As happened last year, I'm deep into gardening season and there is so much to do--that has to be done with the way the food situation is in this country--that I don't have the time for researching and writing as I would like. I just have to run a few articles from a couple of years ago. And I don't even have time to update them. But as I reviewed the article posted below, I was reminded of the situation back then. What wouldn't we all give for the grocery store prices from back then!
I stopped by my local Grocery Outlet store yesterday on the way home
from the storage unit where Lydia and I had just taken a load of boxes
from the house in anticipation of our next move. We're trying to eat
through all the food in the house, but I still wanted to pick up some
fresh items like milk, eggs, and produce. Thankfully, those were easy
to come by, and prices weren't too inflated yet. But there were some
serious holes there, more than I'd seen ever before. (Mind you, I did
not visit any grocery stores as the panic shopping began in earnest.)
Of course, I wanted to check out all the aisles to get a true sense for
myself of what is going on. I think there was more empty shelf space
than food among the cereal, cookies, crackers, condiments, and baking
staples. Perhaps food is selling so well in regular stores that there's
little left for the outlets. The meats were pretty thin and the prices
were higher. All the cheese was priced about 15% higher than it was
just two weeks ago. The food situation in this country looks to be
getting a little sporty. I'm thinking the country's newfound interest
in baking is not going to be just a passing fancy.
Yesterday, one of the threads on a forum I frequent daily focused on
historic dishes born of tough times. Some I can't ever imagine eating.
Peanut butter and mayo sandwich? No, thank you, even if you do add in
bacon and pickles.
Sugar cream pie sounded a bit more palatable, and several people on the
thread commented on how much they or their grandparents had enjoyed this
simple dessert. It was a Depression-era staple made so easily from
food storage basics, so I thought I'd give it a try for my family.
Sugar Cream Pie
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup non-instant dry milk
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 9-inch pie shell, baked
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. In a medium saucepan,
combine dry milk and water and whisk until smooth. Bring mixture
nearly to a boil while adding in vanilla, butter, and cinnamon. Cook
over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
Immediately pour into baked pie shell and sprinkle with additional
cinnamon. Serve chilled.
Family reviews: This was actually pretty good, much to our surprise.
It's really pretty close to a pudding pie, and it would be super easy to
throw some fresh fruit or flavoring in to mix things up. We'll be
making this again.
I haven't heard of non-instant milk before. Or do you mean 'fresh' ?
ReplyDeleteThere are two kinds of dry milk powder--instant and non-instant. The names are fairly self-explanatory. Instant dry milk dissolves into the water as soon as the two are combined. The instant dry milk has more of a crystalline texture, almost as if there's air mixed into it. Non-instant dry milk is more of an actual powder and tends to be denser. It also requires a bit more effort to combine with water--whisking vigorously or mixing in a blender and often with warm water. The package the milk powder comes in will sometimes specify if it's instant or non-instant, but if not, the directions on how to mix it will clarify.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, this recipe could be used with either instant or non-instant dry milk. The recipe calls for 2 cups of water to combine with milk powder and I would presume the end result is 2 cups of milk. So just look at your package and measure the amount of milk powder needed to make 2 cups of milk. Or you could simply make it with 2 cups of fresh milk!
Absolutely! Use whatever milk you have. As I try to focus on using food storage items in our recipes, that's what this recipe calls for. If I had a cow--I'd use that fresh milk. If I had an operating dairy next door with a retail outlet out front, I'd use that. I have neither, and no prospects for such now or in the future, and the grocery store is many miles away, so in an emergency we'll be using powdered milk.
DeleteIs it served chilled or warm?
ReplyDeleteSorry! Chilled!
Delete