Ruth Berolzheimer (1886–1965)

The edition I have belonged to my grandmother's brother, who annotated it in several places, and pasted in recipes from the newspaper in totally random spots. I'm lucky to have it, as it is barely held together by a few pieces of tape, and the pages are worn, the cover full of meals prepared in decades past, by a cook now dead. I'm very attached to it, though the garish color plates featuring all manner of utterly outdated recipes, almost nauseating to someone raised on the likes of Martha show more Stewart, are a bit off-putting. If you're interested in approaches to American cooking before Julia Child, check out a vintage copy of this book. show less

Dad gave this to Mom as a Christmas gift a few months before they were married. Mom didn't know how to cook (her mother disliked having other people in the kitchen) and she needed a crash course.

Mom because an excellent cook, in part by studying this book. It is truly "encyclopedic" (as the title states), covering everything from how to boil water (page 8) to building your own root cellar (opp. page 832) to formal service for a dinner party (page 940).

I rarely give five-star ratings but show more this book deserves it. It was truly life changing. We call it "the bible." show less

Important book from 1900's cookbooks. This is another interesting reference indicating how much war time affected everyone in the country: the cookbook (at least this version) is broken into different sections, the first part being the standard cookbook with a broad range of recipes (from beverages and meats, to canning and food equivalents) and the other part dedicated to Wartime Cookery. In that section, the author mentions the shortage of metal cans (for processed foods) and that most show more households may called on to 'curtail' the use of fats & oils since these are used in the manufacture of soaps and gunpowder, both needed for the war efforts. There is also a section on "How to Feed a Family of Five on $15.00 Per Week" in the Wartime Cookery chapter. show less

Such an interesting cookbook! It even has a section in the back on how to feed a family of five on $15 per week. Times (and finances) have changed a bit, but the advice is still useful. As with many things from the Delineator Institute (which is where the cookbook originated), it's well thought out, sensible, and filled with recipes that are good, every day food.

The illustrations are lovely.

(I gave this to a friend today, who will use it far more than I would have.)