World

Greeks Turning to WWII-Style ‘Starvation Recipes’ Cookbook to Survive Bad Economy

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — It’s the ultimate belt-tightening handbook: No Meat? Push an eggplant through the grinder instead. Chew your food long enough for your stomach to feel full. And don’t forget to sweep crumbs off your table and into a jar.

These are some of the tips Greeks used to survive the World War II occupation that have been collected in “Starvation Recipes” – a cookbook that has become a surprise hit as millions of Greeks struggle to make ends meet in a new era of hardship brought on by economic crisis.

In the grim years of the occupation, starving Athenians invented new ways to stay alive, helped by daily advice columns in the capital’s newspapers known as “survival guides.”

Historian and high school teacher Eleni Nikolaidou spent 18 months compiling recipes and survival tips – combing through more than 6,000 scanned newspaper clippings from the 1941-44 Nazi rule to produce her book. “Starvation Recipes” was released this year and is on its second print run.

“It was all about getting by with very little,” said Nikolaidou, sitting at her Athens home, with books everywhere stacked to the ceiling.

Nikolaidou stumbled onto the subject two years ago while working on a masters degree on Greece’s wartime economy.

“I read an article from the front page of a newspaper, `How to collect crumbs’ – a little each day so that you could have a cupful of crumbs by the end of the week, something extra to survive. It really struck me.”

She was drawn in by the details: Horseshoes used to reinforce dilapidated footwear, baked sand to preserve lemons, and stray cats and dogs hunted on Athens streets for food.

Greeks Using Starvation Recipes Cookbook to Survive Economy

In this photo taken Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, low-cost ingredients prepared by cooking TV show host F. T. Bletsas are displayed at his Athens home, during an interview for the Associated Press in Athens. Recession-hit Greeks have turned to cookbooks for low-cost meals, with bargain-hunting and frugal living entering the country's popular culture. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

“People would come up with new ways to cheat their stomachs: There were starters designed to cut your appetite. And people were advised to chew their food very, very slowly, so it felt as though they were eating more,” Nikolaidou said.

“There was no sugar available, so at weddings, the sugared almonds handed out were black. Raisin pulp was used as the sweetener.”

Coffee shops had no coffee, so they served a brew made out of ground chickpeas. Newspaper articles at the time encouraged Athenians to make the best of it.

“The new coffee can be enjoyed just as much as a prewar coffee, because people visit the coffee shop for more than just the coffee,” one newspaper wrote.

Publisher Oxigono says “Starvation Recipes” has sold about 2,000 copies – considered an early success despite the modest number, helped by Nikolaidou’s appearance on television, newspaper articles and Internet buzz. A third print run is planned this month.

After decades of overspending, Greece was forced from late 2009 to grapple with its ruined finances by imposing harsh taxes and surviving on rescue loans from the IMF and European Union.

The result means 9 out of 10 Greeks are changing their food-shopping habits, according to a September survey by the consumer organization KEPKA: People are now eating out less, cutting back on meat and any extras, and swapping quality food brands for cheaper substitutes.

The growing demand for affordable meals has been met by magazines and a new batch of low-budget cookbooks, such as “The Cooking Economy” and “Family meals for euro5 – 110 recipes for the financial crisis.”

But the dire wartime hardship has little in common with the current crisis. Even as the number of vacant stores and homeless grow by the day, Athens’ coffee shops are busy and streets filled with new cars.

During the occupation, dead bodies were collected off the street each morning, the hills were stripped bare of wild greens, and families had to keep round-the-clock guard of their backyard chicken coops.

Raisins, olives, wild greens, and rationed bread became the nation’s staples against mass starvation that claimed an estimated 300,000 lives.

But for Nikolaidou, worrying signs of sudden poverty have arrived in this crisis, too.

“There are children who go to school without enough to eat,” she said. “The circumstances were of course much more extreme. But there are people, today, who open up their cupboards, and see little more than a bag of flour, and think – ‘what can I do with that?’”

Opting for cheap processed foods is the biggest mistake budget-conscious consumers can make, says chef F.T. Bletsas, the youthful host of the Greek TV show “Mama’s Cooking.”

“Most people spend more than they need to, and still eat badly,” says Bletsas, who runs the English-language website http://www.cookingeconomy.com spun out of a 2010 book on frugal dining.

Bletsas, 31, honed his thrift techniques while living in Britain as an engineering student, and later adapted his modest menus to Greece’s renowned Mediterranean diet.

His top picks for strapped shoppers include olive oil, tinned sardines, lentils, and good quality meat used sparingly.

He has simple advice for Greeks laboring under the crisis.

“Never, ever throw anything away: You can preserving it, freeze, cook it, reuse it, or give it to someone who needs it more than you.”

