Where is meatloaf the food from

Warm and filling, it provided cheap, nourishing sustenance. Tough cuts of beef like chuck or rump were tenderized by way of a good grinding. Small amounts of beef or veal were stretched by adding fillers. Manufacturers commercialized World War I developments in food technology and the '30s saw a significant shift towards processed and canned products. In addition to bread and crackers, quick-cooking oats, tapioca, breakfast cereal, and powdered sauce mixes could pad out a meatloaf, and condiments such as mustard, bouillon, canned soup, and Heinz ketchup added flavor and moistness at small cost.

Manufacturers themselves, seeing an opportunity for increased sales, positioned meatloaf recipes on the backs of products such as Quaker Oats, Campbell's Soup, and Post Toasties. With the increased strictures of wartime rationing in the '40s, meatloaf consolidated its high-ranking position in the housewife's culinary artillery. Here, meatloaf took on new symbolic significance.

By maintaining the health and strength of a country at war, it played its role on the front lines. Penny Prudence's "Vitality Loaf" was jammed with beef, pork, pork liver, oatmeal, wheat germ, onion-evaporated milk, egg, and chili sauce. The most economical options of this era, however, even deviated from the aforementioned ingredients -- they didn't actually feature meat at all.

Capitalizing on the familiar shape and texture of the dish to appeal to the American palate, cookbooks with titles such as Cooking on a Ration were filled with recipes that used beans, nuts, rice, and soy flour in place of meat. But meatloaf was capable of more than just budget fare, and the post-war era of the s and '60s liberated it. Taste and creativity now served as primary ingredients. For a large contingent of women who spent the war in the work force, the '50s were a time of re-discovering the kitchen.

Advertisers, magazines, and newspapers, charged with the task of encouraging women to embrace their new role, glorified the image of the housewife, celebrated kitchen skills, and stressed the importance of being creative as a means to fulfillment.

Naturally, meatloaf fit seamlessly into this milieu. It could be personalized and adapted any number of ways, all the while requiring only basic skills. The frosted meatloaf, where mashed potato is slathered on a baked loaf, then broiled for a golden crust, debuted in the '50s. To enliven a simpler offering, there was an inexhaustible trend for garnishing, glazing, saucing, and decorating.

The traditional loaf was even temporarily retired in favor of the fashionable ring shape. A proponent of this trend, Betty Crocker, the fictional domestic doyenne of General Mills, advised piling vegetables in the center. No doubt innovators of the '50s and '60s would reel at the next turn in meatloaf's evolution.

Adding sponge-like mushrooms and gelatin to the loaf traps moisture, allowing us to cut back the bread by more than 80 percent for an ultra-meaty loaf. Now that you know how to make the meatiest meatloaf ever, give it a try.

Umami-rich browned mushrooms add extra savory notes, and the mixture of gelatin with the right amount of panade gives our loaf the perfect texture. Favorite Collections let you organize your favorite ATK content.

Are you building a menu for an upcoming birthday dinner? Your collections can include more than just recipes, too. It was not until the industrial revolution, and the advent of the domestic meat grinder, that meatloaf really came into its own. For the first time, ground beef and pork could be produced in the home and meat grinder manufacturers seized the opportunity.

Promoting a series of recipes that relied on the new invention, minced meat took centre stage for the first time. The earliest mention of meatloaf dates back to the 5th century Credit: Alamy. The scene was now set for meatloaf to become a culinary star.

All it needed was a spark. The Great Depression of the early 20th century forced homemakers to be more thrifty with their food. Money was scarce and expensive meals were an unwanted expense. This downturn in popular fortune coincided with a series of innovations in the food industry.