Those Home Baked Beans...

THOSE HOME BAKED BEANS

Anyone who has been grocery shopping lately, has surely noticed the increased price of food.

Back during the depression some of the foods products which are now more expensive, were inexpensive then, such as the old american standby, hamburger often used in meals then, & creamed chip beef on toast which now is expensive.
Mama was noted for her baked beans, & at family get togethers was asked to bring them. I am not sure what all those marvelous ingredients were that made them so delicious, but do know that brown sugar, possibly catsup & I know thck strips of bacon on top come to mind. What ever she did to them, they were indeed delicious.

One of our favorite snacks was created by mama. She took cabbage leaves & spread peanut butter on them & rolled them up like miniature green cigars.Since sponsors for the radio programs put on for the younger generation, with the idea being, that the kids would ask their parents to buy those particular products.

Now we see the same thing happening on television. There was Little Orphan Annie, sponsored by Ovaltine, (I still buy it & love to drink it.) Like the little boy in the movie "The Christmas Story", I too sent off for the Decoder pin o write down the secret message. Then there was Jack Armstrong, the all American boy, which might have been sponsored by Wheaties. I know their slogan was "Wheaties, the breakfast of champions. I don't remember if Kellogs had any programs, but Rice Crispies with Snap, Crackle & Pop, characters was a popular cereal.

One dish mama made that I can't say I cared much for, was Kidney stew! I'm sure that was probably one of the cheaper cuts of meats as well. Moms during the depression had to use different ways to stretch food for a couple of meals.

Occasionally when we lived in the small town of Freemont, men would stop by & ask for food, & would offer to work for it. Mama never turned anyone away, & would bring them something outside to eat. I was intrigued by the movie Kit Kidridge where the hobos or otherwise called knights of the road left signs where there were people who would share with them a bite to eat.
One man I remember who stopped by our house, impressed my mom because he was a well educated man who was traveling about trying to find work.Like most women of the day, mama leaned how to can food.

Being a city gal, born & raised, she might have learned from my dad's mom who having had 11 children, was an experienced canner. Canning was done in glass jars made by Ball. People canned things like tomatoes, corn, green beans & peas, & fruit such as pears, peaches & applesauce.I also remember pickles being soaked in brine in a large ceramic type jar, which gave off the most delicious smell of dill & whatever else it had in it.

Of all the depression foods though, mama's baked beans were my favorite.