Category Archives: cookbooks
Funny Bunny Salad and Other ’60s Silliness
Forget broccoli-topped pizza and carrot sticks with yogurt dip. Recipes from the Easy-to-Cook Book from 1967 (Grosset & Dunlap) unabashedly rely on frozen vegetables, canned fruits, bacon, and butter.
1960s Casserole Magic
Casseroles built on cream of mushroom soup fed many families in the 1960s, when canned goods seemed ever so much more modern than cooking from scratch. The 1961 top seller, the Better Homes & Gardens Casserole Cook Book, put a … Continue reading
Think Pink!
As the snow cover in Boston shrinks to reveal soggy, battered lawns, I’m unabashedly rushing summer with the Beachcomber cocktail I found in the Blender Cook Book from Better Homes and Gardens. It continues the 1960s theme inspired by the new season of “Mad Men” … Continue reading
From ‘Mad Men’: Party Like It’s 1969
“Mad Men,” scheduled to begin broadcasting its final season April 5, slavishly recreates the 1960s in every detail, from desktop ashtrays to skinny ties and go-go boots. Drinks – poured straight from bottles in the office – often get more air time than … Continue reading
In My March Kitchen
Never mind these icicles I passed while walking to work and the snowiest February in Boston history. Spring arrives March 20 and I’m beyond ready! In the meantime, I’ve been reading recipes for inspiration – and looking at the monthly IMK … Continue reading
Portrait of a Cider Cake
Anyone with an interest in 19th century art has studied American artist James McNeill Whistler’s iconic portrait of his mother, which now hangs in the Louvre. We’ve also heard Mr. Bean, the British comic character, call Mrs. Whistler in her … Continue reading
Abraham Lincoln’s Corn Meal ‘Rail Splitters’
Presidents’ Day, celebrated today, started to honor George Washington. Since Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was February 12, he also receives special homage in February. Since I’m still making recipes from the1860s, I found a Lincoln-inspired recipe for “rail splitters” in The … Continue reading
A ‘Cheap and Quick’ (and Comforting) Pudding from 1862
In any era, wartime cooking brings out the spirit of making do with whatever can be scrounged up when most supplies go to the war effort. The Confederate Receipt Book, published in Richmond in 1862 as the Civil War entered … Continue reading
More Snow, More Hot Rum
Two feet of snow and more predicted? How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant’s Companion (1862) by Jerry Thomas once again provides a welcome reward for shoveling. This time, I made it up to recipe number 200, Black Stripe.
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