A chest of treasured recipes and ideas for the freezer... 

{HISTORY}

It's not often that we have a spiral-bound cookbook in the shop, but when it comes to one as cute as Freeze 'N Easy, it's easy to fall in love with its vintage appeal. Written by Ruth Chier Rosen (1925-2021) in 1960, this vintage cookbook centers specifically around freezer-friendly recipes. 

Ruth came to cooking as a young newlywed determined to make both kitchen work and meal prep a time-saving endeavor. Without sacrificing quality ingredients and good nutrition, she began experimenting in the kitchen and recording recipes and cooking notes in small notebooks she made by hand. Eventually, with the help of her publisher husband, those books turned into a library of work and a lifelong culinary career that included over 30 published cookbooks, work as a freelance writer for women's magazines, and a recurring role as a recipe developer for several major food brands. 

In Freeze N' Easy, Ruth runs through all aspects of how to properly prepare food for the freezer. Detailing packaging materials needed, ways in which to wrap food, and how to thaw frozen food correctly, it's a detailed primer that sets all home cooks up for success from page one. 

Following those basic instructions, Ruth features over 125 recipes that store easily in the freezer for at least 2-3 months without ever losing that fresh, just-cooked taste. Interesting recipes include Sweet Sour Meat Balls, Garlic Toast, Bar B.Q. Spareribs, Crab Legs Rockefeller, Chicken and Rice, Potarto Galette, Rice Pilaf, Apple Fritters, Cinnamon Glazed Nuts, Upside Down Apple Pie, and Coffee Cake. 

Broken down into food groups (fruit, vegetables, sauces, poultry, dessert, etc,) each section is separated by paper tabs and includes more detailed info via charts and guides as to how to handle freezing each corresponding category of foodstuffs. Ruth also includes a year-long chart broken down by month, highlighting the most economical foods to freeze according to seasonal abundance.  

From 1950-1971, Ruth published cookbooks on a variety of subjects, all with whimsical covers and titles. Her books experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 2010s. Freeze 'N Easy is one of the harder ones to find these days, so we are excited to include it here in the shop. Also in the mid-2010s, Ruth still enmjoyed talking all things food. She set up a website to feature her complete line of books and share some stories about her culinary adventures. Read more about her and her books here. 

This cookbook offers another layer of story, too, that goes beyond Ruth to shed light on another midcentury cook. It was part of the collection of an avid California cook and book lover named Beverly. A librarian by profession, Bev was full of opinions when it came to her recipe explorations. She included some notes on some of the pages in this book, particularly surrounding recipes she preferred.  Those random markings add a fun layer of intimacy to this book. Learn more about Beverly and her 20th-century culinary journey in the shop here. 

Photo of Ruth Chier Rosen courtesy of The Desert Sun, January 29, 1962

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Published 1960
• 142 pages
• Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs 
• Hard-to-find cookbook
• Spiral-bound paperback
• Cover illustration by Nat Super

{CONDITION}

In love;ly vintage condition, this cookbook contains some minor scuffing on the front and back covers. A portion of the bottom edge of the plastic spiral binding is missing, but the pages still turn easily. Some of the paper tabs have fold lines. All pages rae clean and bright and securely attached to the binding. The previous owner of this book marked a few recipes with notations in pen or marker. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Measures 5" inches (length) x 4" inches (width) x .75" inches (thickness) and weighs 6 oz. 

{DONATION SUPPORTED!}

This heirloom gives back! 20% of the proceeds from the sale of this cookbook will be donated to Feeding America - a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and local meal programs dedicated to providing nutritious meals to food-insecure communities around the United States.