New news from old cookbooks
Old cookbooks are getting customers’ attention (and money). For some, old cookbooks are a trip back in time, an opportunity to recreate children’s recipes. Other customers are interested in the history of the food. Avid cookbook collectors can purchase a cookbook for a single recipe.
The old cookbooks, the ones our mothers and grandmothers used, have things to tell us. “The Victory Cook Book”, published in 1943, is a good example. The title page instantly tells you what the book is about. “Wartime Edition,” the page declares, “with substitutes for victory and inexpensive recipes for delicious wartime meals.”
The keywords for Americans at the time of a war were “surrogates” and “economic.” This cookbook told you how to prepare groceries from the store and foods grown at home. The cooks were told how to extract the fat from the meat, which was placed in cans and delivered to local butchers. As hard as it is to believe, this fat was turned into explosives.
A large part of the book is devoted to menu planning. Donuts, cookies, and pancakes were to be eaten only after “healthy foods” had been eaten. Meat was eaten in small quantities. Sweets should be eaten in moderation and “The Victory Cook Book” recommends having salad for dessert.
Meat was in short supply during WWII, the chapter on meatless meals must have been very helpful. Just reading the dinner menu can make you feel full. A sample dinner menu includes cold fruit, stuffed tomatoes, parsley potatoes, creamed asparagus, pumpkin pie, and milk. If that didn’t fill you up, nothing would.
The school cafeteria menus continued with the fruit and vegetable theme. A sample lunch menu menu includes cottage cheese-filled whole wheat bread sandwiches, a thermos of cocoa, applesauce, and graham crackers. Today’s kids would probably go on strike if their school cafeteria served this meal.
The point is, there’s no mention of a double cheeseburger, a giant order of fries, or an oversized soda. What is the “new” news in this old cookbook? It’s eating fruits and vegetables, things that can help us feel fit and live a longer life. This news could help reverse the obesity trend.
According to government statistics, 65% of Americans are overweight. Many Americans eat double or triple servings of food and it shows. Go to a mall and you will see people who waddle, who do not walk, people who are at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Some Americans are literally eating themselves to death.
Maybe it’s time to go back to the foods recommended in “The Victory Cookbook.” We can plan meals around fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, small portions of meat, and some sweets. The best news of all is that fresh fruits and vegetables taste great.
The next time you go to a used book store or are on the Internet, look for old cookbooks. Look for books that include fresh fruits, vegetables, and vegetarian meals. Also look for branded cookbooks and brochures. You may be surprised by their “new” and healthy news.
Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson
