Women's Page From the 1950's

It started with rhubarb....

As I was making rhubarb cordial I got to thinking about the renaissance rhubarb is making  these days. It was once an old fashioned veg rarely enjoyed by anyone under 50yrs. I used to think there was not enough sugar in the world to make it palatable. 

My introduction to rhubarb was a mushy stewed stringy looking mass of dirty green. I was not greatly impressed. But that was in the past and I am now embracing the new rhubarb.

Anyhow, as I said, I got to thinking and wondered if there were any recipes in my grandmother's cookbook, I wondered how she might have used it.

I leafed through "Chocolate Tall Tales", "Strawberry Valentines" and "Ginger Blow-Away Sponge" and tucked into the pages I found a newspaper clipping called,

Domestic Diary

 by Jean Cooper.

Made two cakes using only three eggs; the first from the white the second from the yolks.

MOONLIGHT CAKE is made by creaming 1/3 cup of butter and adding 1 1/2 cups of SR flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 teas salt, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 teas vanilla and mixing for 400 strokes (love it). Add stiffly beaten whites of three eggs; mix 200 strokes; spread in a greased layer tin and bake about 20 mins. When cold ice and cut into fingers or squares.

SUNSHINE CAKE - use the same quantities and ingredients, substituting yolks for egg whites. Bake in different shaped tin; ice with chocolate icing and sprinkle with nuts.

A little gem don't you think and handy for when you are baking for a fund raiser cake stall.

And then I got to thinking....

I wonder who Jean Cooper was?

And good old google brought up this page....

with another entry into the Domestic Diary, this time something about removing decals in the bathroom (I remember those!) The clipping is from the QLD newspaper The Courier Mail 17th January 1951.

The article items on this page are clearly targeted towards women and as you would imagine, so are the advertisements. What an interesting snapshot of society and times. There is a rather large article by Lady Cilento under the pen-name of Medical Mother who wrote for the Courier Mail for decades. She was an amazing lady and a real pioneer when it comes to vitamin therapy.

How about that ad in the lower corner for Super Sheltox (I remember that name too) household insecticide. The advertisement says, "You need only spray your home six times a year and still keep it pest free..." 

Thats because its DDT!

And what about the "Vitamin Fortified" Weet-Bix, they are still giving us that bunk on the packet. Not that I have anything against Weet-Bix but they do over exaggerate the nutrition.

No surprise there is also a weight loss ad, "Eat While You Slim".

A blast from the past.

So that's where rhubarb musings took me.

Down memory lane walking with my grandmother's eyes of the past and glimpses into the womens world of the 50s.

Tomorrow I should have some rhubarb cordial to tell you about.