FoodTimeline library Food Timeline> Real people or brand names? Many of the foods we enjoy today are named for people. Some of these folks are real (usually a company's founder or one of his family members); others are clever marketing inventions. Which is which?

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Aunt Sammy Baby Ruth Bazooka Joe Beef Wellington Betty Crocker Bloody Mary Cap'n Crunch Celeste Charlotte Russe Chef Boyardee Clabber Girl Clarence Birdseye Clark Colonel Sanders Cracker Jack Dinty Moore

Dr. Pepper Doublemint Twins Duncan Hines Elsie the Cow Ethel M Fannie Farmer General Tso Gerber Baby Good Humor man Granny Smith Green Giant Harvey Wallbanger Howard Johnson Hungry Jack J.M. Smucker

Jiffy Pop Jimmy Dean Joe Frogger Johnny Appleseed Lady Baltimore Lalla Rookh Little Caesar Little Debbie Lorna Doone Marie Callender Marky Mapo Mary Ann Mary Jane

Miss Chiquita Mr. Peanut Mr. Potato Head Mrs. Dash Mrs. Fields Mrs. Paul Mrs. Smith Mrs. Winslow Monterey Jack Morton's salt girl Mystery Chef Orange Julius Orville Redenbacher

Potato Pete Prudence Penny Punchy Reuben Russell Stover Sally Lunn Sara Lee Slim Jim Smoothie King Swiss Miss Sylvia Tante Marie Tootsie

CLUE: If the name has the letter "R" inside a circle, that indicates it is a registered US Trademark. This usually (but not always) means the brand name is ficticious.

Aunt Sammy
The practice of having many women "speak" as a unified persona was well established in the 1920s-30s. Think: Betty Crocker and Prudence Penny. The U.S. Government's "Aunt Sammy" (presumably Uncle Sam's domestic partner) also published recipes and hosted short, instructive radio cooking shows. The real "Aunt Sammy's" were often local home economists and agricultural extension agents. Did you know? Aunt Sammy's Radio Recipes c. 1932 was the first cookbook to be published in braille.

"Aunt Sammy came to life with the first radio broadcast of "Housekeeper's Chat" on October 4, 1926. The character of Aunt Sammy--wife of Uncle Sam--was created by the USDA Bureau of Home Economics and the Radio Service. Many women across the country played the part as they spoke into the microphones of local radio stations. The highlights of Aunt Sammy's show were the menus and recipes, but Aunt Sammy also talked about clothing, furniture, appliances, and other family and household matters. Aunt Sammy wasn't just a homebody, however. She commented on world affairs, reported the latest fads, and told jokes. The talk moved easily from one subject to another, always natural and entertaining as well as informative. Aunt Sammy soon became popular. By the end of the first year her program was carried by 43 radio stations. By 1932, 194 stations were broadcasting Aunt Sammy's show...Many listeners wrote for copies of the recipes, and the Bureau of Home Economics answered these requests with weekly mimeographed sheets. In 1927 the most popular recipes were assembled into a pamphlet..."Aunt Sammy's Radio Recipes" was revised and enlarged three times between 1927 and 1931. In 1932 it became the first cookbook published in braille. Aunt Sammy faded out during the Great Depression...The radio show became drier and more factual and was renamed "Homemaker Chats." In 1946 it was discontinued." ---Selections from Aunt Sammy's Radio Recipes, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Consumer and Food Economics Institute, Science and Education Administration, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 215 [U.S. Goverment:Washington DC] August 1976 (p. 1)
[This booklet is online.]

Additional citings, courtesy of Barry Popik. Food Timeline library owns a copy of the 1931 edition, happy to share recipes.

Dinty Moore
Who was Dinty Moore? Cartoon strip character, NYC restaurateur, and meat product brand name. In that order.

"Q. When I was a kid I loved Dinty Moore beef stew. Recently I learned that Dinty Moore's was for many years a popular New York restaurant. Who was Dinty Moore, and was he, in fact, the man behind the stew? A. In 1913, George McManus, a cartoonist for The New York American, created a comic strip called 'Bringing Up Father,' which satirized the struggles of Jiggs and Maggie, a working-class Irish couple thrust by sudden wealth into the world of New York's pampered elite. Jiggs, who longs for his pervious life, returns often to the tavern owned by his old pal, Dinty Moore. 'Bringing Up Father' was an instant and enduring hit. It became a daily feature in 1916. George McManus sometimes visited James Moore's Irish-style restaurant at 216 West 46th Street. Convinced that he was the inspiration for the Dinty Moore of comic strip fame, Mr. Moore took the name for his restaurant, which became a popular Midtown hangout for sports heroes, celebrities and swells. Corned beef and cabbage was a specialty, of course. So was Irish Stew. Other Dinty Moore's were opened in cities across the country. In the 1930's, a meat retailer in Minneapolis registered the Dinty Moore name and sold a cured meat product called Dinty Moore Picnics. Hormel Foods bought the name an marketed its own steamed-beef-and-gravy product, at 15 cents a can, starting in 1935. The stew was renowned for its long shelf life. Later Hormel introduced a shortlived Dinty Moore character, a cartoon lumberjack, to help sell the product, which remains popular. The restaurant on 46th Street, with its polished brass and mahogany bar, was considered a virtual landmark when it closed in the early 1970s."
---"Stew From the Funnies," Daniel B. Schneider, New York Times, October 14, 2001 (p. CY2)

Dinty Moore, comic strip character
Dinty Moore, a popular Irish saloon keeper & fabulous cook, was created by George McManus in his strip "Bringing Up Father. Most sources state he based this character on James Moore, a real person who ran popular Irish restaurant in New York City. McManus was a regular custormer of Moore's. Bringing Up Father debuted in Hearst newspapers January 12, 1913. Moore's restaurant opened in 1914. We have not yet identified the exact date the Dinty Moore character first appeared in the comic strip. The connection appears to be solid.

[1913]
"When George McManus created Brining Up Father for the Hearst organization, he was already a cartoonist of high repute. Bringing Up Father, which first appeared in the dailies in 1913, was only one of a number of strip ideas that McManus had played around with. It was sometimes missing for weeks at a time, and only in 1916 did it become definitively established (wth the Sunday version following on April 14, 1918)...Inspired by William Gill's 1893 play The Rising Generation (which McManus saw as a child), the strip...resembles a skit or playlet, loaded with witty dialogue, nutty characters and outlandish happenings. The underlying theme of the strip is quite simple...Jiggs, a former mason, and hiw wife Maggie, an ex-washerwoman, have suddenly become wealthy by winning the Irish sweepstakes. But while Maggie, the epitome of ugliness, snobbishness, and egotism, seeks to forget her social origins, Jiggs' only wish is to meet his buddies at Dinty Moore's tavern for a dish of corned beef and cabbage and a friendly game of pineochle...Bringing up Father was one of the very few comic strips in which all strata of society are represented in an astounding gallery of portraits ranging all the way from the upper crust to the lower depths...Bringing Up Father was the first comic strip to enjoy worldwide fame...In the 1920s a stage play, Father, toured the United States and Canada, and McManus himself appeared as Jiggs in some of the productions."
---"Bringing Up Father," The World Encyclopedia of Comics, Maurice Horne, editor [Chelsea House Publishers:Philadelphia PA] 1999 (p. 154-155)

Dinty Moore, restaurateur
On March 7, 1914, brothers William Moore and James Moore Jr. opened an Irish eatery at 216 West Forty-sixth Street, Manhattan New York. Family members lived above the restaurant. Early newspaper reports confirm this establishement was in frequent violation of the Volstead Act (aka prohibition). References in the 1920s confirm the place was known as "Dinty Moore's" but they are fuzzy about which brother was "Dinty." Subsequent references confirm James was the proud owner of this moniker. Newspaper accounts paint Dinty Moore's as a popular hangout catering to celebrities and business moguls. Presumably, its reputation as a speakeasy generated a devoted clientele. This would be the perfect place for a Jiggs-type character to find solace. Indeed, George McManus, Jiggs' creator, was a frequent patron. We do not know when the restaurant was officially named Dinty Moore's. Our survey of historic newspapers also confirmed several other "Dinty Moore" restaurants throughout the country. They do not appear to be related.

