LIVING ON THE "FAT OF THE LAND"

The information below was derived from a pamphlet that I found while cleaning out the attic.  The pamphlet was printing in 1941 and was titled "800 Ways to Save and Serve", which was designed to help Americans with the World War II effort. 

I find the information refreshing and sheds a little light on how my parents and family coped with the war.  Enjoy!

LIVING ON THE "FAT OF THE LAND"
It is estimated that, before the war, we threw about two billion pounds of kitchen fats into the garbage pail. We cannot afford that any more. Save all the vegetable and animal fats you don't need - drippings from deep fat frying, meats, bacon grease, etc. Melt, strain free of extraneous particles and store in tin cans not in cardboard containers. Keep in a cool place. When you have accumulated one pound or more, sell it to your butcher at the prevailing price. This fat is urgently needed for explosives.

To avoid waste in measuring shortening, use the water-level method. For example, if you need 1/2 cup shortening, fill a measuring cup to the 1/2 mark with water. Drop in shortening, push it under the water; continue until water reaches the I-cup mark. Drain off the water. For 3/4 cup of shortening, start with 1/4 cup water; for 1/3 cup, start with 2/3 cup of water, etc.

IMPROPER CARE SPOILS SEA FOOD
Don't spend money on good sea food only to waste it through im¬proper care before cooking. At room temperature fish and all other sea foods spoil in a few hours. Cook at once or wrap in waxed paper to keep odor from other foods, and store in the cold¬est part of your refrigerator.

THE DAIRY COUNTER
Save the butter! When you mix a sandwich spread, mix the butter with the spread, instead of putting it on the bread first.

Turn one pound of butter into two with the magic of gelatine. Here's how: Cut one pound of butter into small pieces. Let stand at room temperature until soft enough to beat. Soften one envelope of unflavored gelatine in 1/4 cup of cold water. Dissolve over hot water. Add dissolved gelatine and 1/4 cup cold water to one can (14-1/2 oz.) evaporated milk. Gradually whip milk into butter with egg beater or electric mixer until milk does not sepa¬rate. Add coloring if desired. Use as a spread-not for cooking.

Here's another "butter-stretcher": One pound butter plus two cups evaporated milk equals two pounds of butter, believe it or not. Bring the butter to room tem-perature and beat to a cream¬your egg-beater will do fine! Add two cups of evaporated milk, a lit¬tle at a time. Keep on beating until all the milk is absorbed. Chill to a solid, and you're twice as butter rich as before you read this.

You can get more cream from your milk by heating it lukewarm, then chilling it suddenly. More cream will come to the surface.

No more whipped cream? Nonsense! Light cream will whip if you can afford to spend a little time. Here's how: Dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoons plain gelatine in 1/4 cup cold water; dissolve over hot water. Pour 1 cup thoroughly chilled light cream into a fairly deep narrow bowl (deep enough so that cream covers 3/4 of the beater blades). Stir dissolved gel¬atine into cream slowly. Set bowl in pan of cracked ice and water; let stand for 5 minutes, stirring around edge several times. Leave bowl in ice and water; beat 5 minutes with rotary egg beater. The cream will be light and fluffy, but not stiff enough to peak. Let stand 2 minutes; cream will stiffen enough to peak. If stored in re-frigerator, stir with a fork before using.

-=Good Selling=-