Herrings

This informative herring aid from WWII makes no bones about the need to make the most of every fish

Herrings have been the backbone of many a fishing industry for thousands of years - despite their own back and side bones being somewhat tricky to handle. Whilst their fiddly preparation and pungent presence might not make them everyone's first choice, life on the home front offered far fewer options when it came to mealtimes. This Cookery Hints series from the Ministry of Food offered basic advice on familiar ingredients, but with an emphasis on economy in straitened times.

This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.