A Thousand Ways To Please A Husband/Family/Yourself With Bettina's Best Recipes

December 25, 2010 8:39 PM

A Thousand Ways To Please A Husband With Bettina's Best Recipes from 1917. A Thousand Ways To Please A Family. Free online with retro illustrations and stories.

Other free cookbooks from this era:
The Chinese cook book
Mary Elizabeth's war time recipes, containing ... recipes for wheatless cakes and bread, meatless dishes, sugarless candies, delicious war time desserts (strangely relevant in our gluten and meat-averse era)
Just for two: a collection of recipes designed for two persons
High living: recipes from southern climes
Lemons cut into fancy shapes...

posted by melissam (12 comments total)

I've owned the Bettina cookbooks for awhile and while her stuff is bland, some of it is simple and good. I like the steamed puddings and salad dressings. I make the recipes for myself- not husband needed :) I love the illustrations.
posted by melissam at 8:41 PM on December 25, 2010

Am I doing it wrong? I don't see anything here apart from a couple tiny excerpts and "149 other sections not shown".
posted by mhjb at 9:02 PM on December 25, 2010

Direct link to the books
http://books.google.com/books?id=TeEqAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=F-EqAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Otherwise, click on the covers
posted by melissam at 9:08 PM on December 25, 2010

It's possible they are only available in the US on google books though now that I'm thinking about it. It's also on Open Library as well.
posted by melissam at 9:21 PM on December 25, 2010

Ah, Bettina talks like my 96-year-old grandmother, with her "Why,"'s and "Well,"'s. I keep expecting her to burst out with a "My land!" or "For land's sake!" And I recognize a lot of these recipes from some of her church cookbooks. White sauces with pimientos and paprika were the height of sophistication. Thanks! This is as charming as hell.
posted by zinfandel at 9:37 PM on December 25, 2010

Oh there we go... helloooo Open Library!
posted by mhjb at 9:53 PM on December 25, 2010

It looks like you're located outside of the United States. Although you're welcome to read about Google eBooks, please note that Google eBooks are only available for sale to customers in the U.S. at this time.

I is disappoint. Sadface.
posted by jokeefe at 10:13 PM on December 25, 2010

Thank you for this -- I love it! The narrative -- though a bit cheesy -- is quite engaging, and manages to convey simple techniques for cooking at home with limited means. Timely! And, I do declare, the illustrations are charming, as well!
posted by trip and a half at 3:43 AM on December 26, 2010

The only thing missing are the can-label recipes that I have found in some of my antique cookbooks.

I swan, lemons cut into fancy shapes are to me as shiny things are to a magpie. Thanks!
posted by Lesser Shrew at 4:47 AM on December 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

LOL just realized the meatless recipes contain chicken "chicken is one of the things we should use often in place of meat."

posted by melissam at 7:34 AM on December 26, 2010

"I'm there", said Bob. "I was just thinking it'd be a good candy evening. Then, when the candy is done, we can assemble under the new reading lamp and eat it."

(page 179; liver and bacon)
posted by runehog at 3:34 PM on December 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

About fifteen years ago I found the first Bettina book in the university library and was enthralled. I spent all day yesterday cozily tucked in by the fire, reading every page of both Bettina books. Thank you so much for posting this!
posted by HotToddy at 9:56 PM on December 27, 2010