Collecting Antique Cookbooks
Antique cookbooks are portals to another time and place that doesn’t exist anymore. They served as not only inspiration for dishes and ingredients, they also functioned as instruction manuals for devoted housewives. Most cookbooks published from the early- to mid-20th century begin with an illustrated course on how to set the table for various occasions; what the various dishes, glasses and silverware are to be used for; and basic nutrition and meal guidelines to follow.
In the early-to-mid 20th century, Americans cooked from scratch mostly because there was no other option. They needed solutions: what to make with a brisket and not much else, or how to cope with a half a carton of milk that was smelling suspicious. You can turn to a book that’s seventy-five years old and eat exceedingly well as a result.
Older cookbooks make very few assumptions about your kitchen: as long as you have basic pantry staples, a bowl, a spoon, and an oven, you’re good to go.