Angel Pie ala Apology

Here's another recipe for Angel Pie! Wonder which one is the most authentic?

I think this comes from Ann Ewing, Staff Writer for Science Service. But a certain Violet Faulkner also has credits at the end of the recipe, so I figured I should mention them both.

I like that you don't fuss with a crust at all. That makes me happy. Not to mention my mom.

But I don't get the apologetic tone regarding graham crackers. What gives?

Here's the story, and the recipe. I think I'm going to try it.

Angel Pie has saved many a day for me when I needed a dessert in a hurry. It looks very festive when garnished with a ruff of whipped cream and shaved chocolate curls. You'd never dream it is made with graham cracker crumbs.

Angel Pie

11 graham crackers, crushed fine

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pinch salt

Beat egg yolks until light; add sugar and beat again until mixture is well blended. Add cracker crumbs and baking powder. Add nuts. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into buttered pin pan and bake 30 to 40 minutes in 375 degree oven. Cool. Cut into pie-shaped wedges; flute rum-flavored whipped cream around edges and decorate with shaved unsweetened chocolate. Serves 6.

Crab Imperial Quickie

I chose this one because the story mentions a dinner for President Eisenhower.

Plus I love that she advises us all to roll our own cracker crumbs.

Not to mention the name.

New Cookbook Day! Who Says We Can't Cook!

Hip hip hooray, it's new cookbook day! In coming weeks I will be posting recipes from Who Says We Can't Cook!, published in 1955 by the Women's National Press Club.

Many of the stories are about interesting historical events, others are more personal or familial in nature.

Hope you enjoy them!

The inscription below states that the book was given following the ASNE Week in Washington DC in 1972. ASNE stands for the American Society of News Editors.

Here's the title page.

Check out a closeup of the picture:

I love how this little lady is typing away industriously, pertly perched atop her travel worn trunk.
The Foreword opens:

This Women's National Press Club Cook Book is not so much a defense of the culinary talents of newspaper women as it is a profit-making venture. We want a clubhouse of our own. With the help of this book, we expect to have a clubhouse, sooner.

Who Says We Can't Cook!" bears the trademark of our profession--a story accompanies each recipe. This joint journalistic venture, a cook book with more than 140 authors, reflects the kaleidoscopic personalities of our profession."

(In fact, this book may indeed include more famous by-lines--over more exclusive copy--than any other volume in history.)

Many of the stories describe significant historical or cultural events, others are more personal or familial in nature.

Hope you enjoy them!

Fear Not, Intrepid Reader!

One of my faithful readers recently called Cookbook Love "frightening", Tuna Jello having pushed her over the edge. I suppose that for some, peptonized milk, beet and tuna salad, and pig's foot jelly could be off putting.

I confess to having a bit of a macabre streak when it comes to these old books. In my view, the weirder the recipe, the better. But take heart! For those of you with less intestinal fortitude than mine, not to mention a more easily triggered gag reflex, change is coming!

In a few days posts will be pulled from Who Says We Can't Cook!, containing recipes from members of the Women's National Press Club in the 1950s. Each of the recipes in this book is accompanied by an interesting story about a press event related to the dish. Some of the recipes are weird, but mostly they are simply interesting.

Until then, hang on to your airsick bag because the ride ain't over quite yet!

New Haul!

Check out my finds from this afternoon!

It includes:

• Two Better Homes and Gardens magazines from the 1940s
• A trippily illustrated "fast food" book from the 1970s
• A hardcover book of "Electric Refrigerator Recipes and Menus" from the late 1920s
• A 1955 community cookbook published by members of the Women's National Press Club
• 2 pamphlet's from the 1930s published for Calumet Baking Powder.
• A campy 1950s cookbook
• A gold covered, index tabbed general cook book from the 1960s

Can't wait to start going through them!

Pinwheel Casserole

This recipe comes from the August 1950 issue of Women's Home Companion magazine. The thing that intrigues me most is the veiled advertisement for MSG.

Use of canned and other prepared ingredients is also interesting.

Might be fun to do an updated version of this one.

Pinwheel Casserole

Condensed cream of celery soup, 1 can
Milk, 2/3 cup or half evaporated milk and half water
Cooked vegetables, 3 cups mixed (lima beans, carrots and peas, or green beans)
Monosodium glutamate*, 1/8 teaspoon
Prepared biscuit mix, 1/14 cups
Milk, 1/3 cup or half evaporated milk and half water
Pimento, chopped, 2 tablespoons
Cheese, American Process, grated, ½ cup (2 ounces)

Combine soup and 2/3 cup milk in 1 ½ quart saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until smooth. Add vegetables and monosodium glutamate. Pour into shallow baking dish (6 x 10 inches); place in hot oven 425° and heat until bubbly before adding pinwheels. While this heats combine biscuit mix and milk, stir just enough to blend. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead lightly a few times. Roll into rectangle about 8 by 12 inches. Sprinkle with pimiento and cheese. Starting with long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion; cut into 16 slices. Arrange sliced-side down on top of vegetable mixture. Bake in hot oven 425 for 20 to 30 minutes until pinwheels are well browned. Makes 6 servings.

*This unique seasoning (see it on your grocer’s shelf) enhances and blends food flavors. Try it too when cooking vegetables solo: a dash added to the water in which they’re cooked brings out the best in them.