My sweet mother in law gave me a present this weekend. She's one of those people that go to garage sales and thrift stores, and she found a cookbook from Sedalia. It looks like it was put together by the Business And Professional Women's Club. There's not an obvious date to it, so I'm just gonna assume that it was printed sometime in the 50's or 60's. It was obviously well loved and used, since the binding is completely gone and there are notes and recipes written in. You can definitely tell times have changed! There are a ton of recipes that were submitted by the BPWC not just in Sedalia, but throughout Missouri.  I looked through the different pages and saw tons of advertisements for places I've never seen.

Rebehka Cramer Moreland
Rebehka Cramer Moreland
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If you can't make it out (I'm not the best photographer), the businesses are Lorts Super Market, Norma's Dress Shop, Ken McDaniel with AFI, The Flower Pot, Welch's Market, Dora's Fashion Shop, and Hobson and Son Carpet Center.

The recipes differ, some are very complex, but some are very easy.  For example, a recipe for pancake syrup is literally a cup of water boiled with a pound of brown sugar. ONLY A POUND.

There are several helpful tips, like this one:

Try waxing your ashtrays.  Ashes won't cling, odors won't linger and then can be wiped clean with a paper towel or disposable tissue. This saves daily washing.

Can you imagine? Nobody smokes indoors these days. I can't imagine my grandmother back then cleaning ashtrays ever, much less every day.

An inexperienced carver will appreciate a hostess who keeps the guests' attention diverted from his carving.

LOOK OVER HERE! Here, I'll do a little dance to distract you so you don't see how badly he's cutting that turkey! Ah, how far the delicate male ego has come.  But this has Got to be my favorite part of the book.

Rebehka Cramer Moreland
Rebehka Cramer Moreland
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So it was old, even back then. Here's how it goes:

HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND

Be careful in your selection.

Do not choose too young.

When once selected, give your entire thoughts to preparation for domestic use.

Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them into hot water.

This makes them sour, hard to get along with and sometimes bitter.

Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with kisses.

Wrap them in a mantle of charity.

Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream.

Thus prepared, they will  keep for years.

Isn't that just a scream? I know it was meant a little tongue in cheek, but my goodness, that's just.... wow. Husbando found it amusing, though, and asked me where HIS peaches and cream were.

Oh, don't worry. I'll show you RIGHT where you can put 'em*.

Domestically yours,

Behka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*JUST JOKING.

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