May in Jersey

I don't have any old recipes but I do remember ration books during WWII. I did most of our family's food shopping and used the coupon books. Early Saturday mornings I would be on line at the butchers with my list of meats and coupon book. After the butchers I stopped at the open air fruit and veggies market and after lunch went to the A&P and Teddy's, our local market. We did try Spam but no one lived it as it was too salty. Meat servings were small and my mother did make a lot of starch dishes, rice with veggies, beans and greens, etc. and we always had bread to fill ourselves up with.

Sugar was rationed so we made due with brown sugarfor cake recipes, evaporated and/or condensed milk for coffee and Karo cane syrup for our pancakes. My Aunt Mary would call my mother to inform her that the sugar or coffee truck was making a delivery to her A&P and our A&P was the truck's next stop. My mother would send me runnig to our A&P to save her a space on line in front to the store.

We also missed having a chocolate bar every once in awhile.

Here's one that was popular during WWII, there are several versions - make it with nuts or without as most times we didn't have nuts. It's also called Depression Cake.

WAR CAKE

2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups hot water
2 tbsp shortening
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 lb raisins
1/2 lb chopped walnuts and/or almonds (optional)
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 tsp (5 mL) hot water

Boil together all ingredients but flour and soda in water, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, stirring often, gradually mix in flour and soda. Batter is thick. Bake 45 minutes at 350°F in two loaf pans.