Good news! the original recipes for Dinty Moore's singature dishes Corned Beef and Cabbage & Irish Stew exist. We are pleased to share.

[1920]
"The Federal agents declared [Roland] Hunt sold them two highballs in Moore's cafe and restaurant, 216 West Forty-sixth Street."
---"Tells of $2 'nip' at Jacks," New York Times, April 19, 1920 (p. 26)

[1922]
"Five detectives under the driection of Inspector James Bolan, just at the beginning of the dinner hour last night, raided 'Dinty' Moore's restaurant, at 216 West Forty-sixth Street, two doors from Broadway, where they seized alleged intoxicants valued at $10,000 and made two arrests. The news that Moore's, a popular theatrical rendezvous, was receiving a visit form the police rapidly spread along the Rialto, and before detectives had completed their work a dense crowd gathered. It was necessary to call the reserves from the West Forty-seventh Street Station to clear the street. The search warrant for the raid was issued by Supreme Court Justice McAvoy. Detective Thomas Sheehan alleged that he purchased a pint of 'Canadian ale' from Charles Cusacke, a waiter, which upon examination he found to be whisky. As the warrant included the five stories of the building housing the restaurant, the detectives made a thorough search of the premise. The first and second floors were filled with diners when the police entered and there was consternation and a rapid movement among many, according to the police, to get rid of liquids. The alleged liquors were found on the fourth floor above the living quarters of James Moore, the proprietor. Moore told the police that the goods siezed had been purchased before the Volstead act went into effect. Moore and Cusacko were arrested and released in $500 bail each on the charge of violating the Mullan-Gage Act. The alleged liquor was carried to the West Forty-seventh Street Station, four trips being necessary. The police said the seizure included eighteen cases of Black and White whisky, 200 bottles of wine and 200 bottles of champagne."
---"'Dinty' Moore Raid Crowds Broadway; Reserves Called to Clear Street When Sleuths Scatter Diners in Popular Resort," New York Times, November 29, 1922 (p. 7)

[1928]
"William J. Moore, known as 'Dinty' Moore, his brother, James Moore Jr., and nine others arrested early on New Year's Day at 216-220 West Forty-sixth Street on charges of violating the Volstead act, were released under bail ranging from $1,000 for 'Dinty' to $500 for each of the ten others yesterday for a further hearing on Jan. 24....The affidavit charged that when Spahr [an Internal Revenue officer] and others went to Moore's establishment without a search warrant, under an agreement with 'Dinty' oin a padlock court several months ago, they found and confiscated the following: Forty-six pints of ale, 64 1/2 pints of rye, 31 1/2 quarts of rye, 6 1/2 pints of Scotch, 2 quarts of brandy, 1 quart of kummel, 2 quarts of other cordials, 2 quarts of gin, 6 quarts of vermuth, 2 bottles of stout and 3 quarts and 3 pints of champagne. When Moore was arrested on a charge of violating the Volstead act several months ago he protested his innocence. He escaped a padlock, but was required to sign a written agreement making it possible for Federal officers to search his place without a warrant, and to post a bond which may now be forfeited."
---"'Dinty' Moore Out On Bail After Raid...168 Bottles In His Place," New York Times, January 4, 1928 (p. 12)

[1945]
"James (Dinty) Moore, 77-year-old owner of the Dinty Moore restaurant at 216 West Forty-sixth Street, patronized for many reasons by many of the city's notables...was fined $5,000 yesterday by Magistrate Charles E. Ramsgate in the War Emergency Court for 272 violations of the Office of Price Administration regulations on ceiling prices for his meals. The magistrate could have added a straight jail sentence, but refrained, he said, because of the restaurateur's age...Moore, in defense of his overceiling charges to his patrons, had explained he had never reduced the size of the portions he served and insisted that it would be impossible for him to comply wtih the OPA regulations because his expenses, including wages, had mounted sharply since the price ceilings were put into effect."
---"Dinty Moore Fined $5,000 in OPA Case; Jail Term Is Omitted Because He Is 77," New York Times, November 17, 1945 (p. 19)

[1952]
"James A. Moore, 83, New York restaurateur, died today. He was the owner of Dinty Moore's a well known restaurant in the Broadway theater district. Moor opened his establishment 38 years ago. He was a close friend of George McManus, the cartoonist, who dubbed the restaurant owner Dinty. McManus later gave the name Dinty Moore to one of the characters in his comic strip. And Moore, himself, then gave the name to his restaurant."
---"'Dinty Moore,' Restaurateur of Comics, Dead," Chicago Daily Tribune, December 26, 1952 (p. B4)

[1964]
"Dinty Moore's, to comic strip followers, is the restaurant where Jiggs is always sneaking off for a corned beef and cabbage when Maggie's nagging gets too much for him. In real life, Dinty Moore's is the restaurant in the heart of Broadway where the big names from the theater, film, publishing, broadcasting and sporting fraternities repair to wheel and deal and eat corned beef and cabbage. Little has changed in the restaurant at 216 West 46th Street since James Moore opened its doors on March 7, 1914--and this perhaps explains much of its magnetism. The polished brass at the bar, the gold-plated faucets in the men's room downstairs and the eye-level mirrors that circle the room give the place a turn-of-the-century air... Mr. Moore, who died in the restaurant on Christmas Day in 1952, took the name Dinty from the comic strip, 'Bringing Up Father,' which was created by his long-time friend and customer, George McManus. Since Mr. Moore's death, the business has been run by his daughter Anna. Soon after she took over, she had the sign outside changed from 'Dinty Moore's' to just 'Moore's,' reportedly because of long-standing differences with her father. The name on the menu has also been changed, but the green and white matchbooks still bear the original name. Many of the regular patrons have their own special tables and waiters, and they will accept none other...The status section of Dinty Moore's is on the left as you walk in, just beyond the bar. In the old days, prominent judges and politicians, such as James A. Farliey, used to be frequent visitors....the employee recalled numerous baseball celebrities who used to drop in and still do--Eddie Brannick, Mel Allen and Joe DiMaggio. 'We would get a lot of them around World Series time, even umpires,'...Among the restaurant's attractions are its open kitchen, its roomy tables...and its reputation for simple, good food. The kitchen is still known for the corned beef and Irish stew that James Moore started with, but the menu us now sophisticated and a good deal more expensive ($7 for a sirloin steak, 75 cents for an order of green peas)."
---"Dinty Moore's Reflects Opulence of a Bygone Era," Sydney H. Schanger, New York Times, June 4, 1964 (p. 44)

[1970]
"Dinty Moore's Seafood House, 216 West 46th Street, 765-8215. Over the years there have been a few restaurants that should be declared national monuments, and among them I would have named P.J. Clarke's, which happily goes on forever, McSorley's Saloon of recent front-page fame and Dinty Moore's. Well, Dinty Moore's is still with us, at least in name and location, but it is not the restaurant I had in mind. The restaurant I had in mind was the splendid, immaculate, warm, friendly, old-fashioned place with mirrors everywhere and black and white decor. The Moore family sold it some months ago to some Broadway people, and now the decor is decidedly showbiz and on the common side...The mirrors have been replaced with red plush, and the walls are outfitted with nautical etchings, ship models, sheet music of yesteryear and all of that jazz. Before it changed hands Dinty Moore's had fresh, good rye on the table, and a first-rate bean soup, and a simple, chopped sweet and sour cabbage salad and among other good things, an excellent deep-fried sea bass (even when it came out over cooked, it was good) with stewed tomatoes...The new Dinty Moore's corned beef was edible if overcooked and served on overcooked cabbage."
---"Oh, for the Old Dinty Moore's," Craig Claiborne, New York Times, October 30, 1970 (p. 36)

Dinty Moore, brand name meat product
According to the records of the US Patent & Trademark Office, "Dinty Moore" brand meat products were introduced to the American public by Hormel in March, 1935: "Word Mark DINTY MOORE Goods and Services IC 029. US 046. G & S: PROCESSED FOODS-NAMELY, PROCESSED BEEF STEW, MEATBALL STEW, [ VEGETABLE STEW, BEANS AND HAM, ] AND BEANS AND WIENERS, [ BEANS AND BACON, MULLIGAN STEW, CORNED BEEF AND ROAST BEEF WITH GRAVY ]. FIRST USE: 19350300. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19350300 Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING Serial Number 73029274 Filing Date August 12, 1974 Current Basis 1A Original Filing Basis 1A Registration Number 1039335 Registration Date May 11, 1976 Owner (REGISTRANT) GEO. A. HORMEL & CO. CORPORATION DELAWARE 501 16TH AVE. NE. AUSTIN MINNESOTA 55912 (LAST LISTED OWNER) HORMEL FOODS, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MINNESOTA 1 HORMEL PLACE AUSTIN MINNESOTA 55912Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED Prior Registrations 0721676 Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20060814. Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20060814 Other Data THE NAME "DINTY MOORE" IS FANCIFUL AND DOES NOT REFER TO ANY LIVING PERSON. Live/Dead Indicator LIVE."

