Spry Pure Vegetable Shortening did an amazing job with marketing during the mid 1930s through the mid 1950s. They created a character named Aunt Jenny who appeared in print advertisements and hosted a radio show/soap opera.
(In this case, I guess it would be called a shortening opera.)
DiDi found for me a trippy old recipe booklet called Aunt Jenny's Favorite Recipes which of course all demand Spry.
Check out the front cover:
That handsome fella with his arm around Jenny is the ever dashing DH Calvin. For some reason, he's not referred to as "Uncle", which makes me question the nature of their relationship.
The back cover is equally fun.
The book is filled with techniques and tips for the aspiring homemaker. The back cover tips you off that Jenny likes to help newlyweds.
Who wouldn't want a paper advertocookbooklet and an economy sized can of shortening as a wedding present!
Ain't Spry grand?
Hey Ron, looks like you happened upon a mistakenly published partial post! The rest of it is up now.
ReplyDeleteI -did- in fact read The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio, and loved it! What a great story. I can just picture a stack of label-less shortening cans stacked in a closet.
Good book, I liked it better than the movie. Bought the book at the Chicken Barn near Ellsworth Maine on a Bar Harbor trip a few years ago. What a cool building, full of books.
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ReplyDeleteI think those times are sweet in their innocence and simplicity. They appreciated the simple things in life. I don’t make fun of those times, but appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Starr! I think they are sweet, simple, and frequently really funny! For me, these things are not mutually exclusive. Like you, I really appreciate them.
DeleteTake good care.
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