By Guest Contributor: Faith Rockford
Nothing brings people together quite like food. We share stories over a meal with good company. A connection is made between people when someone says, “This is delicious! Can I have the recipe?”. This is a wonderful way to connect and spark community. In Silver Bay, MN, cookbooks have done just that.
The Bay Area Historical Society (BAHS) has been searching for cookbooks from Silver Bay, Beaver Bay, and Finland. In doing so, we have had many donated to us and we displayed them at the Silver Bay Public Library for all to see and peruse. Over the years, cookbooks were published by St. Mary’s Catholic Church, United Protestant Church, Sychar Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church, the Silver Bay Garden Club, and the Bay Area Artists just to name a few. The collections we have were published between the 1970s with the most recent in 2013.
Advertisements in old Silver Bay newspapers asked for people to bring in their recipes to help contribute to the creation of the cookbooks. Often, they were sold as part of a fundraiser. People worked hard to put these books together, and clearly it was all worth it. We found that the preservation of these recipes has created an impact. Not just recipes are being passed on. Memories are too.
The resounding response from the search for local cookbooks was about memories tied to them. People have their favorite recipes that were shared and made often. Some used these recipes so much that they have them memorized and others travel with them to use them wherever they are, always carrying a bit of home around.
Meals were also shared at community gatherings. Whether a club was meeting, or it was potluck at church on Sunday, there were staple recipes that you could count on being there. Every one of them was delicious and made with love.
As part of this search, we not only collected cookbooks, but we sought to collect specific memories from people. A few people wrote down their favorite recipes and what makes them so special:
One person enjoyed a zucchini casserole from one of the St Mary’s cookbooks. It was always made with fresh vegetables from the garden. The anticipation of these freshly grown veggies and the making of this casserole were more than just a good meal. They were reminders of the joy that can be found by cooking with family and the hope that one day this same feeling will be felt by their kids as well.
Another remarked that when their mother hosted knitting club, she would make a dessert. Knitting may or may not have been done on evenings such as these, but certainly everyone enjoyed their share of dessert. A favorite was a delicious recipe for these bars made with cream cheese and vanilla and chocolate pudding.
Often people make these delicious meals for gatherings of many sorts: family gatherings of all sizes included. One memory mentioned that finding a filling meal for large gatherings (20-30 people) could be challenging. The 5-Bean salad from a Faith Lutheran cookbook came in handy to feed the masses. A good dessert to top it all off was so frequently baked that the recipe was essentially memorized.
The wonderful thing about the recipes found in these cookbooks is that often they contain ingredients that you can always find in your cupboard. This means folks can find comfort foods connected to memories of good times at any time. One such dish was Mrs. J. Ferris’ Rice Hot Dish which could always be found at potlucks at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
These are just a handful of the memories people have regarding these cookbooks. Collecting and sharing recipes preserves a connection with those who have come before us. The intentionality placed in each cookbook and the compilation of recipes within them serves as a lasting reminder to us. The hope of this project is to remind us of the little joys a simple cookbook and recipe can bring. It is important to pass on the recipes and cherished moments that we share with family and friends.
