Culinary Treasures

St. Basil’s Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League - 1959

Elizabeth Driver has argued, with respect to francophone cookbooks, that “Before the Quiet Revolution in Quebec in the 1960s, the influence of the Catholic Church permeated French society and entrenched the traditional subservience of women. Church authorities … required that published materials emanating from the church be submitted for their approval”; moreover, she suggests that “Catholic women placed more emphasis on spiritual concerns than on fund-raising projects, and for economic reasons were less able to contribute financially to causes” (“Cookbooks as Primary” 274 note 35). While this may be true in the context of French Canada, Ukrainian Catholic cookbooks were a different story. This book received a special inscription of “Best wishes from Basilian Fathers,” and the Committee’s enthusiastic “Appreciation” illustrates their energy and initiative.

The recipes illustrate the book’s rich cultural situation. “Mock Strawberries” sit alongside traditional recipes for “Grandpa Boris Cabbage” and dill pickles (one of which is marked “I make these”). The book’s owner was a Mrs. Anderson, an indication that Ukrainian recipes were not always limited to exclusively Ukrainian households. Although fruitcake was common across many cultural groups, these recipes show the influence of more diverse ingredients, including canned pineapple. The book was well used, with Ukrainian newspaper recipes pasted in, for example. The endpages also include a handwritten “Laura Lindsay Recipe” (see Laura’s Recipes).