Awful Library Books

Jean Allen’s Budget Cook Book
by Vivian Reade
1955

Submitter: The cover of this book was so fantastically retro I knew the inside would be a rewarding nostalgia trip. Although recipes come in and out of style, the nutrition advice in here probably needs updating and if this book is to help out some poor college student doing their own cooking there’s probably a more attractive, up to date version out there. I think this deserves to be featured for the CLASSIC photos of women shopping in hats and gloves inside! Some of the more bizarre recipes inside include “Crisp Cheese Baskets” which are basically hollowed out loaves of bread with cheese grated over them and the Banana Ambrosia recipe.

Holly: What was the fascination with bananas back in the 1950s? And “creamed foods,” too. The bread page (below) suggests filling bread and toast with “creamed foods.” I look like The People of Walmart when I grocery shop, not dressed to the nines like the lady in the picture below.