I love this photograph. I love that lady and her little girl. I know that little girl called her “Mother” and she was very excited to make something with that jar of home-canned peaches. Mother was excited, too. She had a respectful, obedient, tidy daughter, and we know her house was tidy, too. (And would you look at all those perfect curls?!) Father came home from work and everyone sat down at the table together, said grace, and cleaned their plates in anticipation of some yummy peachy dessert. I miss 1940 and I wasn’t even there.
Recently, I received a wonderful package in the mail.
It was sent to me by one of my readers and it included several pamphlet-style books about home-canning and gardening plus a big, big, big book of recipes. One of the pamphlets was from Atlas, a maker of home-canning jars. It includes instructions for how to seal jars with the old-fashioned glass tops and bail wire.
I actually have an old Atlas jar. It’s one of the “Special Mason” jars. Wish I had one of those “Good Luck” jars! I love old Atlas jars, so it was neat to look through the book. I always wondered how that worked with that type of seal and lid.
The Atlas book is dated 1939. I couldn’t find dates on most of the rest of the materials, but I suspect they are all of a similar era. Is this the original Ball Blue Book of Preserving?
I love the message inside.
“….Yes, Mrs. U.S.A., Miss U.S.A. too, we thank you for all the fine things you are and do.”
I think every cookbook should start out like that. Don’t we all like to be appreciated? The book contains a number of canning recipes and canning how-to’s. Ball’s been at it for a long time! But my favorite of everything was this big red book. Food for Health and National Defense, A West Virginia Cookbook.
The cover notes it came from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, with the name of the original keeper of the book handwritten on the front. It appears to be something that was somewhat handmade, typed on an old-fashioned typewriter, filled with tried-and-true recipes from women across the state plus tacked-in additions of newspaper and magazine clippings. It’s a peek into the mindset of an era. They weren’t concerned about fat back then, that’s for sure. They were all about bacon fat and lard. I love these people. I like this recipe for creamed corn and ham in a cornbread ring. They suggest serving it with an apple-and-celery salad and butterscotch pudding for dessert.
Then there’s Brunswick stew with grapefruit salad, cheese and crackers for dessert.
They paid attention to dessert. These were dessert people. They knew how to live. Check out this double feature.
They were worried about shortages. These were frugal people. They knew how to do without. No mincemeat because sugar is scarce?
They had a recipe for that!
I like this pancake dessert idea.
You roll up pancakes with a filling of sugar, cream, and syrup, then ladle fruit on top. There are lots of ideas and tips in the book for the frugal homemaker. Like how to make lard. (I want to make lard! I have so much in common with the 1940s housewife!)
They were making their own yeast, too!
Some of the recipes are hand-scrawled.
There are notes about things in the works to try.
I wonder how those cabbage rolls worked out? I know I want to try this refrigerator ice cream!
And the country johnny cakes!
Maybe not this liver loaf….
But most of the recipes in this book look delicious. Most of them make me want to run to the kitchen and make….. Defense Cake!
That’s what’s wrong with America today. We’ve forgotten that truth, justice, peace, health, and happiness all start with…..
….pie.
Cousin Sheryl says:
Wow! That really is a “Treasure Trove!” Isn’t it neat to learn how our mothers and grandmothers did things! I can see Georgia’s mother, Esta, having a recipe book like this one. She must have been a great cook because Georgia went on to get a degree in Home Economics and has always been a splendid cook.
I’ll have to come over some time and look at these treasures. (Maybe in June, when the snow melts! 😆 )
:snowman:
On February 18, 2010 at 1:19 am
Dianne says:
Oh wow, what a wonderful book! So interesting, thank you for sharing it.
I’m with you, I want one of the Atlas good luck jars! I have some Atlas but have never seen that one.
On February 18, 2010 at 1:40 am
Blessings says:
I have a few recipe books given to me by my Grandmother and love reading through them!
Amen to Pie!
~~HUGS~~
On February 18, 2010 at 1:54 am
Sara sammon says:
My earliest Ball Blue Book is dated 1930. You do have a wonderful bunch of books! My favorite that I own is my 1930 Hershey cook book that has one recipe for Chocolate Sandwiches!, plus one whole page on toasted chocolate sandwiches.
