Thanks to the geographic diversity of the United States and the fact that World War II was not fought on continental US soil, most citizens on the home front still had access to a wide variety of foods. A number of items were rationed but starvation was not the imminent threat it was in many other countries. The United States was blessed to have regions where even tropical citrus fruits and bananas would grow. Lemons and bananas were among the foods many Europeans never saw during the years of the war.

Fruits were used not only for jams and snacks, but also for delicious beverages to refresh hot, tired war workers.

Old-Fashioned Refreshments

Alice Bradley included a large number of tantalizing beverage recipes in her menu cookbooks, including everything from lemons and fresh mint to coffee and chocolate. Her recipes for Banana & Strawberry Punch and Iced Mexican Chocolate are especially delicious. The punch recipe is a bit weird compared to modern ways of making punch—it calls for pressing the fruits through a sieve. The end result is a beverage with an amazing, silky texture.

Likewise, the iced chocolate recipe has the unusual technique of boiling the coffee grounds in the milk—but the end result is so good! Omitting the whipped cream, these recipes are easy to make vegan and lactose-free except for the Maple Cream Ginger Ale. The heavy cream in that recipe is the heavenly ingredient.

Pineapple Ginger Flip offers a use for the leftover pineapple rind—and you may never throw the rind away again! This is an extremely easy recipe and worth making.

If you are looking for a little something different in a beverage, look no further. These old-fashioned delights are wonderful antidotes to steaming hot summer days.

Banana & Strawberry Punch

Hull and dice 1½ cups strawberries. Mix with 1½ cups sugar. Allow to macerate until juice is released from berries.

Crush 2 large bananas. Add the juice from 1 orange and the macerated strawberries.

Rub all ingredients through a sieve; then, pour 2/3 cup lemon juice and 4 cups cold water through sieve.

Mix thoroughly and serve in glasses garnished with 1 whole strawberry and 1 thin orange slice.

Pineapple Ginger Flip

Put ½ cup sugar into a quart glass jar. Add ¾ teaspoon ginger or a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger.

Add the washed rind of one fresh pineapple to the jar. Fill with boiling water.

Allow to stand until thoroughly cold. Strain, chill and serve.

Mint Ade

Fill glasses half full with crushed ice.

Add the juice of 2 lemons to one recipe of mint syrup (below). Mix well.

Add 1 tablespoon of mint-lemon syrup to each glass; then, fill with ginger ale.

Mint Syrup

Boil ½ cup water, ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup corn syrup five minutes. Remove from heat.

Roughly chop 6 tablespoons mint leaves; add the juice of 1 lemon; then, add mixture to boiled syrup.

Allow to stand several hours or overnight. Strain; then, add a few drops of plant-based food color, if desired, to make a delicate shade.

Spiced Coffee-Chocolate Milk Shake

Make 1 cup strong coffee.

Melt 2 squares chocolate over hot, not boiling, water. When melted, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¾ sugar. Then, slowly add hot coffee. Boil mixture 5 minutes; then, add a few grains of salt.

To serve, add 2 tablespoon syrup to 1 cup milk, scalded or iced.

Mix well and serve with whipped cream.

References

Bradley, Alice. The Alice Bradley Menu Cook Book: April-May-June. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937.

“Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”

Psalm 25:5