If you’re anything like me, you’ll love a home-cooked meal and a happy tummy. You’ll also like Instagram-worthy food posts based on obscure Victorian recipes. Vintage food seems to get a bad rep, but critics wouldn’t turn their noses up at a classic Mac ‘n’ Cheese or a Baked Alaska. Thankfully, our idea of ‘vintage’ covers quite a lot of history—and that means plenty of delicious recipes to pore over (and at least a hundred you’re bound to like). I love trying out vintage recipes and I think you should too. Here are a few reasons why…
1) They give you a glimpse into the past.
Opening an old cookbook is like stepping into a time-capsule (kind of). They can take you to any era. Mrs. Beeton’s Cookbook takes you back to the Victorian kitchen and will teach you a LOT about party hosting and proper etiquette while you’re there. The book is also an impressive compendium, listing recipes made from every ingredient you can think of (and some you might not want to think of). Nevertheless, history is far more interesting when it’s the history of food and seeing timelines of popular food choices also reveals a lot about how people lived. You begin to realise every recipe has a history and that adds layers to the food-making (and tasting) experience.
2) They’re comforting (sometimes).
Most of our favourite home-cooked dishes span an impressive timeline, and we’re likely to associate a particularly comforting meal with one of our older family members (who always seems to make it best). Aside from giving you a history lesson, vintage recipes can offer a blast from the past that’s a little fresher in your mind. We all have our childhood favourites and sometimes a modern upgrade isn’t quite the same.
3) They give you a chance to try something new.
Did you know that tomato soup was the key ingredient in an old dessert recipe? Or that mashed potato used to be a staple in cake recipes? You can find some pretty weird combos in vintage cookbooks, but you can’t knock it ’til you try it. With retro recipes, you’re likely to stumble upon obscure and forgotten dishes that’ll take you decades away from your beloved cronuts. Granting you permission to explore new territories, vintage recipes allow you to have fun and try something you never thought would go together. You never know—you might just surprise yourself and find a new favourite way to eat Jell-O.
4) They can make you feel like a star.
Have you ever wanted to eat like Marilyn Monroe for a day? Or test Audrey Hepburn’s spiked penne pasta? Some of the most widely recognised and beloved Hollywood stars to this day occupied an era filled with exciting innovations in food products—some even have handwritten recipes available online for anyone to copy. In fact, some are so delicious you’ll be thanking the food gods that they left more than just their movie legacies!
5) They allow you to experiment.
Accidentally vegan vintage recipes? Sign me up! One perk of digging through vintage recipes is being able to approach them with a modern eye. In our world of rainbow freakshakes it’s easy to feel removed from—even intimidated by—the unfamiliar food of the past. But part of the fun is revamping these old timers in light of new trends and influences (or, if you’re super adventurous, your own ingredient-twist). You could even strike gold and create the next craze in food trends.
6) They can be budget-friendly.
It probably goes without saying that Depression Era food is less likely to burn a hole in your wallet. While some might see dabbling in Depression wonders or wartime ration foods as tasteless (no pun intended), these periods of economic hardship actually have a great deal to teach us about food waste and making the most of what we have. From the Depression Era chocolate cake to the food scrap meal plan, these times are incredibly useful to look at critically and inventively. In fact, ration-inspired food has become so popular, it’s inspired a Saturday lunch menu at the 1940s bar, Cahoots.
7) They can be impressive.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there’s the flashy party foods and whopping meals that took the Western world by storm. We can thank the bygone eras for the cutest canapés and the most mind-blowing desserts. And—let’s be honest—when a cookbook has a section dedicated to sandwiches alone, you know they’re going to be fancy.
8) They can be bizarre.
Vintage foodstuff is exaggerated in the media as being ridiculous at best, and gag-inducing at worst. While I hope I’m showing that this isn’t always the case, there are some vintage recipes we hope will never resurface. The ‘tomato refresher’ is probably the most well-known of these retro mishaps, but at least you can’t fault the chefs for their creativity…
9) They can be beautiful.
So maybe tuna and jelly isn’t the best combination, but don’t let that hinder your perception. There are some vintage recipes that are truly divine—and with such a vast timeline to consider, we’d be shocked if there weren’t! Aside from those mouth-watering canapés that graced the dining tables, check out Katharine Hepburn’s favourite brownie recipe—a combination of chocolate and walnuts that’s far easier on the palate (and the eye) than a tuna fish mould.
10) They’re a treasure trove waiting to be explored.
You might laugh at some of the food pairings these old timers opted for—you might even cry!—but you’d have a hard time denying the fascination of exploring the weird and wonderful food trends from centuries ago. The coolest part of these recipes (aside from tasting them) is the stories they tell about families, etiquette and social class, to name but a few.
The amount of effort women put into decorating, preparing, and displaying food speaks volumes about life in the past (and will probably make you feel a little lazy). Nonetheless, these preserved treasures will make you feel pretty grateful for a glimpse into the struggles, and celebrations, of times gone by.
While you might not be willing to give up your modern-day marvels anytime soon, you can rest assured that a vintage throwback (and snack fix) is only a cookbook away.