In the Oven

The shortbread is in the oven baking away and I have a few minutes to write. I just finished reading Better Homes and Gardens Heritage Cook Book. This is a 400 page oversize hardbound edition from Meredith Corporation. I know it sounds strange that someone would read a cook book, but this is more like a food history book with recipes thrown in for good measure. It is a third printing circa 1976 - just in time for the Bi-Centennial - and it details the development of American Cuisine from the beginning to the present ... uh, the present as of 1976. The story begins with the Indians and the Colonists of England, France, and Spain; then moves on to the Pioneers. Later chapters cover the wave upon wave of immigrants: Western and Eastern Europeans, Africans, Asians, South Americans; each new group bringing along its own traditions and blending them into the American diet. Oops, there goes the timer ... gotta run!

I'm back. Did you know that when an oven mitt touches the bottom burner in an oven, it immediately bursts into flames. I did not see that coming. Wow! Now where was I? Oh yeah, I remember ... the melting pot. All those different foods from all over the world, and all coming together here. One section talks about the changes in our taste for food. Has anyone out there ever prepared - or even tasted - Calf's Head Hash? There are also chapters on kitchens, preserving food, and changing techniques. I'm old enough to remember the invention of the microwave oven. Anyone out there remember the Ice Man?

There is a chapter on cook books as well early cook books were pretty useless if you didn't already know how to cook for starters the sentences did not begin with capital letters the sentences are devoid of punctuation to make matters worse none of the recipes use any measurements how anyone got any useful information from them is beyond me you get the picture. They attribute the use of measurements in recipes to Fanny Farmer - a wheelchair bound cooking student at The Boston Cooking School in the 1890's. Before that, you just had to know stuff. Imagine all those girls going to all those schools learning how to cook ... hmmm.

Makin' beef jerky, potato latkes, why we call hot dogs hot dogs ... even cannibalism gets a brief mention. There is a lot of stuff between the covers. Anyway, there is one last section I'll mention just for fun. There was a brief discussion of where the future would lead, and their predictions are worth a look in hind-sight:

1) New and different convenience foods. Check.

2) Home-computer systems that will order items from the grocery store and plan balanced meals. Maybe a Half-Check on this one - at least we have computers and PeaPod.

3) Packages or wrappings that will self-destruct as the food is cooked. Baaah! Not even close!

and last but not least:

4) Metric weights and measure. Hahahahahahahaha (insert maniacal Mike laugh soundtrack here). Jimmy Carter, what were you thinking? I have a copy of "The Metric Cook Book" and it is the most worthless thing you can imagine. Switching to metric fasteners almost killed off all the mechanics; it will take generations to convert the kitchen. You may buy soda in a 2-liter bottle, but when you make 7-up cake, you still measure it by the cup! Oh well, that's the risk you run when you try to predict the future - at least if you put it into print.

This book is inscribed to Ruth Ann Bress. So Ruth Ann, if you ever read this, drop me an e-mail; I'd like to chat.