Food born of struggle tells the story of how difficult times inspired some of the world's most memorable recipes. Families were able to use only simple, inexpensive ingredients, and to make each meal count, especially in times of economic hardship, wars, and food shortages. These imaginative creations put some flair in a modest selection of foods available in the pantry, inspiring guests around the table to sit up and eat.
Many of these recipes are still enjoyed today, such as egg drop soup, wacky cake, funeral potatoes, and kartoshka, none of which are made because the person needs to make it, but rather because it is a favourite family recipe! Let's delve into the incredible history behind these iconic dishes and see how necessity could help shape some of the world's most comforting dishes.
The History Behind Foods Born of Struggle
Many iconic comfort foods were created during periods of economic hardship, war, and food shortages when families had to make the most of limited ingredients. These resourceful recipes not only provided nourishment but also became treasured traditions that continue to be enjoyed around the world today.
From frugal to favourite
Some of the most delicious recipes originated out of necessity. When faced with a lack of certain ingredients, creative bakers scraped together whatever was in their larders so they could still put bread – or cake – on the table. Resourceful wartime cooks used both their rations and imaginations to come up with delicious meals, making each scrap of food stretch as far as possible. Here are some of the best dishes that arose from hardship and are now firm favourites.
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Egg drop soup
Eggs served as a valuable source of protein in 1930s America, when many families found meat too expensive. Egg drop soup, a simple take on a Chinese recipe, sounds quite fancy – but cooks prized it for being simple and relatively inexpensive, making it a staple in both homes and soup kitchens during the Great Depression.
The soup begins with potatoes and onions, which chefs gently brown to develop flavour, before they add water and seasonings to form a broth. Once the potatoes soften and break down, cooks crack in eggs and lightly scramble them, giving the soup body and texture. Nearly a century later, it remains as comforting and satisfying as ever.
Liver mush
Liver mush has an aptly descriptive name, as it's essentially pig livers, snouts and ears – plus cornmeal and spices – all mushed together. The dish has become deeply ingrained in North Carolinian culture and is most often fried and served as a breakfast side, or eaten cold between slices of bread. Historians believe it likely originated with German settlers who travelled through the Appalachians in the 1700s. During the Great Depression, people also called liver mush 'poor man’s pâté', replacing meat that was harder to afford.
Funeral potatoes
Funeral potatoes is a comforting casserole-style dish that originated in the Mormon communities of Utah; Mormon women traditionally prepared it and served it to grieving families after funerals. It's rich with comfort food essentials potatoes, soup, sour cream, butter and cheese – and finished with a crunchy cornflake topping. These ingredients proved practical during World War II, as they were long-lasting and easy to store, particularly in a culture that encouraged well-stocked pantries at all times.
The poor man’s meal
Hot dogs and potatoes remained relatively plentiful during the Great Depression and had a decent shelf life, which made them staples of many dishes born out of necessity across the USA. The poor man’s meal combined fried potatoes and onions, topped with sliced hot dogs – much like breakfast hashes, which people still eat (and crave) today.
Cape Cod turkey
The name is certainly not a giveaway. Cape Cod turkey doesn't contain so much as a turkey thigh or scrap of white meat. It's actually salt cod served in a creamy sauce and topped with boiled eggs and potatoes. The origin of the name isn’t known for certain, though a popular theory suggests that someone served it at Thanksgiving, when early New England settlers had little available beyond fish.
Wacky cake
Also known, less breezily, as a ‘chocolate Depression cake’, the wacky cake arose from a complete absence of essential baking ingredients, including butter and eggs – yet this creative solution somehow works. The dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda and, if available, cocoa powder) combine in the tin, then someone pours vegetable oil and vinegar into wells.
The baking soda and vinegar ‘meet’ while in the oven, helping the cake rise beautifully. Now, as vegan recipes become more prevalent, this cake doesn’t seem quite so wacky after all.
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City chicken
Chicken was much more expensive in the early years of the 20th century and often people regarded it as a luxury meat. So it's perhaps not surprising that city chicken, popular with urban workers in cities such as Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Louisville, contains no chicken at all. Cubes of pork (or sometimes veal) are skewered, then fried or baked to make this simple, satisfying snack. It fell out of favour, of course, when chicken became more widely available.
Kartoshka
Known, charmingly, as cookie-crumb potatoes, kartoshka don’t actually contain any potatoes at all. In Soviet Russia, industrial kitchens and canteens had to account for every scrap of food, and no crumb went to waste. Cooks repurposed those scraps into new creations such as these sweet, potato-shaped truffles made from biscuit or cake crumbs bound with butter, condensed milk and cocoa powder.
Meat and potato patties
These plump, juicy patties became popular in the US during World War II, when meat rationing meant people were constantly looking for ways to make it stretch further. Cooks mixed ground meat – usually beef, but often whatever was on hand with potatoes, chopped onions and any other vegetables that were available, creating a simple yet satisfying meal.
FAQs
1. What are some foods born of struggle?
The names "foods born of struggle" refer to the recipes developed during difficult times, like war, economic crisis or food shortage. They prepare simple, inexpensive recipes and offer nutritious, filling meals.
2. What caused wacky cake to become popular?
Wacky cake was popular during the Great Depression when eggs, butter and milk were scarce and costly.
3. What does the story of funeral potatoes tell us about?
Funeral potatoes were a Mormon tradition of the Utah area, created for the families who lost loved ones. They are also shelf-stable, which helped them to be useful during World War 2.
4. Why is city chicken chicken when it's made with pork?
City chicken was developed when the real-life chicken was too costly. The dish was cooked on a stick, which was either pork or veal, and was shaped to look like a chicken, hence its strange name.
5. How are food products of struggle still popular today?
They continue to be popular due to their popularity from cultural and historical perspective, easy to make, flavourful, and economical.
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