Comments (105)

1 2
  • SBR308
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:53am

    You reap what you sow you bunch of socialist Greeks. You can boil your boots as far as I care.

    Report Post »  
    • Bonnieblue2A
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 12:01pm

      This is the US sooner than you think. Prepare, plant & pray. These depression era budgeting, cooking, and canning books are selling like hotcakes on Ebay. Got beans? Do you know how to grow sprouts? Do you know how to can, how to dry food, how to preserve through other means? Do you know the meaning of the words Guerrilla Gardening, Permaculture, and Hugel Culture? Self-sufficiency and sustainability are the key. Time is running out to set up your rural or urban homesteads.

      Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 12:44pm

      Obama signed the bill so HORSE MEAT can be bought/sold in America (just like Europe)

      Wonder if he thinks that will make us happy when we’re starving?

      Report Post »  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 12:51pm

      You are aware that the entire SSI “trust fund” is hel in US bonds and the actual value was shifted to the general fund of the treasury and spent right? This means that even if we stop all welfare spending today we are still in debt over 15.5 trillion. Let me put that in a few different ways if I may.

      US debt = ~ $15,500,000,000,000

      US debt = ~ $1.55 X 10^13

      US debt = ~ $48,440 / person

      US debt = ~ $67,400 / person of voting age (18, just in case anyone here is like Romney and doesn’t know voting age)

      We will soon have to face our debt just like Greece has. What is worse is that our gov’t thinks the best way to deal with this problem is to print money and give it away which causes inflation or devaluation of all of our money and that alone causes commodity prices to go up. So unless we get a real leader in 2012 (Ron Paul) you can sure as 5h!t bet that we will see hyperinflation and a real national crisis soon.

      Report Post » SgtB  
    • janedough1
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:05pm

      Do you really think that is necessary SBR308? See, I see this cookbook as a positive thing. It means that large numbers of Greeks, enough to force two printings of this cookbook, are realizing that they can’t depend on the government, and they’d better learn to rely on themselves. And when they realize that this is not enough, they may well turn back to God. To whom did Paul go? To whom did he write his letters to the Corinthians. Greece has a history of Christian faith and independence. This may be the stirrings of a return. Lets not forget that the Greeks suffered through a bloody civil war in the late forties, between Communist insurgents and their own government. The insurgents lost the battle, but it looks like they may have won the war. Now lets see if they finally get repulsed, as they always do, by people of character who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good instead of being sacrificed on the altar of selfishness.

      Report Post »  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:31pm

      SGTB- it was Perry, not Romney, who was confused abotu the voting age.

      Report Post »  
    • Bro Geo Too
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 5:28pm

      `
      A lot of online material dealing with preparedness/survival can be somewhat off the wall or extreme. One of the best sites on preparedness, one with a conservative, Christian nature can be found at http://www.preparedchristian.net

      Check it out and if you deem it worthy, please pass it along to your family. Thank you.

      Report Post »  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 6:27pm

      SBR308… Be careful. This our future under a second nobama administration. His plans have NEVER been to bring the bottom up, but the top down. He feels we have had it to good for too long. Now we must live like the Sally Struthers commercials. Remember his speech in May, 2008, were he said”We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times wether you live in the desert or the tundra and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK,”

      He has always been about bring the top down to poverty, redistribution of wealth, appeasing muslim enemies, and the Jack Boot of government on the American Citizen. Be careful who you condemn, the bell tolls for thee.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
    • Pro-Palin
      Posted on December 7, 2011 at 2:15am

      @SBR308
      Your comments are inconsiderate and disrespectful, though I do believe this nation should no longer be in the business of giving aide to any nation with the exception of national disaster ( Flood, Earthquakes). I think your comments only show your arrogance to others. You forget their govt as well as ours drove them off the cliff. We are next it is not a matter of if but when, the govt and the FED are only prolonging the time for when the pain comes. And it will hit your American Capitalist butt soon, as well and you can go boil that dead possum on the road for dinner Mr. Arrogant.

      Report Post » Pro-Palin  
    • Wolf
      Posted on December 7, 2011 at 9:44am

      Read and heed, America- and order your cookbook while you still can. Our time is coming fast and furiously (I know- plaguerizing movies now) and dear Turd will do all he can to insure it.

      Report Post »  
  • TheBloodOfTyrants
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:46am

    Have you seen the QuickStove ads around TheBlaze? Well, go to discountcoupons.com, register for an account (free), and pick up a voucher for one of those baby’s for $17. They’ll email it to you, then you go to the QuickStove site, enter your voucher number, pay $8 for shipping, and BAM you’ve only paid $25 for the same QuickStove set TheBlaze is offering. Jussayin. I was JUST about to pay $39 and some change linking from TheBlaze, but ran into that deal at the very last second. You’re welcome :)

    Report Post » TheBloodOfTyrants  
  • Ldychef2k
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:36am

    Jenny Lind and others interested in depression era cooking, check out YouTube for “Clara Depression Era Cooking”. She is in her mid 90′s and has a bunch of videos showng how to survive. I believe she fed her family dinner with a couple of potatoes and a hot dog. She’s worth checking out.

