In an effort to embrace the spirit of things, I am attempting to make a sort of game or challenge out of being as frugal as possible, as if either it were Woody Guthrie days of the 30s, or I think we are going into a new Depression now and I might as well get used to it.
On the menu this week was my first ever split pea soup. Made it with ham hocks because there’s bone to simmer and because they are cheap- maybe $3 for 1.5 lbs. They actually have a fair amount of meat on them, and plenty of yummy fat if you are into that, but that meat is rather inconvenient before cooking. Simmer it in a crock pot for 10 hours on low using roughly this recipe, only liberal quantities of hock plus a little potato, however, and they pretty much fall apart and extracting the bones is a snap.
The whole thing cost in the neighborhood of $10 for a crock full of meat and [del]bean[/del] pea stew. It would be even cheaper if I grew my own herbs, which I am actually going to do. I already bought the seeds.
That’s my example. I bet a lot of clever dopers will have a suggestion or two for what miserly meals to add to the Depression menu.
My mother was a child of the depression, living on a very small farm in South Dakota. She often prepared a meal from her childhood:
creamed potatoes (and creamed peas if in season) and boiled eggs. Sometimes she would add cheese and sausage slices.
She said that it brought back memories that were actually good, because at least on the farm they could raise their own food and have something to eat.
My dad was in grade school when the market crashed. He said they sometimes ate “Chicken of the Tree,” i.e. squirrel. They also had rabbit in the rotation, but I learned somewhere that people can’t get enough fat from it to rely solely on rabbit. Mom remembered it as well. She used to pinch pennies by feeding us chipped beef gravy (SOS) or pancakes. Mom’s mom used to make these dumplings…another trick to stretch the budget with flour, fill people up. Both of their families had their own chickens, gardens, canned produce for winter. Before they married, sometimes the date was to go fishing.
A month or so ago before I went into quarantine, I had a different thought process along the lines of, “since it is the end of the world, I might as well get some of this canned stuff for my cat.” He flips out for all of the flavors and so I can’t be sure if there is a true preference, but I liked to imagine that the rabbit meat cat food was his favorite because it is basically what he wants to chase down and eat raw, daily. If I were to breed rabbits, the cat would ascend straight to heaven.
But I am more of a gardener than a rancher, we’ll see. I have the skills and tools to build rabbit pens if it comes down to it, but we’ll see. Dr Girlfriend grew up on a farm; I think I should run it past her before I decide anything.
Also, if we are going to go full 21st century Depression protein, it should probably be crickets.
I would not have thought of that! That’s the kind of recipe I would try.
You’ll never believe that I got a few texts from my ex gf in Arkansas. She doesn’t live on a farm exactly, but she is on some acres with a pond full of fish, and chickens that lay eggs daily, and a freezer full of meat from last season’s hunting… Just wanted to remind me of what a townie I am, I suppose.
I don’t have a cat, but when the shelter-in-place began, I figured why deprive myself. I had pizza (a really good one from a local place, not the crappy chain pizza) the other day and had fish and chips (also from a local store) before that.
Might as well post some real depression recipes which might come in handy in the months to come. All those pampered McMansion princesses will be dialing Applebees and Olive Garden in vain.
Last week I cooked ramen noodles with some leftover vegetables (frozen peas, carrot, broccoli) . Sliced up some leftover cold cuts and tossed them in. mixed well and got two meals out of it. Ramen isn’t traditional Depression food, it’s more 1980 and beyond…if you can find any, all the ramen noodles have been swept from the grocery store shelves the last month. Who knew.
My and MrsRico’s parents all weathered the 1930’s with barrels of potatoes. At least my dad grew up on a poultry ranch with a little walnut grove but most of the birds, eggs, rabbits, and nuts had to be sold. MrsRico’s dad recalls San Francisco’s “chicken of the sea” ie gulls. Her mom worked a potato chip factory and brought home breakage.
What does a good 2020 depression larder contain? Oats, which the English fed to horses but the Scots sustained themselves. Whatever other grains are available. Any peas, beans, lentils, other legumes that can be found. If you have garden space, plant potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, cabbage, herbs. Raise rabbits and goats. Up here in the Sierras we could easily trap squirrels, turkeys, deer, and the occasional bear.
Also brew beer, vint fruit wine, and distill strong stuff. That’s traditional.