On February 18, 2010 at 4:41 am
ElizaRed says:
…..those books could have come from my Mom’s recipe drawer!! And what a treat.. walking across the hill to Grandma’s and having the refrigerator ice cream. (we didn’t have electicity yet)
On February 18, 2010 at 4:45 am
wkf says:
I’ll tell you how those cabbage rolls turned out!!!! My mother in Law makes them and they are crazy good. Although she seasons them a bit. I know you were wondering in the time period sense, as to how hers turned out. But if you’ve never had them and you like cabbage you should make them. :hungry:
On February 18, 2010 at 6:27 am
Sally says:
Oh Suzanne what a gift! Thank you for sharing this with us. It was a great way to start my day.
On February 18, 2010 at 6:30 am
NorthCountryGirl says:
I’d say you really got a terrific source of information there! With all those terrific recipes and ideas, you will be busy for quite a while. I love the old fashion ways of doing things, too. (I think we were both born in the wrong century.) I have noticed, though, that there are a lot of people going back to the basics…canning, gardening, living off grid. Maybe if life slowed down a bit, things would be better. Who knows?? Anyway, have a great time trying those recipes and browsing your new treasures!
On February 18, 2010 at 6:41 am
pam says:
I could spend hours looking through books and pamphlets like that. Thank you so much for sharing.
On February 18, 2010 at 6:46 am
Johanna says:
Pie pie pie! It could be such a wonderful world!
On February 18, 2010 at 6:54 am
Diane says:
What fun to look though old cookbooks. I like the ownes with personal notes in them. Its like you can sit and be with that person as they consider what recipe to try.
I got a bunch of old cookbooks from my mil’s house when we passed away. So much fun to read though some of them. I got ones that tell you how to properly hold a card party. lol.
On February 18, 2010 at 6:55 am
Kelly Walker says:
What treasures! Thanks for sharing. As a history major and lover of all things old, I love that you showed us those. THanks again.
On February 18, 2010 at 7:07 am
CindyP says:
Indeed a Treasure Trove! I would be reading for hours. I pulled out Mom’s Encyclopedia Cookbook the other day and was just fascinated by the ingredients that were listed. This one is dated 1947 (when she got married and didn’t know how to cook), so there are quite a few “boxed” things to use in it already.
I see a few recipes in our future out of the great books???? :wink
On February 18, 2010 at 7:35 am
Cheryl LeMay says:
I love old cookbooks!How to make your own yeast looked interesting.Too bad I couldn’t see the whole recipe.That’s something I’ve always wanted to try to do.Thanks for sharing.
Cheryl
On February 18, 2010 at 7:49 am
jane says:
What a great gift! I am going to try the cream mincemeat pie. I have an Atlas Good Luck jar with a clover leaf on it and a Ball Ideal jar dated July 1908. Yes back then they knew how to be frugal and everyone was in the effort. Today even with the recession we dont know how to do that, cut back and or do things differently.
On February 18, 2010 at 8:02 am
Amanda says:
Ok so when are you sharing that recipe for the cabbage rolls?
On February 18, 2010 at 8:04 am
jane says:
I have my mother’s red Good Houskeeping Cookbook, with taped binding dated 1949. It is small and heavy. I remember using it the first time in high school. I have a 1974 Ball Blue Book, a 1947 Kerr Home Canninb Book and a 1958 Kerr Home Canning Book. Igot those at an antique mall and pd too much for them. Yrs ago I read a book from a group of women doctors in Iowa who made a cookbook to sell to raise money fro a new children’s hospital. It had tips about how to set a table, how to wash linens, and for heaven’s sake when and how to clean the house. Monday of course was laundry day. They had sections in the book with famous women and their recipes too – very interesting and women doctos in the in the 1930s.
On February 18, 2010 at 8:15 am
Glenie says:
Love it. That is a great friend to give a book like this to someone and not Horde it. Love it love it love it
On February 18, 2010 at 8:27 am
Phyllis Ryan says:
I have an old oil cloth covered cookbook from my mother dated the year I was born (1942) with comments on the pages, and notes when an ingredient was missed in the printing. It is a treasure. She also left a recipe for “Economy Cake” filled with spices and raisins and nuts that started with bacon grease. I remember the cake was dense and spicy and was a favorite in my lunch bag.
