A taste of history: Thunder Bay historian cooks up recipes from WWI

A Thunder Bay historian is bringing the past to life in her kitchen by trying out recipes distributed in Canada during the First World War. 

It all began when she started researching First World War food control in the Lakehead, said Beverly Soloway, who teaches history at Lakehead University.

As her research deepened, she collected more and more recipes from the era, including some original cookbooks. 

"I like to cook," she said. "I had to try them. It is really cool to see the food, and taste the food."

Recipes preserve meat, flour, sugar

During the First World War, Canadians were being asked to cut back on certain foods, such as meat, flour, sugar and butter, so that more could be sent overseas, said Soloway.

Rather than rationing food, the government decided to employ other strategies to encourage people to cook with less, including a "massive poster campaign."

Women's organizations would also go door-to-door encouraging people to fill out pledge cards, declaring their commitment to save food, meant to be displayed in the windows of homes, in full view of their neighbours.  

"It was definitely persuasion and guilt," said Soloway.

Helpful recipes were also made available, she said, noting that in the former cities of Fort William and Port Arthur, menu ideas were published in the daily papers. 

Some recipes better than others

I think the worst one so far is what was called War Goose ... it sounded really gross to me.- Beverly Soloway

The recipes she's tried so far have yielded mixed results, Soloway said. 

One recipe for rice muffins that substitutes rice for white flour, turned out particularly well, she said. 

Others, like an icing recipe that uses corn syrup instead of sugar, were less enticing. In her review of the frosting Soloway called it "terrible," "overly sweet," and "semi-concrete-like."

"I think the worst [recipe] that I've seen so far is what was called War Goose," she said, explaining that it's a baked dish of liver, onions and potatoes, seasoned with sage. 

"Now, I'm not a liver eater, so maybe that's why it sounded really gross to me to start with," she said. "If I make it there's nobody in my house that will eat it.

"I do have a sister. She likes liver. So I may invite her over for supper and make that." 

Some of her research and recipe reviews are being recorded as part of the Thunder Bay Centennial Project, commemorating the First World War, said Soloway. 

• Thunder Bay Centennial Project commemorates WWI 

Eventually, she hopes to compile the research and recipes into a book.