A few months ago a friend Aaryne sent me a little booklet she ran across somewhere in her travels. It made her think of me, she said, which shows she knows me pretty well. It’s called Successful Baking for Flavor and Texture.  The name alone is a giveaway that it wasn’t written recently. It was published in 1936 by the…

Some thoughts written in 1931 by a woman in Wyoming on the small courtesies that make life better for everyone– Recently I bought a dress and hat at a local shop kept by a women. Early in life, she was suddenly and without preparation thrust into the position of breadwinner for herself and husband. Through the various ups and downs…

Simple meals. They’re the goal for any day of the week but especially useful on the weekends. If you are trying to avoid eating out and don’t want to deal with prepping meals ahead of time, it’s essential to be ready with some extra simple meals. Here is one woman’s perspective on Sunday dinners, written in 1913.  We need to…

What do you know about World War I cooking? Probably very little. It’s not a highlight of culinary history. Go back to the simple life, be contented with simple food, simple pleasures, simple clothes. Work hard, pray hard, play hard. Work, eat, recreate, and sleep. Do it all courageously. ~Herbert Hoover, US Food Administration in World War I I’m one…