For our first wedding anniversay (paper) in 1976, my husband gave me The NZ Radio & Television Cookbook" edited by Alison Holst.His inscription: Happy Anniversary Dear, Love from Xxxx.(PS: This isn't a hint or a criticism!)
creeky1,
May 9, 5:38am
I found an old farm book my grand dad had, along side cows names and their dates of calving was recipes for tanning hides, throat gargle and plum pudding. dates in it range 1920's - 30's. He also listed his wages and how much he banked. He died of a heart attack when my mother was 12yrs old. I also have an original aunt daisy, very well worn. Hubby bought me a new version last year for my birthday.
madzwhippet,
May 9, 9:26am
Old recipe books are to dream on.....along with relatives and friends I collect old recipe books for the fun of reading them....now and again a useful recipe is noted ...earlier books from my mother and grandmother had some recipes I would not attempt...the dreadful things done to good food in the name of cooking art make you wonder how they found the time.....then too some foods held over for days make you wonder how they survived eating the results.......Nevertheless these old gems make wonderful nostalgic reading.....
juliewn,
May 9, 10:12am
Hi Kinna..
I agree.. they are special these recipes of ours.. and those from loved ones.. and now.. I've taken the idea a little further..
For my Daughter's 21st last month, I made everything myself - all of the goodies were favourites of hers from throughout her life.
As I planned the menu, asked her for special requests, and began to write things down so I'd make everything in good time, plus be able to share the day with her, her big brother, and all our family and her friends, I used a large A4 book.. I wrote ingredient lists and things 'to do' around the home, to ensure everything was completed for the party..
Then I thought of this.. I've decided to write most of it into another book, so in time to come she'll not only have a record of who was here, who wasn't able to make it and sent cards and messages and emails and gifts.. the menu we decided on together.. etc..etc..
... and... I'll include the recipes for everything I made for the party - from pesto, tomato relish and mint sauce, all using veges and herbs from my garden, the recipe for the glaze I made for the ham I baked, the recipe for the marshmallow shortcake that's a favourite, the recipe for the grape juice I made for the punch, with grapes I've grown here from cuttings..
In times to come, she'll have it all if she wants to use the info and recipes for a party she might like to have someday.. or she can make something, just cos she loves it..
Although my Son's 21st was several years ago, I made similar recipes for his party, and am going to do the same for him..
.. and these books will become another heirloom for them both.. :-)
kinna54,
May 9, 11:39am
smiley I have 2 sons and I'm proud to say that they both can cook well. #1 son in Hamilton cooked his lovely wife a restaurant quality meal today for Mother's Day and #2 son cooked a beautiful Mothers dayroast pork dinner for his lovely wife and myself.I'm sure your boys will inherit your love of food, and hope you will be blessed with lovely daughters in law who will appreciate them.
letitia,
May 10, 1:26am
For our first wedding anniversay (paper) in 1976, my husband gave me The NZ Radio & Television Cookbook" edited by Alison Holst.His inscription: Happy Anniversary Dear, Love from Xxxx.(PS: This isn't a hint or a criticism!)
creeky1,
May 10, 5:38am
I found an old farm book my grand dad had, along side cows names and their dates of calving was recipes for tanning hides, throat gargle and plum pudding. dates in it range 1920's - 30's. He also listed his wages and how much he banked. He died of a heart attack when my mother was 12yrs old. I also have an original aunt daisy, very well worn. Hubby bought me a new version last year for my birthday.
madzwhippet,
May 10, 9:26am
Old recipe books are to dream on.along with relatives and friends I collect old recipe books for the fun of reading them.now and again a useful recipe is noted .earlier books from my mother and grandmother had some recipes I would not attempt.the dreadful things done to good food in the name of cooking art make you wonder how they found the time.then too some foods held over for days make you wonder how they survived eating the results.Nevertheless these old gems make wonderful nostalgic reading.
juliewn,
May 10, 10:12am
Hi Kinna.
I agree. they are special these recipes of ours. and those from loved ones. and now. I've taken the idea a little further.
For my Daughter's 21st last month, I made everything myself - all of the goodies were favourites of hers from throughout her life.
As I planned the menu, asked her for special requests, and began to write things down so I'd make everything in good time, plus be able to share the day with her, her big brother, and all our family and her friends, I used a large A4 book. I wrote ingredient lists and things 'to do' around the home, to ensure everything was completed for the party.
Then I thought of this. I've decided to write most of it into another book, so in time to come she'll not only have a record of who was here, who wasn't able to make it and sent cards and messages and emails and gifts. the menu we decided on together. etc.etc.
. and. I'll include the recipes for everything I made for the party - from pesto, tomato relish and mint sauce, all using veges and herbs from my garden, the recipe for the glaze I made for the ham I baked, the recipe for the marshmallow shortcake that's a favourite, the recipe for the grape juice I made for the punch, with grapes I've grown here from cuttings.
In times to come, she'll have it all if she wants to use the info and recipes for a party she might like to have someday. or she can make something, just cos she loves it.