    Search for blogs on self-sufficiency. I have one that covers that and many other topics. http://www.krissimplyliving.blogspot.com. And I am compiling a resource center with links to other websites that teach the old ways: http://www.heritageskills.blogspot.com There is a HUGE amount of information out there. Go look for yourself!

    Report Post »  
  • ares338
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:19am

    Originally my wife and I bought 23 acres of land her family purchased over 100years ago out of sentimentality and a desire to become self sufficient. It looks as though we made a good purchase. We have livestock and plenty of garden space and means to defend it if need be. If everything turns out owe are still ahead but if not, then we are ready to go off the grid.

    Report Post » ares338  
    • michael48
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 6:30pm

      eiher way , you win…being prepared…doesn’t fit nto big gov. gumbas thinking, therefore it will work…

      Report Post »  
  • paulusmaximus
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:07am

    I always feel for people suffering, even more so when it is for their own stupidity. I say we all bought the gravy train mentality and as so are not as prepared as we hope. What you can do with a small amount is in relation to how hard you will work to survive
    .I grew up with a dad and mom who knew how to use everything on less then 2 acres we raised chickens, hogs, rabbits a cow, a garden and 7 brothers and sisters it was all hard work which required much more then anyone could write here. Pray GOD has mercy on us because the progressives won‘t and when you are hungry you do things you wouldn’t otherwise.

    Report Post » paulusmaximus  
    • SeekerEmerald
      Posted on December 7, 2011 at 8:54am

      I do feel bad for most of the people. Some would not have called for the socialism that was foisted upon them. Of the ones that did, I have to believe that they were sold a bill of goods. Socialism is never advertised (by those pushing for it) as a way to lose wealth, sink a country, and an easy entrance into national suffering. It is advertised as a way for all to enjoy more, work less, have more, etc. Just because people don’t know any better, or are gullible, I don’t celebrate their misfortunes.

      I would only hope that these things occurring across the pond are teaching all of us here a good lesson. When I was 16, It sounded like a great idea to raise the minimum wage. All the people in these low paying jobs would have more money, and be able to afford more things. My dad (earned a PhD in economics) explained why this would not be the case.

      Report Post » SeekerEmerald  
  • JRE
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:00am

    I must repeat what has been said over and over. Prepare yourselves.
    My wife and I have moved away from a populated area, are storing food as quickly as possible and have made arangements for water, heat and cooking.
    We hope and pray for the best but are preparing for the worst.
    By the way, family and friends are welcome to share but takers will not be welcomed and we are prepared to defend ourselves.

    Report Post »  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 7:58pm

      God bless. I am a small time firearms dealer. I have many weapons stockpiled as well as ammo. Ive put away food and water, have a swimming pool as last resort. I have tried to convince my friends to buy weapons and ammo off of me, for a greatly reduced price over the gun storres. My friends say if the balloon goes up they will all come to my house. I have told them that if the balloon goes up, they are no longer my friends, and will not advance to within 100 meters of my home. The time to prepare is now. When the balloon goes up, it is all about what do you have to barter with?

      Any of you that have been able to get out. good for you. We are stuck behind enemy lines, with an economy that is not allowing us to prosper, and a president that refuses to let us thrive. Remember us, those who want to get out but cannot, when you say your prayers. We pray for you as well.

      Anything wearing a blue helmet is fair game. Shoot until dead.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
  • kindling
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:56am

    I know in my heart we will be where Greece is before you know it. My family has already begun the shift from commercial food, to learning how to get by with simple easy to get foods we grow ourselves or trade for. We turned our carport into a green house that produces more than we can eat all year round. I have lost 15 pounds and feel way better. We are now growing most of it and have better idea of what we are eating.
    I think that is one reason DC is trying to take away our right to grow our own food. They don’t want us to land on our feet when they are successful in crashing the economy and destroying the country. We need to each find something we are good at and trade with others for what we need. Let the progressives destroy themselves and when the dust settles take back the country and re establish it the way George Washington had it.

    Report Post » kindling  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:25am

      “We need to each find something we are good at and trade with others for what we need.”

      Excellent point… People need to remember that when they trade, the items do not necessarily have to be tangible items… For example, one who is skilled labor (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc.) can always use their skills in order to “trade” for tangible items… For those that have those skills, this does not mean you should sit by and wait for crisis to happen thinking that you will be fine with your skills, this means that you should be learning how to provide for yourself on a very basic level while keeping in mind that your skills may be of good use to you…

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
  • raybojabo
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:37am

    Pass the boiled pigeon with dandelion greens and wild onions, please, Mm Mm good, you betcha!

