Leave a CommentShare: |
Subscribe
One of our community grande dames, MMHoney, gave me three copies of the vintage Rumford Cookbook. Two of these copies are from the 1948 edition while the third is the 1918 edition. (The two copies in red above are the 1948 editions.) If you are a vintage cookbook collector, stay tuned. I HAVE A GIVEAWAY.
I examined the cookbooks for clues. I’d never heard of Rumford!
The first few pages tell us about Count Rumford. Benjamin Thompson was “the American ennobled by the courts of Europe because of his pioneer discoveries in cooking.” His accomplishments include being the first to study diet, to invent an effective oven, roaster, and tea kettle, to advocate drip coffee, and to suggest holes in the handles of pots and pans so they could be hung. He designed efficient kitchens, the modern air-tight stove, and the construction of oven doors.
But is this all true? Was there really a Count Rumford? Or was he like Cap’n Crunch who sailed the seven seas in the good ship Guppy and discovered crunch berries? Count Rumford was, in fact, a real person, but the Rumford Cookbook was written by Lily Hayworth Wallace (a food specialist and consultant) for Rumford Chemical Works, which developed and sold Rumford baking powder. The first edition was printed in 1908 and it continued to print subsequent editions until the late 1940s.
Baking powder was invented in the 1840s and was sold in two separate envelopes because baking soda and cream of tartar could only be combined at the last minute before baking. In the mid-nineteenth century, a chemist named Eben Horsford developed the concept of replacing cream of tartar with calcium-acid phosphate, and with the addition of cornstarch was able to make a combination baking powder that could be sold in one package. Together with his business partner, George Wilson, he started manufacturing this new combined baking powder at Rumford Chemical Works. Rumford joined with Calumet in 1950, which was the end of the Rumford name in the baking aisle and explains why we’ve never heard of Rumford today.* (see update note)
But my, oh my, do we owe them our cookies. And their cookbooks are a piece of culinary history.
The Rumford Cookbook does not, by the way, limit itself to baking recipes, despite its promotional foundations. It endeavors, according to the 1918 foreward, to present “the best dishes of their kind rather than take up space for repetition of the same general recipe” and covers the gamut from soups and salads to meats and vegetables to pastries, breads, cakes, and pies. It’s a fascinating look into the heartbeat of the kitchens of its time with lots of quaint extras. (What is a gill? A half a cup! Odd, that.)
*Update to note: This is an interesting page here. Apparently sometime after 1950, Rumford changed hands again and is now owned by Clabber Girl while Calumet was taken over by Kraft. According to that site, Rumford is still available (who knew? not me!) in New England and the Northeastern U.S. (though it sounds as if from the comments it can be found elsewhere). I’ve never seen it. Now I feel obsessed with the idea that I need some.
I’m keeping the 1918 Rumford Cookbook for my collection, but I’m giving away both copies of the 1948 edition–one here, on this post, and another today on Farm Bell Recipes. TWO chances to win! (One winner will be drawn from comments on this post, and another winner will be drawn from comments on the matching post at Farm Bell Recipes.)
For a chance to win here: Leave a comment on this post and let me know you want it. ONE winner will be drawn from comments on THIS post by random comment number to receive one of the 1948 Rumford Cookbooks. Eligible entry cut-off is midnight Eastern (U.S.) time tonight (December 13). This post will be updated with the winner by 9 a.m. Eastern (U.S.) time tomorrow (December 14). Return to this post to claim your prize!
For a second chance to win the second 1948 Rumford Cookbook, go to Farm Bell Recipes and leave a comment there for another shot!
UPDATE 12/14/10: The winning comment number, drawn by random.org, is #107, Charley. Email me at CITRgiveaways(at)yahoo.com with your full name and address for shipping!
Find the second winner at Farm Bell Recipes here.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED TO ENTRY.
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on December 13, 2010
1:20
am
1:29
am
2:08
am
I would love to win one of the cookbooks! What a fun and generous giveaway! Off now to Farm Bell Recipes to try again!
2:18
am
2:34
am
2:35
am
2:38
am
2:48
am
2:53
am
3:06
am
3:18
am
3:24
am
3:25
am
Put my name in the hat for the the cookbook.
4:04
am
4:56
am
5:09
am
5:16
am
5:23
am
5:26
am
5:37
am
5:49
am
5:59
am
6:12
am
6:21
am
6:25
am
6:25
am
6:26
am
Would LOVE to have the cookbook! I love, love, the old cookbooks!
6:28
am
6:48
am
6:53
am
7:02
am
7:07
am
7:10
am
Thanks
Tonja
7:14
am
Thanks
7:18
am
7:32
am
7:48
am
7:50
am
8:01
am
8:02
am
8:05
am
8:06
am
8:09
am
8:10
am
8:10
am
8:11
am
8:12
am
8:12
am
8:15
am
8:15
am
8:16
am
8:17
am
8:20
am
8:20
am
8:24
am
8:27
am
8:32
am
8:36
am
8:40
am
8:40
am
8:44
am
8:46
am
8:46
am
8:55
am
8:57
am
9:01
am
9:10
am
out-of-the-ordinary recipes!
9:16
am
9:19
am
9:21
am
I love old cookbooks. I have my great-grandmother’s cookbook that was published in the 1880′s.
