British Wartime Food

British Shopkeeper cancelling coupons. April 1943 United States Office of War Information, Overseas Picture Division. In Britain, during the First World War, 1914 to 1918, queues for food had become dangerously long. A Ministry of Food was created to help with the homefront food situation, and rationing was introduced starting with sugar in December 1917,…

François Latry

Francois Latry was chef of the Savoy Hotel in London for 23 years. He was a favourite of the press on both sides of the Atlantic, and was pronounced to be the leading chef in Europe of his time.

Tagged With: British Food, British Wartime Food

Government Cheddar Cheese

During World War Two, the British government decreed that as part of war economies and rationing, only cheddar cheese made in a certain way would be available to the populace. All milk produced that normally went to make many different kinds of cheeses, went instead to factories to make the cheddar that became known as…

Tagged With: British Cheeses, British Wartime Food

Household Milk

Household Milk is a term that was used in Britain during the Second World War for government-issued powdered skim milk. It was actually labelled “Household Milk.” Rationing of liquid fresh milk had begun in Britain in November 1941. Distribution of the powdered milk called “Household Milk” began a month later in December. It was powdered…

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Marguerite Patten: English Home Economist and Wartime Food Consultant

Marguerite Patten c. 2000 at Glyndebourne © Judith Patten Life and Times Marguerite Patten has had a very long career in the United Kingdom, writing about and teaching about food. Though she turned 85 in 2000, she was still working on books and magazines, despite being struck by arthritis later in her years, which she…

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Mock Orange Juice

Mock Orange Juice (aka “Carolene”) was a recipe used during rationing in World War Two. It produces a liquid whose taste is reminiscent of orange juice. To make it, you peel and slice swede or turnip somewhat thinly, toss the slices in a few teaspoons of sugar, then let it stand overnight, covered. By the…

Tagged With: British Wartime Food, Juice

National Dried Milk

National Dried Milk was a powdered, full-cream milk fortified with vitamin D. It was intended for feeding to children at a time of milk rationing in England during World War Two.

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National Loaf

The National Loaf was a loaf of bread sold in the UK during World War Two. It was based on a form of whole-grain bread in order to make wheat imports go further.

Tagged With: British Wartime Food, Yeast Breads

National Margarine

Special Margarine. April 1943 United States Office of War Information, Overseas Picture Division. National Margarine was a national margarine commissioned by the British Ministry of Food during World War Two. There were actually two kinds of National Margarine: Special, and Standard. Both came in waxed-paper wrapped blocks. The Special cost more, 9d a pound, compared…

Tagged With: British Food, British Wartime Food

British Wartime Food

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