Colley, Lillian (Nayer/Maggini)

[CULINARY MANUSCRIPT] KERK-GUILD Notebook; RADIO READY REFERENCE RECIPE RECORDS

Riverbank, CA: 1931-1950s. Spiral_bound. 109 pages. 21 x 15 cm. Compiled by Lillian (Nayer/Maggini) Colley (1885-1975) of Riverbank, Stanislaus County, California. A presentation inscription indicates the notebook was given to her by her grandaughter, Lila Lee Henney, on April 21, 1931.

A carefully organized and actively used household receipt book, containing recipes attributed to friends, family members, and community acquaintances. The compiler supplemented her collection with clipped recipes and extensive marginal notes, reflecting ongoing adaption and refinement. Over 30 additional recipes are loosely inserted, with others secured by paperclips, attesting to the evolving nature of the collection.

The contents suggest Colley approached cookery and baking with notable seriousness; her detailed procedural notes and adjustments provide insight into domestic practice and culinary standards in a mid-20th-century California household. Several recipes are attributed to individuals identified as members of the El Rio Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, including Carrie Stevens and Evelyn G. Waugh, suggesting a social network of recipe exchange within that organization.

The final page includes a household remedy for "brown (liver) spots," along with two telephone numbers for domestic workers described as "Colored ladies or women" available for cleaning, washing, and ironing - an inclusion that offers additional social and cultural context of the period.

A rich and personal culinary archive, illustrating patterns of community exchange, domestic labor, and evolving foodways in California's Central Valley. Covers heavily rubbed. Blue textured cloth. Good. Item #5048

Price: $220.00