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The White Ribbon Cook Book

 

Earlier this year I picked up a copy of The White Ribbon Cook Book, published by the Orono Women's Christian Temperance Union, June, 1924. Searching the web, and all the usual suspects, I couldn't find any references to this book anywhere. I did find several "White Ribbon Cook Books" of various locations and vintages, but none seemed entirely identical to this one. It is possible that a subscription publisher compiled this cookbook and sold it over and over again to different groups as a fund raising tool, perhaps changing only title page or adding some local content to a stock set of recipes. This version is bound with a light-grey cloth/cardboard cover, printed simply "WHITE RIBBON COOK BOOK" in blue on the front.

The book was produced in Orono, Minnesota. Formerly I believed it to be Orono, Maine, however, I received an email from a board member at the Pioneer Museum of the Western Hennepin County Pioneer Association, letting me know that the Orono in question is the one in Minnesota. Furthermore, the first recipe on page 75 is by his grandmother, Nellie Ross Stubbs. Also of note, the museum is making reprints book available. They can be purchased from the museum for $10 plus postage. I have not seen a copy of the reprint edition, but I imagine that it is far cleaner than mine. :-)

 

 

 

White Ribbon Cook Book

 

The copy I purchased is a beautiful document because it was clearly so very well "loved" (i.e. so heavily used.) It has stains and wear marks throughout. In addition, this copy includes an added handwritten recipe as well as a couple handwritten annotations (see pp 21, 23, and 35.)  Since attending Barbara K. Wheaton's Reading Historic Cookbooks: A Structured Approach seminar, my appreciation for such documents has increased considerably. I find this one charming.

I have scanned the book and provide it here in PDF form for other researchers. The book contains no copyright notice and was published before 1978. Therefore it is my understanding that it may be reprinted without restriction.  For ease of uploading & downloading, it is split into several files (somewhat arbitrarily.)

 

Scans:

Front and Back Covers

Pages 1-19

Pages 20-49

Pages 50-74

Pages 75-86

Pages 87-104 + table of contents


Notes:

Request:

I believe this book is not copyrighted, so you may use it as you will. However, if you copy, reprint, or re-use any portions, I think it is only fair to credit the Orono WCTU, and I would appreciate it if I were credited for making it available to the public.