There is a song (the title of which I will not name here because, frankly, it’s quite vulgar), popular in the late 1990’s, that opens with the line “I hate the world today”. 

So many times I feel that way and then quickly admonish myself. Hate, as our mothers all told us, is a strong word. But then again, the Oxford English dictionary defines hate as:

“To feel intense or passionate dislike.”

Passionate dislike. Yes, that’s exactly how I feel about the 21st century and its third decade. And passionate dislike has a much more elegant and ladylike ring to it than hate. Talk about vulgar.

I digress.

I’ve always felt I was born in the wrong era. I don’t particularly enjoy today’s fashion, music, movies, or much else to be frank. I have always been fascinated by the heyday of my grandparents’ generation, the exquisitely named Greatest Generation – specifically the 1940’s through the early 1960’s. 

Now, before I go any further please allow me a moment to state emphatically that I am fully aware that the era I just mentioned was not without tribulations. I do not romanticize it. The world during that period was filled with unbelievable turmoil, sadness, and despair. But, of course, today in many ways is no different. Same song, different tune. 

I am also aware that the modern society I so passionately dislike does have its advantages. 80 years ago, sitting at a desk, writing, and then sending that missive out around the world INSTANTLY was entirely impossible. The wealth of knowledge at our fingertips now is unprecedented and easily attainable for nearly anyone who has a passion to learn. 

That all being said, I am an old soul and always have been. I am also a student of history and believe that the lessons to be learned from the “good old days” have immense value. 

So, specifically, what inspired this blog?

A few months back I was browsing in a local antique store and happened upon a cookbook. The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, 7th revision, published in 1944 and in excellent condition. Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to it and started flipping through it, absolutely riveted. Instantly, I thought of the cookbook I learned to cook with – my Maman’s battered and well-used copy of Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook from 1961. 

Filled not with just recipes, but also practical advice on homemaking, marketing, meal planning, and more, the Good Housekeeping Cookbook offered a wealth of knowledge and insight into wartime home life in the United States. And with our modern economy in shambles and inflation through the roof, who couldn’t use a few tips on how to stretch a grocery budget while still living an elegant and well-curated life? 

So of course, I purchased the book. Took it home and stored it safely in my antique secretary (also from the 1940’s). And there it sat for a few months, mostly untouched but for a few peeks here and there coupled with several fleeting thoughts of how I really should select a recipe and give it a go. 

Then, my Aunt arrived for a visit. Said Aunt is an excellent cook. My husband much prefers her cooking to anything I make. And during her visit she got out a cookbook filled with recipes her mother (my grandmother) used to make. They were a big hit. After her departure, my husband looked through the cookbook and requested I make a dish that was one of my grandpa’s favorites: Spaghetti-Meatloaf.

I’d never had it. My Maman never made it, as she never liked it. So, I gathered the ingredients, put on my apron, and started cooking. It was delicious. It was inexpensive, nutritionally balanced, and relatively easy to make.  Most importantly, my leftover averse Mister happily ate it again the next night. Even my Maman liked it. 

Well, the lightbulb went off. I’ve very much felt lately like everything I cook using contemporary recipes and modern ingredients ends up being absolute rubbish, yet this old recipe turned out great. So I decided the day had to come to see what 1944’s Good Housekeeping could teach me. I thought it would be fun to cook my way through this vintage tome and share my experiences with you. 

And, as so many thoughts do, the idea got bigger and I thought it would do my old-lady soul good to write about all things from the decades that have been a lifelong fascination. 

The next January 1st we see will usher in the year 2024. That will be 80 years since my Good Housekeeping Cookbook was published. 80 years, in the context of humanity, is not a terribly long time. And yet the changes we’ve experienced have dramatically shifted life in the West, some for the better and some – many – for the worse. 

Consider this your invitation to come time-traveling with me. Back to a day when “farm to table” wasn’t a trendy catchphrase, but was an accurate description of how folks actually ate. Back to a day when the radio didn’t have to bleep out half the lyrics in a song. Back to a day when grocery shopping in your pajamas wasn’t even a consideration, let alone the norm. Back to a day when holes in your clothes were patched, not created intentionally in the name of fashion. Back to a day when “ladies and gentlemen” wasn’t just a way to start a speech but an ideal for how to behave. Back to a day when certain subjects simply weren’t discussed in polite company. Back to a day when respect, faith, community, and loyalty were the bedrocks of society. Back to the good old days. 

Back to 1944…