With food prices high, we’re all looking to eat on the cheap and stretch our grocery budgets further. Yet we’re far from the only generation to be living through tough times — and our foodie forbearers left us ample evidence of how cooks of the past made do with less in all sorts of creative ways. Depression-era cooks, for example, came up with some seriously resourceful ways to pair inexpensive and shelf-stable foodstuffs like the once-popular raisin bread and tuna or sardine sandwich. (Yes, you read that right.)
While the lunchtime relic hasn’t exactly stood the test of time (we can’t imagine why!) the meal was common during the Great Depression, when wallets — and pantries — were sparse. We don’t know exactly who first dreamed up the combo, but an October 1936 issue of The Oakland Tribune ran a recipe for a raisin bread and tuna sammie, and then, the same year, shared a similar recipe for a version made with sardine. Thus, the sandwiches were officially on the map,
The fish and fruity raisin bread combo — strange as it sounds to our modern tastes — was a sign of the times, when lean economic times demanded recipes made from accessible but satisfying everyday ingredients — like tinned fish (which is enjoying something of a renaissance as we speak) and a simple homemade or store-bought raisin bread.
The sandwiches made use of available, shelf stable staples
Call it quirky or best left to the history books, but the unlikely marrying of fish and raisin bread makes total sense considering the sociocultural context of the times. This all-but-forgotten creation is just one of countless Depression-era recipes prompted by shortages and scarcity — when folks dined on many similarly questionable, and fascinating, Depression-era foods. Penny-pinching workarounds like cornmeal mush, water pie, dandelion salads, and wacky cakes (which actually still hold up) filled hungry stomachs using inexpensive, shelf-stable, flavorful ingredients — like canned fish and raisin bread.
While fish paired with the fruitiness of raisins might sound insulting to our modern sentiments, withhold your knee-jerk judgment. Modern foodie creators who’ve bravely dusted off and recreated this recipe have mixed reviews, but admit that something about the combination actually kind of works.
If you’re thinking of the current-day super sweet, cinnamon-spiced dessert-like raisin bread, the 1930s version was a bit different. Think more basic, savory loaf just punctuated with raisins for some subtle texture and sweetness. This provided a backdrop with some contrast for the tangy tuna or sardine spread made with mayo, pickles, and lemon juice. When you really think about it, the pairing is not so unlike the still-common chicken or tuna salad recipes made with cranberries, grapes, or raisins mixed in. Unexpected sweet and savory combos? The pairing doesn’t get much more timeless than that — so maybe don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
