The Story of Crisco

In 1911, Procter & Gamble introduced America to Crisco, the first hydrogenated vegetable shortening, promising a cleaner, more economical alternative to butter and lard. This 1914 volume captures the giddy early days of that culinary revolution, written when home cooks were still debating whether this strange white fat belonged in their kitchens. Marion Harris Neil serves as both cookbook author and pitchwoman, presenting hundreds of tested recipes designed to prove Crisco's versatility across every category of cooking, from flaky pastries to golden fried dishes. But what makes this book irresistible is its historical weight: it's a time capsule of Progressive Era optimism, when Americans believed that science and industry could improve even the most fundamental aspects of daily life. Here is the birth of processed food, documented with genuine culinary enthusiasm. For food historians, early 20th-century enthusiasts, and anyone curious about how we got from there to here, this little cookbook offers unexpected drama.