Kitchen

[proudlyfromNJ]

The New England Yankee Cookbook. 1939.

[peachesncream]

I have my mother's World War II era cookbook, American Woman's Cookbook. It was a best seller at the time and the only cookbook she owned. It's a treasure. I especially love the photographs in the book. They tell a story of a different time.

One thing I find interesting is that cookbooks of that time were serious about topics like nutrition and how to make menus. They also gave instructions in table setting and ideas for entertaining. They were educational.

My mom died young (32) due to heart damage from childhood Rheumatic Fever. She was a wonderful mother, and a cook of some renown in the family. 

[2zbeach]

My mother's Joy of Cooking.  Dated 1942.  Some of the ingredients are a hoot. I keep it for sentimental reasons.

[marzi 1]

1916..The recipes are so detailed..must have taken forever ...ha

[VaBelle35]

I have my grandmother's Better Homes & Gardens cookbook which is the first version around 1930ish.  

I just purchased the Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook published in 1965.  

[Wackers3]

"Joy of Cooking" with a publish date in the early 40's - it was published and re-published too many times to list, and updated from time to time also.  My Dad, who was the superb chef in our family, gave it to me when I got married.  I still prize that book as it holds so much information that it is almost like an Encyclopedia on all things food and nutrition related,

My Dad was the youngest of 3 boys and when he was junior high aged and above,  his Mother would sometimes have to call home and enlist his help starting dinner.  Being late with dinner was not an option very often back in those days and especially with my Dad's Father. Hence the beginning of my Dad's love of cooking which just grew and grew.  I don't ever remember my Mother cooking, other than baking.  It was Dad's domain and he loved it.  Not that common when I was growing up for men to cook beyond grilling.

My Grandmother was very high up in the Eastern Star which is why she would on occasion run late.  I can't recall her exact title right now but know it was quite high in that organization.  Kind of cool that a few of us had ancestors/relatives with the Eastern Star.

[HerRoyaLioness]

The Settlement Cook Book from 1936 (21st edition).  It was my Moms.  Some of the information and recipies in it are pretty interesting.  The chicken soup recipe calls for 10 chicken feet, scalded and skinned, with nails removed (of course!)

[deedledeedeedle]

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@ECBG wrote:

That would be my grandmother's 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook.  

@ECBG:

I have the exact cookbook from a dear elderly friend long passed. I love the vintage pictures as well as its over all sturdiness.

dee

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[HonnyBrown]

What a cool thread!  I can't wait to read the responses!

When I lived in Los Angeles, a date and I went to play pool in Venice Beach.  On the way there, we cut through an alley.  People in LA put things in alleys that they wanted to give away.  This was the original Freecycle.

There were boxes of books.  I got a Dione Lucas Book of French Cooking.  When I got it home, it was originally copywrited in the 1940s!

I still use it as a cookbook and a resource.

ETA: I love the stories that come with the cookbooks on this thread!

[Sooner]

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@Eire22 wrote:

Betty Crocker Cookbook I recieved as a present at my Bridal shower in 1981. Still use it today, many stained and marked pages.

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I got mine a few years earlier but at my shower!  Then I got Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and was obsessed with that  for years.

We ate a lot of Stir and Roll Pizza's out of Betty's book because we couldn't afford to go out.