Uses for Lemons- 1902 Style

I love Annie Gregory's 1902 jewel of a book titled 'The Woman's Favorite Cook Book' where she states on the 1st page that she was assisted by 1000 housewives in compiling all of the recipes and tips in this very hefty book. (Wow) I especially love this little (and still useful) article called The Varied Uses of Lemon, It goes on to say:
" Every toilet table should be liberally supplied with lemons. The uses are so varied and so valuable that no one can overlook them. Among them is the fact that a teaspoon of lemon juice in a cupful of black coffee will drive away a headache. But if, on rising, the juice one half of a lemon be squeezed into a cupful of very hot water and drank with no sugar there will be no headache to drive away. A slice of lemon rubbed on the temples and back of the neck will also cure the headache. A solution of lemon juice should always be at hand. A little rubbed on the skin at night will whiten and soften it's texture. A fine manicure acid is made from a teaspoonful of lemon juice in a cupful of warm soft water. It will whiten discolored and stained fingernails. Lemon Juice in water will loosen the tartar that accumulates on the teeth. It makes the breath sweet. A slice of lemon rubbed over tan shoes which are then wped off with a soft cloth will remove black stains from their surface." Bessie Hill Porter

1909 The Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cookbook by Isabel Gordon Curtis

Isabel Gordon Curtis is one of my absolute favorite cookbook authors and this cookbook is an example of why. Her recipes are simple, classic and easy to follow. The history that sorrounds her makes her seem spunky yet classic, I love that. She came to America all the way from Scotland and in her lifetime she had quite a few very popular magazine editing jobs under her belt, Collier's Weekly, the Delineator and Success Magazine being just a few. While getting her start in the highly competitve magazine field she used to say that "No wider experience can be gained than in answering the questions that come from housekeepers to a home magazine. In learning how to solve problems for other people, you absorb a multiplicity of knowledge that cannot be achieved in one home." So combining a special lady like Curtis and a big name like Good Houskeeping, they made cookbook history.
This peticular cookbook was promoted as being the first to come out with the new slender size to help the housewife with it's space saving design, it also has blank sheets for notes on every other page. Good Housekeeping also prided itsef on it's recipes being tested by not only Curtis but company paid testers and it's magazine subscribers as well. It's a great example of one of Good Housekeeping's ideals as a company, to try and make housekeeping more efficient and buisness-like to take some of the stress out of running a house in the early 1900's. A true original and very special antique cookbook to collectors.

Kitchen's of the 1920's

The 1920's kitchens were created with the thought that being modern, sanitary, and efficient were very important like women of the past decade had, the difference though was the loosening of the rules of any non essential decor being allowed, it was truly a period of sweet and in my opinion, really pretty kitchens.

Light and bright cheerful colors were used often and made the space seem bright and in many cases bigger than they were.



The invention of electricity made appliances absolutely mandatory and ad agencies made sure you (the consumer) knew that too.

Vacuum cleaners, washing machines, toasters, electric stoves, and fans were just a few of the fancy new tools designed to save time and add comfort to daily tasks.

Until the 1920s, appliances were popular, but during the 1920's, they became a MUST. Electric refrigerators replaced the ice box by the end of the decade, it was a huge shift that literally changed the way families ate.

The kitchens and recipes of the 1920's are one of my absolute favorites and I hope you can see why. In my opinion it's such a great balance of simplicity with warmth and comfort. To me they inspire me to combine sweet and homey with functionality and create a space that will make and my friends and family feel at home.