{HISTORY}

When the Magic Chef Gas Range first debuted in the 1920s, it was a beauty to behold.  Slim and elegant with the shape of fine furniture, it looked more like a pretty cabinet than a cooking tool, especially when compared to the massive cast-iron stoves of previous generations.

Created by The American Stove Company in collaboration with interior designer Frank Alvah Parsons, the Magic Chef offered lots of newly designed conveniences for the home cook. It came with Lorain - the oven temperature dial that ensured even, successful cooking temps and fast heating. There were a multitude of drawers and oven pockets in which to bake all different types of food from a large Thanksgiving turkey to a small tray of muffins. All gas lines, pipes, and valves were hidden to ensure a clean aesthetic. Broiler drawers pulled out for esay access to turning and rotating roasted foods. A fold-down top covered burners to provide extra workspace when the range wasn't in use. And some models came with built-in lights and timer clocks. Most exiting of all, the Magic Chef came in a range of bright, modern, cheerful colors replacing the solid black stove of years past.

Such innovations on the equipment front yielded their own need for a companion recipe book so that home cooks and bakers were set up for success from day one using their new gas-powered stove.  Recipes tried and tested in the research kitchens of the American Stove Company in Cleveland, Ohio, introduced home cooks to the joys of cooking with gas, the time it saved, and the consistency it offered - a reliable advantage over wood or coal-fired stoves.

First published in 1924, Magic Chef Cooking was spearheaded by Dorothy E. Shank (1890-1966), America's trusted researcher, home economist, nutritionist, lecturer, and food writer. Including recipes for all meals of the day, desserts, breads, and sweet treats are featured most prominently here, along with canning recipes and suggested menus.  

A hit from day one, Magic Chef Cooking was continuously printed, year after year, throughout the 1920s and 1938. This version is the 17th edition, published in December 1938. A well-loved companion, this one comes with all sorts of spots, stains, splatters, and even a handwritten recipe in the margins. A testament not only to the good recipes, but also to the enthusiasm of the previous owner, too.

Interesting recipes include Orange Souffle, Baked Corn Omelet, Horseradish Sauce, Maryland Chicken, Stewed Chcken with Drop Biscuits and Gravy, Raspberry Pie, Chocolate Pie, Peppers Stuffed with Sausage, Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, Baked Porterhuse Steak, Beef Stew, Peach Cobbler, Huckleberry Pudding, Peanut Butter Cookies, Baked Fudge, Ginger Wafers, , Oatmeal Spice Cake, Feather Cake, Hashed Brown Potatoes, Baking Powder Biscuits, Boston Brown Bread, and a handwritten recipe for Nut Macarroons. 

Photograph of Dorothy E. Shank courtesy of The Plain Dealer, April 1930

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

•  1938 Edition, 17th Printing
•  199 pages
•  Soft cover
•  Includes color photographs throughout
• Lovely aged aesthetic
• Includes a handwrittten recipe

{CONDITION}

Well-loved and well-worn, this cookbook bears all the hallmarks of a treasured cooking companion in the kitchen. A majority of the pages contain cooking spots or stains, but none that interfere with reading the recipes. The front and back covers are creased through the middle but remain entirely intact. The color photographs are bright and vibrant. The spine is tight, and all pages are intact.

{SIZE}

Measures 7.5" inches (length) x 4.75" inches (width) x .5" inches (thickness and weighs 7 oz. 

{DONATION SUPPORTED!}

This cookbook 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.