On February 18, 2010 at 8:35 am
Joy says:
I have my Grandma Keeling’s old cookbooks and pamphlets from the 1920’s-1950’s and they are a hoot to look through. The handwritten recipes are my treasure for sure!
On February 18, 2010 at 8:36 am
Karen Anne says:
I think the reason people didn’t get fat on that food were that kids ran around outside after school instead of being inside glued to electronic devices or driven to “activities,” and if you make things from scratch there are fewer immediately available things to snack on.
signed,
another one going back to doing real stuff
p.s. You needed arms like a gigantisaurus to work with those metal holders.
On February 18, 2010 at 8:50 am
kerri says:
What a thoughtful package!
I’ll have to dig out my old canning jars and look to see if I have any of the Atlas collection.
What a neat old cookbook. You’ll have such fun with that.
And yes, the picture of the busy Mommy and daughter is a beauty :happyflower:
On February 18, 2010 at 8:54 am
lizzie says:
i was jealous of your farm…. now, i am uber jealous of your cookbook collection. lol
On February 18, 2010 at 8:55 am
B. Ruth says:
Suzanne,
Our food history on a product, recipe book or brochure…
You made my day with these pamphlets and cookbooks….I love these and probably have one or two or a thousand….Yes, I collect old brochures, pamphlets and cookbooks….I especially love the advertising ones…from the first artifical sugar one to the new Splenda ones…from the makers of lard to the shortening and oils that we use now…I never pass a chance on a product to send for there new brochure…it will be our history thru products…. and my how things have changed thru the years…
Georgia knows I am sure!
I especially love the old Jello pamphlets…the graphics are beautiful. Also the evaporated milk ones with Elsie the Cow…what fun these are…I also love the old stove and appliance brochures…
I tried to keep them in files dating back to the earliest…it sure gives you a sense of our food history, appliance and stove manufacter advances….and yes I am a canning jar nut and milk bottle nut….How did we ever get this far so quick…
I am a 1940 baby…I can’t wait until Spring to hunt the yard and estate sales for something that I don’t have….
On February 18, 2010 at 9:02 am
Sarah says:
Oh wow!! I just love old cookbooks. It is like looking back into a whole other era. Such a blessing and treasure you received!
On February 18, 2010 at 9:03 am
Sarah says:
THAT is when there was TRUE PATRIOTISM! I love it! People were proud of their country, and they even made the women at home to feel like they were helping in their own way.
I would TOTALLY fit into the 40’s. I loved the music, the dress, the HAIR, a time where children were respectful (in schools there are many who need to learn respect!), people didn’t feel ENTITLED, they fought for country and family, not to do WHAT I WANT… Country didn’t owe us, we wanted to help our country! Oh, If we could bring that back!
If you ever start a community where we had to bring back the 40’s, I’m SO IN. I could SO be friends with June Cleaver… Only if I could take a few of the conveniences of this century, tho. Like my Kitchen-aide mixer and maybe my dishwasher. Other than that, I’m ready to go! <3
On February 18, 2010 at 9:06 am
jan ellis says:
YOu must share the recipe for homemade yeast. I see lots of bread in my future~ What an awesome gift!
On February 18, 2010 at 9:09 am
B. Ruth says:
PS….
Also if any of you ladies’ and gents’ happen to be at an estate sale and see an old recipe box full of hand written recipes for sale…I have “dibbs” on it, please don’t buy it at least until I can look at it….LOL
I can’t imagine why anyone could or would sell a family recipe box but they do….what history..
love em’
On February 18, 2010 at 9:14 am
ScarlettSeraph says:
Fantastic post, thanks for sharing! I have a couple of books like that I got from my grandmother. I collect old girl scout books as well, a lot of them have the same feel as these you’ve shown here. I too would come live with you all in the 40s, or I’d visit at the very least… lol 🙂
On February 18, 2010 at 9:18 am
Betty Ireland says:
ALL: did you happen to notice that the Dessert Pancakes are served on a Fiestaware plate? In the 30’s and 40’s Fiestaware was quite common and cheap — sold in “dime stores”, no less. Now, Fiestaware is seen in fancy restaurants and hotels and even in the White House, and practically every new bride wants a set. Except it’s not cheap anymore!
