A word from Jess about the Bacon Macaroni

This recipe uses very easily accessible ingredients, especially the vegetables that would have been grown in peoples own back gardens- this we discovered during the “hot pot” blog entry. Nutritionally this meal provides a well rounded meal, vitamins from the vegetables, protein and fat from the meat and carbohydrates from the macaroni. In relation to how it tasted the flavour was lacking but it was by no means unpleasant. Once again the style of the recipe is simplistic, taken from an informative recipe book for children this is what one would expect and it therefore does its job well.

Curiously pork was not the most rationed of meats as many set up “pig clubs” where by a group of people would work together to help feed a pig to then share the meat once it was butchered, many were even raised in empty cages at London Zoo. The Ministry of Food used their informative songs to remind the public of the value of pigs;

Because of the pail, the

Scraps were saved,

Because of the scraps, the

Pigs were saved,

Because of the pigs, the

Rations were saved,

Because of the rations, the

Ships were saved,

Because of the ships, the

Island was saved,

Because of the island, the

Empire was saved,

And all because of a

Housewife’s pail.

According Richard Moss; “The gentle art of persuasion and propaganda remained paramount. In 1944 the Ministry of Food Public Relations Division spent an astonishing £600,000 on posters and publicity.” It seems that any literary productions created by the Ministry were to send a message, the public needed support and knowledge and the Ministry would use their words to provide this.

http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/war+%26+conflict/world+war+two/art76042