    Report Post »  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:38am

      To be entirely honest….meat is expensive in Europe anyway which is why most Europeans only eat meat at the dinner table once or twice a week. Cheaper cuts like goat or perhaps pork are more common..certainly in Greece where I’ve spent some time.

      Report Post »  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:30pm

      The old 1950′s Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook has a recipie for squirrel.

      Report Post »  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 8:05pm

      In my town there are plenty of stray dogs and cats. If it comes down to it do not bet they wont end up as tacos, burritos, and stir fry.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:56am

    I have been stockpiling rice, pasta, water and ammo, cuz its coming folks . Its pretty bad right now bit just wait until those grocery store shelves get cleared overnight… Then panic sets in, then marshall law…. Complete economic collapse is now unavoidable, Obama could not have come at a worse time, we needed a fiscally responsible leader who would unleash the great economic power of the private sector , drill for energy , encourage small business growth, and this moron man child did the exact opposite…. We have no way out , other than total collapse….. Then maybe rebuild…

    Report Post »  
    • armymp
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:18am

      Yes, the 3 B’s… Beans, Bullets, and Band aids. In addition to my dry food storage, I purchased sprouting greens for long term storage. You can grow fresh greens on your kitchen counter top in about 4 days, and they are delicious as well as nutritious (no, I’m not a hippie). Check it out here: http://www.handypantry.com

      Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:36am

      Black Friday posted Ameica’s highest gun sale day in HISTORY!
      Could that be because Americans are afraid of the two anti-gun presidential candidates?

      Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:45am

      You nailed it ARMYMP,
      In my house it’s beans,bullets,bandaids, plus salted,and jerked beef,pork and fish. In the summer throw fresh veggies grown from the seeds of last years veggies. But with a multi vitamin daily beans and fresh water alone could keep you going for months if not years.

      Report Post »  
    • ontheclock247
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:37am

      @ARMYMP Thanks for the website. I’ve been using sprouting seed for years (not a hippie either), and was having a hard time finding a supplier. Prices are reasonable.

      Report Post »  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:33pm

      Also there are 7 day gardens- like sprouting, but with a little soil and a little more time you get microgreens for salads.

      Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:49am

    …and the Germans own Greece. It IS just like WWII!

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:55am

      Americans should get a copy of that cookbook translated — fast!

      Report Post »  
    • DollyRR
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:45am

      @ Vechorik

      “Americans should get a copy of that cookbook translated — fast!”
      ______________________________________________________

      Instead of a translation of their recipes for foods in their area, get an old Betty Crocker Recipe Book from the 1950′s. I bought one several years back and none of the recipes include pre-packaged ingredients. These old cookbooks will also tell you how to use every bit food and leave nothing to waste.

      Report Post » DollyRR  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:06am

      @DollyRR
      Same school of thought here. I’ve been collecting vintage cookbooks for over 20 years. Started as a hobby – I loved the recipes and household hints. Now I look at them as a valuable resource.
      Another type of book we’ve been buying is vintage DIY books. Books from the 30s & 40s have great ideas and instructions.

      Report Post »  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:36pm

      Yet another good resource- 1970′s books on food storage and self-suficient living. I got one on Food Storage and it’s interesting to see techniques such as dry canning and the use of “water glass solution” which one never hears about these days.

      Report Post »  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 2:09pm

      @Solzhenitsin

      Yes! Very good reference books indeed. We have a large collection of those also.
      My theory has always been – If you can read it, you can almost always do it or build it.

      Another good source for reference & how to materials is your local county extension office. You can get info on various methods of preserving & storing food as well as livestock care, first aid, safety etc. Most of them are free. Also many of them can test your pressure cookers / canners – the seals, the pressure guage (sometimes they can be several degrees off & you will have to adjust to accordingly). Again, its usually free or at a very low cost.

      Report Post »  
  • BlackCrow
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:42am

    Ever think of putting in a garden? Raising a few Chickens? Oh you live in a tiny apartment in the middle of some big city. Tough to be you.

    Report Post » BlackCrow  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:48am

      Actually, if you have a balcony, or a window that gets lots of light, you can put in a container garden. Look up Square Foot Gardening. There was a story of Nazi Germany where a woman had a basement with a window and dug out part of the basement floor and planted a garden in her basement, with the light from the short, long window falling onto it.

      Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:21am

      The EPA is trying to outlaw people growing and eating food they produce! No joke!

      Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:29am

      ..forgot to add that the socialist government of the US is also attacking “raw milk” You know, like people who own cows/goats?

