Evening star., 1940-12-20
(Fitth of O. series on the
London blitskrieg.)
BY MILO M. THOMPSON,

J Associated Press Stan Writer.
( NEW YORK, Dec. 20.-Suppose
we take a market basket today and
look for food in the little shopping
7 district of the London suburb where
> I live.
Z We take double-deck bus almost
lat my door and pay ha'pence 6
cents for the ride that in preWar
days was penny one. We pass the
public gardens, the tennis courts,
cricket pitch, bowling green and golf
club of the neighborhood and note
people seriously at the work of
keeping fit" We pass many brick
houses with pleasant gardens.
Some of the houses are not so
tidy as they once were, due to broken
glass, but no heap of wreckage stares
at us on this particular ride.
We hop off at the English equiva-
lent of the American five and ten"
store, "thruppence and sixpence"
store
Plenty of Cakes and Candy.
There is always something one
needs in such a place. This crowded
store has its food counters, too
They are full of canned soups, fruits
gelatins, fish such as sardines and
kipper snacks, matted milk, pack
aged cheese, jellies, self-rising flour,
dried fruits and the like. There are
plenty of tea cakes and candy. No
ration cards here and no starvation
for the fellow who has sixpence.
But we are after more sturdy stuff
and 60 out again to the meat mar
kets. 1t is early in the day and we
find in the windows, below the
roasting and stewing cuts of strictly
rationed beef, mutton and veal
hanging on their silver hooks, trays
of unrationed edible offals."
There are hearts, kidneys, liver
tripe and the like, and sausages
which are half meat and half bread
crumbs, the meat content of sau-
sages being prescribed by law. One
has to snap these things up quickly
If one wants them, because the days
supply does not last many hours.
But you can shop for offals where
you please, whereas you must go
for bacon, butter, sugar, cooking
fats and fresh meat to the store at
which you are registered
Butter and Sugar Ample.
One leg Of lamb, or its equivalent
Is all the fresh meat we are en-
titled to for the week. 1t has al
ready been ordered. So we pick up
some liver to go with the slim al
lowance of bacon We shall pick up
at our own store along with the
weeks butter and sugar portion. It
is not big. but will serve amply.
Next comes the bakery. There
Is certainly no sign of want here.
There are piles of bread-White, rye,
whole wheat, raisin, malt (Which is
dark, sweet and excellent with tea)
and even twisted seed loaves. There
are innumerable rolls and buns.
What is most alluring is the dis
play of tea cookies, cakes and scones.
You would think war had had no
real effect upon these things if you
were making a quick tour, but We
who live in London in peace as well
as war can point out differences.
Bakery confections which took
many eggs have diminished in num-
Der. The splendid sugar icings have
disappeared from both cakes and
buns. There is no longer the heap
ing whipped cream decorations.
Cream filings have given place to
the cornstarch kind. And where
is the chocolate of yesterday? Cof-
fee has taken it's place as a flavor
ing.
One does not think long and
Wistfully about these missing things
in the presence of the current dis
play. 1t is too appetizing and one
knows from experience it is rich
enough and sweet enough for any
purpose.
Vegetables Plentiful.
We choose loaf of milk bread, a
Jelly roll, a squarish coffee loaf and
a h-decorated gateau. We spend
the equivalent of half a dollar and
are on our way to the vegetable and
fruit market. It is just round the
corner.
Here are white stalks of celery,
bundles of fat leeks, heaps of wa
tercress. the first winter crops Of
radishes. Here are baskets of mush-
rooms and bins of potatoes. Cab
bages and caulif1our and big piles
of Brussels sprouts are prominent,
and one may choose, if one will, fat
''Swedes." which belong to the tur-
nip family, but are much bigger.
We serve them in half inch slices,
boiled and buttered, though the
English usually mash them.
1t is getting too late for vege-
table marrow, but the market was
full of that English variety of squash
all summer. 1t is the popular sum-
mer vegetable.
Cucumbers a foot long are here
and there are still to be had to-
matoes grown under glass The
latter would not ordinarily interest
us, for we have them growing in
our own hothouse at most times.
just now, however, a bomb has
spoiled that. Tomatoes that live in
glass houses should beware of the
blitzkrieg.
Oranges From Palestine.
On the fruit side are cooking
apples, eating apples, desert plums
and big brownish pears. 1t is late
now for the more yellow softer pears.
There are still Jaffa oranges from
ga a ~A