food from the past
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Am I Really That Hungry? What 1700s Cooking Taught Me About Fast Food
Several years ago, I became engrossed with historical cooking. To dig deeper into the topic, I downloaded the audio version of ‘The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South’ by Michael W. Twitty. Unfortunately the listening proved to be a little more academic than I was hoping for, so… Continue reading
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The Jiggle That Built America: A Brief History of Jell-O and the Famous 1970s Poke Cake
As a child growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, Jell-O often appeared on our dinner table in the form of dessert. Although there are genuine horror stories during that time period (and photos to prove it’s existence which I will not post here as, quite frankly, they make me quesy) about lime Jell-O with… Continue reading
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From Gas Pumps to Kitchens: The Recipe Cards We Couldn’t Wait to Collect
In a previous post I talked about recipe cards my Mom received after gasoline fill-ups in the 1970s. Searching through the cards last night I discovered there was actually an index at the back of the group and while she has bequeathed me the cards she collected, there were actually two more sets to the… Continue reading
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Peggy’s Brownies: A Handwritten Recipe and a Lifetime of Memories
Some recipes become favorites because they’re delicious. Others become favorites because they’re woven into our happiest memories. When I was growing up, my maternal Aunt and Uncle, Barbara (Luttrell) Nafziger (1932-2007) and Marvin Nafziger (1927-2010), lived on a farm in West Unity, Ohio. As a city kid, visiting the farm felt like stepping into another… Continue reading
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From the Vintage Recipe Box: Cold Oven Cake 1976
One of my favorite discoveries has been just how many wonderful old recipes are still worth making today. This one, a Cold Oven Cake, came to me by way of B. Dylan Hollis (YouTube and TikTok creator), whose love of vintage recipes inspired me to give it a try. I was intrigued by the unusual… Continue reading
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Hamburger Pie: A Taste of the 1970s
Food has always been one of the most meaningful ways to connect with the past. Every loaf of bread, hearty stew, simple cake or treasured family recipe tells a story about the people who came before us, the ingredients they had available, the traditions they carried with them, and the love they shared around their… Continue reading
Tiny Acorns & Mighty Oaks 