There’s something about an old cookbook, picking it up and knowing you’ll find reassuringly simple recipes that can inspire without expensive accessories, hardware or fancy spices. These cookbooks are about creating practical dishes that please the whole family, not necessarily being the flashiest or the prettiest. It’s about being thrifty and courageous, and just creating good food.
In the early-to-mid 20th century, Americans had little choice but to cook from scratch. These cookbooks provided solutions with basic ingredients the family had on hand. These cookbooks made few assumptions, as long as you had the staples around the kitchen… a spoon, an oven, a few bowls, a way to measure, a little love, and you’re in good shape.
So many of these cookbooks are being forgotten. Old family recipes that have been shared with the community through civic, school or church organizations are now lost to time.
It’s our goal to save these recipes, bring them back to life and, when possible, put a modern spin on them.
We hope you enjoy this project as much we do.