If you haven’t been to Newell, West Virginia, (just past the Mountaineer Race Track in Hancock County) and toured the plant and Fiestaware museum, you really should. The company is a great piece of WV’s history. (And become a card-carrying member of the “Turn the Plate Over Club”, which allows you to turn over any piece of dinnerware during a meal at any location and read the manufacturer’s inscription to see if it is Fiestaware!)
On February 18, 2010 at 9:22 am
Debnfla3 says:
What a treasure to have those books!
They knew how to cook back then…not afraid of a little lard or butter at all!
Deb
On February 18, 2010 at 9:27 am
Maria in CT says:
I love your Treasure Trove. That cookbook is amazing! I would try every page, especially those hand written ones…those have to be the best.
I also love the first picture and the fact that the woman’s apron matches her dress….gotta love the 1940’s!!!!
On February 18, 2010 at 9:34 am
Deborah R says:
Wow! What a great collection of books!
I have a collection of 35 years (or more) of the Thanksgiving recipe insert from a Parkersburg, WV newspaper. To me, this is historical gold! I got it for free from a Freecycle post.
I love learning how women “of the day” provided new and exciting food for their families.
On February 18, 2010 at 9:44 am
claudia w says:
What a great gift! I love looking through all the “Old” recipes…and then picking some out to try. My mom and grandmother had fantastic collections!
On February 18, 2010 at 9:45 am
Debbie in PA says:
Fantastic! TReasure Trove is right!
I have a number of similar books, mostly from teh 1940’s, the war years. So there’s quite a bit of mention of victory gardens and doing your patriotic duty. Also, cool pictures of their factories, all spewing out enornomous clouds of smoke! I just grabbed some of them and am leafing through them…
I know what you mean about missingthose times, even though you weren’t born then! Me too!
FYI: Kerr (canning jars) had a factory in Huntington, WV in 1944
On February 18, 2010 at 9:59 am
Laurie from Wisconsin says:
Sometime I think I was born in the wrong time. I love old cookbooks and have a large collection, old and new. Old ones have such great recipes. I also have an old Spry shortening cookbook from the 40’s. I have used it a lot, such great recipes in it. You are a lady ater my own heart Suzanne. I am looking forward to your big surprise 🙂 Have a great day! :hug:
On February 18, 2010 at 10:07 am
Cate says:
I love old cookbooks! I have many of the Watkins cookbooks and they have been my favorites for years. Enjoy your new-found treasures.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:10 am
Crystal Stoddard says:
I want some happiness pie! :duck:
On February 18, 2010 at 10:12 am
ScreamingSardine says:
Wow, thanks for sharing your treasure trove with us. All those old books are indeed a treasure. I’m going to have to dig out my great aunt’s cookbook and start going through the recipes. It’s a Fannie Farmer cookbook from the 1940s or 1950s. No pretty graphics, though.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:19 am
brenda harmon says:
I collect old cookbooks and love the the 40’s. My mom gave me a cookbook that was my grandmothers called Encyclopedia of cooking and homemaking. The pictures in all of those books and old advertisements in the Saturday Evening Post just makes me wish I could have at least seen that era.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:22 am
M.J. says:
Awesome post today, Suzanne! I’m surprised you could pull yourself away long enough to write about it (and bake, and feed the animals, and knit, and crochet, and . . . ). What a great gift from someone who knew how much you would appreciate it.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:35 am
Shirley Corwin says:
I have a couple old cookbooks too. They were certainly not worried about fat or calories, you’re right! And that first picture of the little girl and her mother; that IS what it was like back then I was a child in the late 40’s and I remember all the things my mother did. She always of course wore a dress and apron, she would change to a fresh dress and “fix herself up” before my dad would get home from the foundry. We all ate together at out little kitchen table, our little family of four. AND we always had desert. To this day, I have to finish a meal with something sweet or I don’t feel dinner is over with! I am so blessed to have grown up to know what that era was like. I may sound really old saying this but even if things were tight in the way of money, everything else was better.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:39 am
michelle says:
What a wonderful gift!!! So lovingly used with a story to tell.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:40 am
Minna says:
I like cabbage rolls! Here’s another recipe for them from Finland:
https://finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=160065&contentlan=2&culture=en-US :hungry:
On February 18, 2010 at 10:41 am
Flatlander says:
Ohhhh If I lived closer I would drop by, to feel,sniff and go true the books myself.