Although my Son's 21st was several years ago, I made similar recipes for his party, and am going to do the same for him.
. and these books will become another heirloom for them both. :-)
kabre,
May 11, 6:53am
I too am a horder of old recipe books, love the advertising in them and as someone else said some of the appliances look out of this world and were supposed to make life easier hehe! Local ones of my area are so nostalgic looking at all the old shop adverts in them, and remembering that these little shops did exist!
mallee,
Oct 5, 11:42pm
Amongst my late mother's posessions. Inside the cover it say's "Happy Birthday Rita, I love you very much" January 1952. I would have been 3 1/2 months old. Has anyone else got a very old (whoops, perhapes not SO very old :-) recipe book!
mallee,
Oct 5, 11:46pm
Gosh, how old is that then! I'm showing my age, but I remember Mum listening to her on the radio, way before I started school. "Good Morning, Good morning.
pericles,
Oct 5, 11:48pm
Can't check for you sorry, I am at work
clare_mel,
Oct 6, 12:06am
I have a hand written recipe book which belonged to my great grandmother who died in her 80s in 1980.She started adding recipes to it after she was married, so would guess that it starts off in the 1920s!
lizab,
Oct 6, 12:29am
LOL mallee - fancy being given a recipe book at 3 1/2 months old!
kuaka,
Oct 6, 8:50am
I've got an old Mrs Beeton's book, I thought it was late 1800s but have just checked and it's 1906 - some of the "latest household appliances" are delightful, including a vacuum cleaner which looks more like a tractor or steam engine.
lynja,
Oct 6, 6:34pm
this thread got me searching through my collection! i think one of the oldest i have is the Highlander Economical Cookery Book, 1922, another old ones is the St Mary's home for Girls book 1936. SOMEWHERE i have an old Truth newspaper cookbook (shows how many books i have!) sadly a number of the old books dont have dates in them. i love coming across notes in these old books, and as i am someone who always puts notes etc in mine i hope one day someone will enjoy coming across my scribbles and enjoy them too.
rubyjane11,
Oct 6, 7:32pm
I have one of my great grandmothers recipe books which would be over 100 years old.
lulu239,
Oct 6, 7:47pm
I have a Gurney Cook Book from Canada dated 1930. The chapters start with "Just how to ." A Radiation Gas Cook book is dated 1931 and a book of Scottish recipes is dated 1946. They are so interesting to go through. My mother used to read recipe books in bed.
juliewn,
Oct 6, 11:45pm
Lulu. I've been known to read recipe books in bed too!
If anyone wants to start a handwritten recipe book that will pass on down through your family, I recommend these books:
Listing #: 321144237
They're leather bound with hand-made paper pages. beautifully presented.
I purchased four some time ago - two red, two tan. and am writing all the recipes in that my now-grown Kid's love from my cooking over the years. 2 red for my Daughter, 2 tan for my Son. and am including notes about when I first made them, what they were made for, etc. from notes I've made beside the recipes. which includes things for their birthday parties, Christmas's, pot-lucks and gatherings. and the time I asked my Son, then age 9, to describe the yummiest slice or biscuit recipe he could think of. and the Anzac biscuit type recipe that became a slice base, topped with chocolate icing and coconut, has become known as 'Christopher Square.' And when we found a 'Jennifer Square' recipe in an old church fundraising book, and it became Jenni's recipe. coconut and vanilla slice base, raspberry jam spread over the top as it comes from the oven, then pink icing with coconut.
All the recipes fill just over a book each. they can carry on with their own favourites over coming years in those second books.
It was my Son's idea. 'hey Mum, can you write down all your recipes so I have them in a book.' so I began. I'm writing the recipes in random order, as it feels like all hand-written recipe books suit that way best. part of their character.and will put an index in alphabetical order in the back so they can look up what page the recipe is on. He saw what I've done so far when he was home from overseas in March - with tears in his eyes he said 'this is AWESOME Mum! - the best present you could give me!' - awwww. :-)
Better get some more done. he's back here on 29 October.
So. you could all begin to create a family heirloom too. so your recipes, and those from family and friends no longer here, will continue on, and be loved and enjoyed by generations to come. and one day, someone else will say 'I love these old recipe books!'
juliewn,
Oct 6, 11:49pm
I agree with you re the notes. somehow make the books personal and special.
I've got Truth books too that I've found over the years. great tried and true recipes from people who sent the recipes into the then-newspaper. there's one here, from 1943:
Listing #: 321404904
rainrain1,
Oct 7, 5:17am
A medical recipe book!Do give out a recipe for the common cold :-)
mallee,
Oct 7, 5:26am
Do you ladies.whoops that's not very PC is it! :-) :-) I will start again. Do any of you use these wonderful old recipes!
rainrain1,
Oct 7, 5:51am
Wheeeee lovely!
smileeah,
Oct 7, 7:02am
Thanks so much for the wonderful idea. I've got only boys but I do hope they grow up to love cooking as I do. One can live in hope. lol
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