What's Cookin'...

Toots?

Yesterday I went to the library book sale...our local library accepts used books, magazines, music and movies to resell...all to benefit library programs. It's awesome...and I often pick up current magazine issues (as well as back issues) and yesterday?

Well...yesterday I found some new Vintage Cookbooks...

I'm not a huge cookbook fan...I like them, I mean, I just don't sit around reading them in my spare time for new foods to eat, I have a few that I adore of course...The Joy of Cooking, Moosewood, Apples For Jam...and several others...but, I am oddly drawn to these beauties. I love the old (and sometimes horrifying recipes) the pictures...cartoon drawings and real photos of families...and the little animated fruit, veggies, and kitchen items (who doesn't love a handsome cooking pan holding hands with a happy flame of gas having a ho-down with some grapes and bananas?)

On some level...I am fascinated with the typical American family, split with...how do I become a feminine woman? I know...I figure...you're shaking your heads because I should know this stuff by now right? But even before the divorce I started questioning my role as a woman...and a feminine one at that...balancing that quality with working outside of the home in my own business, in my marriage and society as a whole(notice I'm looking in the past for this one instead of the here and now? Plus...they have damn nice furniture) The perfect examples?

• Right Eating Keeps you Swingin' (1964-Carnation Co.)
• Festive Foods For Family Fun (1966-Wisconsin Gas Co.)
• Bride's Guide To Cooking For 2 (1960's-The Test Kitchen of the American Dairy Association)

The last one is cooking with Evap. Milk...mmmm



There's no particular rhyme or reason for the books I buy...I love the old premiums given away for free, ones that tell me how to use some of the more odd products out there successfully (and the recipes? OH boy!) I've wanted to start a blog just of dinners I could make from these books...

• Betty Crocker's Cooky Carnival (1957-Betty Crocker)

• Miracles With Minute Tapioca (1948-General Foods)

The cookie ones have the best recipes that people don't publish anymore...I could do a whole post on the constant changing appearance of Betty Croker...and the Minute Tapioca? The tag line reads: Creamy desserts-fruit pies and puddings-souffles-soups-meat and fish dishes (really?)

• 

Tested Recipes Sego Brand Unsweetened Evap Milk (1920's-30's-Sego)

• He Brings You the Priceless Gift (20's-30's- Vegex Vitamin powder from Westfield Mass. "the Pure Food Town")
• 30Tempting Spaghetti Meals (20's-30's-Franco American)
• Make Ice Cream in a Jiffy! (1932-Ice Cream Powder...Jell-o Co.)
• Calorie Saving Recipes With Improved Sucaryl (1955-Sucaryl)
• From the Tropics to your Table-83 tested Banana Recipes (1926-Fruit Dispach Co.)

My father gave me this batch...I love the really old ones...I love the amazing varieties of foods there were, and how many different companies were giving these out...to help the Housewife! The banana one is pretty incredible, with highlights like: "IMPORTANT: In preparing bananas for cooking they should always be peeled before using and all coarse threads removed." with 3 pictures of bananas in various stages of ripe. Well...OK then. When were bananas first imported here? OH...and fried bananas with bacon or sausage, Rice bananas and poached eggs...


I also enjoy the bar-b-q books...especially the silver one here...it's a premium from an aluminum foil company...obviously...

• Big Boy Barbecue Book (1956-Big Boy MFG. Co. and Kingsford Chemical Co.)
• How to become a Cookout Champion (1959-Kaiser Foil)
• Steps in Modern Gas Cooking, featuring..."Lady of Flame" (1950's-Southern Counties Gas Company)

I would probably die if I found a Reddy Kilowatt cookbook...











I don't usually buy any from the 70's, but the title on this one?

Ball Blue Book...

snort.

Priceless...

(cause' I'm 12...)

Plus...I have no idea how to can, so I figured it would be a good skill to know as a Housewife...in between waxing my wood floors and shopping with coupons...






And, the two I have displayed above my stove in the kitchen:

• Your Frigidaire Recipes (because it's what probably came with my stove when it was new...in the 40's-1938'45- General Motors)
• My best Meat Recipes (1945-46-National Live Stock and Meat Board)

The last one was given away compliments of:

Independent Cash Market
111W. Goodwin ST.
Prescott, AZ
Northern Arizona's Finest Food Market

I didn't even know we had a market in that location, of course, my family moved here in the 80's...so, it was probably long gone...but, that one is really special to me...

I hope you enjoyed this little peek in the past...I have a ton more of these...

So, what do you think? Once a month we meet for a dinner party here at the blog? I'll make and publish the recipes and do a review?

Things I am Thankful For:

That people cared to make and publish these little books...and that people collected them...and that people are now getting rid of them...And that they hardly ever cost over 50 cents...which makes collecting a dangerous obsession indeed...

That today is Friday, and I have 2 days off to recoup and craft...