"Dinty Moore was not the name of the stew's creator, who was Jay Catherwood Hormel (1892-1954), son of George A. Hormel, founder of the US company that produced it. The 24-ounce cans of stew were originally known by the company name, as Hormel Beef Stew. in 1936, however, Hormel entered into an agreement with C.F. Witt & Sons, a large grocery and meat firm in Minneapolis, to sell and distribute its meat products under the Dinty Moore trademark, which C.F. Witt already owned. Witt, in turn, was granted the right to sell other food products that were not canned goods under the Dinty Moore name. But Hormel's use of the name was soon challenged. it turned out that Dinty Moore was the name of a character in that gag strip Bringing Up Father, an epic comedy of husband-and-wife strife first appearing in 1913. Hormel thus appeared to be infringing the rights of the strip's creator, Geroge McManus (1884-1954). legal advice was taken, and it was declared that there was no direct competition between Dinty Moore the stew and Dinty Moore the cartoon character, so that Hormel had not violated McMannus' rights or those of his publishers, King Features. MacManus later revealed that he got the name of the corner saloon owner Dinty Moore from that of a bellhop in a St. Louis hotel."
---Encyclopedia of Corporate Names Worldwide, Adrian Room [McFarland & Company:Jefferson NC] 2002 (p. 140)
[NOTE: This is the only print reference we found regarding the St. Louis bellhop.]

Dinty Moore's original Corned beef & cabbage recipe
This recipe's headnote "certifies" authenticity. The cookbook author was a celebrity in his own right. It is quite possible the recipe came straight from Dinty Moore's kitchen.

"Corned Beef is pickled in brine and requires a lot of boiling (simmering from 3 to 6 hours). It is usually served with boiled cabbage and its natural condiment is mustard; it needs no other. Dinty Moore's Corn Beef and Cabbage. Contributed by James Moore, 216 West 46th Street, New York City, through courtesy of Charles Gillen, Commissioner, Newark, N.J. Place well selected properly cured corned beef in cold water, bring to a boil and boil for 3 1/2 hours, skimming every 20 minutes. Add fresh boiling water if necessary to keep beef covered. Fifteen minutes before it is finished add 1 lb. of granulated sugar for every 20 lbs. of beef. Allow beef to cool in water in which it was boiled, for 1 1/2 hour. Put cabbage in cold water with piece of pork and boil from 18 to 20 minutes. Remove pot from the fire and heat up when wanted. (Will keep white for 24 hours.) With this corned beef and cabbage, which so often made Father leave home, Dinty always served potatoes, which he cooked as follows: Wash good-sized Irish potatoes but do not remove the skins. Boil in very highly salted water (brine) until 'hard boiled'--25-35 minutes. Keep skins intact and dry potatoes in oven for 20 minutes or so. Serve with plenty of butter..."
--The Gun Club Cook Book, Charles Bowne, revised edition [Charles Scribner's Sons:New York] 1934 (p. 183-184)

Dinty Moore's Irish Stew recipe
The recipe below was shared by George Rector, chef of the famous Rector's restaurant in New York City. Both Rector and Moore were popular restaurateurs. It is very possible they shared recipes as well as clientele.

"This is what Jim 'Dinty' Moore did when I frist smelled the Irish stew steaming out of his kitchen. It's the same Dinty Moore, by the way, who was immortalized by George McManus, whose corned beef and cabbage Jiggs was sure to be eating when he could get away from Maggie. And Dinty has one corking fine restaurant in New York where you'll find a lot of other fine people besides Jigs. But I'll let you judge for yourself. Here's the stew. You'll need: 1 pound chuck of beef
3 pounds shoulder of lamb
1 pound breast of lamb
4 medium sized potatoes
6 medium sized carrots
2 medium sized green peppers, diced
1/4 cup leeks
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup canned tomato pulp
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Wocestershire sauce
1 tablespoon A-1 sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked green peas
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Cut all the meat in pieces two inches square, taking off all the fat you can. Start the beef to cook in just enough water to cover, then simmer one hour. Simmer the lamb in enough water to cover for thirty minutes; from time to time skim the fat off the top. Combine carrots--cut in quarters--green peppers, onions, leeks and celery. Simmer for another half hour. Put the seasonings with the tomato pulp, add this to the stew, and continue the cooking for ten minutes longer. Serve with garnish of green peas and parsley. This is Irish stew a la Dinty Moore--and it's undoubtedly the best Irish stew Chef Robin Hood Rector ever went a snooping for."
---"The Chef from Rectors with a Savory Dish," George Rector, Chicago Defender, December 27, 1936 (p.D3)

Lalla Rookh: the literary character
Thomas More's 1817 publication is online; (includes drawing of Lalla Rookh).

Lalla Rookh: the recipes

[1909]
"Lalla Rookh. This dessert is of Spanish origin and is extremely palatable. Select a plain mold with a tight fitting cover. Cut in small pieces six ladyfingers, twelve almonds, and a half a cupful of raisins; stir all together and put into the mold. Make a custard with a quart of milk, one small cupful of sugar, and flour eggs, and as the custard is removed from the fire reserve a large cupful and to the remainder add a small quarter of a cupful of gelatine with has previously been soaked in enough water to cover. Stir the custard well, strain it over the mixture in the mold, and set the whole away in a cold place, where it will settle for four hours. Now add the to the remaining custard one cupful of whipped cream; flavor with vanilla extract. When the dessert is needed turn it out on a pretty serving dish, sprinkle top with finely chopped bananas and strawberries cut into slices. Pour the custard around it. Delicious as well as ornamental. Mrs. F. Behrens, Aberdeen, S.D."
---"A Page for Practical Housekeepers," Chicago Daily Tribune, August 15, 1909 (p. Fe)

[1919]
"Lalla Rookh. To a quart of vanilla ice cream add a pony of Jamaica rum, and mix well. Serve flat in glasses with a little rum on top."
---Hotel St. Francis Cook Book, Victor Hirtzler [Hotel Monthly Press:Chicago IL] 1919 (p. 10)
[NOTES: (1) Sample hotel menu groups Lalla Rookh with "Ice Creams and Ices," cost: 30 cents. (p. 397). (2) A "pony" equals one ounce.]

[1925]
"Lallah Rookh. Cut some French cherries, apricots and angelique and pour over it some Madeira and stand in hot place. Then make a mixture of French vanilla and freeze, leaving one cup of the liquid behind; when frozen hard enough, add the fruit and some broken ladyfingers and finely crushed macaroons. Then let it stand and when firm fill in molds, imbedding them in broken ice and salt for fully one hour. Next dissolve some gelatin in a little warm milk or water and add it to the remaining custard. When wanted for use, turn the pudding on the dish upon which it is to be served and sprinkle a little chopped fruit over it, then add some whipped cream and the previously prepared custard, flavored with Madeira."
---The Dispenser's Formulary, Soda Fountain Magazine, 4th edition [Soda Fountain Publications:New York] 1925 (p. 178)

[1934]
"And what is a Lalla Rookh, you ask? A fascinating dessert made very easily. Fill chilled sherbet glasses with French or Vanilla ice cream; level top off, scoop out a little depression in the center and fill with rum. Send at once to the table."
---"Noted Chef Gives Recipe for Novel Crab Au Madeira," Marian Manners, Los Angeles Times, December 29, 1934 (p. A5)

Mary Ann
"Mary Ann" was a popular American brand of measuring cups and cake pans in the first half of the 20th century. These products were originally manufactured by the Edward Katzinger Company in Chicago, Illinois. According to Moody's Industrial Manual (1945), The Edward Katzinger Company was originally founded in 1888, and incorporated under Illinois laws October 6, 1903. An article in the New York Times described Katzinger's as "probably the largest manufacturer of household cutlery, kitchen wares, baking tins, etc. in the country." ("Magazine Suggested Goods Be Improved:Good Housekeeping Gave Seal to Non-Advertised Products," New York Times, April 10, 1940 p. 41).

