When I visit other people's houses, I always like to go through their cookbook collection for some inspiration (if I know them well enough and they don't mind...).
When I was in Canada, I was thoroughly admiring my mom-in-law's Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook from the late 50s. I love food history in that form. I really dig all the old fashioned wording and the slightly awkward food photography. Reading this book made me want to go buy a ring mould and to invite some girlfriends around for bridge. And I definitely feel like incorporating more stuffed and shaped foods into my diet!
When I was in Canada, I was thoroughly admiring my mom-in-law's Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook from the late 50s. I love food history in that form. I really dig all the old fashioned wording and the slightly awkward food photography. Reading this book made me want to go buy a ring mould and to invite some girlfriends around for bridge. And I definitely feel like incorporating more stuffed and shaped foods into my diet!
I am happy to say that I was able to track down second-hand copy here in Britain and am now a proud owner of my own Encyclopedic Cookbook. I have spent a few evenings just reading it and am probably going to give a few of the whackier recipes a try some time soon.
The book also contains some beautifully designed plates on hostessing and meat cuts:
Did you think cake pops were a recent invention, too?
Friend, if you want to be particular about my food, I will serve you devilled chicken. Or if you're really lucky, bologna baskets or frankfurters in jelly!
There! That's why I think I need some bridge in my life!
Do you take as long as I do thinking about the colour scheme of your sandwiches? Or are you too busy covering carrots in breadcrumbs to make them real or twirling your spuds?
If you are too harried to cover cream cheese in grapes or cut out cats for your Halloween pies, maybe the refrigerator cake will still make your guests give off cries of delight...
And this is the piece de resistance. From the kids' food section. Mock duck. Meaning: asking your butcher to trim a lamb shoulder to look like a duck. Hilarious. Personally I am thinking more along the lines for when your cat pies don't turn out and you need another, seriously scary option for your Halloween buffet...
I think I'm ready to don my apron. I will let you know if anything I try to cook does turn out.
Do you have any cookbooks from days of yore that you still use?
Oh dear, and there I was absolutely promising myself that I WOULD NOT waste any more late night hours at the keyboard! But I had to check in with Angela at Tracing Rainbows and then I read your comment and then I read you and I'm still reading you and it's all unputdownable! I too am loving old cook books at the minute. Can I say I think you looked absolutely gorgeous in the before photo? As well as in the after! And I also loved the Mary Blair Google day- nearly as much as the musical keyboard and the Henson guys recently! Now I MUST go to bed! Bonne nuit x
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