      Report Post »  
    • ontheclock247
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:59am

      @LORIANN12 Yep. The New Square Foot Gardening gives anyone the perfect garden in as little as a few square feet, even on a balcony or steps or a ledge. I have a huge garden, but the amount you can grow, even on a balcony, is amazing. Order non-hybrid seed (don’t get it at WalMart), and harvest your own seed. Don’t believe the lie that you need new seed every year (think Monsanto – a friend planted a pumpkin seed from a store-bought watermelon and got a bean plant. Go figure what genetic engineering can do!). Make your own seed bank. The NSFG book tells you how long seed can be stored, how much to plant in one square foot, the perfect soil mix, and you can do it in 6″ of soil. Seriously, we had the best garden in 30 years this past season – even with temps over 100° most of the summer. Freeze it, can it, dehydrate it. Dry celery, onions, herbs, and peppers and grind them to preserve powders for seasoning soups. Dehydrate grapes and other fruits before they are wasted. Freeze ripening bananas for bread. Use every bit of what you have, and quit wasting it. Spend one grocery trip budget on a dehydrator, canner, and supplies instead of pre-frozen and pre-packaged convenience foods. We’re building cold frames to sustain some plants through the winter now. It’s work, but it is so rewarding. In a society quickly losing its grip on its agrarian roots, learn quickly what you can do to feed and provide for your family. Teach your children things that endure!

      Report Post »  
  • leftcoastslut
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:34am

    at times I feel like Noah, building the Ark. they laughed and thought he was crazy. prepare, prepare, prepare. my brother thinks “you’ve lost it”, but I will still feed him and his family when it comes. stamina and patience, my daily prayer.

    Report Post »  
    • momrules
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:41am

      People have been laughing at me too. I simply let them and tell them that I hope 30 years from now they can say remember when Mom thought the world was ending and got all nutty?
      I hope, I pray that I am wrong and all my preparations are not needed but in my heart of hearts I know I’m not wrong.
      Like you I will always share my little bit with those that are laughing at me now.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:51am

      Yep, know the feeling. My husband’s brother, who makes more than twice what we do, is not putting away food. Instead he’s buying the latest IPhone. I’m so tempted when SHTF to not share, but I know I will. Even my husband‘s parents are trying to keep a couple months food on their shelves and they’re on a fixed income.

      Report Post »  
    • cntrlfrk
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:23am

      ‘
      Same here. About 4 years ago I told a friend exactly that, I felt like Noah. I had found ways to generate fuel for heating from waste material, and began collecting used vegetable oil for conversion to fuel. While I had always been interested in gardening, I had expanded a garden, and built a large greenhouse. They all thought I was nuts. Now, not so much.

      .

      Report Post » cntrlfrk  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:31am

      I’m 60. My grandfather was a sharecropper and my parents were very poor. I know how to live with nothing. The younger generation will be totally lost.

      Report Post »  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:57am

      We‘ve felt like modern day Noah’s ourselves. For the last few years we’ve had a lot of people (including family members) laugh & tell us we’re crazy. My answer is always “I hope & pray you‘re right because if you’re not, a world of hurt is coming down on all of us.”

      Report Post »  
    • AxelPhantom
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:09am

      Vechorik,
      I understand what you mean. My father was a farm boy in the depression and my mother was an east European refugee. When I was growing up I thought they were both weird, my mother saved the string from roasts and re-used aluminum foil and my father didn’t think twice about using soured milk in his coffee (he used to say, it won’t kill you). When my grandmother would come to visit, we would go mushroom/herb/berry hunting in the forest (she knew which ones were edible) and we canned and preserved everything. Nothing got my parents more upset than when I would complain that I didn’t like the food that was served.

      Eventually, once I heard their stories, I got it, I understood. It’s a shame that kids today don’t have the benefit of those first-hand accounts, they don’t know about the thin veneer that separates civilization from chaos.

      Report Post »  
    • thekuligs
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 12:01pm

      Vechorik- don’t count out the younger generation just yet. I will give you that a lot of us are total selfish idiots, but some of us are smart enough to prepare for the future. We got out of debt (as we no longer believe in it) we stockpile food. And as the Air Force has likely finally seen fit to send us back to Texas we are even going to buy us some dirt about an hour and a half away from the city my husband would be stationed in. You know so when things do come crashing down I can take the kids and run.

      Report Post » thekuligs  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:39pm

      I‘m glad for all the nutty people of the 1970’s who taught us as children about wildfoods, canning, wildreness survival and the like. It never hurts to learn new things.