Because these products were so popular, generic references to "Mary Ann" bases (cake pans) and measures (cups/spoons) can also be found in advertisements/literature distrubuted by competing manufacturers. "Mary Ann" cakes, round sponge with top indentation to hold sweet filling, are still popular. We see them, in both personal and family sizes, paired with strawberries in our supermarkets during the "shortcake" season. Most of us today are unaware of the original name.

In 1944, Katzinger changed its name to EKCO Products (New York Times advertisement, July 6, 1944, p. 21). EKCO is now owned by World Kitchens Inc. We don't find references to Mary Ann products in EKCO's web site but a google search confirms you can still buy Mary Ann (aka Marianne) pans online.

Why the name?
To date, we have not found any explanation regarding the name of this product. Possibly, it was named for a family member. This is a common practice in the food world.

Mary Ann Measuring cups
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office contains this record for Mary Ann's measuring cups. The date of introduction is September 1, 1921. The company name is not provided. This registration was renewed in 1968 but is now dead.
Word Mark MARY ANN'S Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 009. US 026. G & S: DOMESTIC MEASURING CUPS. FIRST USE: 19210901. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19210901 Mark Drawing Code (5) WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS IN STYLIZED FORM Serial Number 71264570 Filing Date April 9, 1928 Registration Number 0245021 Registration Date August 7, 1928

There are two references to Mary Ann measuring cups listed in 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles, Linda Franklin, 4th edition [Krause Publications:Wisconsin] 1997 (p. 330-331):
"Liquid or Dry measures, set of 4 graduated cups with thumb tab handles, stamped tin, "Maryann's Accurate Measure," Chicago, IL, 1/4 cup to 1 cup, 20th C. For the set $15-20. "Measuring cups, small tin flared side cups with tab handles, set of 4, "Mary Ann's Accurate Measure," mfd. By Katzinger Co., Chicago, measure 1/4 cup, 1/2 C, 1/3 C, and 1 C., c. 1930s-40s? $12-$15"

Mary Ann cake pans
According to the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mary Ann's brand cake pans were introduced to the American public September 1, 1921. Some cookbooks promoted Mary Ann products. "Mary Ann" was also sometimes incorporated into the name of the recipe. "Mary Ann" cakes were typically dainty sponge presentations.

[1921]
Word Mark MARY ANN'S Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 021. US 013. G & S: BASE-METAL PIE PANS AND CAKE PANS. FIRST USE: 19210901. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19210901 Mark Drawing Code (5) WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS IN STYLIZED FORM Design Search Code Serial Number 71262310 Filing Date February 27, 1928 Current Filing Basis 1A Original Filing Basis 1A Registration Number 0245277 Registration Date August 7, 1928 Owner Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 19680807 Live/Dead Indicator DEAD

[1930]
"Mary Ann Cake Pan.
This pan gives a cake with sides about 1 1/2 inches high and an opening in the center 7 inches in diameter, or 8 inches square. Individual Mary Ann pans are 3 inches across and 1 1/4 inches deep, and are square or round. The center of the pan must be covered with greased paper and the inside spread with 1 tablespoon lard mixed with 1 tablespoon flour before cake mixture is put in....How to Fill and Frost Mary Ann Cakes. After baking, the sides and top edge may be spread with confectoners frosting, or sprinkled with powdered sugar. The center may be filled with any gelatine dessert containing cream...or any filling."
---Desserts Including Layer Cakes and Pies, Alice Bradley [M. Barrows & Company:Boston] 1930 (p. 190-1)

"Orange Mary Ann.
Bake Sponge Cake...in Mary Ann Cake Pan. Just before serving cover top and sides of cake with a think coating of Orange Cream Filling...and sprinkle with Pistachio nuts, chopped. Fill center with Orange Cream Filling and garnish with sections of Orange, free from membrane, and nut meats."
---ibid. (p. 206)

[1981]
"To our minds, one of the most interesting and curiously named pastries bears the name Mary Ann. Although we have been asked many times over the years, we have never been able to pinpoint the origin of this dessert's name, and we would give much to know. Mary Ann cakes, as they are sometimes called, come in two sizes: large, and small or 'miniature.' Basically, a Mary Ann is spongecake that is round like as standard cake, but has a shallow, uniform depression in the cetner. (Mary Ann pans, essential for creating this shape, can be purchased in fine kitchenware shops across of the country.) The reason for the depression is to receive an assortment of garnishes--such as seweetend, cut fruits or berries, custard or whipped cream and, quite often, a combination of such good things. The design of Mary Anns, the small or 'miniature' versions in particular, makes them ideal for such desserts as strawberry and other 'shortcakes' as well as for baked Alaskas. We offer here our version of Mary Ann spongecake, plus two of these variation.

"Mary Ann Spongecakes
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup sifted cornstarch
3 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon creamof tartar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together one-half cup of the sugar and the cornstarch three times. Set aside.
3. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and water in a large bowl with a rotary beater or electric mixer until the mixture stands in soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining one-half cup of sugar, a little at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat only until well blended.
4. Fold in the sugar-cornstarch mixture, a little at a time, until it is all added and well blended.
5. Pour the batter into nine lightly buttered, individual Mary Ann tins (the capacity of each tin is about three-quarters cup). Or pour the batter into two ungreased eigth-inch cake pans. Bake until the cake rebounds to the touch when pressed lightly in the center. For Mary Ann pans, the baking time is about 15 minutes; for the cake pans, about 30 minutes. Place on whire racks and cool. Cut around the edges of the cakes before removing them from the pans.
Yield: Nine Mary Ann cakes or two eight-inch layers.
Note: Leftover Mary Ann cakes freeze very well. You can make these in batches and use them anytime."
---"Food: A Deliciously Depressed Cake," Craig Claiborne with Pierre Franey, New York Times, January 18, 1981 (p. SM13)

Mr. Potato Head
According to the records of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Mr. Potato Head was introduced to the American public by Hassenfeld Bros. [RI] January 1, 1952. The original toy was a set of plastic body parts. BYOP (bring your own potato).
"MR. POTATO HEAD Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 028. US 022. G & S: EDUCATIONAL TOY KITS CONTAINING A PLASTIC TOY FIGURE WITH REMOVABLE HEAD, AND DETACHABLE PLASTIC BODY PARTS FOR AFFIXING ON A FRESH POTATO OR OTHER FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO FORM VARIOUS HUMAN CARICATURES. FIRST USE: 19520101. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19520301 ...Owner (REGISTRANT) HASSENFELD BROS. INC. CORPORATION RHODE ISLAND 1033 BROAD ST. CENTRAL FALLS RHODE ISLAND (LAST LISTED OWNER) HASBRO, INC. CORPORATION BY MERGER WITH RHODE ISLAND 1027 NEWPORT AVENUE PAWTUCKET RHODE ISLAND 02862."

Early ads describe this innovative plaything. While the toy was originally marketed for a potato, the ads state "Any fruit or vegetables makes a very funny face!" Depictions of pears, beets, apples, oranges appear;. The original price? 98 cents.

