Cookbook: Better Baking

I just realized I have had pictures of this cookbook floating around waiting to be posted! It is nice in a way (instant post!), but I get a little aggravated that they haven't made it to the blog yet.

 This little gem I picked up at our library sale. 

And look what I found tucked inside! A little treasure, four 1 cent stamps! And since they say "For Defense" they much be from the 40s. 

 Even though there are no photos or cute aprons pictured, the sketches along the edges are too cute.

Such interesting recipes, so many I would love to try.

 The names are delightful too! Who wouldn't want to have tea with Jelly Tuck-aways?

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Frigidaire Recipes 1923

 I am not sure if this little book was published to promote sales or was the owner's manual that came with the refrigerator. But it is fascinating to look at! I picked up last time I was antiquing. It was my big splurge, just too cute to pass up.

I love this first picture of 1920s ladies and their refrigerator.

 "The primary purpose of a Frigidaire Automatic Refrigeration is to preserve food."

 Frigidaire and the Modern Home

"Frigidaire plays a definite role in the daily routine and management of the modern home. It is an integral part of the equipment that lightens household cares and contributes to the health, happiness and convenience of every member of the family."



Aren't the little illustrations lovely! Even though it is just illustrating a ham casserole, it is elegant!

 Frigidaire Rolls and Frigidaire Cookies! The cookies look very interesting. Three layers of dough with chocolate, coconut and nuts. Yum!

 And would this cookbook be complete without Sherbets and Ices?

 I thought this was fascinating, a diagram of where to keep food.

"Whether shelf space be large or small it is important that there be ample chance for circulation of air, which becomes hampered on crowded shelves. There must be space between articles as well as above and below them.

Perishable foods of all kinds are best preserved when placed on the proper shelf, for some foods require colder temperatures than others for correct preservation. In placing food in Frigidaire, keep these few simple rules in mind:

1. Foods difficult to keep, such as milk and meat, should be placed under the cooling coil.

2. Foods that readily absorb odors, such as butter, should be placed under the cooling coil.

3. Foods that dry out easily, such as celery, lettuce and spinach, should be placed on the top shelves. 4. Foods that give off odors. such as cheese, melons and apples, should be placed on the top shelves."

 

Doesn't it make you thankful we don't have to worry about "difficult to keep foods" anymore? We just have to worry about forgetting things in the refrigerator!

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Sun-Maid Recipes-1932

While on my vacation I managed to squeeze in a few trips to antique shops. It always amazes me how what different things there are, at one shop they are overflowing with glassware, at other one can hardly find a decent glass bowl, then a certain collectible will be sky high in one state and in another dirt cheep! It makes for good shopping though. Here is a little treasure I picked up. I love these little promotional cookbooks!

You can resist this cute cover? And of course- an APRON! Copyright 1932. A little art-deco looking, don't you think? Love the title, it makes me laugh!

 

"Raisins play a most important part in modern cooking. So often it is just the addition of the right kind and quantity of raisins that turn the every-day dishes into tempting flavorful delights."

Raisins are one of my favorite foods. I can't wait to try out these recipes. Now, which to make first........

 "Sun-Maid Raisins are better raisins because they are "Thermo-Jell'd". This exclusive Sun-Maid process makes eash raisin into a tiny "jar" of jelly. It jells the natural fruit sugar inside and seals in all the flavor of the fresh grape. Sun-Maids are fresh , moist, and plump right up to the time you use them. Naturally then, the dishes you make with Sun-Maid Raisins have a rich, fruit-flavor no ordinary raisins can give." Can't you just this as a radio ad?

"There are two favorite kinds of Sun-Maid Raisins that offer peculiar advantages in flavor, attractiveness and ease of handling. Sun-Maid Puffed are the only seeded raisins that pour freely from the carton. Large, full-meated, seeded Muscats that are not sticky. With Sun-Maid Puffed there is no sticky mass to pull apart. No washing ans no wasted time.

Sun-Maid Nectars are the only seedless raisins that retain to the fullest the fresh grape-like fragrance and flavor. Sun-Maid Nectors are noted for their superior plumpness and flavor as well as the glossy skins ans attractive appearance."

