By coincidence this postcard was sent just a bit over 100 years ago. It was postmarked June 22, 1910 in Minneapolis. Lena wrote to Miss Mamie McDonald in Clear Lake, Minnesota as follows:
Dear Mac,
I think that Scotch fellow don't come for the cooking but to see the cook. I expect to come out to see you if I go to Little Falls but will let you know later. I intend to go right after the fourth.
Spry was a vegetable shortening introduced in 1936 and was similar to Crisco. Starting in 1937, "Aunt Jenny" hosted a radio show sponsored by Spry. The Aunt Jenny character was also used in print advertising and several recipe booklets.
I don't know the date of this Spry recipe booklet "Aunt Jenny's Favorite Recipes." The booklet has recipes for biscuits, cakes, cookies, desserts, frostings, frying, main dishes, and pies--all including Spry as an ingredient or oil for frying. The front cover shows Jenny with her husband Calvin. The back cover shows how Aunt Jenny helped out a new bride. I doubt that a modern bride would be so appreciative of Jenny's "gifts" and advice.
I don't know the date of this Spry recipe booklet "Aunt Jenny's Favorite Recipes." The booklet has recipes for biscuits, cakes, cookies, desserts, frostings, frying, main dishes, and pies--all including Spry as an ingredient or oil for frying. The front cover shows Jenny with her husband Calvin. The back cover shows how Aunt Jenny helped out a new bride. I doubt that a modern bride would be so appreciative of Jenny's "gifts" and advice.
My favorite page inside is the biscuit page. The poor bride is really "fed up on all those jokes about Bride's Biscuits." I had never even heard of Bride's Biscuits before. I discovered that they are also known as "Angels Biscuits," and there are many recipes for them on the internet. The reason they are called "Bride's Biscuits" is because are supposed to be easy for even a new bride to make. They include yeast (and sometimes baking soda) in addition to baking powder and are guaranteed to rise.
I never bake or fry anything, so I don't know whether many people still keep vegetable shortening on hand. If I did have some, I think I would try Aunt Jenny's Strawberry Shortcake recipe. It looks much better than the kind of shortcake they sell in stores.
I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday
Thanks goodness for all of these hints provided us by the old advertisements. What lousy wives AND cooks we would have been without the helpful pointers and time-saving products. these are wonderful I really like the message to Mac too.
ReplyDeleteThose are great vintage cookbooks. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. I had forgotten Spry. Take note though, I remember it from much more recent years than the 1930s haha.
ReplyDeleteSpry! The shortning of Gods! I don't use much shortning myself since the hydrogenated fat scandal in the news....But I still thinks it has its place.
ReplyDeleteLovely postcard as usual :)
Great vintage cookbook - I got a few chuckles from that!
ReplyDeleteGreat book....and I am loving these ads....so neat! Have a great VTT!~
ReplyDeleteI love these old ads. They're charming and funny!
ReplyDeleteI really like that first postcard, especially with the inscription on it. How cute! I find it interesting how Spry used comic book type word bubbles in their recipe book. Great to see these things today.
ReplyDeleteGreat postcard and ads. Very funny.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/
I just love the postcard...how clever was Lena to find just the right card for her message about the Scot!
ReplyDeleteYou're so lucky to have an Aunt Jenny Spry cook booklet! I think Spry was so clever to have Aunt Jenny as a comic book character rather than the usual "food expert".
Wouldn't it be fun if someone else found a Spry cookbook...July could be Spry month on VTT!
I'd guess that your booklet must be from the 40s by the look of the hair styles, clothes and the-to us- tired jokes about brides' cooking...my mother was a bride in the 40s and she told me she hadn't even boiled water until she was married so maybe there was some truth to those old jokes.
great vintage postcards and cookbooks. happy VTT
ReplyDeleteI love the look of those old ads. Makes me want to cook something!
ReplyDeleteThose ads seem pretty corny now. Vegetable shortening sounds scary. I can feel my arteries clogging up right now!!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
LOL...I did a Aunt Jenny post back last fall. I have a Spry cookbooklet! I LOVE these old ads!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Gail
I love this post, so much fun! Wonderful finds, thanks so much for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteHappy VTT!
Sally
Love the sentiment on the post card, that is the best part of all.
ReplyDeleteMy, those word balloons and photos are too much. And the expressions on the faces - priceless. Sadly I was re-writing the word balloons as I read along - and not in a nice way! ;-)
ReplyDeletewhat a FAB post! i've never heard of bride's or angel's biscuits.. it's all so fascinating i had to have a little giggle lol!
ReplyDeleteFun post. I use shortening only at Christmas when I bake pound cakes!
ReplyDelete♣olive
What great illustrations. That postcard is so neat and that message from Lena is so funny,
ReplyDeleteOh, those post cards are darling. When I find time I am going to share my vintage post cards. Probably in the winter when I am snowed in. HA! I have the best intentions but time eludes me.
ReplyDeleteI still have Crisco in my cupboard. I use it rarely but it does make good cookies. Smile. I don't remember Spry. The note on the card is sooo cute.
Hugs, Jeanne
Great postcards and ads...love the way the dress while preparing dinner...it's t-shirts and shortsfor me while cooking....hahahah
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment...I would love to see your old charm bracelet.
Sylvia
Those are great magazines! I love how truly worried that bride is - will her marriage surely won't if she can't make a good biscuit! Thanks for visiting my blog for VTT!
ReplyDelete