"Meet Mr. Potato Head. The new TV star! And the most fascinating toy in the world!. Here it is...Mr. Potato Head the most wonderful little friend a boy or girl ever had. making funny faces with this toy is a joy. And it's all so very, very simple. Just stic a real, live potato on his beautiful bpalstic body, then select a set of eyes, a nose a pair or lips, mustache, ears, hat ant there you are! You get several sets of each plus pipes and other accessories, so that you can actually make thousands of different funny, funny faces. You don't have to use a potato only, you can use nearly every kind of vegetable or fruit."
---display ad, Chicago Daily Tribune, October 1, 1952 (p. A5)

Mrs. Winslow
Mrs. Winslow's Domestic Receipt Book

What makes this cookbook most interesting is that it was published as a drug company promotion. Ads for "Mrs. Winslows Soothing Syrup and other patent medicines are prominently featured throughout the publication. Mrs. Winslows medication was promoted for quieting teething children and a raft of discomfiting ailments. The recipes in this book are short and common. Presumably, they were included as an enticement to female customers who were the primary market for the medicine. Other patent medicines were also advertised. Published annually in pamphlet form 18601878 (?). Sold in drug stores & pharmacies.

The 1874 edition (linke above, p. 7) endeavors to answer the question: Who is Mrs. Winslow? Details are sketchy. We are told she is a lady with 30 years of experience and possibly some medical training (nurse, physician). We find no print evidence supporting Mrs. Winslow was a real person. This is not unusual. Think: Betty Crocker.

The earliest print reference we find for Mrs. Winslows Soothing Syrup was a newspaper ad published in 1853:
"An Old and Experienced Nurse offers her aid to mothers--Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup, for children teething, will give immediate relief in every case. Ladies are constatnly saying it operates like magic, never fails to cure the Dysentery and Diarrhoea in children. Depend upon it, mothers, if will give rest to yourselves and comfort and health to your children."
---classified ad, New York Daily Times, January 1, 1853 (p. 6)

The last references are from 1912, when the drug, alonng with many popular "patent medicines" was banned by the newly formed Food and Drug Administration. Articles from the 1990s detailing the history of drug use in the United States confirm Mrs. Winslow soothing agent was morphine/opium. This was a common painkiller during the Civil War and the 2nd half of the 19th century.

Who was the Mystery Chef?
John MacPherson [1876-1955] was a gregarious wealthy Scottish bon vivant sent to America by his father at age 30 to learn the value of money. Instead? He taught himself how to cook. And then he parlayed that knowledge into a media empire. MacPherson says he cloaked his identity out of respect for his mother, who was embarrased about having a son who "cooked." We never discover what his father thought about MacPherson's career.

Where did he come from?
"Perhaps I should start this book by answering a question that so many have asked: 'How did I, a man, ever come to take up cooking as a hobby? ' Well, the answer is--I didn't take up cooking as a hobby. Some would say I drifted into it by accident, through I myself don't believe such things happen by accident. I am a Scot, and therefore I see design in all things. I came to America in 1906 from London where I owned a prosperous, rapidly growing advertising business. I came here looking for American business, and later decided to stay and learn American methods. I left my London business in the hands of my father, who was a director in various large companies, and a fine old gentleman of the Schotch school. He always said that he wished i couldn't make money so easily, because I spent money much too freely; in fact, he said that I spent more money in a month than he had spent at my age in a year. My father decided that my visit to America was his chance to teach me the real value of money, and so, instead of sending me the L100 remittance that I had arranged for his to send, he sent me L2, and wrote saying he would send me L2 a week, and that ought to be plenty for a youngster of my age. In vain I expostulated with him, pointing out that street car concudtors in New York City got more than twice as much as he expected me to live on. But he would not weaken. This all led to a quick change in my method of living; instead of throwing away money on extravagant parties, I gave up my rooms in the hotel, and having looked around, found rooms in a boarding house. The house was fine, but words fail me when I try to tell you how bad the meals were." (p. v)

What was his culinary training & cooking philosophy?
"In that boarding house I joined forces with a man who, like myself, had been used to the best of everything in life. After talking it over, we left the boarding house; took a furnished apartment and started to cook some of our own meals. At first we broiled chops and steaks, and then I roasted a piece of beef. it was good. I roasted a chickn cooking vegetables as well as potatoes, and we began to feel that we were getting somewhere, so we invited our first guests to dinner. They seemed to think we were quite marvelous. By this time I got a real thrill out of cooking, and I began to branch out and cook new things...Married, now, for over twenty-five years, I have cooked practically every meal, every day....Once you treat cooking as an art, it will quickly prove itselff to be one of the most fascinating of all arts. To me it is not strange that I should find pleasusre in cooking. What does seem strange to me is that so few people do find pleaures in it or know that many of the world's greatest men have found pleasure and relaxation in the art of excellent cookign. Thye are surporsed to hear that Alexandre Dumas was a wonderful cook, and that the last book he wote was a cook book.: (p. v-vi) "When you sit down at your dinner table tonight, think for a moment of how many people were employed in the growoing and preparation of the ingredients you used in cooking that dinner. When I say ten thousand men and women help us to prepare each meal, I believe the estimate is conservative; and I think you will agree with me when we have traced through the people involved in the production of just one ingredient form its source to your table." (p.x) .

Why the mystery?
"Perhaps I should ansewer the qusetion that I am sure many would ask: why do I call myself The Myster Chef? The reason was a good one at the time I decided to use it. My dear mohter, who was alive at the time, was horrified when she first heard that I had taken to cooking as a hobby. My mother became reconciled to the fast that I had become an expert in the art of cooking, but she always thought that I should keep it under my hat. She had trained each of my sisters to have a complete knowledge of household management...To my mother it as only right and propler that each of her daughters should know all about household management and cooking, but for a son to be taking an interest in the kidtch--well, that was different! Now one could hardly call broadcasting about cooking 'keeping my hobby under my hat,' so that in deference to myh mother's wishes, i decided touse the namme of the Mystery Chef. now that my mother has passed on, and I have become known to millions as The Mystery Chef, it is better that I keep that name, because after all, as I have so often said in my radio talks, 'Who I am doesn't matter. it is what I have to say that counts.' And I say, 'Always be an artist at the stove, not just somebody who cooks.'" ---The Mystery Chef's Own Cook BookJohn MacPherson, [Blakiston Company reprint 1934 edition, by special arrangment with Longmans, Green & Co.:New York] 1945 (introduction)

The cook books
"For the last four or five years the 'Mystery Chef' has been broadcasting his knowledge of cooking, and his ardent conviction that cooking should always be practiced as a fine art, with such success that his radio fans have begged him to preeserve for them in book form the wisdom to which they have been listening. This volume is the result. But he still keeps his incognito, although in the intorduction he explains how he came to take up cooking as a hobby and why he has kept up his interest in it for almost thirty years. A chapter devoted to fundamntal informaiton about cooking will, the auther declares, enable any one who profits by it to become a good cook, because it contains all the basic instruction needed. Any one, he insists who can successfully cook these dishes and follow there instructions can use any recipe, turn any formula into a tasty dish. There are recipes, 275 pages of them, including famous dishes of a dozen nations, for a large assortment of delectable things to eat, for every meal in the day and every course in the meal, and there are chapters on preparing dinners for dinner parties and offering what he calls 'coordinated recipes fore entire dinners.' The book ends with twenty-odd pages of 'cooking tips.' It is notable among cook books for the simplicty and clarity of its directions."
---"An Unusual Cook Book, The Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book, 366. pp. New York:Longmans, Green & Co., $3." New York Times Book Review, December 9, 1934 (p. 26)
[NOTE: Food Timeline library owns copies of The Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book [1934, 1945] and Be an artist at the gas range: Susscesful recipes by the Mystery Chef [1936]. Happy to share recipes. Mystery Chef Chicken, anyone?]

