Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Researching old recipes


Why do some of us love nostalgia so much? I've loved old things all my life. I believe I've shared here before that one of the first words I learned to read was "antiques," and I just find old things a great source of wonder as well as comfort. So when I saw an old tin full of recipes at a local antique mall last fall, I bought it. I was in that same antique mall the other day, and the seller on duty happened to be a woman I go to church with, and she asked, "Don't you like old recipes? Did you see those boxes of them in that case on aisle one?" Well, I did not see them, so I'm grateful for the tip that pointed me to the cabinet, and the yellow box is my latest acquisition.


I absolutely love reading through these old recipes and trying to discern who once owned them. These first ones were fun because they are written on index cards as well as odd scraps of paper, including a dry cleaning receipt from New Jersey back when phone numbers were just a few digits long!


And remember when we did indeed *write* our recipes on pretty cards to share with friends? This tea-themed recipe card—for Snowy Lemon Bars, appropriately enough—looks very seventies to me.


When I saw these recipes in the yellow box, I was intrigued that the woman (for surely it was a woman) who owned them had labeled each box on the side, which was a nice touch. The other boxes were cardboard, so I was delighted that the sweets were in the old tin box!


And I found a recipe for Lane Cake (thanks, Louise). I've always wanted to make a Lane Cake! My plan is to use some of these recipes as inspiration for the local cooking columns I write each month, so I'll be sure to share a link when I do.

I wonder if we're not going to lose a bit of our "food heritage" by our reliance on online recipes and online recipe files. I have them, too, mind you, but how does one pass down such a collection? Do you have a recipe box? Or old family recipes that were written or typed on index cards? I'd love to hear about them!


11 comments:

  1. I do have a recipe box, and I think I have some of those same recipe cards! I had a "kitchen shower" before I was married, and the hostess asked everyone in attendance to write a recipe on a card for me, she gave me the box and extra cards. I treasure those because many of the friends who wrote out recipes for me are no longer alive. I do look up recipes on the internet (on the rare occasions when I cook!) but I keep my recipe cards, too.

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  2. Those recipe boxes and their contents really ARE fun! They make you feel like you're really in touch with the past. My youngest sister (in Tennessee), who is a great scrapbooker and card-maker, made me a cute scrapbook-style loose-leaf recipe book, with slots to put in my recipe cards, but I haven't written many of the cards yet to put in there. Maybe I'll be inspired to do so now!

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  3. I have old handwritten recipes. For current recipes I have them saved on my computer. Hopefully my family will make a copy and share them.

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  4. It amazes me that no one in the family wanted to save those recipes, but it makes me happy to know someone (YOU) bought them and already treasure them. Yes, I do have a couple recipe boxes and I also have some of those recipe cards. Susan in NC

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  5. Absolutely love to pull out a handwritten recipe. How wonderful to have the "sweet" memory of the friend/baker. They always make me smile and I seem to enjoy those special treats the most. Remember those recipe chain letters? 😀

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  6. Angela, I loved this post. I have a graphic/web designer friend who had an idea to create an app that allows you to store and share family recipes attached to a family tree. I thought that was a sweet idea, and I feel as you do, taking comfort and also a sense of wonder from old things.

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    1. That is a brilliant idea, so I hope your friend follows through with that app!

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  7. that sure brings back memories. I started marriage out with one of these too. Now have a 3 drawer file cabinet - haha!!!

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  8. Oh the memories! I recently dug through my old recipe box/basket and there were some cards just like the ones I see here. I have ended up making a couple of the recipes. One I don't like anymore, but a muffin recipe I will start using again.

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  9. It was so nice reading about these and seeing the photos! Thanks, Angela. I love to read recipes. I have some of my mother's handwritten recipe cards, and some of my grandmother's. They are so precious to me! Can't believe how old some of them are now. Even my own written in earlier times...lots of memories!

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