As an ongoing feature here, I will add to this each day the recipes out of several books I have that are dated or from calendar books.

Over the years, I have collected a lot of recipe boxes, old cook books and handwritten books.  In reading them, using the recipes to recreate flavors from the past and loving the history each one represents; I have come to the realization that although we all are different in so many ways, our love of good food, family and personal history is universal.  We all want to reconnect with our ancestors in some form.  Through these wonderful glimpses of the past, the carefully handwritten recipes passed down from Mother to Daughter to Granddaughter and so on, we get a flavor of them by tasting the dishes they shared.

In so many of the books and cards, there is often a notation of who gave them the recipe and with this we get a glimpse of the friendships and relationships of their community.

I recently had a thought, because of a chance name in one of these books, of an ancestor of mine and how fascinating it was to think that maybe, just maybe I was looking at something from one of My family!  How much it could mean to someone else to find a name from their history and place in their hands a taste of their past through a recipe in a book. 

If I can get such a thrill in believing I could be holding something from someone in my history, what would others do or feel like in possibly finding a bit from their ancestors; making and eating something that they made.  How completely Cool is that?

The purpose of this blog is to share some of those recipes and names with others who might be just as interested in cooking, history, genealogy and family as I am.

All the names listed are with the recipes they contributed to the cook book; if there is any recipe you would like to have a copy of in relation to the name, for a small fee through paypal of $3.99 for each recipe, I will send it to you by an email attachment. Just leave a comment below with your email address and I will get back to you.

I have three right off the bat that are calendars, one from 1875, one from the early 1900’s and one from the 1930’s to 40’s.

A small leather covered calendar book from Burlington Vermont dated 1875.  It has all kinds of lovely handwritten dessert recipes; the front of the book has an overview of each month and a predictive weather chart, the difference of tie between Boston and New York, the value of gold and silver at the time and other interesting things like rates of postage.

The next book is a red date book that is dated 1912 from Avondale Pennsylvania.  There are several hands involved in the recipes and they are dated up to 1944.  It starts out with a list of recipes on January 1st and then on the second we get a cake recipe from Mother.

A cook book I got from Morrison Illinois and written in the 1920’s and 30’s.  I think the person who wrote this book was from Iowa; there are a lot of notations in the book with that state as a focus.  The two cities listed next to the names of a couple of ladies who contributed recipes, Comanchie and Norway Iowa are very small towns along the Mississippi River and about 3 counties apart from each other.  I believe there is a lot of relatives credited in the cook book, by the names of Dunn, Gertsen, Broderson and Hanson; and one recipe is credited to Grandma Cook. 

I have already listed the family names from this book in this post from January.

A Cranberrie Meringue Pie 1920’s from the Family Gertsen and Dunn; Comanchie and Norway Iowa

Avondale Pennsylvania 1912

Mother – Gold Cake, Pound cake, Small Cakes, Jumbles, Walnut Cakes, Sand Tarts, Cinnamon Snaps, Shamrock Shaped Rolls,

Mrs. M.F. Reem (possibly Reen) – Layer Cake, Hot water Sponge Cake,

Felix – Felix’s ginger Bread,

Mrs. Frank Smith – Ginger Bread,

Carrie – Puff Cake, Dolly Varden Cake, Sugar Biscuit, Canned Tomatoes,

     Also Carrie B. – Corn Pudding, Deviled Clams,

Bessie – Ginger Bread, Small Sugar Cakes, Muffins, Cough Syrup,

   Also Bess – Corn Bread, Snitz & Knep, Canned Tomatoes,

Minnie – Nut Cakes, Pop Overs, Egg Custard,

Mrs. Conley, Middletown – Pork Cake,

Frances – Reliable Frosting, Ginger Bread, Baked Corn, Cherry Cream – Ice, Nesselrode Pie or Pudding, Chiffon Squares, Lemon Sauce, Baked Pudding, Baked Pudding or Cake, Best Ever Pudding, Molded Egg Salad,

