Food in War Time - Vegetarian Recipes for 100 Inexpensive Dishes: And Helpful Suggestions for Providing Two Course Dinners for Six People for One Shilling

By George W. Hall

Originally published during WWI, this is one of the early vegetarian cook books, issued to help deal with rationing and the meat crisis. It contains many recipes and much advice that is still of practical use and interest today. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Vintage Cookery Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: Hints On Food Soups Vegetable Stock Lentil Dishes Brown Lentils Rice Dishes Haricot Dishes Macaroni Dishes Nut Dishes Cheese Dishes Miscellaneous Dishes Curries Vegetables Sweets Pastry Salads Sauces Porridge Egg Dishes Explanations and Suggestions Menus For A Fortnight

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Mar 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9781446546390

Book preview

Simple Hints on Food

Food is required by the animal body for three purposes:—

(1) To build up the bodily structure.

(2) To generate force.

(3) To maintain heat.

The human body is composed of about three-fourths water and one-fourth solids; and water is contained in varying quantities in different foodstuffs.

The bodily structure is built up largely of albuminous or nitrogenous elements, and food rich in these elements is necessary for growing animals or children.

Heat and force are supplied by the carbonaceous elements in the form of starches, sugars, or fats.

The following table indicates the respective values of some typical foodstuffs :—

The cost has been based on normal prices ruling in June, 1914. Haricots, Lentils, and other pulse foods closely resemble Peas in composition.

Beef and Eggs are comparatively dear foods owing to the large proportion of water. Mutton, Fowl, and Fish resemble Beef, and lean meat contains more water.

It will thus be seen that what one lives upon is largely a matter of habit, as the elements of food can be obtained from a variety of sources. People who eat butcher’s meat are really living upon vegetable food at second hand. The animal has added no single food element, but has really utilized some portion of the food to sustain its own body.

Whole nations have lived for centuries on food such as the cereals and pulses, and many persons in England are, from choice, living on the products of the vegetable kingdom.

Cereals, pulses, nuts, etc., can be made into wholesome and tasty dishes sufficiently nutritious to sustain any kind of worker—physical or mental, and the successes of many well-known athletes on a non-flesh diet prove the sufficiency of such foods.

A greater quantity of food is not required if butcher’s meat is omitted from the dietary. An excess of food impairs the digestive functions, and is at the root of the demand for patent medicines.

It is not the quantity of food eaten that nourishes us, but the quantity digested; and just as a fire can be smothered by an excess of fuel, the action of the digestive organs can be interfered with by an excess of food.

All vegetable foods should be thoroughly masticated before swallowing. Few persons pay proper attention to mastication of food, or remember that the process of digestion begins in the mouth. The particles of food should be broken up by the teeth and well mixed with the salivary juices. These juices contain an active chemical principle which partly digests the food before it reaches the stomach. A piece of bread that has been chewed for a minute or two is chemically changed, besides which the digestive juices can more easily attack it in the stomach. The human stomach is not adapted to deal with lumps of unmasticated food.

The recipes which follow have been carefully selected by a member of the London Vegetarian Association, who has endeavoured to select foods that will provide the utmost nourishment at the lowest price, and by the judicious use of herbs, onions, etc., to give dishes with the essential quality of tastiness.

A little study of these recipes and of the nutritive value of foods will enable any intelligent housewife to adapt herself to circumstances and more easily fill the many mouths she has to consider.

The Secretary of the London Vegetarian Association, Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, E.C., on receipt of a stamp, would gladly send further information about the foods used in this book. (See advertisement).

C. W. FORWARD

SOUPS

1. PEA SOUP

Braise 3 sliced onions in nut fat, then add 3 pints of water (preferably rice or macaroni liquor). When warm add lb. of yellow split peas (it is not necessary to soak them); boil up and add 2 turnips, 2 carrots, and if available a few stalks of celery all cut into dice. After the soup has come to the boil turn down the gas and simmer for about 2 hours or until the peas are quite soft. The soup should be fairly thick; if too stodgy add a little more stock or water. Boil up before serving and add a dessertspoonful of dried mint that has been rubbed to a fine powder.

(Green split peas used instead of yellow ones make