COME INTO OUR KITCHENS

While filing some items in the genealogy room at the Algona Public Library recently, I found a cookbook that was out of place.  It had been donated to the gen society ten years ago by a person who purchased it at a used bookstore in San Diego.  At the time of our receipt it was in pretty rough shape.  Since it was falling apart, we placed each page in a page protector and put the book in a three ring binder to preserve it. 

The cookbook is entitled Come Into Our Kitchens.  There is no other information to indicate the date of publication, who compiled the collection or what organization profited from its sales.  I recall at the time we received it we did a little research trying to identify its source, but to no avail.  Rather than put it on the shelf next to the other cookbooks in our collection, I decided to give it another go.  Who knows?  At the very least I might be able to find some good recipes for the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.

The publication contains advertising from many local Algona merchants which helps to date the period it was published.  There is an ad for the Call Theatre which led me to deduce that it was published prior to 1937 when that structure burned to the ground.  Other advertisers included Kent Motors, Pratt Electric, and The Hub Clothiers, among many others.  One of the most vexing aspects of the advertisements is that addresses are not given for most of the businesses.  That seems to be a recurring theme in advertising prior to 1970 or so.  Evidently no one back then considered the feelings of future local historians or family history researchers and their need for specific information.  Sigh . . .

The cookbook itself is thin – 50 pages or so – and specializes in sweets.  It begins with doughnuts, coffee cakes and breads, proceeds on to cakes and icings, has a section on cookies and bars and another on candies.  It then moves on to desserts and pies and ends with various salad recipes.  Thumbing through the book was nostalgic.  There is something about a well-loved cookbook with pages discolored and splattered, corners worn, and notes in the margins that is comforting. 

Roll and waffle recipes

Titles of recipes can be fascinating.  Today’s cakes might be called “Death By Chocolate” or “Ooey Gooey Butter” cake, but they had interesting names then too.  Here are some of the cakes from Come Into Our Kitchens:  Feather Weight Cake from Mrs. H.M. Harris, Light as Ducks Down Cake from Fern (Mrs. W.A.) Foster, and Yellow Feather Cake presented by Mrs. Homer Tuttle.  Angel food and sponge cake recipes were quite popular with recipes submitted by Marie (Mrs. William) Hawcott, Ruby (Mrs. Francis) Hawcott and Ella Mae (Mrs. Alvin) Weber.  I have always admired those talented bakers who could make an angel food cake from scratch, beating all those egg whites that are required.  And these fine ladies likely beat them by hand. 

Seeing the Chocolate Pin Wheel Cookies recipe from Mrs. Antone Johnson reminded me of the delicious ones my husband’s grandmother, Josie (Mrs. Aloysius) Eischeid used to make.  How we looked forward to that treat whenever we stopped by for a visit!  Other cookies such as Carmel Cookies (Mrs. Burton Thorpe) and Butterscotch Pecan Squares (Mrs. Ben Sorensen) sound delicious.  However, a few did not sound appetizing at all – Date Rocks (Mrs. Fred Frost) and just plain Rocks (Mrs. W. C. Steele) for example.  I don’t think I would enjoy eating cookies that are described as “rocks.”

There were several recipes in the candy section that I found intriguing.  I had never heard of Sea Foam candy before, but both Mrs. D. J. Mitchell and Miss Annie Ingersoll submitted recipes.  My favorite candy in the section has to be the one entitled “Patience” which again was contributed by Mrs. Mitchell.  After reading the directions, I certainly agree that one would have to have extreme patience to prepare it.

When it comes to pies, these women knew what they were doing.  I can almost picture them in their kitchens rolling out the crusts.  Lemon Chiffon (Mrs. Anna Gill), Washington Nut Pie (Mrs. Lillian Norton), Silver Cream Pie (Mrs. Walter Klamp), and Angel Food Pie (Mrs. Earl Moore) are just a few of the many varieties mentioned. 

While paging through the book, I started to study some of the names of those who contributed recipes for publication.  I began to notice that the majority of the surnames represented families who had been faithful Methodists through the years.  After spending some time on Find-a-Grave, I was soon able to confirm through obituaries that funerals for all but a very few of the women I was able to track were held from the Methodist Church.  The book itself belonged to Elizabeth Carlisle who I have been unable to find.  Her ownership could perhaps be another clue.

So as you can see, this post is part history and part mystery.  To any loyal readers who happen to be members of the United Methodist Church in Algona, does this cookbook look familiar to you?  Would it have been compiled as a fundraiser for the church or perhaps one of the women’s groups?  We would love to be able to date when it was published and confirm its origin. 

When Thanksgiving rolls around each year, I can’t help but think of some of the bountiful meals I have shared with friends and family throughout my life.  In that spirit, does anyone have memories to share of the culinary talent of any of the contributors that I have mentioned in this post or whose names appear on the accompanying photos?  If so, I would love to read your comments.

While counting my blessings this year, I want you to know that I am thankful for each of you that enjoy these posts and love local history as much as I do. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jean

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