during world war 1 and 2

[Metz]

Setting the scene for Christmas and other festivals. We may have fridges now, but during those wars we didn't. What did they use, not everyone had ice houses or access to one.

Any recipes that are relevant. Any preserving recipes too, pickling etc.

[spudqueen]

Well houses didn't have central heating for a start, and every house would have had a larder. The larder would have had at least one outside wall, and possibly marble shelves to keep everything cool. But Christmas then wasn't like Christmas now, people only got Christmas day and possibly Boxing Day off work. Food would probably have only been bought that was going to be eaten - none of this rushing around the supermarket and coming home with enough food to feed an army just to throw half of it away!
And it wasn't just during the wars when people didn't have fridges - we didn't have one until 1971.
What sort of recipes are you after as I have an old Household Encyclopaedia with loads of recipes in.
As a taster here's a recipe for Pickles, mushrooms
Stew them in salted water - just enough to keep them from sticking. When tender pour off the water and add hot spiced vinegar. Then cork them tightly if you wish to keep them a long time. Poisonous ones wll turn black if an onion is stew with them, and then all must be thrown away,

[frostyspecs]

Ah those were the days. Still the very happiest people of under 50 years have missed so much. Example, my mother would cook every day and wash every monday iron tuesday afternnon shoppping in the morning. Friday was the big shop day and on saturday I would collect the meat and the coley for the cat plus any bits and pieces. The fish would be cooked soon as I got home and places in the pantry which had two sliding wire mesh windows. We did not have a fridge till 1955. As far as I can rember none of the family ever had food poisoning. The first time that I got it was on national service in Egypt in 1953/4 and there were no fridges there either. It was all common sense and familys talking to oneanother. Frostyspecs

[scarlets fan]

Further to Frostyspecs answer. Monday was washday, and dinner was Sunday leftovers. If it had been a small joint, with not enough left for Monday, we had chips with the warmed up gravy poured over. Delicious!! There was no real need for a fridge, as most food was bought fresh, and there was not a lof of waste, money was short and food was still in short supply for many years after the war. We had most of our vegetables from the garden, so everything was seasonal, and picked as and when it was needed.