Whoa. It was a good week for kitchen kitsch! Grab some coffee and strap in, because this week we have crazy gelatin, bunches and bunches of bananas, and finding love 50 ways with Manwich.
Davis Dainty Dishes Cookbook 1941 Vintage Gelatine Recipes Book
Why I Want This: Oh my god. That gelatin mold. I am pretty sure that is canned asparagus on the side (though it may be pickles) and those are either onions or cloves of garlic on the top. Either way, I am IN!
50 FAMOUS MANWICH RECIPES cookbook 1971
Why I Want This: What the what? 50? They really thought of 50 ways to make sloppy joes? Well, I suppose. That girl on the cover looks like she would have no problem thinking of many ways to use a can of sauce to get into a man’s heart.
Wait…what?
Vintage Cookbook The American Family Cook Book 1955
Why I Want This: How adorable is this cookbook? Plus, I LOVE the juxtaposition of a glistening gelatin and a super fatty roast.
1949 Vintage downright delicious sun maid raisin Recipe Booklet
Why I Want This: Little known fact: I actually hate raisins. So why do I want this? I might hate them a little less in a Puffed Raisin Pie. Or in a hearty loaf of Breakfast Mush. (!)
STARTING BANANA INVASION NOW!
Old Vintage 1947 CHIQUITA BANANA Recipes Booklet
Why I Want This: The green sauce! The gelatinous green sauce!
Vintage 1956 TEMPTING BANANA RECIPES Cook Booklet
Why I Want This: I want to find out if anyone is EVER tempted by bananas on top of tomatoes.
Vintage Bananas how to serve them Recipe Booklet
Why I Want This: Banana. Mixed. Grill.
Vintage Bananas take a bow Recipe Booklet
Why I Want This: I want to place that Banana Pineapple Round thing in front of Tom and just…see what he says. Plus, I’ve heard those Banana Scallops are TERRIBLE.
VINTAGE 1950'S – 1960'S ERA METAL DRINK RECIPE TIP TRAY
Why I Want This: Drinks for Vintage Cocktail Friday deserve to be served on this tray!
THE FIRESIDE COOK BOOK 1949 1ST EDITION
Why I Want This: James Beard’s Cookbook? Oh yeah, I WANT this.
BETTY CROCKER'S FOODS MEN LIKE VINTAGE 1970 COOKBOOK
Why I Want This: I need to know what kind of pie astronauts prefer!
TRADER VIC'S Pacific Island Cookbook 1968
Why I Want This: Tiki Time!
PINK FOLD-A-WAY COOKBOOK RACK BY ARTIST SOOVIA JANIS
Why I Want This: Sure, I have a serviceable stainless steel cookbook holder, but this one would be awesome. Comparing the two is like asking whether you want a bran muffin or three layer pink cake with icing roses.
Vintage Sunkist Lemons bring out the Flavor Booklet
Why I Want This: Making my own lemon gelatin would be fun. And then adding cottage cheese to it and ruining it would be even more fun.
1938 Vintage Cranberries Recipes how to cook them Booklet
Why I Want This: Cranberry. Omelet. Also, when did cranberries have to pretend to be cherries?
Vintage 22 best fresh Cranberry Recipes Ocean spray Booklet
Why I Want This: That Cranberry Cream Dessert Salad and those Kitchen Cookies look really good. Plus, there is the Pineapple Cottage Cheese Mold!
VTG Advertising Cookbook – 44 Wonderful Ways to Use PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
Why I Want This: Did you see those gelatins? Plus the frosted sandwich loaf? Love. It.
VTG Cookbook – Pillsbury's Best BUTTER COOKIE COOKBOOK Vol II
Why I Want This: Bowlegged gingerbread men? Why didn’t I think of that?
1955 "Easy Livin' Paper Napkin Recipes
Why I Want This: Mushed-up canned meatballs on hot dog buns. Sounds like my kind of sandwich!
Whew…thanks for sticking with me, guys. This was a long one! As a treat, why don’t you guys go make yourself a nice Cranberry Omelet or some Banana Scallops. Yum! And if you don’t want the kitschy fun to end, head over to my other blog to check out some more picks.
*Disclaimer: Mid-Century Menu is part of the eBay Partner Network, and that means that when you click on our eBay links we may earn a very small commission.
This is why I restrict my collecting to flea markets and tag sales. If I went to E-bay, I’d have no money, and no space for cooking in. Or eating. Or anything, really ….
Do you ever order any of the items you feature? Some are irresistible, and seeing the look on Tom’s face with some of these would by priceless.
I have that Trader Vic’s cookbook. The incidental racism and sexism is rather shocking in its casualness. One advantage to the current day, people who think that way have the decency to lie to us about it. But the photos and recipes are cool. I have that drink tray too, and I don’t use it nearly often enough. Too bad it is currently only 9:45 in the morning. I need that cookbook holder, but I really can’t pay that, maybe I’ll get lucky at the estate sales. You really could run out of money pretty fast on eBay.
That’s some incredible stuff! Please tell me you ordered it all! At least the Manwich cookbook. 50 ways?? really?
I hear you, Kriz! That is actually a real danger at my house… 🙂
Nope, haven’t ordered a single thing! I started doing these posts as a way to show everyone what great stuff was left over AFTER I spent my weekly allotment of eBay money. So however awesome these things are, the stuff I bought is even better!
I wish I was able to get everything! That Manwich cookbook especially!
I agree about running out of money! The fact that I can’t get that cookbook holder is KILLING ME!
I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we all want to see pictures of Tom and the Banana Salmon Salad from the “Bananas Take a Bow” cookbook. Bananas, pineapple and… canned salmon. Maybe you could incorporate it into a gelatine mold?
First off: love, love, LOVE that the second cookbook has “Manwich” in the title. (Doesn’t sound dirty at all, does it? 😛 ) And of course, everything *has* to focus on teh menz. The psychedelic drawings are cool though.
Quite an array of banana cookbooks you’ve got there! (Apparently, during the early-to-mid-20th century there was a big push to produce recipes for this “exotic” fruit.)
Am I the only one who feels vaguely terrified by the illustrations in the 1970 cookbook? The illustrations in the 1949 Beard book, on the other hand, are really charming and cute! They look almost Victorian.
Love this great series!
I love this post. The books themselves are funny, but your captions had me really laughing. 😉 Have I mentioned how much I love your blog? Thanks once again for a great post. R