In no country has the art of cookery and the science of food values been so carefully studied and so clearly explained to the public as in America.  Eloise Davison, Director, New York Herald Tribune Home Institute, 1947

{HISTORY}

Eloise Davison, a leading home economist of the 20th century, took health, nutrition, and home management very seriously. There was no related subject she was willing to tackle, investigate, test, or talk about when it came to care of kitchen, family, health, and well-being.

A teacher, a writer, and a lecturer, she was American women's go-to source for information on all matters revolving around the domestic arts. Whether it was teaching new brides the efficiencies of the kitchen, schooling moms in planning the most nutritional meals for their kids, or introducing home cooks and homekeepers to the newest time-saving equipment and cooking methods, Eloise was the trusted resource for 20th century women.

First published in 1937 under the title America's Cook Book, this 1947 revised edition was renamed The Herald Tribune Home Institute Cook Book. Headed up by Eloise as Director,  the Herald Tribune Home Institute was the leading test kitchen for recipes, cooking methods, household products, and equipment. They also advised women on a wealth of domestic issues pertaining to household organization, nutrition, sanitary working conditions, emotional well-being, etiquette, and challenges facing women as they adjusted to life's constantly changing demands, especially during wartime. 

Just like the Institute itself, the cookbook they produced in the 1930s covered an array of helpful information about kitchen management and organization along with thoroughly tested recipes. A bestseller from the beginning, by the time this 1947 revision was published, America's Cook Book had sold over 260,000 copies. With the Institute's backing, and a bustling communications department available to answer questions raised by women across the country via phone and mail, The Herald Tribune Home Institute Cook Book was in a unique position to offer a thoroughly comprehensive, up-to-the-minute cookbook. One that specifically addressed American women's needs, wants, and concerns on the culinary homefront following the end of WWII. 

Compiled and tested from a pool of 36,000 recipes winnowed down to 3,000, this selection included in the 1947 edition represents at best what America was interested in eating and cooking in the post war years. Since this was a cookbook destined for the entire country, unique highlights include recipes for local game and aquatic life like bear, caribou, pheasant, reindeer, raccoon, muskrat, opossum, turtle, eel, and frogs' legs. 

As a complete kitchen primer, The Herald tribune Home Institute Cook Book was designed with all level of cooks in mind. If it was the only cookbook that you owned in 1947, it would see you through with recipes or combinations thereof for every meal of the day for an entire year. It also provided all the required cooking and market shopping information, plus presentation and storage tips and techniques. 

Interesting recipes include Baked Eggs in Bacon Rings, Orange Bread, Beef with Potato Dumplings, Lamb en Brochette, Early New England Chicken Pie, Alaskan Venison Roast, Craburgers, Salmon Trout in White Wine, Corn and Shrimp Souffle, Spiced Figs, Stina's Macaroni Casserole, Barbecued Lima Beans, Candy Apple Pie, Sweet Potatoes Rolled in Pecans, Fifth Generation Wedding Cake, Cinnamon Stars, Almond Croissants, English Brandy Snaps, Bittersweet Veneer, Cranberry Custard Pie, Mocha Biscuits, Turkish Cream, Botlagon, Lobster Cantonese, Salzburger Nockeln, Champagne Fruit Cup, and Blackberry Wine

Fascinating on all fronts, this cookbook is a true time capsule of the 1940s American food landscape produced by a fascinating woman who made a big impact on the domestic scene.  Eloise was a champion for all women. Whether they chose to stay-at-home and raise their family or take on a career and juggle both, she was always interested in offering support and understanding through education, efficiency, and modernization. There's so much more to write about Eloise and the fascinating contributions she made to the American homefront throughout the 20th century, but we'll save her accomplishments for a future blog post in order not to make this listing too lengthy.

Photo of Eloise Davison courtesy of The Times Herald, October 17th, 1941

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1947 Edition
• 1107 pages
• Contains 3000 recipes
• Includes many charts, diagrams, illustrations, and photographs throughout pertaining to food presentation, market shopping, ingredient selection, food storage, and cooking timetables.

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this cookbook is clean and bright throughout. A few various light cooking spots and stains can be seen randomly throughout.  The front and back coverboard contain some mild scuffing as expected with age. The exterior spine at the top edge contains a small rip. The index section is pulling away slightly at the crease, exposing a bit of the cloth binding. This area is in no danger of separating from the book and remains entirely intact. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (length) x 5.5" inches (width) x 2" inches (thickness) and weighs 2.10 lbs