A Season of Dedication

The holiday season is upon us. For many nations involved in World War II, the days were darker, shorter and colder. Millions were away from home in combat. Others were working 12-hour days to produce materials needed for war. They managed their personal lives in scraps of free time, much of it dealing with significant food, fuel and clothing shortages.

Keeping Your Chin Up

If the history of that time teaches anything, it proves the value of morale. Those on the Home Front were dedicated to keeping their spirits up. When women wore red lipstick, it was a sign of patriotism and the will to win. When they made extra efforts for outfits to look nice—even going so far as to paint fake stocking seams on the back of their legs—it was with the same inner determination.

This dedication attended every aspect of home life as well. In spite of lack—perhaps because of it—entire nations of homemakers resolved to have the special things associated with their most precious holidays. For Jews and Messianic Christian citizens, that included Chanukah.

The Feast of Dedication

Dedication is the definition of Chanukah. It is called the Feast of Dedication, the Feast of Lights and the Feast of Miracles. It is an eight-day celebration of good overcoming evil. Chanukah reminds us that with God, anything is possible and we should never give up hope. What better time to have celebrated such a holiday than during the Second World War?!

For eight nights, family members gathered to say blessings, offer prayers and light candles. This must have been a poignant time when most families were separated by great distances. That made it all the more important for each person to thoroughly celebrate each moment. They enjoyed the warm light of candles along with games and gifts—and food.

Special Holiday Foods

Because Chanukah commemorates the miracle of one day’s worth of oil burning in the great menorah for eight days, it is traditional to have foods made with oil. This would have included things like potato latkes (pancakes) and doughnuts. I wondered how people could make these dishes during World War II with the severe fat rationing. Upon searching, I found the same dedication that made this generation famous.

In some places, rations of sugar, meat and fats were increased in December but not necessarily in time for Chanukah. Homemakers observing this holiday would have needed to save their fat rations for weeks.

For potato latkes, carefully strained and preserved meat drippings could have been used. For doughnuts, most cooks would have preferred butter or margarine. For those in Britain, the Ministry of Food shared several doughnut recipes. Some used yeast, most used baking powder. There were versions both with and without eggs. The amount of sugar was minimal—only enough to lightly sweeten the batter, plus a tiny amount for rolling or sprinkling on the cooked doughnuts. Perhaps this is when jelly doughnuts were born, as home canning of summer fruits was a major undertaking during the war. Extra sugar was allowed for making jelly.

Flat-Tire Doughnuts

Wartime doughnuts were not as fluffy as those we enjoy today because there was not enough fat to deep-fry. They were more like fritters, though still with the light, sweet texture of doughnuts. I decided to try the recipe for 8-Minute Doughnuts. These require only a few ingredients and could be augmented by the addition of dried or grated fruit.

The batter came together very quickly. With only two ounces of fat to heat, the pan was ready by the time the batter was prepared. The doughnuts cooked in fewer than eight minutes—and required more fat for frying—so I suspect there must be a secret in the cooking temperature to help them not absorb too much fat.

The instructions said to cook them quickly until the outsides browned before allowing them to cook through at a lower temperature. Even doing this, I was not able to cook all the batter without adding a few more tablespoons of fat. Still, the doughnuts were good and took much less fat than their deep-fried cousins. They were thick enough to have added a tiny amount of jelly filling but it would have been easier to spread additions on top of the flat doughnuts.

Potato Latkes (Pancakes)

The latkes must have been a true labor of love in the 1940’s. Thankfully, my food processor—an appliance not available during the war—made quick work of the onion and potatoes. In a matter of minutes the mixture was ready to fry. This recipe only required enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the skillet, and each potato pancake browned beautifully. Next time I would change the cinnamon to a savory herb. Nevertheless, the latkes were delicious with applesauce.

We can learn much from those who endured the years of war, about how to truly measure our significant moments. They made a lot from a very little. They kept hope and laughter alive. They were devoted to maintaining their freedom. May we learn from them.

References

Patten, Marguerite. Victory Cookbook: Nostalgic Food and Facts 1940-1954. London: Chancellor Press. 2014.

Greenberg, Betty D. and Althea O. Silverman. The Jewish Home Beautiful. New York: The National Women’s League of the United Synagogue of America. 1941.

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.”

John 10:22-23