      Report Post »  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 8:21pm

      You know, I never missed my grandparents so much as now. How they managed on nothing. My grandmother in Minnesota with two daughters, my grandfather pulled the backseat out of the family car, put in a mattress, and went and did piece work along the mexican border. How they survived the depression, and my mother an FDR socialist. Ive had no one to teach me surviaval other than the US Military… and most of that was how to kill commies. Thanks for the ideas. We have been mastering the art of hobo stew…. One steak, a couple of stalks of celery, half an onion, a cube of bullion, and a bit of flour, cooked in the fireplace. I too fear for what is too come. Keep your dogs locked up if you love them, they might end up as someones dinner. BTW… I kill you if you even look at my dog for dinner. Just saying.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 8:23pm

      BTW… Ive learned to make that hobo stew… forgot the potatoes… last for several days. Owwwwww my aching stomach. Ill gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
  • ReasonNLogic
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:32am

    But at least they can retire at 50 though! Am I right!? LOL Isn’t it obvious why our current government is rushing to join the thriving beaurocratic socialist utopia in Europe!

    Report Post » ReasonNLogic  
  • FANGS
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:31am

    This is what Obama wants for America. Total Starvation. Total Corruption. Total Poverty. America must erupt into civil War against all Democrats and all Unions. Crush them all.

    Report Post »  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:33am

      I agree up to the part where you blame everything on Democrats. Some Republicans also believe in one world government ruled by socialist principles. Prime, easy example: Why didn’t Bush II close the border? For background knowledge, read the plans being developed in America now by “United Nations Agenda 21.”

      Report Post »  
  • carol short
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:30am

    I was raised by parents and Grandparents who lived thru the depression and thankGod they taught me the same skills. I can feed my family for a week on 1 chicken, 5 lbs of potatoes and gallon of milk. God help those who can”t get to the local convience store for their next meal .

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    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:54am

      I was raised on beans and taters, spaghetti, spanish rice, and whatever else came out of our garden and what we could occasionally slaughter.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:22am

      I was raised on biscuits and gravy. LOL
      The EPA is trying to outlaw private citizens growing, eating and selling food they produce (for “safety reasons”)

      Report Post »  
    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 1:55pm

      My mom did a lot of biscuits/toast and gravy when things got really tough in the mid-1970′s (Ford/ Carter years) and I cannot stomach it. If things get that bad I’ll eat it, but separately like soup and bread.

      As an exchange student in the closing days of the USSR I was served a meal of baked potato and oven-browned pork fat, the grease rendered from it as an au jus on the side. Later, visiting a town where the bread bakers were out of flour, we lived on pastries. After 3 days of cream horns, I missed plain old bread! We need to think differently about foods when things get tough and be prepared to eat what we now see as unhealthy or unvarying/ boring.

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  • momrules
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:30am

    My brother and I were talking about subsistance living not long ago. We were raised poor but that taught us a lot about making do with less. Over the years, thanks to God and a hard working husband, I have had more material blessings than my parents had but I remember those poor years well.
    This country’s economy is crumbleing as we speak and there are going to be a lot of folks who have never missed a meal wondering how to survive. We are in for bleak days ahead and maybe everyone should start reading a book like this.

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    • EgoBrain
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:46am

      The first half of my adult life was pretty tough and lean. But at night I would do my usual prayers, and throw in~~Thank you for the hard times~ Rolling my eyes as I said it, why be thankful for hard times??

      Now I know. I can do it again.

      Report Post » EgoBrain  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:55am

      The sad part is that most who can’t cook for themselves, or get by on survival eating are currently on Welfare. They’re the takers of society. They convience eat (tv dinners, etc.) and are too lazy to cook from scratch. They’ll be the ones to steal food. Make sure your neighbors that know you’re stocking up are good people. If you live in a bad neighborhood, like I do, spread out the grocery shopping so they don’t see you hauling in a ton of food and water.

      Report Post »  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:18am

    Greece is a country where 1 in 5 people work in the public sector. I guess the whole “employ everyone in the government” isn’t working out so well.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
  • OneLittleCandle
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:16am

    Hmmm. Glenn Beck was right on ‘target’ for the past years we have followed him. We are prepared for food shortages…but not an EMP or nuclear bomb…and the Prez is going to his safe haven in Hawaii for a Holiday he doesn’t even recognize as legit. Last time he stayed there for an extended time, the underwear bomber blew up his ‘drawers’….and the acting ‘Father’ of our country did not come back for days after the threat was over. I felt safe with Reagan…as though he would take care of our needs. Now we are hoarding food and feel like terrified refugees hiding out and praying for some divine intervention. They in D.C. have looted the pantry and there is nothing left.
    All of them, with the exception of maybe half of the Tea Partiers we sent to represent us, are on the take and are doing nothing to save our Republic. In fact, the words Republic, Constitution, Declaration of Independence are just beginning to make a comeback. Rather late I think, but then the MSM is in the tank for this Marxist. Thomas Jefferson said it is in times like these that the bums in DC who can now safely be called traitors…should be thrown out en masse and we should start the country over again. But I’m afraid Obama sold our country and resources to the Chinese.
    He used only 7% on the stimulus spending thus no ‘shovel ready jobs’. The rest they stole or gave away on paper to Brazil, N. Zealand, Africa. Remember folks, The book he taught from, Alinsky’s..was dedicated to L

    Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:16am

    .
    Starvation is a very effective population control tool……….

