It is
impossible to avoid Thanksgiving, even if one lives on the other side of the
world, in a country which does not celebrate the day. Every food corner of
cyberspace is stuffed with remarks and advice and recipes for the occasion, so
that every non-USA corner of the world lives through Thanksgiving vicariously –
which may or may not be a bad thing.
In previous
years on this blog I have attempted to assist, inspire, or amuse my American
friends with Thanksgiving food stories (see the links below), and today is no
exception. Today, for those of you who don’t care for pumpkin pie (don’t they
take your citizenship away for that?), or are tired of it after using up your
Halloween lantern innards - I give you Pumpkinless Pie, and remind you of
Gingerless Gingerbread.
Our story begins with a short article in The New York Times in November, 1917:
Camouflage
pumpkin pie has made a big hit with the men on an American naval vessel,
according to an announcement made today by the National Emergency Food Garden
Commission, which has its headquarters in Washington. It appears that in an
effort to help food conservation, Mrs. G.M. King of 241 William Street, East
Orange, N.J sent to the commission her pumpkinless pie recipe. The commission gave
it to the crews, and among those who read it was Paul R. Wallace, a
second-class baker on a vessel in the Navy. Wallace wrote Mrs. King this
letter:
My Dear Mrs.
King:
After having
tried your recipe for pumkinless pie which was very much published in the
papers, I would be very much pleased and appreciate very much if you could give
me a recipe fore gingerless gingerbread, I am a baker in the United States
Navy, and tried your recipe on 500 pie-hungry men of Uncle Sam’s Navy. The only
kick they had to make was there was not enough. Ray Eaton, who is head baker on
this ship and myself are specializing on economy in the navy during these hard times, as are
the folks at home, and the reason I ask you for this gingerless gingerbread is
this: Some time ago we were asked to make gingerbread “without” molasses,
ginger, spices, and butter, so Eaton and I thought you might have some sort of
camouflage that would help us out. Very truly yours,
Paul R.
Wallace, U.S.S. ___
Mrs .Wallace
did indeed come up with the requested recipe, which has been in the GingerbreadArchive for some time, but never had its own post. I repeat it here, and follow
it with her recipe for the pumpkinless pie.
Pumpkinless Pie.
Scald one
quart milk: add scant cup of Indian meal and a little salt. When cold add two
eggs, cinnamon and ginger to taste, sweeten with brown sugar. Put a little
cream or milk on top and bake.
Gingerless Gingerbread.
Dissolve two
cups of brown sugar in a little black coffee and add one dessertspoonful of
soda. Add four tablespoons of nut oleomargarine, two tablespoons of lard, a
little salt, then one scant cup of hot black coffee, and last, but not least,
pepper to taste. Take one cup of graham and three cups of wheat flour and roll
it out about one inch thick.
It seems to
me that the Navy should have offered Mrs Wallace some sort of civilian medal
for her service to the war effort.
Some Previous Thanksgiving Stories.
Erma Bombeck.
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