Here’s an edible object: Jell-O! It was a staple food during World War II and didn’t require a ration stamp for purchase. Recently, I was listening to an episode of the Jack Benny Show, “Christmas Shopping for Dennis,” which aired one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This was a year before rationing went into effect. Here’s a 1938 ad depicting Jack Benny and Jell-O:
Jack often began his radio programs with, “Jell-o, this is Jack Benny…” The company was his sponsor at the time. At the end of this episode, announcer Don Wilson presents the Jell-O commercial. In this commercial, similar to others I’ve heard, he recites a recipe for a dessert. I decided to make it! Here’s the recipe, transcribed, in Don’s own words:
“One package prepared Jell-O strawberry flavor. Chill until cold and syrupy. Place in a bowl of cracked ice and whip it up until it’s fluffy, thick and luscious like rose colored whipped cream. Next, open a can of pears and fold up a cup of pear pulp into your whipped Jell-O. Arrange slices of pears in Sherbert glasses. Fill each glass with Jell-O and garnish with gay, green cherries. Now just picture it: Individual sherberts filled to the brim with summer-sweet strawberry Jell-O Whipped to a fluffy rose-colored pulp.”
I didn’t find any green maraschino cherries, so I bought fresh cherries.
And, of course, I had to wear one of my vintage 1940s dresses.
How was the Jell-O? It was okay. I’m glad I used fresh cherries. Would I do it again? Probably not. It was a fun historical experiment and got me thinking about the way people acquired their food during World War II, and what life might have been like for them.
If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend the book We Knew We Were at War: Women Remember World War II, by my friend Margaret George. Peg was a wonderful lady, and a friend of mine, who recently passed away. When I was in my early 20s, I worked with her on publicizing her wonderful book. Check it out if you get a chance!
