Great Depression Cooking

You have probably heard the old saying "everything old is new again." That has certainly become true during these tough economic times. People are turning to a lifestyle of Savvy Frugality not just out of some sense of trying to balance their budgets and save money, but as a matter of survival. Who better to ask for advice than someone's great-grandmother, who lived through the Great Depression?

That's where Clara Cannucciari comes in. For the past few years, 93-year-old Clara has been the star of her own Internet cooking show, Great Depression Cooking with Clara. The videos can be found at YouTube, and I have featured an episode here in this post. The show has its own web site and has even spawned a DVD, an upcoming cookbook and an appearance on the CBS Evening News.

The episodes of her online series are very interesting, not only for the simple fare that she cooks up based upon recipes her own mother used during the Great Depression, but also her stories of what it was like to live through that difficult period of American history. For example, we learn that people at lots of pasta and potatoes, and very little meat, during the Great Depresssion, and that one of Clara's neighbors rented their garage to some whiskey bootleggers to make extra money.

Whether you're trying to learn how to make your food dollars stretch, or you are just interested in hearing about what it was like to live during the Great Depression from someone who actually experienced it, Great Depression Cooking with Clara hits a home run on both counts. Besides, Clara is a very charming, likeable lady who is not only informative, but entertaining as well.

Check out an episode: