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.

Haversack Rations

When soldiers or A.T.S are away from camp for some considerable time a meal is issued in the form of a Haversack Ration. The main hot meal being issued on arriving or returning to their destination. With the daily rations issued a good Haversack Ration can be made. The following will help in the making of the Haversack Ration.

Sandwich Fillings
Ham and beef etc
Ham and beef mince
Meat roll or preserved meats
Luncheon sausage
Liver paste
Bacon and sausage
Cheese
Cheese paste
Cheese and tomato
Cheese and lettuce
Fish paste
Salmon
Jam, marmalade or syrup

Cakes and Pastries
Small Cakes
Yeast buns
Turnovers etc
N.A.A.F.I (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) cakes
Unit made cakes
Savoury pasties
Cornish pasties
Bacon pasties
Sausage rolls
Meat rolls
Meat pies
Pork pies

Miscellaneous
Various fruit if obtainable
Chocolate
Smiths crisps
Smiths nuts and raisins
Boiled eggs
Packet of biscuits

I.E
1 meat sandwich, 2 jam sandwiches, 1 fish sandwich, 1 sausage roll or pastry, 1 cheese sandwich, 1 cake, chocolate or fruit.

Care and Management of all Stores

Butchers Shop
This room must be well ventilated and kept clean and dry at all times. Rods supplied for hanging meat, tables and blocks for cutting and chopping, also knives, saws and choppers must be used for their right purpose. All must be cleaned after using. Meat should not be kept in store too long and must make sure that old supplies are used first. A check must be kept of all meat received and issued. In the summer meat should be covered with a muslin cloth.

Bread Store
This store should be well ventilated and have wooden racks for stacking bread (no higher than 3 layers). Keep away from wall to assure a circulation of air for keeping bread fresh. If bread is returned unfingered, cover with a damp cloth and use for the following meal. Fingered bread is kept in a separate bin (DRY) for selling purposes. Cut bread by machine for economy.

Ration Stores
This store shouldhave shelves, safes, and all must be kept clean and dry. Dried foods must be kept in separate bins. Butter and margarine kept in safes, and all other stores kept in specified places. A book must be kept for received and issued items, daily.
Note
A place for everything and everything in its place.

Vegetable Store
All green vegetables etc. must be carefully handled, and stacked on dry racks, and kept as dry as possible (bruised vegetables lose its vitamins). Potatoes must be placed on duck boards, taking special care to use old supplies first. At all times, this vegetable room and potato machine must be kept clean and tidy.

Jose Axtell 1930s

George Axtell

George Axtell

Elder Brother

1913 - 1992

Common Fault in Tea Making

1. Water not at boiling point when poured over tea.


2. Water boiling for a long period before required.


3. Buckets not heated before brewing.


4. Tea bags tied tightly, thus preventing water extracting full value of tea.


5. Tea brewed with a small quantity of water hours before required.


6. Adding sugar before tea bag is removed, as the leaves absorb some of the sweetening.

Sweets

Dried fruits are prunes, figs, apple rings, pears, apricots and mixed fruit sald. All these must be soaked for 12 hours.

Recipe and Method
16 lb Prunes, figs, apricots or fruit salad
2 lbs Sugar
1 oz Cinnamon
Juice and rind of two lemons if obtainable

Method
Barely cover soaked washed fruit with cold water, add sugar and other ingredients, bring to boil and simmer gently until tender.

Stewed Apple Rings
8 lb Apple rings
A few cloves
2 lbs Sugar

Method
As above. For apple pie, cover apples with 8 lbs sweet short pastry.

Steamed Apple Pudding
8 lb Apple rings
2 lbs Sugar
A few cloves
16 lb Suet paste

Method
Line basins with paste, fill with apples, add sugar and cloves and cover with paste and greaseproof paper. Steam for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Baked Bread Pudding
18 lbs Soaked bread
2 lbs Saltanas
2 lbs Treacle or syrup
1 1/2 oz Mixed Spice
2 lbs Currants
2 lbs Sugar
1/2 lb Mixed peel
Good pinch of salt
2 lbs Margarine or fat
Grated rind of 2 lemons

Method
Pass bread through mincer, cream the fat, sugar and syrup, thoroughly together. Wash fruit and mix all ingredients together, place on lightly greased tray. Smooth the top, sprinkle with sugar, cook in slow oven for 1 hour. Serve with custard sauce.

Baked Jam Roll
16 lbs Sweet short pastry
7 lbs Jam

Method
Roll out paste 1/4" thick and roughly 15" by 12". Spread with jam to within 1" of sides, turn end in, wet the edges and roll up. Start cooking in quick oven, when set remove to slower oven to finish cooking.

