Recipes for some Delectable Comestibles

Unknown Binding – 1 Jan. 1964 FIRST EDITION

by Esther G Zane

Ain't this a blast from the past! I just had to have this cookbook years ago, as it is an iconic piece of culinary history! The spiral binding was cracked, so I had Staples rebind it. A small tear on the front cover is taped and shows some wear for a 61-year-old book, but nothing glaring or noticeable. No stains from cooking spills! A truly nostalgic piece of history. Google this book; it is quite a collector's item!

Here's a recipe from it:

A Delectable Comestible

Today I scored several cookbooks from the free box outside the library. Delectable Comestibles by Ester Zane ended up in the box because all the comb binding had broken off. A sad end to a 1964 fundraising book. The interesting thing about it is that it was compiled by one person, and all the recipes are from her. It is fairly good-sized, too, 180 pages. Usually, fundraising books are committee affairs. It was a fundraiser for the University Students' Cooperative Association of the University of California at Berkeley.

As soon as I saw this recipe in it I knew I had to post it!

Spinach A La Rochelle

2 packages (10-oz. each) frozen chopped spinach

4 tablespoons butter, margarine or bacon drippings

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Milk or light cream, or undiluted canned milk

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup grated onion

2 tablespoons cracker meal or flour

1 (10-oz.) can mushroom soup

2 hard-cooked eggs, sieved (optional)

Cook spinach in boiling salted water according to directions. Put a clove of garlic in the boiling water before adding the spinach. When the spinach is done, remove the garlic and drain the spinach. Reserve the cooking liquid. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter, margarine, or bacon drippings. Add the grated onion and cracker meal. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Then add the well-drained spinach and a can of undiluted cream of mushroom soup. Blend well and add one-quarter cup of spinach liquid and enough light cream or undiluted canned milk to make the spinach the consistency you like. It should be soft and creamy but not runny. Add seasonings and taste to see if it needs more salt. Serve topped with the sieved hard-cooked eggs. Enough for 6-8.

Posted by Rochelle R.

Labels: spinach, vegetable

Cheerio, Bon Appétit, and. all that!

ᖴᖇEE ᔕᕼIᑭ ᖴᖇOᗰ ᗰY ᑭET/ᔕᗰOKE-ᖴᖇEE ᕼOᗰE!