Ersatz in World War 1 Germany

[WallysWorld]

I found this website describing different ersatz (substitute) goods used in Germany during World War One. Some very interesting items include:

'The rice "lamb" chop would satisfy even an exacting taste. Rice was boiled and formed into a lump resembling a chop. A skewer of wood was stuck into the lump to serve as a bone. The illusion was made more complete with a little paper rosette to top off the "bone" and served with green peas and a sprig of watercress. Fried in real mutton tallow, it came to the table with the look and aroma of the real thing.'

'The shortage of meat, lard, suet, butter, and eggs actually helped to improve the health of the public, due to the elimination of three-quarters of the fat normally consumed.'

'A popular cake sold in the cafés was made mostly of ground clover meal, with flour of horse-chestnuts added, a little rice, glucose, sugar or honey and chopped raisins or prunes. Even at the price it sold for--an ounce for three cents--the cake was a success, in nutrition, appearance and taste.'

'The first substitute, Kaffee-ersatz, was not a bad one. It was mostly made of roasted barley and oats and the flavor was enhanced by chemicals from coal-tar. The brew had a good percentage of nutritive elements, no caffeine and was quite palatable when taken with milk and sugar--without sugar though, it was impossible. But the grain could be put to better purpose and so this led to the introduction of the substitute of a substitute. Kaffee-ersatz-ersatz was made of roasted acorns and beechnuts, with just enough roasted barley to build up a coffee flavor.'

http://www.reenactor.net/ww1/morsels/fsc/home_front.html

[Martok]

Cool find!  Thanks for sharing WW.