"One day several years ago a man obliged a friend by taking his place on a radio program. This man had been trained as a chemical engineer but his lifelong hobby had been cooking. So he talked about cooking from his own unique, common-sense point of iew. It as a new point of view that took the mystery and the trouble out of cooking and put simplicity and pleasure into it. Several thousand letters came in to the radio station asking for more. A great food company asked this man to undertake a regular talk on cooking. He consented and The Mystery Chef was born to the air. He became one of the ranking stars of the radio world and he and his sponsors were swamped with demands for a complete cook book containing his famous eays recipes for delicious meals. The Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book was written and published. tens of thousands of women--and men--expert cooks, even those who couldn't boil water, practical cooks willing to be shown easier, more economical ways, brought it; and now the publishers and The Mystery Chef have cooperated to cut its cost in half so that tens of thousands more may enjoy the pleasure and profit in cooking The Mystery Chef's way. The new Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book is the same, original, large, 366-page book with new recipes and a new jacket. There are its uniuqe features: It is really explicit; anyone who can read can carry out its directions and make delciious dishes. The Mystery Chef does not assume that you know anything about cooking or cooking terms: when he tells you to 'fold in an egg' he explains just what one does. And yet the recipes are so arranged that the experienced cook can see their essentials at a glance without bothering with all the detailed directions. All the ordinary cooking problems are reduced to a chapted on 'Basic Cooking.' When you have mastered this, you can cook the usual foods and prepare delciious meals. It gives a large groups of 'Coordinated Recipes'--entire dinners, with full and explicit directions for every move in preparation, and a time schedule, so that the most inexpereinced can bring the meal off successfully with each dish done on time. This coordinated timing of meals is one of the most important features ever put in a cook book. There is an entire section of 'Famous national Dishes; which are authentic but interpreted in understandable terms with available ingredients. There is a large section of the most exciting and revolutionary cooking tips. And besides all that there is a complete range of carefully tested recipes covering everything from soup to nuts."
---The Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book [The Blakiston Company:Philadelphia PA] 1945 (dust jacket text, front & back)

Radio star
"The Mystery Chef...Broadcast History: 1930, local Boston radio. Oct. 6, 1931-Dec. 5, 1941, NBC, Red and Blude Networks,. 15 min., various times; continutity gaps. Jan. 6, 1932-June 28, 1934, CBS. 12 m,varouis times with gaps in continuity. 1942--ca. 1948, ABC,. 15 min, various timeslots. The Mystery Cehe was John MacPherson, a Scot who broadcast anonymousl because his mother was ashamed of having a son dispense recipes on the air. 'Who I am doesn't matter,' he would frequently remind us; 'it's what I have to say that counts.' He had been cooking for more than 25 years, since his arrival in America and his tenancy in a boardinghouse where the food was so bad that he was forced to cook his own. The 10,000 recipes he had collected ran from rare to common, from frugal to rich, and contained 200 special menus of the world's great men (Burbank, Edward VII, Steinmetz, etc.). He progresses from local radio to sydication to the networks. His earliest network sponsor was the Davis Baking Company. The most important ingredient of any recipe, he said, was love: 'You must go into the kitchen with love in your heart for what you are about to do, and for the people who will eat your cooking.'"
---On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, John Dunning [Oxford Unviersity Press:New York] 1998 (p,. 476)

"That cooking is becoming increasingly a fad with men is revealed in the interest housewives are showing in the radio program of 'The Mystery Chef.' This mysterious broadcaster who presents a cooking program twice weekly on a national network is not a professional chef but a yachtsman, horseman and business executive." ---"Men's Interest in Cooking Art Gains Steadily," The Washington Post, May 22, 1937 (p. 13)

TV personality
"Mystery Chef. Cooking. Step-by-step methods in the preparation of meals. host: John McPherson (when first televised the chef was not identified). ...30 minutes, NBC--1949. Based on the radio program."
---Complete Encyclopedia of Television Programs 1947-1979, Vincent Terrace [A.S. Barnes & Co.:South Brunshwick NJ] 1979, 2nd edition revised, volume 2 (p. 693)

How successul was the Mystery Chef?
"He's a gray-haired Scotsamn with a British accent, a former advertising executve and a favorite of 7,000,000 housewives, but hardly anybody knows his name. When he started broadcasting twelve years ago he called himself The Mystery Chef (he still does), and he appealed to the depression audience because he taught them how to save money on meals. Last week he came back, after more than a year of silence, with a new program five afternoons a week at 2:15 EWT over the Blue network and a bigger audience than ever. In his first full network series, he'll concentrate on beating today's soaring food prices, with special emphasis on meat rationing. I'll gie you easy recipes for delicious meals,' he reassured the worried homemakers, 'and I'll guarantee that you will not use 1 1/2 pounds of meat per person per week. If we should have to get down to 1 pound a week that would not present any problem to me.' His first broadcast, for instance, included a recipe for a meat dish, which would serve six people for less than 41--a caserole, made of layers of chopped beef, fried eggplant, and tomatoes, and served with mashed potatoes. He's not just talking either. He cooked a full three-course dinner in his New York penthouse a few days ago for six hungry food-company executives. it included soup, meat, two vegetables, potatoes, hot biscuits with butter, and dessert--and cost only 21.1 cents per person. Nobody knows the Mystery Chef's name except himself, his wife, the Blue network--and Newsweek, which has promised not to give him away. He's not just trying to be spooky. The secret began in 1906, when he wrote from New York to his blueblooded family in London and told them he was living in a furnished room and cooking his own meals. That was after his father had cut off his money supply because 'I spent more money in a month than he sepnt in a year.' The family was horrified and asked him not to let anyone know, so he never has. That's his story, anyway, through it's been pointed out that the title makes good publicity--and that he was an advertising man for 25 mears before he started cooking with gas. Outside the broadcast the Mystery Chef spends his time writing a religious book called 'God Answers'...collecting Scottish jobks and entertaiing celebrities: he dishes up the joks along with the dinner He has been married 34 yars, and his red-haired wif hasn't cooked a meal yet."
---"Whosis the Chef," Newsweek, December 21, 1942 (p. 79)

Epilogue
We don't know exactly when or why the Mystery Chef's identity was revealed. The 1945 edition of the Mystery Chef's Own Cook Book lists John MacPherson on the copyright page but not as the author. Most folks (except librarians) don't look at publisher fine print. That was four short years before the television show debuted. Neither do we know the name of his first apartment roomate, his red-haired wife, or why his 1949 TV show lasted only one season. Most fascinating? How reporters through time endeavored to convey MacPherson's credentials (advertising executive, chemical engineer) without questioning his culinary training. A TRUE Mystery Chef, indeed.

Who was Prudence Penny?
A persona created by William Randolph Hearst Sr. shortly after WWI to byline his newspaper's food columns. Dozens of writers, both male and female, labored under this popular pseudonym. Columns were published in local newspapers throughout the country. "Prudence Penny" also hosted a radio show and authored a popular cook book.

"That [Prudence Penny] byline was coined by William Randolph Hearst Sr. more than 50 years ago, and it has beeen used ever since by the food editors of most of the Hearst newspapers. At one time there were 30 Prudence Pennys scattered around the country, and now there are still four, including me."
---"Prudence Penny: The lady columnist who really isn't," Hyman Goldberg, Saturday Evening Post, December 7, 1963 (p. 40-46)

[1920]
"The most successful meeting of the Monday club year was held yesterday in the Haydock grammar school auditorium, where about 200 women gathered to hear Prudence Penny, the Los Angeles Examiner's authority on home economics. The meeting was an open one to which all the women had been invited and the attendance showed that the subject "Homemaking Rather Than Housekeeping" was one that held a great deal of interest. Due to the unfortunate circumstance of the stage in which the speaker was a passenger, having tire trouble, the meeting was about 30 minutes late in opening but the time of waiting was forgotton as soon as Prudence Penny commenced to talk. She is possessed of a very charming personality and during her entire talk held the closest attention of her hearers. She urged the women to systemized their work and make a regular business of it, and run it along the same principales as a man runs his business. She also advocated the use of all electrical appliances and labor saving devices. She made the statement that the woman who said she did not like to do housework was simply advertising the fact that she did not know how. At the conclusion she was accorded prolonged applause...At the conclusion of the program as opportunity was given the women to meet Mrs. Penny and for quite a while she was busily engaged answering questions."
---"Urges Women to Run Homes as Men Do Their Businesses," Oxnard Daily Courier [CA], May 18, 1920 (p. 1)

"Prudence Penny Recommends Bluebird Electric Clothes Washer," Los Angeles Times, November 9, 1920 (p. I8)

[1922]
"Home Helps, by Prudence Penny, is published daily on the Feature Page of The Examiner. The housewife will find guidance and helpful suggestions in Prudence Penny's column."
---"Faith for Girls," Los Angeles Times, June 25, 1922 (p. EC-V4)

"Lectures on cooking and the use of electrical appliances take place both in the afternoon and evening. Throngs attend these lctures...Chef Wyman is assisted by his wife and other assistants. On days when he does not lecture, lectures are given by Kate Brew Vaughn and Prudence Penny."
---"Chef Wyman at Pageant Park," Los Angeles Times, September 2, 1922 (p. II 10)

[1924]
The Prudence Penny radio show ran from 1924 to the 1940s. Radio broadcast history books mention her show, noting broadcast stations and cities. We find no evidence of a television show.

