Conference turris::cooks

    Way back in my college days in Orono Maine, I took a nutrition course. 
    One of the text books was a recipe book for people who received surplus
    foods.  (I think this was before the food stamp program.)  It was put
    out, I think, by the Health and Welfare Dept.  It was a wonderful book. 
    I still use it when I want to do something real basic.  A lot of the
    recipes called for dried scrambled eggs and canned meat (if you think
    Spam is bad, you should try this stuff: bleh!), so they are no longer
    useful.  At any rate, I would think that the book would have been
    updated or at least replaced.  I'll look at it tonight and see if it
    has any addresses in it.

    Can you list some of the ingredients that are available to these
    people?  I realize that the "food stamp" ingredients are what
    people normally see in stores (right?), but things like gov't
    surplus and food bank foods are what I'm unsure of.
    
    --Louise

    re: .1
    
    Well I remembered the book.  It doesn't have a date, but I got it in
    the early '70s.  It is called "Meals For Thrifty Families" and it is
    written by Lucy F. Sheive and Nellie Gushee.  It is Bulletin 557 from
    the Cooperative Extension Service - University of Maine at Orono.
    
    It is definately pointed at cooking with surplus foods, but maybe this
    Cooperative Extension Service also exists in other states and maybe
    they have updated bulletins.
    
    Hope this helps.

    I don't have the time or energy (or typing skills) to enter much from
    the book I have already refered to, but one of my most used recipes
    from it is for a shake and bake mix, which I will post in the next
    reply.
    
    debby

                       Shake and Bake Mix
             (for use on Oven-Fried Chicken or Fish)

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup dry milk
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon accent (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
few grains peper

Mix together and keep in covered jar ready for use.  You may want
to make this recipe in a larger quantity after you have tried it.


                    Corny-Oven Fried Chicken
Wash Chicken pieces.  Shake off excess water  and  shake  in  bag
with some of the Shake and Bake Mix.  Bake in 350-400 F oven on a
cookie sheet until tender (about 1 hour).


                        Corny Fried Fish
Coat fish with Shake and Bake Mix  and  bake  in  oven  like  the
chicken  or  fry  in a frying pan with fat until golden brown and
tender.

                    Pan Fried Fish or Chicken
Coat fish or chicken pieces by shaking in a bag wiuth some of the
Shake and bake Mix.  Fry in a frying pan using just enough fat to
keep pieces from sticking.  After browning, let simmer until well
done.

note:
    - I have found that 1 24 oz. container of cornmeal yields ap-
      prox. 4 cups
    - I have never added the accent
    - I have only tried the Oven Fried Chicken

    Not only do I donate food but my time also to our County food bank.
    I urge anyone who wants hands-on experience in helping those less
    fortunate to seek (or start) one in their areaa.  The food is donated
    primarily by area churches, although sometimes the actual recipients
    pitch in.
    
    We try to stock the basic protein, vegetables and fruit, however,
    we also get unusual items and they are much appreciated.  This past
    weekend someone donated boxes of tissues - they came in very handy
    with the flu season.  The area supermarkets, if approached properly,
    will donate "dated" goods and fresh fruits and vegetables.
    
    We will ask some of the recipients if they would like "(unusual
    item)" and often this is just the thing that makes their day and
    gives them a break from the tuna, beans, pasta, etc.
    
    Don't forget the "Matching Gift Program" if you give cash.
    
    

    Donating spices and such is a great idea!
    
    I usually bring a couple of boxes of stuff for the collection box for
    the local food pantry when I go to our synagogue (especially since one
    of my good DECcie friends helps to run it!), but it never occurred to
    me to bring spices or other "unusual" stuff.  I usually bring canned
    soup, instant mixes (scalloped potatoes, this week - was on sale!), or
    pasta.  My friend did mention that the people who use the food pantry
    (mostly abandoned women with small children, and mostly only for a
    short time until they get back on their feet) do not seem to want
    "oddball" items, or "yuppy" type foods.  Someone donated some cases of
    Dannon yoghurt (which I can't do anyhow since our collection box is not
    refrigerated) and most of it had to be thrown out because no one wanted
    it - which I found sort of surprising.  The big "seller" is canned
    Progresso soups (they're even good).  I will ask him if spices would be
    appreciated, next time I see him - I didn't know that food stamps
    wouldn't cover such stuff.  The people who use the food pantry might be
    sort of unusual in that the synagogue is in a relatively wealthy town
    (I don't LIVE in that town - can't afford it!), so there aren't,
    apparently, a lot of long-term poor people.  I imagine that a little
    cinnamon, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, and other
    non-oddball spices would probably be popular - and I definitely
    wouldn't have thought of bringing that kind of stuff.  (on the other
    hand, I don't imagine there would be too much call for more unusual
    stuff like crumbled jintan or Chinese star anise - I use a LOT of
    spaices, myself, and would have trouble cooking without them!)
    
    /Charlotte

    As .7 notes, many of the "customers" are single mothers with small
    children.  Not only do they spices donated to food banks, they need
    baby food!  They probably don't have food grinder or food processors to
    whir the food they get into edible baby food.  My father's church set
    one particular Sunday aside during the Christmas food drive to collect
    baby food only.  They asked that every *person* (especially the
    children) bring at least one jar of baby food, because babies are the
    forgotten poor.  This note and the church's action have made me think
    about what I donate!  --Susan

    Years ago when I lived in Massachusetts (I'm now married living
    in the UK) and was a struggling single parent I had a bad patch.
    If it had not been for the community fund for a few months one time
    we would have had little more than bread, beans, rice and a few
    other bits and pieces.  Not only did we go regularly for about 4
    months for a nice home cooked meal once a week and some social
    interaction but we were always presented with two or three really
    nice grocery bags on the way out.. I can't say strongly enough how
    many times the contents saved us.
    
    When I got back on my feet that year right after Xmas I started
    saving all my coupons for laundry items, toiletries and household
    products.  You see I'd known what it was like to have to wash
    everything in the house with bar soap, hair, clothes, cleaning..
    When my income tax rebate came that spring I took 100 dollars and
    all the coupons I'd saved and went to a super market that doubled
    them.  I bought 100 dollars worth of everything from laundry soap
    to cleaning and personal hygiene products and with my doubled coupons
    it was bags and bags worth!  I took them to the community centre
    the following week and so many people said that it *just* the sort
    of thing they needed so much.
    
    A hundred dollars was a small price to pay to return the kindness...
    and I'll never forget that kindness either...
    
    gailann