Sadie Myers – Chocolate Cake,

Anniele, Mrs. Snyder – Sponge Cake,

Mrs. Parliament – Chip Sticks, Cresents,

Mrs. Good – Coconut Cakes, Sugar Cookies, Pot Pie,

Mrs. Foltz (Middletown) – Dropped Sugar Cakes, Peach Jam,

Mabel – Candied Mint Leaves, Easter biscuits, Sweet Potatoe Bunnies & table Decorations,

Ann Moore – Sugar Cookies, Rice Dainty, Canned Peaches,

Mrs. John Weaver – Little Nut Cakes, Cookies, Chicken Pie,

  (also Mrs. J. Weaver)

Mrs. Minch – Sugar Cookies,

Mary Loban (or Lohan) – Oat Meal Cookies,

LyVrette (could be Lynette) – Lemon Crackers, Nut Bread, Cinnamon Cakes,

Mrs. Keihl – Cheese Straws,

Mrs. Rumbold – Ginger Drop Cakes, Cream Pie,

Delia Kilgore Campbell – Coconut Macaroons, Chocolate Cakes,

Annie Fager (or Fagen) – Ginger Cakes,

Mrs. Ibach – Sugar Biscuit & Filling,

Mrs. Musser – Sand Tarts,

Mrs. A.S. Moyer – Sugar Cookies, Molasses Nut Bars, Ice Cream Cookies, Ginger Bread,

   Could also be Mrs. Mayer – Perfection Salad,

Elizabeth Moffet – Taylor Cakes,

Ruth Mertz – Butter Scotch Cookies, Caramel Pie, Cherry Hash, Pineapple Hash, Apple Relish,

Mrs. Wagner (Silver Springs) – Sugar Cakes,

Mrs. Fickes – Nut Cakes,

Arnaud’s Friend – Nut & date Cookies,

   Also Armand Recipe – To can Hot Peppers,

Alma – Peanut Cookies, Canned Lima Beans,

Mrs. Allen, East Orange St. – Fudge,

Mrs. Davis – Dessert,

Grandmother Holland – Hickory-Nut Cakes,

Mrs. Holland – Quince Honey,

Gary Barny – Peanut-Butter Cookies,

Sarah Gordon – Cookies,

Mrs. Moist – Sand Tarts,

Elsie – Cherry Snickerdoodle, Ham Loaf, Bitoch (veal) with Mushroom Sauce, Peach Conserve,