[1939]
Prudence Penny's Cookbook published by Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. The forward is penned by Leo Carrillo [American actor, 1998-1961], not the "authoress." It is dedicated to all the men in the world who like to eat." This implies (perhaps?) this book was not intended for the average housewife as was typical of the day. Ms. Penny's credentials are noted in this brief byline: "Home Economics Editor of the Los Angeles Examiner. The book has a decidedly masculine tone despite the fact Mr. Carrillo states "In only one respect do I find this cookbook incomplete--insofar as it relates to men." The last section of this book is devoted to "Favorite Recipes of Movie Stars." Here you will find Robert Montgomery's Bouillabaisse, Gary Cooper's Pancakes, Spencer Tracy's Baked Stuffed Fish, Johnny Weissmuller's Raisin Pie, James Stewart's Baked Ham, David Niven's Curried Veal and Arthur Teacher's Broiled Chicken and Philippine Stew. Possibly these recipes were the contribution of Mr. Carrillo? There are no recipes from women movie stars in this book. The male orientation of this book ghosts Mrs. Penny's original lecture circa 1920. The FT Library owns a copy of this book; let us know if you want sample recipes.

Who was the first Prudence Penny? We have no clue. To date, we have identified only three PPs. Of these, Hyman Goldberg is the most famous. We welcome readers to share additional names.

[1930s]
Vaudine Newell
Cooking editor at the New York Mirror
Saturday Evening Post, December 7, 1963 (p. 41)

[1940s]
Alleen Gregory Houghton
"A funeral service was held yesterday in St. Mark's Protestant Epsicopal Church, Jackson Heights, Queens, for Mrs. Allene Gregory Houghton, former editor of the women's page of The New York American. Mrs. Houghton, wife of Prof. Dale Houghton of the New York University of Finance, died Sunday in Horace Harding Hospital, Elmhurst Queens. During a long career in journalism, Mrs. Houghton had written and lectured under the pseudonym, Prudence Penny...[she] was educated at Vassar College and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. She recieved the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Radcliffe College and later taught at Rockford College, Illinois and Goucher College."
---"Rites held in Queens for Prudence Penny," New York Times, May 27, 1948 (p. 25)

[1960s]
Hyman Goldberg
"Hyman Goldberg, reporter, magazine writer and author of cook books died today...Known for us humorous style, Mr. Goldberg laced two cook books, 'Man in the Kitchen,' and 'The Beginners' Cook Book' with amusing anecdotes. He also made a number of guest appearances on television programs with cooking displys and comments. But, as a man who enjoyed cooking--and sampling his own handiwork--he frequently had to go on diets. Cooking had been close to him since boyhood, when he helped his father in a Bronx restaurant. At the age of 16...he decided to desert the restaurant and became a copy boy on the old New York Sun. He also worked in New York on The Post, and the defunct papers as PM, The Journal-American and The Mirror. On the Journal-American, as 'Prudence Penny,' he did a cooking column....In 1963 when Mr. Goldberg, a somewhat portly man with a bass voice took over the cooking column on The Mirror, he felt obliged to laugh whenever some waggish friend hailed him with cries of 'Hello there, Prudence.' 'My Friends,' he wrote in a Saturday Evening Post article, 'are convulsed by the thought that perhaps a million or more people must think of me each day as a little old lady, presumably a dear old one, while they know for 39 years I have been a cigar-smoking newspaperman working as a New York police reporter covering fires, murders, gang wars, and from time to time interviewing stars of the stage, screen and TV. His cooking columns, currently in The Post, were what might be termed fun columns, starting with a joke or amusing andecdote and continuing in blythe spirit. His Prudence Penny recipe for making rum pie with zweiback crust was certainly in the vein of Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet of television. 'Break up zweiback,' Prudence commanded conventionally. The next step, however, was: 'Keep rum bottle handy; if smashing up zweiback exhausts you, take a swig of rum and resume zweiback breaking when strength returns.' Another column gave a recipe for baked apples that wound up; 'Keep basting the apples until they are glazed. If you'd like to get a little glazed yourself, pour a shot of rum or brandy into the apple before serving.' For 18 years before becoming Prudence Penny, Mr. Goldberg was a feature writer for the Sunday Mirror Magazine, specializing as a girl-watcher, interviewing starlets, show girls and actresses...A collection of his works, dealing mainly with starlets and other young women admired for their beauty, became a book called 'How I Became a Girl Reporter.' Among the other magazines for which Mr. Goldberg wrote were The New Yorker, McCall's, and Cosmopolitan. During World War II he was on staff of Yank magazine." ---"Hyman Goldberg, Writer, Dies; 'Prudence Penny' of Food Pages," New York Times, September 20, 1970 (p. 87) [NOTE: Mr. Goldberg shared his personal experiences "Prudence Penny: The Lady Columnist Who Wasn't," Hyman Goldberg, Saturday Evening Post, December 7, 1963 (p. 40-46)]

Who was Tante Marie?
Prolific French cookbook author and cooking school teacher. Or not. According to the records of the U.S. Library of Congress, Tante Marie was the pseudonym of Alice Marie Taride, born 1889. No death date provided. The name authority file compiled by the U.S. Copyright office identifies Tante Marie as Alice Marie Taride Taylor (a second marriage?).

The introductions and dust jackets of Tante Marie's English language volumes (translated by Charlotte Turgeon) are curiously devoid of standard bio notes. Sample here:

"La Veritable Cuisine de Famille par Tante Marie, more commonly known as Tante Marie, has been used by generations of French families. The fact that few changes have been made in the many editons that have been published bears witness to the fundamental secrets fo French cooking--timelessness and simplicity ...This cookbook is written for homes where one is obliged to consider time and money. The recipes are given in the clearest and simplest terms possible, so that even those entirely unaccustomed to cooking may readily understand." ---Tante Marie's French Kitchen, translated and adapted by Charlotte Turgeon [Oxford University Press:New York] 1949 (p. vii-viii)

"Perhaps "Tante Marie's French Kitchen," published this week by Oxford University Press, isn't explicit ad extensive enought for the June bride who hardly knows a double boiler from a fry pan. But for her whose wedding was some Junes ago and whose enthusiasm for cooking has grown with her knowledge of it, we can think of few pleasanter presents. The French publisher, Taride, first issued "La Veriitable Cuisine de Famille par Tante Marie" in 1903. Since then approximately 5,000,000 copies have been sold in France, the Oxford Press claims. The book's first translation into any language is this one, done by Mrs. Charlotte Turgeon. Now in Paris with her husband, who is on sabbatical leave from Amherst College where he heads the French Department, Mrs. Turgeon has again been studying at the French Cordon Bleu. She received a diploma from that celebrated culinary school more than a decade ago after a year spent in Paris. Knowing French cookery and the language, she seems well chosen to translate "Tante Marie." The original "aunt" was mythical. Taride, in preparing the volume for publication, collected the recipes mainly from convents and monasteries, where they had been noted and preserved for years--probably centuries in some instances. But since the book was meant for families, not religious communities, it seemd more suited to give it a "domesticated" title. So an aunt was created and named after the publisher's sister, Marie."
---"News of Food: Famous Clasic of French Kitchen at Last Makes its Debut in English," Jane Nickerson, New York Times, May 7, 1949 (p. 9)

A. Taride refers to Paris publisher Alphonse Taride, est. 1852:

Food Timeline library owns Tante Marie's French Kitchen [1949] and The Compete Tante Marie's French Kitchens [1962], both translated and adapted by Charlotte Turgeon and published by Oxford University Press:New York. In the Englished version Tante Marie is "quoted" in selected chapter head notes. One such note:

"It is good for the lady of the household to know how to make good pastry--or, eat least, to be able to teach others how to make it. In France, the privilege of making tarts and cakes is reserved for the young ladies of the household. These young ladies are well aware of the good effect it makes when it is announced that the beautiful cake on the table has been prepared for them. It indicates an interest in domestic life."--Tante Marie"
---Tante Marie's French Kitchen (p. 236)

