Before there was the Crock Pot, there was the West Bend Electric Bean Pot.
Who knows if the good people at Naxon Utilities Corp (whose Beanery, which Rival bought in 1970, was the precursor
to the 1971-introduced Crock) stole the idea from West Bend? Either way, baked beans were the first thing in electric
pot slow cookery. The Wisconsin company was making beanpots in the 1960s, along with their pretty electric coffee pots
and other essential potluck gadgets.
And so that would make the little recipe booklet that came with the beanpot I found at the thrift store probably the first known crockpot cookbook. I guess you'd better make your offers now before the people at Sotheby's start to calling...
More, larger photos can be found at the set at Flickr.
What Can I Get You Folks? - Server Revenge
Reality-Show Celebrities Serve Up Chef Curtis Stone's 'Hundred-Dollar Burger'
Foods Celebrity Chefs Hate
