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In reply to the discussion: What odd, old-timey thing did your grandparents do to their food? [View all]laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)My grandmother grew up during the depression and was very creative with food. Because they were poor farmers, she always had a huge garden and grew her own, as well as picking berries constantly and canning them. Generally dessert was wild blueberries or raspberries with brown sugar and evaporated milk, or some kind of cake cooked with the same berries (or rhubarb). But my mom says that my grandmother insisted there HAD to be dessert every night, so every once in awhile, if there was no fruit available, say in the middle of winter, and my grandmother hadn't baked a cake or anything, she would make chocolate macaroni. The noodles were cheap, and once they were cooked, you just add butter, sugar, cocoa power and a splash of milk. My mom made it for us a couple of times and as kids we LOVED it, but I tried it a few years ago and now, not so much.
We also used to eat (homemade, garden grown) canned tomatoes and dip homemade bread in the juices. Or pick rhubarb and dip it in sugar and chew away. Or green onions dipped in salt were good too.
My dad does the chicken bone thing too. I remember as a kid getting in trouble for 'wasting' the cartilage. His side of the family also eats boiled wheat berries (in the cooking liquid with honey). It's a cultural thing for them so my parents also did it. All of my friends used to look at us like we were crazy when we'd eat boiled wheat.