In a Pickle for the Fourth of July

This recipe is culled from a WWII cookbook that helped Victory Garden growers make the most of their produce. It's another example of saving money, and a good way to show some patriotic pride this July 4.

Sweet Cucumber Pickles (Short Process)

1 gallon cucumbers
6 cups sugar
1 tablespoon mixed spices
1 ½ quarts vinegar
1 cup water

Wash and dry fresh cucumbers. Cover with brine (1 cup salt dissolved in 1 gallon cold water). Let stand 24 hours. Drain. Puncture each cucumber in 2 or 3 places with needle. Simmer (do not boil) ½ of the sugar, the spices, vinegar, and water 30 minutes. Add cucumbers. Simmer 15 minutes. Let stand 2 days. Drain off the liquid. Pack the pickles in hot jars. Add the remaining sugar to the liquid. Boil 5 minutes. Pour, while hot, over the pickles and seal at once.

Your Victory Garden: What Goes Where?

Successful gardening requires some thought. Luckily there are plenty of guides online.

Better Homes and Gardens has a planting guide for an heirloom vegetable garden. And it's free (but you have to register with them). Heirlooms are old-fashioned, delicious vegetables and fruits that our grandparents were likely to grow - before science turned a tomato into a tasteless red orb more suitable for shipping than eating. Back the attack on high-cost groceries and start planning your planting.

Your Victory Garden: When do I Plant?

Spring's here. And if you want to save money a garden is a good place to start. During the War American families produced 40 percent of the nation's vegetables in their own backyards. We've posted tips on getting started. Here's a good guide from the American Gardening Association on when to plant your produce.

Your Victory Garden: Getting Started

The nation's oldest WWII Victory Garden is the Fenway Victory Garden in Boston. It's still going strong, the picture at left was taken during their produce contest last year. One of the reasons for its success is the sensible advice dispensed on the Fenway's website. Here's a page on tips to getting your own garden going. Though this guide's written for New England weather in mind, the knowledge is useful anywhere. Yes, you can!

What's Up, Doc?

Carrots are on the menu. A wartime recipe awkwardly entitled "Carrot Fudge" may be worth a go. Try it and post your results.

Ingredients:
Carrots
Gelatin
Orange essence

Directions:
Finely grate carrots and cook four tablespoons
Pour in just enough water to cover for 10 minutes.
Add flavoring with orange essence, grated orange rind or orange squash/cordial.
Melt a leaf of gelatin.
Add gelatin to mixture.
Cook quickly for a few minutes stirring all the time.
Spoon into a pan.
Leave to set
Cut into cubes

Two Cooks and a Cabbage

We forget that Britain was fighting two years before us. Here, a 1941 clip from across the Pond on how to cook cabbage. Nutritious and still cheap today.