Bazooka Joe
"If you're a baby boomer, you grew up with the character. If you're a Gen-X'er, you've probably read a few of the comic strips Joe is in. For those of you not in the know (Generation Y or those who just came back from a desert island), Bazooka Joe is the character and mascot associated with Bazooka chewing gum. The actual gum wrapper is a comic, which depicts the adventures of Bazooka Joe and his friends. Well, "Mr." Bazooka Joe is 50 this year, and Topps, the company that manufactures the gum, started celebrating the icon's birthday May 1. The Bazooka Joe character was created in 1953. Bazooka Gum actually predates the character and was wrapped in comic strips before Joe's debut. But Joe was a hit, and when he debuted, the strips became solely based on his exploits. Artists Woody Gelman and Ben Solomon, two men who also worked on the first animated versions of Popeye and Superman, created Bazooka Joe, who was originally steeped in 1950s visual sensibilities. Joe wore rolled-up jeans, brown shoes, a white T-shirt and a black ball cap. The most unusual thing about Joe's look was his eyepatch. Why the patch? According to Topps legend, it was to make Joe look "distinctive". As with any popular character, Joe needed a supporting cast, so a slew of new faces were invented. They included Hungry Herman, Gloomy Gus and Joe's best friend, Mort. For decades, the characters' looks remained the same, but in 1983, the core characters were given updated looks. Not only that, but new characters Shades, Val and Robin were added. Six years later, more new faces joined the Bazooka cast: Metaldude, Ursula and Zena. The last significant changes came in 1996, when Craig Yoe of Yoe! Studio re-vamped Bazooka Joe, giving him baggy jeans, backward ball cap and a skateboard (but leaving the eye-patch!?). The last additions to the cast were A.J. and Kara. The Bazooka Joe character isn't the only thing that's made noise throughout the decades. The comic strip that Joe stars in has taken Joe from travels in space to visits from Picasso, as well as visits from actor Johnny Depp. The fortunes, the wacky anecdotes that are at the bottom of every strip, are also an important part of Bazooka lore. Nuggets of wisdom like "A penny saved makes cents" and "To err is human. So what's your excuse?" can be found on every piece of gum."
---"Hey Joe Where You Going With That Gum In Your Hand?" Greg Simms Jr., Dayton Daily News [OH], September 29, 2003 (p. E1)

[2012]
"What adults may remember best about Bazooka, however, is disappearing. The tiny comic strip featuring the eyepatch-wearing brand mascot Bazooka Joe that has been wrapped around each piece of gum since 1953 is being replaced. New inserts will feature brainteasers, like a challenge to list 10 comic book heroes named after animals, or activities, like instructions on folding the insert into an airplane. They also include codes that, when entered at BazookaJoe.com, will unlock content like videos and video games. Bazooka Joe and his sidekick, Mort, who wears his turtleneck up over his mouth, will appear only occasionally as illustrations in the new inserts, but without the antics and corny jokes of the three-panel strips. Only 7 percent of children age 6 to 12 are aware of the Bazooka Joe character, according to E-Poll Market Research, a brand and celebrity research firm that last collected data about the character in 2007. In contrast , an average 30 percent of children are aware of food product mascots, the firm said. Among children who are aware of Bazooka Joe, 41 percent liked the character, below the average likability for food characters, which is 54 percent. Mr. Trani stressed that the brand was not discarding Bazooka Joe, who in the past has appeared not just in comics, but also on packaging, on store displays and in advertising."
---"Change Comes to Playground Funny Papers," Andrew Adam Newman, New York Times, November 30, 2012 (newsfeed/1007 words)

Harvey Wallbanger?
Harvey Wallbanger cocktails burst on the American scene in 1968. The general locus of origin is southern California. Harvey personnified the newly emerging youth drinking market. The Harvey Wallbanger cake surfaced in 1973.

The "classic" legend:
"An apocryphal tale surrounds the origins of the name of this well-known cocktail. Harvey was the name of a surfer who wiped out wildly in surf championship and then soothed his wounded ego by drinking too much vodka and Galliano at Pancho's Bar, Manhattan Beach, California. At which point he banged his head against the wall...This was in the 1960s when Smirnoff was in the midst of creating a young market for vodka in the USA, so whether it is a true tale or an urban myth--who knows?"
---Classic Cocktails, Salvatore Calabrese [Sterling Publishing Co.:New York] 1997 (p. 120)

"'A Harvey Wallbanger...consists of two shots of vodka, one shot of Galliano (an Italian liqueur) ice and orange juice. As to its origin, there was supposed to be a guy in Laguna Beach who ran out of everything at a party except vodka, Galliano and orange juice. When everybody left, Harvey was banging his head against the wall.'"
---"Ninety Chili Aficionados Chow Down," Los Angeles Times, August 22, 1968 (p. I14)

"The Yodeler, Home of the Original Harvey Wallbanger."
---display ad, The Yodeler Restaurant, Mammoth Mountain Ski Rsport, Mammoth Lakes, California, Los Angeles Times, March 2, 1971 (p. I23)

"Special promotions help some alcoholic beverages. Having created the Harvey Wallbanger drink (orange juice, vodka, Galliano) over a year ago, McKesson Liquor Co. keeps plugging it with gimmicks such as Harvey Wallbanger T-shirts. As a result, McKesson says Galliano liqueur sales are up 40% this year."
---"Business Briefs: A Special Background Report on Trends in Industry and Finance," Wall Street Journal, December 23, 1971 (p. 1)

"In real life, a Harvey Wallbanger is a cocktail. In legend, a Harvey Wallbanger is any person who has mastered the noble art of the foul up."
---"Goof of the Year," John Hall, Los Angles Times, August 1, 1972 (p. F3)

"The Harvey Wallbanger trophy is up for grabs. More precisely, it is the Harvey Wallbanger Sports Goof Trophy, already the favorite is obvious. Vice Presisdent Agnew is one of six nominees for the award. Indeed, the very first Harvey Wallbanger award will probably be his after the ballot from...Sports Illustated...In Agnew's cakse, however, the Harvey Wallbanger ballot does not make clear which of his fauz pas qualifies him. He has been nominated on a number of them, which makes him such a strong candidate."
---"On Today's Scene: It's Not Easy to Vote Against Agnew," William Gildea, Washington Post, Times Herald, April 3, 1971 (p. C1)
[NOTE: "Goof of the Year," John Hall, Los Angeles Times, August 1, 1972 (p. F3)confirms Mr. Agnew won the 1971 "award."]

"In the early 1970s, the makers of Galliano liquer decided to promote their product by suggesting it be mixed with vodka and orange juice to make a new drink: The Harvey Wallbanger. As a part of the advertising campaign the company created a fictional surfer by the same name. Today, reputable cocktail books duly note that the drink was named after a Californian named Harvey who tended to bang into walls after having had a few too many."
---"Through a Glass, Darkly," William Grimes New York Times, August 25, 1991 (p. SM14)

Harvey Wallbanger Cake
1 box orange cake mix (about 18 1/2 oz.)
1 box (3 3/4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. Liquore Galliano
1 oz. Vodka
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tbl. Liquore Galliano
1 tbl. orange juice
1 tsp. Vodka
Combine cake mix and pudding in a large bowl. Blend in eggs, oil, 4 oz. Liquore Galliano, 1 oz, vodka, and 4 oz. orange juice. Mix batter until smooth and thick. Pour into a greased and floured 10" Bundt pan.* Bake at 350 degrees F, for 45 minutes. Let cook in pan 10 minutes, then remove and place on rack. Have glaze ready to spoon on while cake is still warm.
Glaze: Combine confectioners sugar, Liquore Galliano, vodka and orange juice. Blend until very smooth.
* Or use two greased and floured 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.
---"Culinary SOS: A Novelty for Cake Fanciers," Los Angeles Times, May 10, 1973 (p. J9)
[NOTE: Also reprinted in The Italian Classics recipes by Galliano [21 Brands Inc.:New York] 1978 (p. 23).]

About culinary research & about copyright
Research conducted by Lynne Olver, editor The Food Timeline. About this site.