What an awesome gift…wow.
On February 18, 2010 at 10:46 am
Michele says:
Looking through old cookbooks is one of my favorite things to do! My next favorite is making the recipes!!! Thanks so much for sharing. I am grateful for your website. :purpleflower: :purpleflower: :purpleflower: :purpleflower:
On February 18, 2010 at 10:50 am
Mary says:
:sun: What a neat gift! Usually I have to scour yard sales to find this good stuff! I have tons of regional, as well as old cookbooks, and I love them. I have boxes and boxes of them! I’ll keep an eye out for you!! 8)
On February 18, 2010 at 11:17 am
Gini says:
What an amazing gift! Somebody really knew how to please you! I look forward to your chronicling many of these recipes. 🙂
On February 18, 2010 at 11:31 am
Kris S says:
I love old cookbooks too. One of my favorites is from Iglehart’s Mills the creators of Swans Down cake mix. My mother worked for them when I was a girl. I had a summer job working for Ball Plastics, a subsidiary of Ball Glass. Thanks for some fun memories today.
On February 18, 2010 at 11:35 am
Beth says:
Wow! What a treasure you recieved! I inherited all of my grandmother’s recipe books and “hand-scrawled” reicipes. I consider myself very fortunate to have these. So far, 1 out of 3 of my daughters is interested sharing recipes, and we do…quite often! :purpleflower:
On February 18, 2010 at 11:41 am
Tisha says:
What a joy!! I love old recipes!! Right now I am eating a slice of Salt Rising Bread slathered with real butter and homemade applebutter! I can remember my Granny delivering loaves of SR Bread to our house when I was little…..I called it ‘stinky bread’. It is quite a pain to make but oh so worth it! My next quest is Ammonia Cookies….thick, soft, melt-in your-mouth ammonia cookies. Have a recipe to share?
On February 18, 2010 at 11:53 am
AnnMarie Johnson says:
Help! Before the redesign, I could easily find YOUR recipes, in particular the ones using Quick Mix. But now, can’t find them. A search for Quick Mix just gives me all the blog entries. Going to Cooking just gives me the cooking blogs. The community cookbook is only posts from the forum. Nothing else seems to get me to YOUR list of recipes, with a specific link to the QM list. Where oh where did it go?
On February 18, 2010 at 11:54 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
AnnMarie, click on Cooking Archives in the top right of the sidebar when you are on the Cooking blog (which you are right now). That will take you to my Cooking archives. To find my Quick Mix recipes, click on Quick Mix in the index from that page. See the big green square button at the top of the sidebar that says Cooking archives?
On February 18, 2010 at 11:59 am
Suzanne says:
What a fabulous treasure. If you ever decide you don’t have room for it I’ll be happy to take care of it for you….
On February 18, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Joan Crowson says:
This was the most enjoyable cooking entry on ANY blog I’ve read. What a marvelous gift and walk down memory lane. I have my mother’s old cookbook which I love to read, but this makes me want to cook! And as a rule – I don’t even like to cook.
On February 18, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Marymac says:
Can you only imagine the memories in those books? I have a 1938-9 Settlement cook book, and it has so many stains in it, that tells me it was well used by someone and whoever it was made many memories for their family. I love old books and I know you will spend hours pouring over yours. Maybe you will share some of the recipes. By the way….you can’t beat homemade lard. i still make it whenever I can get my hands on pork fat. It’s amazing how many people will raise and have their hogs butchered, only to not want the hog fat. I say give it to me!!!
On February 18, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Jessica says:
Thank you for sharing! I really enjoyed this post. 🙂 I long for what life was like in the good ole days.
