The WWII-Era Fall Dish That Helped Families Stretch Food

You probably don't use parsnips as much as you could (and should). While parsnips are similar to carrots, they differ in a few ways — most notably, parsnips' pale color and earthy flavor. Nonetheless, parsnips can be implemented for a variety of culinary uses, including some where you might typically use carrots. For example, parsnips make for a great batch of fries and can even be included as a unique ingredient in certain cakes. But if you were to look through the history books, you'd find that this autumn root vegetable was an MVP of war-era dining.

A World War II-era vegetable cookery pamphlet details how to help families stretch their rations when food is scarce. In it, you'll find a recipe for a dish called parsnip cakes — a simple dish that combines very basic cooking ingredients. While not being the flashiest of dishes out there, parsnip cakes proved to be a valuable way to obtain crucial nutrients, as parsnips are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, among other critical vitamins and minerals. Additionally, the taste of parsnips evokes all those warm, earthy notes that go hand in hand with the fall season, making them well worth a try as the air gets a little cooler.

The 1940s version of parsnip cakes was meant to be hearty and efficient. Combining parsnips with flour and a bit of salt before frying them with a touch of oil makes these cakes a pretty utilitarian dish. Serving these cakes with a cheese sauce was also recommended, giving them a touch of humble indulgence. However, much has changed since World War II ended, and now you can give parsnip cakes a bit of a makeover.

Ironically, you can zhuzh up your parsnip cakes for contemporary cooking by stepping even further back in history. While parsnip cakes may have been a war-era staple, the dish goes back to the 1700s, when they were a popular British dish. Here, you'll find the fall vibes are in full force, using egg, sherry or sack, cream, and freshly grated nutmeg to amplify the basic ingredients already present. So whichever way you make it, you're sure to have a historic dish worth trying yourself this fall.