Recently, I undertook to curb my boredom by attempting to bake a date and walnut loaf using a recipe from an 80-year-old reproduction cookbook.
Published in Manchester, UK, in 1940, a year after the start of the Second World War, the cookbook entitled War-time cookery to save fuel and food value, was meant to provide housewives with economical kitchen tips to preserve energy as well as maximize wartime rationed food such as bacon, butter and sugar, all while providing nutritious meals to keep their family healthy and strong.
As the action happened
This little foray in historic cookery was chronicled on my Twitter feed. It recounts how this adventure all started, the snags I encountered along the way, the doubts, and the final verdict of how it turned out.
This was an adventure for several reasons, namely I’m not use to Imperial measurements! But that was quickly resolved thanks to a great website I found for converting kitchen measurements. This allowed me to continue with the recipe and took the guesswork out of the measurements.
Also, there is no oven temperature given in the recipe, just the instruction to bake in a ‘slow oven.’ After a bit of research, I found that a ‘slow oven’ is approx. 300-325 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m sure my Great-Grandmothers would have known exactly what that meant!
Why this recipe?
Why did I choose to make this particular recipe? For one, I consider any kind of loaf to be comfort food. I was also drawn to the date and walnut loaf because every Christmas my mom makes her grandmother’s walnut loaf recipe, and I wanted to compare the two recipes – one from generations ago and the other from 1940.
While not necessarily exciting or going to win any baking titles, the 1940 loaf was surprisingly delicious. I thought it might need a little sweet toping to help it going down better, but not so as the loaf was moist and flavourful.
The choice of this particular cookbook was my attempt at connecting with history, in particular an episode of the past which had such far-reaching impacts around the world. During the Second World War, food was considered a ‘weapon’ that could help will the war, and women seen as ‘housoldiers’ who played a critical role in the war effort on the home front.
Bonus recipe
Here’s a transcript of the recipe should you want to give it a try yourself!
Date and Walnut Loaf
- 1/2 lb. dates
- 1 teaspoonful bicarbonate soda
- 1/3 pint boiling water
- 1/2 lb. flour
- 2 ozs. margarine
- 3 ozs. sugar
- 1 level teaspoonful baking powder
- 1-2 ozs. chopped walnuts
- 1 egg
- Salt
Stone the dates and mince or chop them small. Sprinkle with the bicarbonate of soda, pour on the boiling water, and leave to soak. Rub fat in flour, add all other dry ingredients. Add date mixture when cool, and then beat egg. Put into two greased ½-lb. bread-tins, and bake for one-and-a-half hours in slow oven.
Thanks for your interest and keep in good taste, friends!
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