On February 18, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Susan at Charm of the Carolines says:
Suzanne,
This post above all your others really spoke to me. “I miss 1940 and I wasn’t even there” sums up my life. Today we are kindred spirits.
I love your gift from your readers. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Susan
On February 18, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Aimee says:
That WV cookbook looks like something I would really love. Lucky you! Tell us when you make something from it.
On February 18, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Tea4too0 says:
There you go again, girl! LOL, This morning, I dug out an old cookbook my mil gave me. You got a booklet every month from the grocery store, and when you collected all 50 of them, you sent off for a binder to hold them all. So cool. I have my grandmother’s recipe cards she hand wrote. I used to have my mom’s red plaid recipe box, but it went awol during the last move. I can and still do just go thru them all. Thanks again, Suzanne.
T
On February 18, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Karen Anne says:
ScreamingSardine, try the Harvard Beets and Twenty Minute Fudge.
On February 18, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Martina says:
I LOVE this.
You did a fantastic job with the pictures!!! Very creative!!
Martina
On February 18, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Mia says:
Oh VERY, VERY cool 🙂 Especially ‘cuz i love west virginia, but also, i recently found out the canning jar was first patented on my birth day (although thank goodness many years before).. but still kinda cool.. I grew up in a family that canned everything. My 74 yr old father still does – deer, chicken, turkey, lots of green beans. He raises honey bees too. I wanna be like him when I grow up.
Can’t wait to see you make some of the recipes in the book!!!!!
On February 18, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Sheryl - Runningtrails says:
What a great collection of old and interesting books and recipes!
It has always been a source of fun to us that Beaver Cleaver’s mom vacuumed and did her house cleaning in a dress, heels and pearls!
On February 18, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Ilene Jones says:
Well I was born in 47 and I remember how different things were in those days. I love some of the inventions that have come with the modern times, but I miss the days when all the women would put on aprons and gather in the kitchen, gossip and share recipes and advice, while the men would trek out to the garage, or out into the lane, and all of them stick their heads under the hood of one of the cars.
On February 18, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Debbie in Memphis says:
Wow!! I love things like this. It takes me right back to my grandmother’s house. She kept all these wonderful things. They are a true treasure. What a wonderful reader to send these things to you!!
On February 18, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Ulrike says:
You realize, we must now Dare Debbie you to make (and eat) Liver Loaf, right? :yes:
On February 18, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Nancy B says:
Loved this post! I too have lots of cookbooks and pamphlets from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. The graphics are so fun! I wish we had the same amount of time to devote to cooking and keeping house as our mothers and grandmothers did, but life seems to get in the way these days. You’ve inspired me to try another “new” recipe from one of my old books!
On February 18, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Molly says:
How fantastic! I collect (and cook from) vintage cookbooks, mostly from the ’50s and 60’s. One of them has a recipe for Warm Potato Chips. You take potato chips, put pepper on them and put them on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. I LOVE THAT SOMEONE THOUGHT WE NEEDED A RECIPE FOR THAT!!
On February 18, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Amber says:
What a gem! I love old cookbooks, especially ones with handwritten notes in them. I wish I had that Good Luck Atlas jar too. On a separate note, I made your oatmeal raisin cookies last night and they are to die for!! The best I’ve ever eaten. You rock.
On February 19, 2010 at 12:15 am
Tobey says:
Oh, wow. What a treasure, indeed. I look forward to reading about your adventures in trying the interesting recipes!
On February 19, 2010 at 12:26 am
B. Ruth says:
The glass fruit bowl and fruit dishes on the cover with the little girl and peaches is called “Starlight”. It was made only during the years of 1938 to 1940…by the Hazel Atlas Company, in crystal, white, pink and some cobalt…So this would date your booklet to the earliest 1938 and probably no later than 1940…since I doubt they would show a product they made that wasn’t in production….and those canned peaches look wonderful…
Love it, love it…
On February 19, 2010 at 1:37 am
jane says:
B. Ruth – thanks for that info. I collect old glass and have some from the middle to late 1880s to 1970s. I have never seen that berry bowl pattern before anywhere. I always look for things like that to date a book etc.
