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My Grandmothers' Cookbooks

I was fortunate enough to be given my Grandmother Ethel's cook book and I have borrowed my Grandmother Pearl's cook book from my Mom.

Both are old, used (I say just extremely loved!), stained, pages torn or falling out, small pieces of paper in between pages with other recipes or coupons cut out...

My favorite part of these cook books? The hand written notes inside.

Ethel had written on some "Good" in her handwriting and letting herself know she had tried it and the family had enjoyed it. Some had ingredients added to perfect the recipe or perhaps put her own spin on it making it her own. Some even had dates of perhaps when she had made the dish.

Ethel's cook book was "The American Woman's Cook Book" is from 1945 but the first edition was printed in 1938. Beautiful color photos inside, menu suggestions, food prep methods, table settings and photos with quotes such as "Time and your oven await the occasion and the man"!

Pearl clipped coupons and recipes from magazines and newspapers then stuffed them in between pages and wrote recipes by hand on any page with enough room.

Pearl's cookbook was "Woman's Home Companion Cook Book" from 1945, first edition was in 1942. Like Ethel's, this cook book is filled with tips and tricks on how to set up your table, ingredient substitutions, information on the use of different spices, even says "DO put cigarettes and ashtrays on the table" saying people will want to smoke throughtout the meal and you have to be prepared.