Eden Camp, the modern history museum in North Yorkshire is proud to unveil its ‘Rations Reimagined’ campaign that shines a spotlight on the creativity of wartime cooking and the enduring spirit of the 1940s Home Front. Teaming up with award-winning chefs and beloved local restaurants, the museum is bringing history to life through the kitchen, with recipes inspired by rationing and resourcefulness.
As part of the campaign, participating chefs have reimagined authentic wartime recipes using ration-style ingredients. Visitors can explore these recipes with recipe cards featured on Eden Camp’s website and social media to recreate their own nostalgic and nutritious dishes.
Paula Peace, Director of Eden Camp, said: “During wartime, food became a precious commodity. People struggled, but were ingenious with the ways in which they created as much as possible from a limited amount. With ‘Rations Reimagined’, we’re paying tribute to the sheer inventiveness of the 1940s and bringing history to life.”
James Mackenzie, Michelin star chef and owner of The Pipe and Glass Inn, shared a historic recipe for East Yorkshire Sugar Cakes, a regional specialty nearly lost to time. Discovered by chance in 2007 in the Beverley archives, the original 200-year-old recipe fell from an old accounts ledger during a building move. The original version was incredibly intense with cloves and mace, but James has softened the flavour and adapted it slightly for today’s tastes.
The Fox and Hounds Country Inn, Sinnington is an 18th-century coaching inn known for its warm hospitality and rustic charm. Head Chef, Adam Richardson has contributed two classic comfort dishes inspired by the spirit of wartime make-do cooking. The recipe for corned beef hash is a classic to make the most of a small number of cupboard essentials for a hearty meal. For dessert, this recipe transforms a stale loaf of bread into a comforting bread and butter pudding.
Visitors can immerse themselves in life on the home front at Eden Camp this summer. Eden Camp, the modern history museum in North Yorkshire, is offering a free return visit this summer to those purchasing advance tickets online between the 1st July and 31st August. Offering great value, this limited time offer allows families to experience a summer of creativity, resilience, and hands-on history as it launches a line-up of wartime-themed summer holiday activities.
One of the museum’s summer campaign themes is a deep dive into how everyday people adapted to rationing from 4th - 17th August. From carrot lollipops to parachute lingerie, visitors will explore the inventive ways people coped with wartime shortages. Families can take part in a Carrots on a Stick Workshop, where children create their own colourful, crunchy carrot snacks using syrup, sprinkles, and imagination. The Carrots on a Stick Workshop runs 6th-10th and 13th-17th August 1pm-2pm.
The full recipes can be viewed by visiting, https://edencamp.co.uk/ration-week-at-eden-camp.
To find out more and to book tickets, visit www.edencamp.co.uk.