Baked Rice Pudding
4 gal Milk
4 lbs Rice
2 lbs Sugar
1/4 lbs Margarine
Grated nutmeg

Method
Boil milk and sugar. Wash and add rice slowly, simmer for 20 minutes, place in greased pie dishes. Add margarine and nutmeg, finish cooking in slow oven.

Blancmange
2 lbs Cornflower
2 1/2 gal Milk
2 lbs Sugar
Vanilla essence

Method
Boil milk and sugar, make a thin paste with cornflower, add to milk, add vanilla and boil for 10 mins. Place in moulds and allow to cool.

Chocolate Blancmange
Same as above. Leaving out vanilla essence and adding 3/4 lb chocolate powder.

Jose and Herbert

Jose and her brother Herbert

The ATS Girls

Jose Axtell is sat in the middle

Vegetables

Note
All root vegetables or vegetables grown below the ground are placed into cold water. All green vegetables or vegetables above the ground are placed into boiling water. All dry vegetables (pulses) are covered with boiling water and allowed to soak for 18 hours.

Cabbage
A new method of cooking to preserve the vitamins.
50 lb cabbage

1. Obtain the cabbage as fresh as possible.
2. Use all the cabbage except thick stalks and yellow leaves.
3. Wash thoroughly in salt water.
4. Use the smallest possible amount of water.
5. Have the water boiling before adding the vegetables.
6. Add salt and a little vinegar to water before adding the vegetables.
7. Gradually add the vegetables to the water to prevent the water going off the boil.
8. Cover whilst cooking.
9. Cook vegetables only until tender.
10. Arrange cooking of vegetables to be served as soon as possible.
11. The same water can be used fo the 2nd cooking of the cabbage.
12. Use the water after straining for soups and gravies.

Brussels Sprouts
40 lb Brussels sprouts
4 oz salt

Use the same method as for cooking cabbage.

Boiled Carrots, Turnips, Swedes and Parsnips
40 lb vegetable
2 oz salt

Method
Peel and cut vegetables in neat squares or finger shape. Place in cold water, add salt, bring to the boil and cook steadily till tender. The water, when drained off, can be used for soups or gravies.
Note
The above vegetables can also be mashed and a little margarine added and served as buttered carrots, turnips, Swedes or parsnips.

Vichy Carrots
40 lb carrots
A little sugar
½ lb margarine
Salt to season

Method
Clean and cut carrots into round slices. Place in saucepan, add margarine, and sweat down. Barely cover with cold water, add sugar, salt and simmer till tender. Reduce liquid and pour over the carrots when serving.

Dry Vegetables (Pulses)
Haricot beans, butter beans, green peas.
10 lb Haricot beans or other dried vegetables.
12 oz carrots (whole)
12 oz onions (whole)
1 lb bacon trimmings
A few peppercorns tied in a bag
Salt to season
A faggot (a small bundle of herbs, parsley, stacks, thyme, bay leaves added to the dish for flavouring)

Method
Soak vegetables for 18 hours and cover with fresh cold water before bringing to the boil. Skim, add whole vegetables and other ingredients, simmer until tender, remove the garnish and then strain before serving.
Note
When cooking green vegetables (peas) add a little chopped fresh or dried mint.

Braised Cabbage
A method of using up left over cabbage.
40 lb cabbage
2 qts brown sauce
1 lb carrots
Salt and pepper to season
1 lb onions
A little melted fat/ margarine
1 lb bacon trimming
2 qts stock

Method
Place sliced vegetables and diced bacon trimmings in a baking tray. Cover with cabbage, repeat with sliced vegetables and bacon and then cover again with cabbage. Add the stock and fat, bring to the boil and cover with greaseproof. Cook in a fairly hot oven for approximately 1 hour. Strain off the stock, add the brown sauce and serve with cabbage.

Jose Axtell

Jose Axtell in her ATS uniform

Potatoes

Fondante Potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared
2 oz chopped parsley
1 lb margarine
Salt to season
4 qts stock

Method
Peel and wash potatoes, place in greased baking trays, tree parts cover with stock and season. Cook in hot oven. Frequently brush with melted margarine to form a brown gloss on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley when serving.

Sauté Potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared
2 oz chopped parsley
3 lbs dripping - 1st class
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Peel and wash the potatoes, boiled or steamed till just cooked, cool and slice in ¼ " slices, lightly brown in hot shallow fat. Strain off, well season and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Lyonnaise Potatoes
These are Sauté potatoes with 1 lb shredded cooked onions added.