    Worked for the Chinese and the Russians even Hitler and the Japanese used starvation…..

    Could it work for Obama?…..

    Wait aren’t those new farm regulations gonna make it harder to raise crops?….Nudge, Nudge…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • Vechorik
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:24am

      History is repeating itself. Even in America, with the loss of liberty from the antiPatriot act and the antiPatriot act on steroids, we can compare it to what happened in Germany:

      “One of the most traumatic events in German history occurred soon after Hitler took office. On February 27, 1933, in what easily could be termed the 9/11 terrorist attack of that time, German terrorists fire-bombed the German parliament building. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Adolf Hitler, one of the strongest political leaders in history, would declare war on terrorism and ask the German parliament (the Reichstag) to give him temporary emergency powers to fight the terrorists. Passionately claiming that such powers were necessary to protect the freedom and well-being of the German people, Hitler persuaded the German legislators to give him the emergency powers he needed to confront the terrorist crisis. What became known as the Enabling Act allowed Hitler to suspend civil liberties “temporarily,” that is, until the crisis had passed. Not surprisingly, however, the threat of terrorism never subsided and Hitler’s “temporary” emergency powers, which were periodically renewed by the Reichstag, were still in effect when he took his own life some 12 years later.”
      http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0703a.asp

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  • objectivetruth
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:10am

    Amazing I’[ve been using the same techniques in american cuisine all my life.My family has been in this country for over 500 years and 300 years.We have survived the revolution civil war the depression and ww2.We learned a thing or two about doing much with very little.

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    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:28am

      Get a website and pass it on, many of us need serious help-I’d be happy to trade recipies and other “make-do” ideas with other folks.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:57am

      Yea, there may come a time when my Spanish rice recipe is made with ground squirrel. The squirrel population will get a dent in it if meat prices go too high. Everybody better get a manual meat grinder.

      Report Post »  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 3:10pm

      @jennylind and Lorraine12
      I’m actually trying to set up a web site or a personal page.As to squirel.Its actually very good but requires lots to make a meat based meal.Its better to use it with other tag ends of meat for a stew.Brunswick stew comes to mind.Venison[deer meat]needs fat when cooked.If it has been run extensively it will need a soak in vinegar and salt water.Not just salt water.
      Freeze the tag ends of veggies when canning or prepping.Makes great veggie stock.Use all heels and left over crumbs for breading or bread pudding.Save all beef fat.It is suet and is used primarily in baking.Better known as tallow.Can be used for soap making.Not a great substitute for lard though.
      Lye is made by filtering water through wood ash.It needs to be concentrated though otherwise it simply is absorbed into the earth.Even if that does happen not to worry its part of a triliogy for fertilizer.Reuse non crusted aluminum foil for cooking or storing anything that needs to be protected from the weather.When done shred it in big pieces to use for homemade scarecrow[gardening]
      Just a small sample I’ve got literally hundreds of others.

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  • JohnQTaxpayer
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:08am

    If we actually taught history in schools a small percentage of our population would understand this bankruptcy thing has been done many times before, and usually is followed by very nasty time and especially ugly things. It is not a recommended thing to have on a countries bucket list, it does not end well. Greece being the master of “throwing in the towel”, has done it so often in history one could not keep track. They have been a round a little longer than USA and they should know better. (About 10 times longer) they will just say “uncle” and go on as before. But in the USA it will be different, can you imagine 20 million yuppies, hippies, xyz’ ers walking in the streets saying why does a cup of café latte with whipped cream from Starbucks cost 10 thousand dollars? Oh that is right we are the United States of narcissistic superman Americans, nothing bad can ever happen here, yea right.

    The moral of our story (I feel like Aesop) is; a country spending more than it can tax its people is bad, do not do it, ever. And do not over tax citizens that does not work either, see Laffer curve
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laffer_curve

    Report Post » JohnQTaxpayer  
  • TRONINTHEMORNING
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:07am

    Good luck, Greece. Got my own country to save.

