The Sacramento Public Library has a Vintage Cooking Challenge going on this summer.
Here’s a glimpse on the info on their Facebook page. They’ve chosen a dozen recipes from vintage Sacramento cookbooks from the years 1890 to 1970.
If you make a recipe, take a picture, write a little review and send it in to them, they’ll upload it to their facebook page so everyone can see all the results.
This is all in line with the library’s summer reading program, “Reading is so Delicious!” which runs from June 1 to August 30, and has lots of fun activities and prizes for kids, teens and adults.
I decided to try this Corn Tamale recipe from the Eastern Star of Sacramento members, published in 1930.
The Eastern Star is a large 6000 square foot ballroom in midtown Sacramento, that is now registered as a historic building.
I had to research Grandma’s Spanish Pepper. According to my google search, it stopped being produced in 2009.
Grandma’s Spanish Seasoning was trademarked by Grandma’s Spanish Pepper Company in 1940, in Sacramento, CA.
The trademark lists the ingredients as “Containing Ground Chili Peppers, Cumin Seed, Oregano and Garlic,” so I substituted 1 tsp. of ground new mexico chili (powder), and a dash each of cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.
The one thing I did do differently was I blended the corn with the milk and eggs before mixing with the other ingredients.
I only did that because one kid in this house refuses to eat corn kernels, but claims to love cornbread. If she doesn’t see corn kernels, she’ll eat it!
What’s a moderate temperature? 350 degrees for an hour seemed to do it.
This recipe was very simple and fast to make, and I already had all the ingredients.
Everyone thought it tasted “okay.” It was a good, sturdy dish, but probably some cheese, extra spice, or maybe even taco sauce would make it better.
Chili beans or roasted chicken on the side would be nice too.
I absolutely adore vintage cookbooks. They’re so interesting to look at and see what dishes were popular in years past. I often read old cookbooks like novels, perusing the pictures and recipes. Anyone else like to do that?
Here are just a few I have collected over the years from used bookstores and the annual book sales that the Sacramento Library holds.
I’ve always wanted to make a whole table spread of foods pictured in some of these cookbooks–maybe it’ll happen this summer!
