You know how you hear about those old ladies whose corpses are found in their homes one day, their skeletal remains discovered in between stacked-up piles of old newspapers they've saved for the past 57 years? Sometimes, I fear that'll be me one day, only with books. ("Police said they had to remove a hallway full of hardbacks and a half-kitchen full of paperbacks to remove the body, but dental records revealed it was a Mrs. McRae of Newnan, Georgia ...") Even if that happens, I must say I don't believe I can resist a good, cheap book, and vintage ones are some of the most fun to read! Over the weekend, an antiquing trip with my mom turned up these $1 to $2 treasures. First, "The Art of Serving Food Attractively" by Mary Albert Wenker is a 1951 book with all kinds of cutesy food ideas, such as apricot flowers, for instance. "Cut fresh or canned apricots in sections to form petals. Arrange in design on salad with or without mint leaves. Use a slice of date or large raisin for center of flower." Now doesn't pretty food dress up a tea table? I have always loved that expression, "We eat with our eyes first."
Another book I got was the humorous 1962 "I Hate to Housekeep Book" by Peg Bracken. I actually bought it for the easy recipes at back (a torte made with soda crackers!) and the drawings by Hilary Knight, best known as illustrator of Kay Thompson's "Eloise" books. Bracken quotes an old housekeeping book which rendered this advice: "Embarrassment may be avoided if you use pastry brushes with black bristles. Then, should they come out, you will be able to find them easily and can remove them at once." Bracken comments, "I have been embarrassed by many things in my life, but never by my pastry-brush bristles. This is true of most women, I believe. Of all the things one has to blush over in this world, the color of one's pastry-brush bristles comes at the absolute tail end of the list." I like this woman!
Finally, since I have a hardback version of Betty Crocker's "Cooky" Book, I had to get this 1948 booklet so I may continue to be aggravated by their spelling of the word "cookie." And I must admit that cookie recipes do seem to stand the test of time. Orange-Almond Refrigerator Cookies, Petticoat Tails, English Tea Cakes, Russian Tea Cakes and Dainty Tea Brownies … there's plenty to go with teatime. Do you like to read old cookbooks, and do you ever cook with them? I'd love to know any titles you recommend!
I love old cookbooks ,new cookbooks and magazines !!!!! I own the book on the bottom and have used it since I was a kid . The recipes are great.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is so fun , I can't wait to check it out each day !
I have an old Pillsbury Kitchen cookbook that I bought as a young bride and it started to come apart a number of years ago. I took it to a place where they put it together with coils down the side and in two parts.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm a magazine junkie and I hate to get rid of them but every so often do a purge.
Judith
What fun to find these books, especially the "I Hate to Housekeep" one. I have a couple of my grandmother's cookbooks that are fun to read, but I've never really cooked from them.
ReplyDeleteI recently came across a cookbook that my third grade teacher made using recipes from my and other classmate's mothers. I was amused that most of the recipes were for "fancy Sunday dinner" dishes. Guess we all wanted to impress our classmates with our fine dining! Or maybe our mom's did...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela, for the great laugh this morning. i just roared over the pastry brush comments and loved your line about "...so that I may continue to be aggravated over their spelling of the word 'cookie' ". :D
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely day!
I love old cook books, they're such fun! My mom has a copy of the Betty Crocker 'cooky' book. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this post and ADORE old cookbooks! I use my mother's and my auntie's when I bake often.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest daughter is like you, Angela - she collects all sorts of old books, too. I laughed out loud at your police statement, too funny.
Hugs.
Oh yes! A wonderful hobby! You are not alone! I have a weekly schedule that takes me to my favorite used book store. They have a new stock of old books each week --- and I specialize in the cookbooks. LOVE vintage cookbooks. I had to smile that Peg Bracken is now in the vintage category. When did that happen? Yikes!
ReplyDeleteLoved your post!
LaDonna
Gracious Hospitality
I love that you found these great books. I do love to read them, but I only own three. They aren't as old as your treasures but are still fun finds. 2 from Better Homes and Gardens 1963 "So-Good Meals" and "Lunches & Brunches". Then I have one I bought so I could try to impress my M.I.L. with my "skills" in Polish cooking. It's a 1976 Polish Cook Book. I've only tried a few recipes- but it's a fun read- thanks for sharing yours
ReplyDeleteDo you have a tablet or Kindle? There are tons of really fun cookbooks and housekeeping guides for free for e-readers because the copyrights are expired. They aren't as good as real books, but it's fun reading books from the 1890s! (if you miss the old book smell, demeter fragrances makes a perfume called "old paperback"!
ReplyDeleteI do believe in a time long ago I had that cookie cookbook. I hate to clean house would be on the top of my list. Laughing at loosing you in your house full of books. It would be so easy to do. I take grocery bags of books to my sister after I have enjoyed them. So my books are in her house.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother had that Cookie book. It brings back memories seeing it. I can recall loving to look at the pretty goodies on the cover.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading old cookbooks, sometimes for the recipes and sometimes for the 'stories that inspired the recipes.'
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Joanie