items I first found when I started going through Gertrude’s things was the meat grinder. I remember Gertrude made her own ground beef. She would have the butcher sell her the lean cuts of meat. She refused to pay for FAT! Yes, in those days, a butcher owned their own business.
When she got the meat home she would trim off any remaining fat before she would grind it up. She made the best meat loaf. I wish I knew what she put into it. Breadcrumbs and eggs were ingredients but I have no clue what the seasoning were.
The other item I remember she made was ham salad. Every Easter, she bought a huge ham, big enough to feed a small army. She would take every last bit of meat off the ham bone and send them through the grinder. Then she added pickle relish and mayonnaise. It was so good that I could not wait for the next time we had a ham.
Gertrude did NOT served very much, meat, so when she had meat she knew ways to use every scape. We had lots of leftovers. Waste not want not was her motto. I’m sure that living through the depression and rationing during WWII made her even more thrifty.
I have a 1940’s Department of Agriculture booklets that gave housewives the information necessary to feed her family on a very tight budget. Potatoes, rice, and macaroni were staples for most meals. Vegetables in season and fruits were included in large quantities. Canning was essential to have fruits and vegetables during the winter. Grocery stores did not have fruit flown in from other countries. Except for bananas, everything was locally grown. Meatless meals were common with beans and lentils were used a great deal. Breakfast included
oatmeal, farina, malt-o-meal and if you were in the South, grits. I never had grits until I went to college in Virginia. They are not my favorite but my one daughter loves them.
When I grew up there were no frozen foods or prepared meals. We ate real food, freshly prepared. I remember the first time my mother used a cake mix.
Our diets have changed so much in a relatively short period of time. I do not think it has been for the good.
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