Popular Dainties

A 48 page booklet, Popular Dainties, was written by Mrs. Minnie Sanner of Lorain, Ohio in 1906. The booklet contained recipes for salads, relishes, garnishes, beverages and desserts. The same publication was given away by churches, clubs, and civic groups, but the individual organizations could put in their own advertising pages. The Sandusky edition of Popular Dainties contained advertisements from Sandusky area businesses.

Page 6 features several recipes with fruit and vegetables.

Recipes for several varieties of egg salad are found on page 14.

Notice the ad for expensive shoes at the bottom of the page. A $3.50 pair of shoes was the equivalent of $100 today. 

Instructions for how to make India Vinegar and French Fondant are found on page 34.

The last three pages of Popular Dainties were devoted to suggestions for church suppers, including several Mexican and Asian dishes.

You can read the Carson City, Nevada version of Popular Dainties at the Internet Archive.

Recipe Booklets and Other Helps for the Homemaker

 A local resident donated several booklets of recipes and other household hints, ranging in dates between 1915 and the 1940’s, to the historical collections of the Follett House Museum and the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. The Commercial Banking & Trust Company distributed this promotional item in 1922:

The fruit jar markers contained adhesive-backed labels with the names of ingredients such as blackberry jelly or raspberry preserves. The labels could be easily attached to jars of home canned goods. The introduction of the booklet stated that canned fruits, pickles, and jams could easily “brighten the table” if the lady of the house had a very busy day.

Dainty Desserts for Dainty People was published by the Charles B. Knox Company in 1915.

The introduction of this booklet claimed that Knox Sparkling Gelatine was made under the very best sanitary conditions, and from the very best materials. While many cold desserts were featured in the booklet, there were also several recipes containing meat, seafood, and vegetables. Tips for setting the table and other suggestions for serving guests were included in the front of the publication.

Several of the recipe booklets offered help in stretching the household budget, while still providing healthy meals for the family. Eggs at Any Meal contained recipes for breakfast, lunch, supper and dessert, and pointed out that eggs provided a very efficient form of protein. The leaflet was written by Lucy M. Alexander, and was issued by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Several historic cookbooks can be accessed at the Feeding America online exhibit from Michigan State University.

Fruit Jar Marker Booklet from The Commercial Banking and Trust Company

In the early twentieth century, the Commercial Banking and Trust Company was at the northeast corner of Columbus Avenue and East Market Street. In 1922, as a promotion, the bank offered customers a booklet of canning labels to use in marking hand canned fruits, vegetables and preserves.

The booklet described the “Emergency Shelf,”  which homemakers could keep stocked with home canned goods, to be used in an emergency or if the homemaker found herself quite busy on any given day.

Recipes were also included:

There are several gummed labels still in excellent condition in the booklet, now in the collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center.

In 1923, the Commercial Banking and Trust Company opened a new building at the northeast corner of Washington Row and Columbus Avenue. Unfortunately, the bank failed during the Great Depression.

Soon, this former bank building will become part of a new Sandusky City Hall.

Recipes Dandy for Cake and Candy

A promotional booklet from the Schade Coal Company was given away to area customers during the holiday season long ago.

Here are some of the recipes included in the booklet:

From about 1904 to 1921, George J. Schade was the manager of the Schade Coal Company, located at 810 West Water Street, across from the Big Four Depot. At the time of his death in 1937 he had served longer on the Sandusky City Commission than any other person. Mr. Schade had been a pharmacist, and owned the former Schade Theater, besides managing the Schade Coal Company for several years. 

Funeral services for George J. Schade were held at his home at 1318 Tiffin Avenue. Mr. Schade was the son in law of pioneer Sandusky brewer Jacob Kuebeler. He was survived by his wife, daughter Christine Schade Mylander,  son Julian Schade, and a grandson George L. Mylander. 

WLEC's Holiday Cookbook

In November 1974, Radio Station WLEC (1450 AM and 102.7 FM) published a “Holiday Foods Edition” cookbook. Nat Marshall and several other staff members of WLEC compiled the recipes, which were sent in by area listeners. Recipes included main dishes, desserts, beverages and several unique side dishes. Here is a recipe for eggnog pie:

Local businesses ran advertisements in the cookbook, primarily in shades of green.

Holiday greetings from the staff of WLEC appear in the middle of the cookbook.

Here is the staff of WLEC about 1975: