Depression Era Supper

Sweet Harold told me about a recipe shared on social media from The Farmer's Almanac. The recipe was for a Depression Era cake that had no eggs, butter or milk. I told Miz Betty, my mama, and she was intrigued as well.  

 

We had a long chat about food that she had eaten while a young girl during the 1930s. Unsurprisingly, the foods she mentioned were foods we enjoyed during my childhood in the 1960s. 

 

I asked my Facebook page followers what they considered Depression Era food. Again, the majority of answers were those same foods my family enjoyed.  

 

Before we get to dessert, I'll share recipes that are delicious examples of home cooking, no matter the era! 

 

First, we need to talk about salt pork or the names we used: fatback or white meat. Salt pork is the hard layer of fat under the skin of the back of the pig. You can find it in the meat case near the sausage and bacon or ask your local butcher. Fatback is perfect for seasoning beans and greens. Sometimes my mama would thinly slice it and fry it like bacon. I never knew she would buy it when bacon was too expensive.  On the contrary, when we had white meat, I thought that was an exotic treat. 

 

I used salt pork to season the pinto beans and the boiled cabbage. As a homage to my mama, I fried up a few slices to serve with the meal, precisely like many mothers did when other cuts of pork were too expensive. 

 

PINTO BEANS 

You can cook these inexpensive beans in various ways: slow cooker, stovetop, or InstantPot. Pour 1 pound beans into a large bowl. Sift through them, discarding any beans that are shriveled along with any debris.  

 

Fill the bowl up with enough water to cover the beans by at least 2 inches. Let them soak for 8 hours or overnight.  

 

Drain the beans and pour them into a Dutch oven. Cover with 8 to 10 cups of water. Add 3 or 4 pieces of salt pork cut into 1-inch cubes. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours.  

 

Taste the beans. They should be tender and creamy. If not, let them cook for another 15 to 30 minutes until fully cooked. Seasoning with the salt pork, you may or may not need to add additional salt. 

 

BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD 

For those searching for a tried-and-true cornbread recipe, this is the one. No flour, no sugar, no extra anything. 

2 cups of self-rising white cornmeal 

2 cups buttermilk 

2 T bacon grease 

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, add cornmeal and slowly stir in buttermilk until it's well blended. Put the bacon grease in a cast-iron skillet and heat it over medium heat until a drop of the batter sizzles.  

 

Pour the batter into the skillet and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest in skillet for a few minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. 

 

BOILED CABBAGE 

While any type of "greens" is perfect with beans and cornbread, my favorite is boiled cabbage. You can season with either bacon or salt pork drippings. 

 

1 medium green cabbage, outer leaves removed 

Water 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

1 to 2  bacon T.

 

Using a sharp knife, remove the cabbage core and quarter the remaining cabbage, then cut each quartered piece in half. Put the cabbage pieces in a 3- or 4-quart Dutch oven and fill with water until the cabbage is almost covered.  

 

Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt and grind the black pepper over the top. Add the bacon drippings and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours until the cabbage is very tender. 

 

STEWED POTATOES 

This is a nice change from fried potatoes, one of my mama's specialties, and one of my favorite comfort foods. 

6 to 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 

Water to cover 

1 t salt .

2 T. flour 

4 T. water 

3 T. butter 

1/2 cup milk 

Salt and pepper to taste 

 

Place potatoes in a medium saucepot, cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Mix the flour and water in a small bowl. Gently add the flour/water mixture into the pot with the potatoes and cook for a few minutes to thicken the liquid. Add butter, milk and salt/pepper. If you need to reduce the sauce a little, add more flour. If it becomes too thick, add more water or milk. 

 

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