Mrs. Lichty – Aunt Hattie’s Peach Luscious, 

Marion Snavely, Middletown – Eggs a-la-King,

Mrs. Dremler – Caramel Ice Cream,

Mrs. Gless – Graham Bread,

Sister Low – Short Cake,

Aunt Liza – Muffins, Pie Crust,

Mrs. Fauchlidy – Bran Muffins,

Mrs. Laney – Montgomery Pie,

Mrs. Percy Smith – Lemon Sponge Pie,

Mrs. Minnick – Lemon Sponge Pie,

Mrs. Boyer – Sauce for Rice,

Mrs. Gallagher – Fruit Puffs,

Mrs. Cadiz – Paradize Pudding,

Mrs. Kauffman – Baked Sweet Potatoes and Apples, Corn Pudding, Canned Tomatoes,

      Also Mrs. D.A. Kauffman – Pickles,

Miss Gelsbaufer (or Yelslaufer) – Raisin Pie & Crumbs Recipe,

Mrs. Hayes – Rhubarb Meringue Tart, Apple Candy Cake,

Mrs. Dyer – Peach Roll,

Mrs John Morron – Savory Noodles,

Ann Morris Aunt – Bread,

Mrs. Deibler – Sand Tarts, Oatmeal Ice Box Cookies,

Mrs. Becker – Beef Loaf,

Mrs. Cockran – Shrimp,

Laura – Hard Sauce,

Sarah White – Canned Beans, Canned Corn,

Peg – Canned Tomatoes,

Mrs. Shirls – Cucumber Relish,

Mrs. Bechtel – Pickles,

Mrs. Frank Swope – Tomatoe Juice,

A.B.H. – Corn for Winter Use,

Mooket Woman – Pickled Hot Peppers,

Mrs. Gerarch (or Gerard) (Middletown)- Chow-chow,

Mrs. Deitrich – Relish,

Mrs. Lee High – Bread and Butter Pickles,

Mrs. Gill Breniniger – Garden Special,

Miss, Goss – Bread and Butter Pickles,

Mrs. Dolson – Canned Corn,

Mrs. Oscar Smith – For Arthritis,   

There are a lot of people from Middletown in this book, and I got it from Avondale Pennsylvania.  Looking it up I took a chance and got Middletown PA; this info came up;

 “Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States, on the Susquehanna River, 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Harrisburg. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 8,901.[4] It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middletown,_Dauphin_County,_Pennsylvania

Avondale is not that far away from Middletown, Same corner of the state, so It is very likely that this is the correct town. 

I find the one recipe that has the name Mooket Woman very interesting, the local American Indian Tribe to this area are the Sioux, Cherokee, or Iroquois, and it borders the Susquehanna River.  It is intriguing to think she was from the local Indians. 

Burlington Vermont 1875

Mother – Cream Cookies, Fruit Cake, Mother’s Plain Doughnuts,

    Also Mama – Mama’s Custard Pie, Mama’s Pie Crust, Cream Pie Crust, Mama’ Gingersnaps, Mama’s Cookies, Mama’s Biscuit,

Ethel – Brown Bread,

Mrs. Bealtie – Tomatoe Pickles,

Mrs. Dr. Smith – Red Tomatoes, Cucumber Pickles,

        Also Mrs. Smith – Lemon Jelly,

Josie – Mince Pie,

Mrs. A. DeNore – Cranberry Pie,

Edith Thomson – Banbury Pies,

Mrs. J.B. Hitchins – Brown Bread,

Mrs. E.S. Cummings – Fig Cakes & Filling,

Jenny Merriam – Nut Cakes,

Mrs. J. Ogle – Fig Cake & Filling,            

Mrs. O.H. Danforth – Nut Cake No. 2,

Mrs. G.R. Magoon – Cream Puffs,

Mrs. C.G. Moses – Fruit Cookies,

Mrs. E.S.C. – Chocolate Cake,

Mrs. J.C.P. – Chocolate Cake & Frosting, Steam Pudding,

Maude Rowell – Soft Gingerbread,

Ethel – Ethel’s Cake,

      Also Ethel Palter’s Cake,

Mrs. Taylor – Boiled Frosting,

Mrs. J.C.H. – Dark Cake,

Norcott – Cake without eggs,

May Smith – Cream Puffs,

Mrs. A.G.N. – Pork Cake,

Mrs. M? –  Moll Puffs,

E. Ricker – Steamed Black Pudding,

Mrs. E.D.S. – Buns,

Mrs. Aldrich – Hamburg Steak,

Mrs. O’Mara – Mrs. O’Mara’s Cookies,

Stella – Salmon Turbot,

Kate – Kate’s Cake, Kate’s Cake, Kate’s Frosting,

     Also Kate Armstrong – Dark Sour Milk Cake,

Rebecca Johnson – Lemon Pies,

Rena – Chocolate Pie,

Roy – Roy’s Fine Cake,

Aunt Lill’s Cake,

Iva – Iva’s Cake & Frosting,

Mary Gilkey – Caramel Cake, Fig Filling, English Pudding,

Josh Libbey – Graham Pudding & Sauce,  

Mrs. Henry Fuller – Cream Sponge Cake, Maple Sugar Cookies,

Edna – Edna’s White Cake,

Maude’s Cake,

Mrs. Stein’s Gingerbread,

Mrs. Sterns – tomato Sauce,