Cooking in the army is a key job and a skilled one...

Taken from "Woman in Uniform" by D Collett Wadge (1946 - Page 126)

"Cooking in the army is a key job and a skilled one.  Complete and first class training is given under qualified experts and the intelligent, physically fit woman, even if she is a beginner, is accepted for this work.  The training at her cookery training centre starts with lectures and practical experience in making a few simple dishes and then goes on to teach her how to cater and cook for large numbers.  At the end of this course students pass out as classified cooks and are entitled to additional pay according to their qualifications.  Qualified cooks now wear a distinguishing badge on their right arm of their tunic - a "C" in a wreath".

Mock Mayonnaise or Salad Cream

2 qts white sauce (fairly thick)
1 tin milk
1/2 qt vinegar (? could be half pint)
2 oz mustard
Salt and pepper to taste


Method
 Make a white sauce and cool, well mix the mustard, salt and pepper with the vinegar, slowly mix in white sauce, lastly adding the milk.

Porridge

7 lbs rolled coats or oatmeal
Salt to taste
8 galls water
(4 tins milk diluted
3 lb Sugar - serve separately)


Method
Boil water, add salt, sprinkle in oats or oatmeal, stirring well to prevent lumps.  Rolled oats require 20 mins cooking, oatmeal requires 1 hour.

Batter for Fish Frying or Meat or Bread Fritters

1lb Flour
1oz Yeast
1 oz Brown sugar
1 oz Salt (? unit for amount is difficult to read)
Water as required


Method
Sift flour, salt and sugar, dilute yeast in a little water (tepid).  Add to centre of flour, sprinkle with flour, cover with a clean cloth, allow to prove in warm place app. time 30 mins.  The mix all ingredients with sufficient water to make a paste to well coat the back of a spoon.

Before the War

Jose was working as a cook before the onset of the war in 1939.  She worked for the socialites Lord and Lady Docker, who resided in Coleshill House in Buckinghamshire.  It was in Coleshill where she met Sidney Brackley, my grandfather.

Update 2010

I will be continuing, after a long period, to complete this blog over the next few months.  There is still plenty of material left in my Grandmothers training note book for many more posts.  I have also decided to try out a number of the recipes.  Many of the cakes were regular Sunday tea treats, so it will be a trip down memory lane.

What is this blog about? UPDATE

Extract from the introduction for new readers.

"During 1942 my Grandmother Jose Axtell (aged 21) became one 200,000 women to be conscripted into the Auxilary Training Services (ATS). The ATS was the women's branch of the British Army during the second world war. After the National Service Act of 1941, it became compulsory for unmarried women between the ages of 20 to 30 to join one of the auxilary services. This included Princess Elizabeth, our future Queen, who was trained to drive military vehicles during 1945.

Jose became a member of the ECTC or emergency catering training core. During 1942, she trained for three weeks in Honiton, Devon at the Catering Training Core facilities. After her initial training she moved to the Colchester Garrison where she cooked meals for the troups. Colchester was targetted on many occasions during the blitz between 1942 and 1944.
In April 1944, Jose married Sidney Brackley of Coleshill. Their first child Gillian Mary (my mother) was born two days after VE day in May 1945. Their second child, Ernest John was born two and a half years later. However, died when he was nearly four in an unfortunate accident. Wendy Elizabeth was born during 1955 and became my mother's little sister.

This blog is based on her training notes during her three weeks in the E.C.T.C at Honiton. It includes the recipes that were cooked for the troups and notes that were important for her overall training. "

*Updated 21 Dec 2008

Other Recipes

Harricot Bean Au Gratin
10 lbs Cooked beans
2 qts White Sauce
1 lb Grated Cheese
1/2 lb Margarine

Method
Mix beans with white sauce, place in greased pie dish or baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and melted margarine, brown quickly in hot oven.

Harricot Beans in Tomato Sauce
10 lbs Cooked beans
2 qts Tomato sauce
1 lb Brown bread crumbs
1/2 lb Margarine

Method
Same as for beans au gratin.

Cornish Pasties
12 lb Raw meat
4 lbs Onions
4 oz Chopped parsley
12 lb Cooked potaoes
Salt and pepper to taste
12 lb Savoury pastry

Method
Pass meat though mincer, chop onions, sweat down and cool. Dice potatoes, add seasoning and mix all ingredients well together. Roll out pastry 1/8 " thick, cut out in rounds, allow 3 oz mixture for each pastry. Wet the edges, fold over, seal well, wash with milk, bake in moderate oven for 35 minutes.
Note
Cooked meat can also be used, but does not require so long in oven.