Savoury Potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared
2 lb grated cheese
1 lb onions
2 qts stock
2 oz chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg

Method
Peel and wash potatoes, cut in slices, 1/8 " thickness. Peel and shred onions, mix well together and season. Place in greased baking trays, three quarts cover with stock. Sprinkle with grated cheese and cook in a hot over. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Note. The cheese in the potatoes is not popular and can if desired be left out, if this is done, cover potatoes with greaseproof paper, till nearly cooked, the remove paper to colour potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared
1 lb margarine
2 qts milk
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Method
Peel and wash potatoes, place in containers, cover with cold water, add slat bring to boil, cook till tender, strain off, pass through masher or sieve, place on warm part of stove, add margarine, seasoning and boiling milk, mix thoroughly, arrange neatly in serving dish.

Baked Jacket Potatoes
65 lb potatoes

Method
Peel and wash potatoes, cut in strip ½ " square. Drain potatoes well, place in frying baskets. Carefully add to hot fat and cook till light golden colour, and remove from fat when fat is reheated. Return potatoes and finish cooking. Drain well and sprinkle with salt before serving.

Parmenter Potatoes
65 lb potatoes
3lbs dripping 1st class
2 oz chopped parsley
Salt and pepper and nutmeg to taste

Method
Peel and wash potatoes and cut into ½ inch squares. Drain well and heat the dripping in a baking tray (sufficient to cover the bottom). When hot place in potatoes and season with salt, cook for 5 minutes, then place in a moderate oven to finish cooking and colour to a light brown. Strain well before serving.

Roast Potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared
3 lbs dripping
2oz salt

Method
Peel and wash potatoes. Heat the dripping, place in the potatoes and allow to colour lightly on top of stove. Place in hot oven to finish cooking to a golden brown. Baste frequently. Strain off the fat and season before serving.

Steamed potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared

Method
Peel and wash potatoes, season with salt and cook in a steamer for 20 minutes.

Steamed jacket potatoes
65 lb potatoes, unprepared

Method
Scrub well and place in the steamer for 20 minutes.

Stocks White and Brown

White Stock
7lb. Small beef bones
¼ lb Celery trimmings
4 galls Water
½ lb green of leek
1 lb Onions (whole)
Salt to season
1 lb carrots (whole)
Pinch of thyme and cloves
4 bay leaves
A few peppercorns

Method
Chop bones fairly small, cover with cold water, bring to boil, remove scum, simmer gently for 2 hours, remove fat, wipe clean inside the stew pan, add a little more water, whole vegetables and other ingredients. Simmer for 2 – 4 hours the strain off through muslin. Stock is then ready for use.
Note
Use vegetables for salads or soups and clarify the fat recovered from stock.

Brown Stock
Method
Same as white stock except bones and vegetables are all browned in oven before water is added.

Brown Sauce
8 oz Dripping 2nd class
10 oz flour
8 oz onions
8 oz bacon trimmings
8 oz carrots
A few peppercorns
1 gall Brown stock
1 bottle or tin tomatoes

Method
Chop bacon bones and dice vegetables. Fry off in 2nd class dripping to a golden brown. Add flour and cook to a sandy texture (brown roux). Add tomatoes, stock and other ingredients, bring to boil, simmer for 1 hour, strain, before using. This sauce can be served with sausages, cottage pie, rissoles, croquettes, and liver or braised vegetables.

White Sauce
1 lb flour
1 Gall milk or stock
1 lb margarine
Salt to taste

Method
Melt margarine, add flour and cook to a sandy texture. App. time 7 minutes (white roux). Cool and gradually add boiling milk or stock and salt, stirring well to prevent lumps, re-boil and simmer for 45 minutes, extra, before serving.
Note

The various sauces made from this sauce are;
Anchovy sauce – add 12 tablespoons off anchovy essence.
Mustard sauce – add 4 oz mustard
Parsley sauce – add 4 oz chopped parsley
Caper sauce – add 8 ofcapers, use mutton stock
Egg sauce – add 12 chopped hard boiled eggs
Cream sauce – add tin milk
Onion sauce – use onion stock and finely chopped onions.
It can also be used as sweet white sauce, adding 1 lb sugar, and leaving out the salt.

Tomato Sauce
The same recipe and method is used as for brown sauce. Adding 1 extra bottle or tin of tomatoes and ½ lb sugar.

Care of Swill Bins

There should be at least 5 swill bins kept.

Wet Swill (sold as pigs swill)

Dry Swill (sold as pigs swill)
Vegetable peelings (sold as pigs swill)
Bones. Thoroughly cleaning and dried (sold to contractors)

Burnt fat and crackling (sold to contractors)

Ashes, empty tins, broken china and tealeaves, must be kept well separated from the swill bins. Bins should be emptied and cleansed daily and lids must always be kept on, and should be placed in the N.E of the cookhouse.


Note. Very little food should ever find their way into the swill bins. Empty bins are a sign that the food is well cooked and appreciated.

Introduction: W/145800. Axtell. J. M

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 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 he 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 six 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.

Jose died in March 2007 and this is in tribute to her life, as she will always be missed my her family and friends.

Rachel Seymour