Cheese Cookies

December 24, 2024December 22, 2024 Little Dorrit1 Comment

Published in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression, Sheila Hibben’s The National Cookbook became a national sensation in America. In her introduction, Hibben wrote that she was inspired to write her cookbook after seeing a newspaper article featuring an elaborate recipe for a dog sculpted out of whipped cream paddling in a tureen of soup. She hoped that instead of making “frivolous novelties” and “elaborate atrocities” such as the whipped cream dog, her book would “call people home…to learn from the experience of our fathers the best and simplest way of eating.”

Gatsby Picnic 2024

September 22, 2024September 21, 2024 Little Dorrit2 Comments

Every year at the beginning of September, the Art Deco Society of California hosts the Gatsby Summer Afternoon, a 1920s and 1930s themed garden party and picnic. I went for the second time this year with my mother, and once again planned out an entire spread for us using recipes from 1920s cookbooks.

Gatsby Picnic 2023

September 1, 2024August 31, 2024 Little Dorrit2 Comments

Every year at the beginning of September, the Art Deco Society of California hosts the Gatsby Summer Afternoon, a 1920s and 1930s themed garden party and picnic. I went for the first time last year and of course made a whole picnic spread of recipes from 1920s and 1930s cookbooks. I had a blast, but was very tired afterwards and completely forgot to finish writing my post about it…until I started preparing for the picnic this year. So here it is, nearly a year late, but just in time if you happen to be planning your own picnic.

Avocado Ice Cream

August 18, 2024August 17, 2024 Little DorritLeave a comment

This recipe comes from the Western section of The United States Regional Cook Book, a 1939 cookbook that purports to showcase the “literally thousands of deliciously different foods representative of all sections of the country.”

Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

June 11, 2023August 17, 2024 Little Dorrit1 Comment

I had to make this recipe from a 1933 cookbook just to show that avocado toast has been around for longer than you might think. Avocados were first cultivated in the United States starting in the early 1900s, and became very popular by the 1920s. They were used in all sorts of recipes, including open-faced sandwiches like this one – or, as we would call it today, avocado toast.

Cranberry Pudding Supreme

November 27, 2022November 26, 2022 Little Dorrit1 Comment

Before cooking shows on television, Americans turned to the radio for all their culinary infotainment.

Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies

October 16, 2022October 10, 2022 Little Dorrit3 Comments

This is the original recipe for Toll House chocolate crunch cookies, invented in the 1930s by Ruth Wakefield for her restaurant the Toll House Inn.

Magic Lemon Cream Pie

September 25, 2022September 24, 2022 Little Dorrit5 Comments

This Magic Lemon Cream Pie came in handy during a recent visit to my parents’ house – their oven was broken, so this no-bake recipe saved the day!

St. Valentine’s Special

February 13, 2022February 5, 2022 Little DorritLeave a comment

“‘Now what can I serve that everyone likes?’ you ask yourself when you plan party refreshments. And if you decide on ‘something chocolate,’ you’re sure to be right. For chocolate is America’s favorite flavor.” – My Party Book of Tested Chocolate Recipes, 1938.

Mae West’s Pumpkin Pie

November 14, 2021October 12, 2024 Little Dorrit3 Comments

This variation on pumpkin pie comes from actress and writer Mae West. It appears in a 1933 community cookbook published by the Assistance League of Southern California, alongside contributions from several other Hollywood stars such as Carole Lombard, Norma Shearer, Constance Bennet, Marion Davies, and Cary Grant.

History in the Making

recreating historic foods and crafts

Tag: 1930s