On February 19, 2010 at 7:53 am
Gail says:
I absolutely love old cookbooks. There is so much wisdom and history mingled in the pages. You are so lucky to have received such treasures. Thank you for sharing them!
On February 19, 2010 at 9:01 am
Crystal says:
oh my goodness – I love it! I have a ‘thing’ (addiction?!) for old cookbooks – I love, love, love the 30’s and 40’s cookbooks. My mother in law gave her her grandmothers old Settlement Cookbook for Christmas. I think it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten. There’s something about sharing the same recipes as your ancestors. I can’t quite explain it. Those books you got were quite a gift! Enjoy!!
On February 19, 2010 at 2:10 pm
JeannieB says:
What a great gift, thanks for sharing!!! I love old cookbooks, I need to get out more this spring and look for these treasurers.
On February 19, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Jo says:
Ooh, how wonderful! Would absolutely love for you to post that recipe on how to make your own yeast! Please!
On February 19, 2010 at 7:44 pm
lavenderblue says:
What a great gift! When I was a kid, my mom and grandma had recipes for biscuits, waffles, griddle cakes, pies etc. all from Aunt Jenny. I must have been in my teens before I realized that Aunt Jenny wasn’t a real relative of ours, but the spokeswoman for Spry shortening. ‘Her’ recipes were printed in a little booklet that my folks used to make everything.
Luckily, both Mom and Grandma had a copy so my sister and I each got one. I had to restitch mine on the sewing machine ’cause I used it so much. One of my planned projects is to copy it out on the computer to save it.
On February 19, 2010 at 11:15 pm
glenda dirrus says:
What a great gift. I am guessing the frugality
was due to shortages of WWII. We were in California and I remember Mom had ration books and sugar was the one I remember the most.
I am practically living my life like your cookbooks. We have a farm, I milk a cow, make cottage cheese, soap, render my own lard, never buy bread from the store. I wear an apron!
I will be rendering lard very shortly…..I also cook with it.
That liver loaf made me think of ways to use all the liver in the freezer (we have our own beef and pork). I want to try liverwurst. I love liverworst and mustard sandwiches!
This was a great post. I enjoyed it.
I have always thought I was born in the wrong century. I would even go farther back…..the 1850’s really speak to me.
On February 20, 2010 at 7:38 am
glenda dorris says:
I should have proofread! I know how to spell liverwurst and I certainly know how to spell my last name…..Dorris.
On February 20, 2010 at 7:44 am
Jan says:
This post makes me want to make my own bread, make my own yeast, and share with the world. Thank you for bring us the best of West Virginia. The photo of the animals walking on the path must have been what walking to and from Noah’s Ark was like!
Jan
GDP
On February 21, 2010 at 8:20 am
farmkat says:
what a great surprise gift!! Frankly, I’m jealous! I love finding old cookbooks like that and always pick them up when I see them. I used to think the 50’s were far back enough, but they have so many of the “new” canned goods in those. I now look for early 40’s or before. Thanks for sharing. So when is your cookbook going to get published?!!!
I enjoy reading your posts so much.
On February 21, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Ellen in DE says:
Love the nostalgia of these recipes. I had a lot of my mom’s old recipe books but since few of the recipes appealed to me (lots of gelled salads with stuff like peas in jello…ugh!) I recycled them to either Goodwill or elsewhere.
I recall her making a rolled up dinner with cabbage, rice and ground beef that she called ‘helliskipes’ or something like that. She said it was a Polish recipe.
On September 28, 2010 at 9:05 am
laurie says:
Good Lord, I’ll never let go of this page! Ice cream, brunswick stew, cream pie I can just make out by squinting a little…This really brought my moms cookery days back to me…
Thanks for the memories Suz,
laurie in st louis
On March 1, 2011 at 11:55 am
Mary M says:
I have certainly enjoyed reading this blog. I, too, am a collector of cookbooks both old and new. I plan to start a cookbook for my kids and granddaughters using family favorit recipes with a picture of the person and where, how and when I got the recipe. I have a book that belonged to my grandmother that has all kinds of household helps and recipes. It seems to me that there are some that tells how to fix all kinds of wild game. I believe that is from the late 1800’s.
On April 30, 2011 at 10:21 pm