Food Art History

In the past five months of writing this blog, I've come a long way. I've made pot roasts and pies, cookies and cakes, dips and sandwiches--all with varying degrees of success. There's no doubt, my skills have sharpened with each new recipe, and I'm feeling much more comfortable in the kitchen.

But more fun than the cooking has been the hunting. I've spent hours picking through dusty shelves at area antique malls, uncovering great old cookbooks to add to my collection.  Most of the books were published by food companies or growers' associations, with recipes featuring their specific products--like Ohio apples, Chiquita bananas, and Sunkist oranges, to name a few.

Of course, in addition to publishing their own cookbooks, the food companies also advertised the old-fashioned way--in magazines. Take a look at some of the gorgeous pages below:

What I love about these recipes is that they call for the inclusion of a specific brand of ingredient. It's not just Green Beans Caesar, whatever that is. It's Del Monte Green Beans Caesar. Remember when I made Joan's Apple Cake? That recipe called specifically for Wesson oil, and sure enough, that's what I used. Marketing at its finest, people!

Many people say that cooking is an art form, and I get that now. Long before Pinterest was a thing, there were companies pushing their products with beautiful spreads in print. I've found there's something really rewarding about re-creating the image from the page. Even when the flavors are questionable, I still have a feeling of accomplishment when I see my complete creation!

In the new year ahead, I'm eager to continue my study of food art history. I'll keep making more vintage recipes, and striving for more victories on the kitchen front. Onward!