Kitchen Kapers (Canajoharie, NY 1952)

I don't cook. It's a fact that everybody who knows me knows. Actually, the truth of the matter is that I CAN cook, I just HATE to cook. I am quite the inventive chef, who can make tasty treats and meals anytime she chooses.  (Key phrase being: "she chooses".)  I do not like waiting. I especially hate waiting for food. If I could read while waiting or somehow occupy my time, than great, it doesn't feel like waiting to me. But if I have to fill that waiting time with chopping, cutting, arranging, peeling, sauteing and other "work", then I am back to not liking it. That being said, I love cookbooks and have a stunning collection of bizarre cookbooks from the French cooking with Mayonnaise (put out by Hellman's, of course), to the pocket sandwich cookbook (all hot pockets all the time). Recently, while participating in one of my favorite pastimes (collecting free books), I found the following homemade cookbook:

This gem, from 1952 (or 1951, I'm not entirely certain) was compiled by the Canajoharie, NY Methodist Church . I can only assume it was a fundraising effort, but who knows. They solicited advertisers and had church members submit recipes such as "Lima Bean De Luxe" and "English Monkey".  A few of my favorites are below:

There was also a recipe for molded luncheon salad which combined lemon jello, chicken or turkey, onions, garlic and broth.  Most of that sounds okay, but the lemon jello threw me off. Other than the color, I can't see how those ingredients work together. Then again, I've never been a big fan of jello, regardless of the flavor. Perhaps It is my own skepticism that won't pair lemon jello with chicken. Please, if you've ever eaten such a concoction, let me know how it tastes.

In addition to the stunning recipes, there are cleaning tips and little poems scattered amongst the pages. It's clear to see that the book was put together by women; however the women all, strangely enough, have MAN's names such Mrs. John Abbott or Mrs. Manly White Guy.  These are different times for sure! This one shows a "clever" little poem that I can't help thinking is a double entendre. (Again, that's probably my own biases here.) 








Speaking of biases this next poetic example is inexplicable to me. How can a food item turn a person into a cook?

Though I certainly would like to see it happen, IMHO the chances are that trying to cook a full turkey with all the trimmings would turn cooks into non-cooks, more than it would turn non-cooks into cooks.











In addition to turning women into cooks, apparently, cleaning turned women into chemists. Look at the list of "on hand" supplies used in these cleaning tips!   

Of course, you'd probably find these supplies at any number of stores operating in Canajoharie at the time. Take a look at these advertisers (whom readers are encouraged to patronize). Some are even air conditioned for your comfort!









It may seem lame to offer $1 off a new tire, but when the restriction applies to those tires that cost more than $10, then the savings seems more significant.

And what about the added perk that this advertiser offers? Ambulance service? At a funeral home? It seems a little late for that doesn't it?

The ad below hints (to me anyway) that there was a significant gay male population in Canajoharie in 1952. Plus, the name Dobber's Toggery sounds like a gay bar in Britain. Of course, a well-dressed man there, simply means "man"; and a British man here in the States, could also mean "gay man". But I digress. I suppose, it could also be a shop in the Harry Potter Universe, but then we are getting back to the whole "British = gay" thing that I was hoping to move away from.Let's just end with the simple statement at the end of this page:

"Let's go to church on Sunday" Remember, if you're not at church, going to church or coming back from church on a Sunday, then you're probably going to hell. Or are you? Happy Sunday everyone!