"Housewives have long been acquainted with the fine quality of Sun-Maid Raisins in the familiar red ans blue cartons. Now these raisins in slightly smaller size are offered in the new economy two and four pound cellophane bags."

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Fannie Merritt Farmer

Over the weekend, I came across this jewel of a cookbook.

The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer, copyright 1922. This is actually the fifth or sixth edition as the first was published in 1898.

Fannie Farmer, known as the "Mother of level measures" was not only the moving force behind standardizing cooking measurements but also an advocate of proper nutrition for the sick. After suffering from a stroke at a young age, Fannie turned her energy to cooking. She attended the Boston Cooking School in 1889 and stayed on as an assistant, eventually becoming principle in 1891. She later founded her own cooking school and spent the rest of her life teaching and lecturing.

"Cookery is the art of preparing food for the nourishment of the body. Prehistoric man may have lived on uncooked foods, but there are no savage races to-day who do no practise cookery in some way, however crude. Progress in civilization has been accompanied by progress in cookery. Much time has been given in the last few years to the study of foods, their necessary proportions and manner of cooking them. Educators have been shown by scientists that this knowledge should be disseminated; as a result, "Cookery" is found in the curriculum of public schools of many of our towns and cities."

This will actually be my third edition of Fannie Farmer as I have a reprint of her first edition cookbook and a 1980 revised edition. After 100 years, her cookbook and methods still live on.

Do you have a Fannie Farmer cookbook? Perhaps passed down from a mother or grandmother?

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Chelsea Pies

This is a recipe from my Good Housekeeping's Book of Recipes and Household Discoveries, copyright 1920. It was my Grandma's and her mother's before that. Don't you love that name? Not just a cookbook but a book of recipes and don't forget the household discoveries! Anyway, back to Chelsea Pies, one of the first recipes I tried from this cookbook and one of my favorites! So yummy! And so simple to make. Yesterday I made two pies and had a lot of leftover pie crust, so I thought of these.

 Filling the little pies.

 Edges pinched and ready.

Gently rolling the tops.

 Ready for the oven.

Delicious!

Chelsea Pies

For each pie you will need:

2 tablespoonful currents or seedless raisins

1 teaspoonful sugar

1/2 teaspoonful butter

pastry dough

Cut rounds about the size of a small saucer from plain pie crust. In the middle of each put the currants or raisins, sugar and butter. Wet edges and gather up like a bag. Pinch the edges together, turn over and roll gently with a rolling pin till the currants begin to prick through on the top side. Bake in a hot oven and serve either warm or cold.

*This is the original wording of the recipe, before they used temperature settings! I usually bake at 400 until nicely brown. I also like to add a pinch of cinnamon to the raisins.

I am a little curious about the history of these little pies. But I can't find anything about them, even when I googled it. Anybody heard of them before? I am assuming from the name they are English.

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Summer Canning

Summer is starting to warm up here in SE Wisconsin and so is our garden! We are just starting to get cucumbers. But we couldn't wait to make our first batch of pickles! We went and bought a few pounds at our local farmer's market. Also since the fruit has been so good (and good priced) we have been making jam! And of course an apron is absolutely essential for canning!!

 Isn't she sweet? From a Ball Canning Book c1939. Love her apron!

This is from a Hotpoint Electric Stove Manual. Isn't her kitchen cute?

A closer look at her lovely pink kitchen.

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Patriotic 40s!

I should of posted this last week! But I didn't find it until last weekend when I was visiting my sister. So I decided to post it anyway. It is too cute to wait until the next patriotic holiday!

 "So when that boy sits down at your table...greet him with what he has been longing for- real, old time cakes and cookies." This little booklet was published in 1945 by the Swansdown Cake Flour Co.

The recipe in case your mouth is watering, Like mine is!

And to go with our 40s theme, two new patterns I picked up. What you need to wear when you serve your boy that real old time baking! Couldn't resist them, the details are too too cute! Of course, being shirtdresses was another reason I couldn't resist.