CJCJ's Radio Cook Book

Pats Parker - [1940?]

The age of this book is not clear. A calendar stuck in one of its leaves suggests it might have been published as early as 1936. Elizabeth Driver estimates a date during World War II, based on “Help Win the War” coloured plates pasted on the cover of some copies; these suggest that the book was sold by the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire to help the war effort (Culinary 1067). The presence of “Good / 1941.” next to a recipe for home-canned pumpkin implies a date before 1941. An attempt to date the book by an advertisement referencing G.F. Olivier & Co’s twenty-six years of candy-making experience was not successful. Regardless, we know that this cookbook was produced by Pats Parker, editor of CJCJ’s Women’s Program. The University of Alberta’s copy is stamped with the name and address of Mrs. H. Dofka, who lived in Edmonton with her husband Henry at 9613-110 Ave (Henderson’s ... Edmonton). She used this book actively, marking many pages with ticks and x’s. She also wrote an index of the best recipes (along with their page numbers), pasted in additional recipes, and tucked advertisements and coupons throughout. The book illustrates the recurring trend that recipes seem to be most often consulted for baking: desserts could be finicky and needed precise recipes, and they were an easy opportunity to try a new dish without risking a ruined meal. The Crisco ad with Hebrew script is curious: it points to the brand’s appeal to a multicultural society, particularly as Crisco was free of both pork and dairy products. The book also features an ad for Locke’s Permanent Wave Shoppe, declaring: “If your cake is a failure you can throw it out BUT You can’t discard a poor Permanent.” The ad notes that Pats Parker’s hair was styled at Locke’s.