My oldest is Nelson's Home Comforts, seventh edition revised by Mary Hooper, published in London in 1885. Nelson's was a brand, & the first six pages describe their jellies, blanc-mange, chocolate cream, citrus essences, flavored lozenges, soups & tinned meats, among other products. It includes recipes for "little dishes of fish," "little dishes of meat," puddings, jellies, cakes, creams, & two pages touting New Zealand Frozen Mutton, which, evidently, Nelson's imported to the British market. My next oldest cookbook is Marion Harland's Complete Cook Book, published in 1903. Some of the chapter headings are: Care of Household Stores, Kitchen Utensils, Carving, The Impromptu Larder, Who Rules the Home, The Toast Family, Luncheon Cakes, Sweets of All Sorts, Concerning Dinner Giving, An Evening Reception and Chafing-Dish Supper, & Handy Household Hints. It's much fun reading these old books & marveling at how much cooking, ingredients & styles of cooling & serving have changed.

Sylviatexas, yes, I have eaten mock apple pie that a friend's mother made for an after school treat when I went home with her after school one day about 1955. I had never had it, and if I had not been told, I would have thought it was a slice of apple pie. The Ritz crackers are halved, and the only thing that gives it away is that the edges of the "apples" are scalloped or look like they have been peeled with pinking shears. That was an interesting visit. When my friend introduced me to her mother, her mom gasped and asked if I was Jack ____'s daughter. I replied that I was, and she proceeded to tell me how he was so handsome and she had had a crush on him in their single days. At dinner that night I related this mom's report of my dad. He was tickled to hear that a girl he did not remember from his past remembered him. I have seen pictures of my dad from back then, and he looked like a slender Bert Lancaster.

I have several cookbooks. I had a bookcase added to the new kitchen at the end of the cabinet run. I especially like the ones from smaller towns, church, Jr league, garden clubs etc. My absolute favorite most used one is from my very small home town Catholic Church, from many years ago. I know every person that contributed recipes for it, many are gone now. My family had their recipes in it. My copy is well worn. They did a re issue of it just a few years ago and I definitely got another one. There's one from the Lake Charles, Louisiana Jr League called Pirates pantry, which I believe is still available, that I use often. Cracker Barrel has some very good ones in their store area. Local and rural community types. I have one that was my mother's mother's cookbook and then mom's and I ended up with it. It has a lot of writing in it and notes. I am so happy to know that it survived the flood!

My mom had The Settlement Cookbook, AKA, The Way to a Man's Heart. Her's was the 1950 version and I think every Jewish bride, if they lived anywhere near Milwaukee, received it as a wedding gift. I loved using it, and when I found a 1928 version at a tag sale, I bought it for my own. Besides the great recipes, there were tips about housekeeping. In the back are ads from companies that helped to sponsor the book. Mine has an ad for a stove, the latest thing, that uses gas -- so you don't have to stoke it with coal or wood.