First Tweak

Why my blog readers are the best blog readers who ever read blogs: thoughtfully, intelligently and helpfully setting me on the right track toward the right dinner party. Thank you for your comments and suggestions! As per your collective advice, I have decided to adopt option two. If you recall, that was tweaking the original recipes for flavour but still upholding their historical importance. Or something like that.

The next victim of my wartime recipe debauchery was Carrot Fudge.

recipe

First following the recipe to a T was an utter disaster. The whole lot ended up in the trash not 20 minutes after they were made. The redeeming quality of being so stereotypically WWII and the fact that they have good flavour to work from urged me to take on the recipe tweak and make them something unique and hopefully edible.

When I took on the decision to alter historic recipes, I also decided to make as few changes as possible and, where it allowed, make substitutes and additions that would also have been feasible during WWII. Now, will my guests really appreciate the fact that I not only altered the recipes with their taste-buds but their accurate acquisition of historical information in mind? So help me, they'd better.

Sparing you the details of the next four attempts at improving Carrot Fudge (including the important decision to name it a less-misleading 'Carrot Bar'), I present a very pleasant alternative.

source

The completed list of alterations included in a much improved new recipe looks like this:

Carrot Bars

5 cups of packed, grated carrot
1 package of gelatine

1 cup of orange juice

1 cup of sugar, dissolved in the orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

seeds of half a vanilla pod (this is an extravagance that would have not been possible during wartime. I only used a half, so it's OK, right?)

Dissolve gelatine in orange juice and sugar mixture. Add vanilla seeds, orange zest and grated carrots. Stir until well combined. Pour into a shallow baking dish and let set, covered, in the refrigerator.