Researching old recipes

Why do some of us love nostalgia so much? I've loved old things all my life. I believe I've shared here before that one of the first words I learned to read was "antiques," and I just find old things a great source of wonder as well as comfort. So when I saw an old tin full of recipes at a local antique mall last fall, I bought it. I was in that same antique mall the other day, and the seller on duty happened to be a woman I go to church with, and she asked, "Don't you like old recipes? Did you see those boxes of them in that case on aisle one?" Well, I did not see them, so I'm grateful for the tip that pointed me to the cabinet, and the yellow box is my latest acquisition.

I absolutely love reading through these old recipes and trying to discern who once owned them. These first ones were fun because they are written on index cards as well as odd scraps of paper, including a dry cleaning receipt from New Jersey back when phone numbers were just a few digits long!

And remember when we did indeed *write* our recipes on pretty cards to share with friends? This tea-themed recipe card—for Snowy Lemon Bars, appropriately enough—looks very seventies to me.

When I saw these recipes in the yellow box, I was intrigued that the woman (for surely it was a woman) who owned them had labeled each box on the side, which was a nice touch. The other boxes were cardboard, so I was delighted that the sweets were in the old tin box!

And I found a recipe for Lane Cake (thanks, Louise). I've always wanted to make a Lane Cake! My plan is to use some of these recipes as inspiration for the local cooking columns I write each month, so I'll be sure to share a link when I do.

I wonder if we're not going to lose a bit of our "food heritage" by our reliance on online recipes and online recipe files. I have them, too, mind you, but how does one pass down such a collection? Do you have a recipe box? Or old family recipes that were written or typed on index cards? I'd love to hear about them!