Lilly Library exhibits American cookbooks

Stewed Muskrat, Mock Oysters and Cinderella Cake are a few recipes that can be found in the Lincoln Room of the IU Lilly Library. The current exhibit, “Liberty Recipes to Betty Crocker: American Cookbooks, 1918-1950” features a variety of cookbooks. \nExhibit curator and graduate student Jodine Perkins used cookbooks from the large number already located at the Lilly Library.\n“Every single thing in the exhibit was in the library. They like to feature some of the things that they actually hold. It gives people a chance to see what they have,” Perkins said.\nThe collection’s prized piece is a privately published first edition of Irma S. Rombauer’s 1931 cookbook “The Joy of Cooking.”\nThe Lilly’s copy is one of 3,000 printed by Rombauer and contains recipes, including tartar sauce, made completely from scratch, Perkins said.\nThe beginning of the book includes a variety of cocktail recipes. However, the book was written and published during Prohibition, said Becky Cape, head of public services for the Lilly Library.\n“They really give you a good context of the social custom of the time,” Cape said. “People were obviously using alcohol beverages to the point that it would not be unusual to have a cocktail section.”\nWorld War I and World War II cookbooks are also featured in the exhibit. Cape said these World War-era cookbooks specialize in teaching cooks how to prepare quality meals with rationed ingredients and instruct women how to cook food quickly while they are working for the men at war. \nCookbooks for men are also featured in the collection. These books provide instruction for the simplest of techniques, including how to boil water and what you can do with it once it is boiling. Cookbooks for children, cooking on the go and promotional cookbooks are also on display.\n“It was interesting. I have several of my own and my mom always collected cookbooks,” said Ken Veron, a father visiting the library while his daughter attended orientation.\nOne of Perkins’ favorite recipes in the exhibit is one for Chocolate Crunch Cookies, the name of the original Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie before it was bought by Nestle.\n“That’s probably the only one that I’ve ever cooked,” she said.