Culinary Curiosities:Searching For Lost Cookbooks

Late Nineteenth and

Early Twentieth Century

Cookbooks

Advertising in America:

Advertising played an important role in changing the American consumer’s way of thinking about food products.

Why use cookbooks to advertise?

1. Messages in magazine advertisements were reinforced by cookbooks.

2. Brand names were imprinted in the mind of the consumer by cookbooks:- Jell-O- Frigidaire- Gold Medal- Carnation- Wesson Oil

3. Tips for things beyond cookery were offered by cookbooks:- Meal planning- Etiquette- Table Décor- Nutrition- Household hints

Cookbook Themes:Health and Product Purity

Nutrition and Food Products

Fancy Food and Entertaining Ideas

Appliances / Cookware

Economy and Conservation

Distribution of Cookbooks:

-Free or modest cost -Large quantities shipped

Early Booklets Design:

Printed in black & white with no illustrations or illustration only on cover

Later Booklets Design:

Printed in color with more pictures

1877 1929

Presentation developed as part of the Adventure of the American Mind project funded through the Library of Congress. Original documents come form the American Memory Collection of the Library of Congress.