HUNGER: How Food Shaped the Course of the First World War

Dutch historian Rick Blom has scoured original source material including private diaries by active servicemen and civilians, historical accounts, food manuals, recipe books and interviews with veterans. Working as a sous-chef in a recreated field kitchen, Blom takes part in a re-enactment and spends three cold, hungry, solitary days and nights in a restored trench. Throughout his focus remains firmly on food or rather lack of it and everything in relation - production, distribution, preparation, quantities, and how these issues influenced the outcome of the war. Recipes conclude each chapter like Mulligatawny Soup for 50 men with six gallons of stock and five tins of bully beef and two pounds of crushed biscuit, Couscous, Camel Stomach Stew, Macaroni or Rissoles for 100 men with 18lb of meat. Direct quotes from diaries show the standpoint of the three principal nations involved - Britain, France and Germany and the rare photographs show the men in the trenches, wine and music, eating in the field, preparing food in primitive conditions, and German soldiers sharing a beer. 236pp, softback, illus.