9:23
am
I would love to add it to my shelf of vintage cookbooks.
9:23
am
9:24
am
9:25
am
I liked your link to the Baking Powder page. The tip about stirring baking powder into hot water to check for freshness is great!
I have always used a marker to mark the date on the can as soon as I’ve opened it, in order to avoid wasting ingredients (and time) by using inactive powder, but this test will be a double-check. I’ve had a few of those “should I or shouldn’t I?” moments when my baking powder has been open for 3 or 4 months.
9:27
am
9:28
am
Having that book would be like having a piece of my Grandma living in my kitchen. How cool would that be?
9:32
am
9:33
am
9:34
am
9:34
am
9:38
am
9:39
am
9:40
am
9:40
am
9:41
am
9:43
am
9:45
am
9:45
am
9:45
am
9:48
am
9:56
am
9:58
am
10:00
am
10:01
am
10:02
am
10:11
am
finding out what was important for the time… and what everyday things are no more…
would love to have this for my by the bed reading…
10:18
am
10:20
am
10:28
am
Melissa
10:34
am
Thank you Suzanne & MMHoney!
10:36
am
10:43
am
10:45
am
10:46
am
10:53
am
10:54
am
10:54
am
10:58
am
I have been collecting cookbooks for 60 years, and have some very old ones. I can sit for hour and read them, it takes me back to a different place and time. So many of them offer chapters other than recipes on such home and health care and organizing a kitchen, amazing how very different cooking was, it was an all day ordeal. Then there was taking care of the home and doing the laundry! Not much rest for Mom in the old days.
10:59
am
11:01
am
I’ll look for it the next time I’m out to see if I can find it here in the Charleston area and let you know if I find it.
Please enter me in the giveaway too!
Angela
11:06
am
11:07
am
11:09
am
11:09
am
Well, how is everyone out in the hills with your six inches of snow? Can I win a cookbook, please?! Best Christmas present ever for my mom.
Thanks so much!
11:11
am
What a delightful giveaway!
Thank you
11:13
am
11:14
am
11:16
am
11:19
am
11:24
am
11:25
am
11:28
am
11:30
am
11:32
am
11:35
am
I would really like to have one of these!!
11:39
am
11:40
am
11:41
am
11:51
am
12:05
pm
12:09
pm
Thank you.
12:09
pm
12:12
pm
12:22
pm
12:28
pm
12:34
pm
12:38
pm
12:42
pm
12:42
pm
12:47
pm
12:50
pm
12:50
pm
12:52
pm
12:53
pm
It would be wonderful to win one of those little jewels so, please, count me in the drawing. Merry Christmas!
12:56
pm
Thanks for posting about this – I love reading about old historical cookbooks.
Patricia
12:57
pm
1:01
pm
-Sharon Dz., NY
1:06
pm
1:11
pm
1:15
pm
1:17
pm
Thanks Cin
1:31
pm
1:38
pm
1:40
pm
1:41
pm
1:42
pm
1:44
pm
Darlene in Ks
1:49
pm
Darlene in Ks
2:12
pm
Old or New, they all fit in my life.
I would love to receive one of these.
2:13
pm
2:18
pm
2:21
pm
I do use Rumford’s baking powder that I buy at New Pioneer Co-op in Iowa City. Hope this makes me the lucky winner:)
2:25
pm
2:30
pm
2:41
pm
2:42
pm
2:42
pm
3:07
pm
3:14
pm
3:19
pm
3:24
pm
3:29
pm
3:33
pm
4:02
pm
4:16
pm
4:20
pm
4:24
pm
4:38
pm
5:21
pm
My 1917 Universalist church ladies’ aid church cookbook has my great-grandmother’s recipe for “Buckeye Baking Powder”:
“6 oz. tartaric acid, 8 oz. English bi-carbonate soda, 16 oz. corn starch; sift together at least 10 times through fine sieve. I have made and used this constantly for more than twenty years. It never fails if materials are pure, sieve fine, and one is willing to sift it till thoroughly mixed. I had sieve made at tine shop; it wears ‘forever’ with care.”
Or you could buy it ready-made from the Pastor’s Aid and Mission Circle for 35 cents a pound, as a fund-raiser.
5:33
pm
5:34
pm
6:04
pm
6:12
pm
6:39
pm
Thanks for the opportunity!
6:49
pm
7:25
pm
7:33
pm
7:34
pm
7:57
pm
8:09
pm
8:21
pm
Tina
8:31
pm
9:27
pm
9:41
pm
I’d love to win the book & if I don’t, I might see if I can find it on half.com or ebay…it sounds very interesting….Thanks MMHoney for your gift
9:52
pm
10:26
pm
10:28
pm
10:57
pm
10:58
pm
11:10
pm
11:18
pm
11:25
pm
I roll my own baking powder as I need it, and I don’t have to worry about running out.
11:52
pm
11:59
pm
12:11
am
1:24
am
I would love to have this cookbook. It just may inspire me to do some baking…which I never do. Thanks Suzanne
3:28
am
http://i4.peapod.com/c/TN/TNGIV.jpg
6:20
am
8:05
am
9:46
am
10:59
am
11:13
am
11:08
am