Swedish Tabernacle Church & Ester Bolin

[COMMUNITY COOKBOOK] [CULINARY MANUSCRIPT] FRIENDSHIP LEAGUE'S; Book of TESTED RECIPES

Minneapolis, Minnesota & Edmonds, Washington: 1940. Spiral_bound. 250 pages. 26 x 21 cm. This title plays the role as both a community cookbook and a handwritten cookbook, combining the printed contributions from the female church community members with substantial manuscript additions by Ester Bolin. It has been carefully preserved by Ester with an attractive hand-sewn fabric cover, reflecting both the practical stewardship and personal attachment. The printed portion offers a representative cross-section of mid-20th-century domestic cookery, including casseroles, gelatin salads, puddings, and baked goods. Period dishes such as Tuna Fish à la King, Merriam Park (St. Paul) Chow Mein, and American Chop Suey appear alongside a dedicated section of Swedish cookies and a full chapter of Swedish recipes, underscoring the cultural heritage of its contributors.

Ester M. (Lind) Bolin (1893-1977) was born in Sweden and emigrated to the United States in 1909 at the age of sixteen. She married Carl W. Bolin in Seattle, Washington, in 1913. Census records document her working life across several decades: in 1920 she is listed as a waitress in a Tacoma lumber camp, and by 1950 she is recorded as a houseworker in private homes while residing in Edmonds, Washington.

Ester personalized the volume extensively, contributing more than twenty handwritten recipes, with several additional manuscript recipes laid in. The annotations are primarily in English, with some recipes written in Swedish and others incorporating Swedish terminology within English instructions, offering a layered record of linguistic and culinary continuity. This cookbook was definitley used, with some food stains. Item #5050

Price: $325.00