Fleischmann's and Rawleigh's, 1919 and 1929

This is an example of two of the Cook Books in my box of goodies. The Rawleigh's is a "Good Health Guide and Cook Book". It dates to 1929 and, in addition to recipes, is full of health and diet information. It includes information about body-building foods, patent medicines, foods and exercises to reduce weight, advice on charm and 'personal daintiness', and even first aid advice and cleaning hints.

The Fleischmann's cook book is entitled "Sixty-five Delicious Dishes - Made with Bread. It is copyrighted 1919. The stamp of the merchant on the front of the book (E.B. Landon, General Merchandise, Benton, Alberta). This may have been the predecessor to my grandfather, A.J. Thurston, who took over the General Store and Post Office in Benton in the 1930s. The recipes primarily relate to the use of bread in various recipes, from bread and milk, toast, sandwiches, croutons, bread crumbs and other uses. It includes several variations on bread puddings and what we now call French Toast.

Beginning at the Beginning

I've managed to sort out the box of old recipes and cookbooks. I seem to have parts of

• "The Butterick Cook Book" ( haven't found the date yet),
• "The Women of Unifarm Cook Book" (date?),
• something called "Recipes for Modern Homemakers",
• "The Galt Cook Book",
• a small, unnamed cook book,
• a "Blue Ribbon Cook Book for Everyday Use In Western Homes" from 1905,
• a "Watkins Cook Book" missing its first few pages.

There is also a whole raft of small pamphlet style cook books from various companies, such as

• Jell-o,
• Magic Baking Powder,
• Robin Hood Mills,
• Chatelaine,
• Alberta Sugar,
• Lea and Perrins,
• California Fruit Growers,
• Fleischman's Yeast,
• Paulin's, Five Roses,
• Rogers' Golden Syrup,
• Cow Brand Baking Soda, and so forth.

These date anywhere from 1905 to 1965 (when they have dates on them).

The first task will be to set up a catalogue format and make a list or catalogue of everything I have. I think I had better join the Culinary Historians of Ontario, so I can get some help identifying some of the books with missing sections and dates.

The individual, hand-written recipes (which are in both my mother's and at least one of my grandmothers' writing) and newspaper clippings will a different challenge. I will need to catalogue them as well, but the format will be a bit different. A great deal of creativity was involved in finding paper on which to write recipes, using not only recipe cards and the backs of envelopes but even extending so far as using the back of a sympathy card and back of a doctor's prescription. Some of the newspaper clippings have very interesting bits of information of the back of the clipping. All of this will have to be documented, somehow.

I need a plan.

Vancouver Island trip

Where to start? I arrived in Vancouver late Wednesday evening and Sarah met me at the airport. We had a late dinner at the Fairmont Hotel at the airport before heading downtown. The best mushroom soup I have ever eaten.

Thursday took the ferry to Nanaimo. Visiting my friend Shelley on Vancouver Island - we had a very nice supper last night - baked stuffed salmon with roasted vegetables, and chocolate chocolate chocolate ice cream. We spent the evening searching for food sites on Google Reader. There is a whole world of food out there! All the rain outside did not seem to matter.

Rhubarb Recipes from 1916

Today I found a cutting from a paper dated July 5, 1916. Can't tell what the name of the paper was, but two of the ads on the back mention Winnipeg. May be "The Grain Growers' Guide".

The column is called The Country Cook, and the theme is Rhubarb, with recipes for Rhubarb Relish, Rhubarb Catsup, Rhubarb and Strawberries, Rhubarb and Pineapple, Plain Canned Rhubarb, Tapioca and Rhubarb, Rhubarb Jam (Scotland) Rhubarb and Fig Preserve, Rhubarb Marmalade, Rhubarb Water Ice, Rhubarb Dumplings, Rhubarb Sherbet and Rhubarb Brown Betty.

They must have been responding to my older brother's wish (when he was a very small boy). He said he wished the whole world was rhubarb.

The ad on the back for men's suits is an interesting contrast to today's advertising. It starts out: "We Want Every Reader of The Grain Growers' Guide to Sign and Mail this Coupon" It goes on ..."Mail it and get free a set of Catesbys' suit patterns and be convinced that it is possible to buy a better suit in London, England, for $13.00 than could be bought in Canada for $25.00. ..."

How things have changed - except for Rhubarb!

Nov. 11

Started looking through the box of old newspaper/recipe clippings that I brought back from cleaning out my parent's house. I wish the dates were on some of these clippings. There is on with "An Iced Cake" recipe on one side from a Mrs. Bell of 17 Caledonian Place, Edinburgh, who won a prize of "2s 6d" for the recipe.

On the other side is news of what appears to be troop movements in the Boer War. "... Further to the south, in the district around the Orange River Colony border, the burghers are still in evidence, a British convoy having been attacked. The enemy has not yet been cleared away from the western frontier of the Transvaal. ..."

My first food blog

Tonight I tried a recipe I found on FoodBuzz by Cheapfoodhere - Cheap Roasted Broccoli and Walnut Pasta Salad - added sun-dried tomatoes and (soaked) dried porcini mushrooms. I liked it - the walnuts give a nice crunch. Next time I will try adding thick-cut smoked bacon or pancetta.