Every Recipe Tested
Welcome! Today we are visiting vintage again. My Better Homes And Gardens Cook Book to be precise. This particular copy is the sixteenth printing, from August 1936. 76 years ago…wow! The front of the books touts “Every Recipe Tested In The Better Homes And Gardens Tasting-Test Kitchen”. It’s binding is broken, edges tattered, pages yellowed and splattered but it conveys love. Love from a long time ago, love for food, recipes and making wholesome meals for a family. In Chapter I, it lists a Summary of Vitamins, Nutrition Facts, Menu planning for the entire Family Group, and an entire Week of Menus for Each Season.
Today is Friday, let’s take a look at a sample menu for a Friday in Late Spring according to the My BH&G Cook Book.
Friday
Breakfast Lunch
Fresh Berries, Cream Prepared Cereal Creamed Dried Beef on Toast
Bacon Marmalade Toast Lettuce Salad
Coffee Milk Prune Whip Saltines
Tea Milk
Dinner
Cream of Fresh Asparagus Soup
Fried Fish Fillets Peas and Carrots
Hot Potato Salad
Chocolate Pudding, Thin Cream
Coffee Milk
What do you think of that? Prune Whip surely is a recipes that will never resurface. I’m thinking I won’t give that one a try as I’m pretty sure I couldn’t bribe my adoring hubby or “Miss T” to take even one bite.
I chose a “Fruit Salad” from My BH&G Cook Book. There are a total of 5 Fruit Salad recipes in the book. I selected Pear-Macaroon Salad.
It seemed so old-fashioned to me. I try to stay away from canned fruit but it seems that back in the day using canned fruit, veggies and gelatin played a large roll in salad recipes. I can imagine it will be tasty and possibly a bit like a dessert. Don’t tell my man, Dan but we’re having it as our salad with this evenings dinner of grilled chicken and roasted asparagus, sweet potato, peppers, mushrooms and local fresh yellow squash. After you look over the recipe I’m guessing you’ll know just what this is going to taste like. I admit I kind of like canned pears. Don’t tell…..
Enjoy!
I won’t tell. I had heard of prune whip but didn’t know what it was. This past week I saw a recipe on one of the blogs for prune whip. It actually sounds like a nice light dessert. You never know until you try a recipe.
Of course you are absolutely right about trying a recipe before discarding it. It’s just that I’d be the only person eating prune anything in my house. In the My BH&G book they have “fruit whip” recipes but not specifically prune…even though it’s on their suggested menu plan! FYI my husband asked for seconds of the Pear Salad!
Oldies but goodies…glad he liked it.
This one looks totally interesting. I’m loving your vintage series. It’s amazing how much things have changed over time. 🙂
Thanks Kristy, it’s fun and I can’t wait to do another “old timey” recipe.
This is such a great post! I love old cookbooks and seeing how our eating habits change through the decades. It’s amazing how things that sounded delicious in the 30’s sound atrocious now (like prune whip). 🙂 I enjoyed seeing your choice and think the fruit salad sounds delicious. I love this series on your blog- great idea!
Hey – nice to see you. I need to get busy and do another post or two on my vintage series – I’ve been so busy this month but it’s fun choosing recipes from those old books! Quite a difference in the old ones and todays beautiful picture cookbooks.
We have a newer version and it’s a classic for a reason!
You are right! I’d love to see your newer version.