Great Depression Cooking: Cheese Souffle

Great Depression struck the United States on October 29th, 1929.

It was a huge segment of history that changed the lives of millions of people who stood in lines in the cold to get supplies to feed their families. Former rich, poor, middle-class families, everyone was there equal as hunger stroke the country.

Even though it was a hard time, homemakers and housewives did everything they could to cook the meals and make them delicious. This only proves one simple thing: no matter how hard the times were, people still loved to eat good and tasty food.

I would like to honor those brave ones who stood strong and kept going, spent hours in lines to get fresh goods and cook meals. I will dedicate this month to the great depression recipes that I have found in books, archives, and old recipe booklets.

I may slightly change the recipes but using the same old products that people used during the 1930’s.

Let’s start with cheese souffle.

Pro tip: serve it as soon as you can because the souffle falls down quickly. Also, it is at its best when served warm. Eat with soup, cheese spread or butter.

Serving size:

12 portions

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp of flour

• 3 tbsp of butter

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup of milk

• 1 cup of cheese (I used Mexican blend)

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chives for serving

• Pumpkin puree mixed with cream, cheese, and salt for serving

Nutrition:

• 88 Calories

• 6.4g Fat

• 3.1 g Carbs

• 4.1g Protein

• No Fiber

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Stir butter and flour together in a saucepan until the butter is melted.

Add milk a little at a time and stir until the mixture comes together.

Add salt, pepper, cheese, mix together and set aside to cool.

Separate egg yolks from the whites.

Beat the yolks and add them to cool cheese mixture.

Beat the whites to stiff peaks and gently fold them into the cheese mixture.

Grease baking forms, divide the mixture between each one and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Plating:

Mix pumpkin puree with cheese, a little cream, salt, and chives.

Put cheese souffle on top and sprinkle with more chives.