I love vintage cookbooks. I enjoy the way in which a quick glance through an old cookbook can transport me directly to a different era. Looking to understand the austerity of World War II America? Take a look at Thrifty Cooking for Wartime. Want some early seventies celebrity kitsch? Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah is sure to fit the bill. I could go on and on. Sadly, reprints of vintage cookbooks have never been able to fill me with the same joy and interest as the originals of the same volume. There's something a little too winky-winky, isn't this fun and retro! when an old book gets reprinted. However, a copy of the the recently reprinted Betty Crocker's Guide to Easy Entertaining landed on my stack of cookbooks late last week, and it's beginning to grow on me (despite my previously registered reservations).
It's an absolute facsimile of the 1959 original, from the cover art down to the a list of prices for other Betty Crocker publications inside the first page. The section of photographs has been faithfully reproducted, showing off trays of cake and platters of unnaturally colored appetizers and nibbles. The recipes have also been untouched, leaving the reader with an eclectic assortment of dishes made from scratch as well as those that call for Betty Crocker branded ingredients.
This would be a fun holiday gift for a friend or family member who finds old cookbooks appealing, but doesn't enjoy the mustiness of older volumes. Personally, I'll take the signs of age and use any day.
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