    Report Post »  
  • Patriot Huntress
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:05am

    This is what we are going to be doing in the coming years. We have a farm that is debt free but is cash rented by a farmer for the main fields. We have 4 ponds stocked with fish, a nice creek running through it, lots of walnuts, a few hazelnuts, blackberries and at the moment some deer and turkeys. Problem is the wildlife will be wiped out. Thankfully our place is in a county of only about 7500 people in Illinois and at least 70 miles from any large cities. Still I don’t feel safe because if things are bad enough the government will probably take it away from us. I am thankful my husband hunts and so do I so our lifetime of fishing and hunting will hopefully sustain us. My grandmother lived through the depression and was extremely frugal as was my mother. I learned to can from them but again if the government takes it all away then it will all mean nothing. This is why people faith will need to depend on God to get us through. My heart aches for anyone who has not stored some food, even we don’t have near enough but are working on it.

    We‘ve got a lot of coffee and I’m going to be purchasing a coffee grinder since whole beans in vacuum seal will last longer and it is cheaper to buy. My biggest worry are our parents who have medical needs. The future looks bleak but God has a plan.

    Report Post »  
    • bharris0
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:14am

      Arm yourselves and defend it with your lives as your life may very well depend on it.

      Having the government steal it from you is no difference than any other thug doing the same thing.

      Report Post »  
    • ohiowordguy
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:26am

      I agree, and applaud your preparedness. We had to sell our farm…heavy sigh. But managed to buy a place with 10 acres, pasture, a good pond site and lots of woods adjacent to our own. So we are starting over, but making plans now for the coming economic meltdown.

      People who think starvation can‘t or won’t happen here in the USA need only rewind a couple generations to realize that it can and has.

      My parents both are children of the Great Depression, and I have heard *many* stories about how my maternal grandmother sold walnuts, hickory nuts, eggs, etc. to earn a little money. Her garden was a sight to behold.

      We joke about it, but to this day my mother saves EVERY scrap of food until it is inedible. Why? Because food was scarce and precious when she was little, and she was taught to make every morsel count. It pains me to throw food away — I inherited my mother’s food-saving gene — and I feel almost ashamed when I do. Maybe they’ll translate this book to English!

      People, wake up! Hard times are coming; very hard times. Prepare.

      Report Post »  
    • Lordchamp
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:28am

      I agree. If they take what you have you have no life anyways so defend it. Give me Liberty or Give me Death!

      Report Post »  
    • AmericanStrega
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:27am

      You can use the peelings, tops and other parts of veggies as the base for a veggie stock. All you have to do is save these parts (rinse them well first) in a freezer container. Once you have about a half-gallon or so, you can place these items in a pot of water and simmer for a few hours with salt, pepper or whatever herbs and/or spices you like. When the stock tastes to your liking, strain out the cooked down veggie parts and freeze the stock for later use or add homemade egg noodles. It’s a great meal. It’s really good served over mashed potatoes! You can also keep the veggie “debris” in the stock and serve it as well. This is just one way to save food. You can also freeze the skin and fat removed from meats and make a stock the same way. I wouldn’t mix different meats, except for maybe beef and pork or turkey and chicken. Well, maybe beef, pork, turkey and chicken would be good too? Hmm, maybe I’ll try that! You could also add dried beans (soak them first) to the stock if you cannot make noodles. Hope this helps someone! God Bless and Good Luck!

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    • Solzhenitsin
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 2:01pm

      Take a page from history and plant potatoes. When Cromwell took all the wheat and other crops from Irish farmers he missed the potatoes because the plants had died back; you can’t tell that the ground is full of food once the greens are gone. Unless you are in an area prone to rot, you can leave them in the ground until you need them or it’s time to plant again. Also learned from a friend this year- peel potatoes thickly, then plant the peels.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 8:59am

    People it may not be a bad idea to get a copy of such a book; for with Obama at the helm, soon enough his efforts to break the nation could unleash a deficit of govt controlled food sourcing and force many to chose between staying alive by such recipies and starvation.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • EgoBrain
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:48am

      Already looking on Amazon :)

      Report Post » EgoBrain  
    • AxelPhantom
      Posted on December 6, 2011 at 11:26am

      A solution that will help is nut trees. They can be grown without care and camoflaged in a natural setting. They also are rich in the oils necessary for maintaining the functions of your body. Walnuts and pecans are obvious ones but….Did you know that acorns if prepared properly can be ground into flour and baked? Think how many oak trees you see every day! Mesquite trees produce beans which can also (with the proper grinder) be turned into flour which is actually good for those with diabetes. Get to know local plants that are not so obvious sources of food, you may not be able to support a family off of them, but it can supplement your food storage!

      Report Post »  
  • raderby
    Posted on December 6, 2011 at 8:53am

    gimmee a break. How about all the retirees who stopped making money at 50 and started taking money at 50 from the Greek Socialist State either pay back some of the “public’s” money they grabbed, or just crawl away and starve. Sorry, no pity whatsoever from me.

    Report Post » raderby  
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