Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Mrs Owens' Cookbook and Household Hints

Back in the part of my life when antiques were "precious", I had a very old cookbook.  It was cool but totally useless because of the measurements and products that either weren't defined, or were no longer available.   A hard cover book, about 8 X 11, it weighed a ton. 


This week, I thought to search on Google Books or Internet Archives, cuz I couldn't remember what the book was called--I thought the author was a "Mrs" tho.  
I was looking thru one by a Mrs Owens, from 1903, and much of it seemed familiar, but I remembered more illustrations and more quirky asides...anyway, in the "household hints" section, I found an unfamiliar term--Kalsomine.  It had something to do with painting, according to Mrs Owens. (I asked a client about it today, and she recognized the term right away--it had to do with CHEAP paint...lol)
Kalsomine– A white or tinted paint medium containing zinc oxide, water, glue, and color that is used as a wash for walls and ceilings.

Ah-ha!  A new word to me, but an every-day word to our grandparents, most likely.  
=oo=oo=oo=oo=oo=oo=oo=oo=oo=

Still, Mrs Owens wasn't it, so I checked Internet Archives.com and
 found the RIGHT book!  (published in 1887, 1894, 1899 & 1913)

THE WHITE HOUSE COOK BOOK
Now THIS was a cool book.  Larry and I thought it might have been
 given to a young urban bride, because it depends alot on being able to
 buy  stuff like kalsomine, and also cuz there are instructions about
 etiquette and how to run a house with servants.
Click either link and flip thru a few pages. Our lives aren't NEAR as
 complicated as theirs were.

BTW, this was in Mrs. Owens book in the section on keeping house.  Beware! ☺

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