| The deep, dark recesses of the brain of any | | | | good American. |
| student of early 20th century American history | | | | The Settlement Cookbook was Jewish by |
| should light up, tingling, when they compute the | | | | association only. After learning the book was |
| importance of The Settlement Cookbook and the | | | | written for and financed by a Jewish organization, |
| Settlement House, established by Lizzie Black | | | | many people automatically assumed it was a |
| Kander. Both the concept and the woman made | | | | Jewish cookbook, not meant for any other group |
| an indelible mark on America. | | | | of Milwaukee residents but the Jews. From the |
| A native of Milwaukee, Lizzie Black Kander (b. | | | | very birth of the project, The Settlement |
| 1858) was a moving force in establishing | | | | Cookbook displayed a patent disregard for Jewish |
| Milwaukee's first social settlement in 1900. This | | | | food regulations: it offered recipes for borscht, |
| organization, under the auspices of the Federation | | | | chopped herring, and paprika schnitzel in the same |
| Jewish Charities of Milwaukee, was known | | | | breath as recipes for oyster bisque and scalloped |
| everywhere as "The Settlement" or "The | | | | ham and potatoes for its non-Jewish readers. Just |
| Settlement House." It offered instruction to newly | | | | in the space of the two above-mentioned dishes, |
| arrived immigrants in vocational and domestic | | | | several rules of Kashrut (dietary laws, or the |
| skills, plus classes in English, American history, and | | | | body of regulations in keeping Kosher) have been |
| music, in hopes of introducing immigrant women | | | | broken: oyster bisque contains oysters (shellfish |
| to American consumer culture. | | | | that are prohibited) and cream; scalloped ham and |
| From the classes at the Settlement House sprang | | | | potatoes is a double whammy with ham (from |
| the need for somehow replicating recipes, | | | | the pig which has a cloven hoof) and scalloped |
| household hints, and advice on housekeeping that | | | | potatoes covered in cheese (milk and meat must |
| were written on the chalkboard. The students, | | | | not be consumed together). The Settlement |
| most of them high school girls, needed to get | | | | Cookbook was a combination of Jewish, German, |
| home before dark but were spending way too | | | | and other European recipes. |
| much time copying the lessons. | | | | It is quite easy to be deluded with the ethnicity of |
| Mrs. Kander thought the creation of a cookbook | | | | the book. I have a tattered, hand-me-down copy |
| would help alleviate the situation and allow more | | | | of The Settlement Cookbook from my mother |
| time for actual instruction. Since the gentlemen on | | | | whose mother was Hungarian. I still remember |
| the Settlement Board of Directors weren't willing | | | | my surprise the first time I let my fingers walk |
| to risk the magnanimous amount of $18 on this | | | | through the recipes, stopping here and there, to |
| venture and no other Jewish organizations were | | | | look at early 20th century standards in food and |
| offering help in funding, Kander went to the | | | | housekeeping. What were all these non-Jewish |
| printer husband of one of her female friends in | | | | recipes doing in the book? They don't belong here! |
| hopes of assistance. He printed this landmark | | | | It must be a printing error; they must belong in |
| cookbook which was supported by selling | | | | another cookbook. I was in mild shock looking at |
| advertisements from establishments such as the | | | | pork recipes and others of their ilk. Where was |
| Boston Store, the Pfister Hotel, and the Plankinton | | | | the recipe for Eastern European sweet and sour |
| House Hotel, to name but a few. | | | | cabbage soup with chunks of beef and dozens of |
| Because of the funding, Kander was able to | | | | plump raisins floating throughout? What do I need |
| augment the contents of the original book with | | | | to make Gefilte fish from scratch? Do I boil or |
| more recipes donated by her friends, Milwaukee | | | | bake my bagels? |
| society matrons, favorite European recipes from | | | | Conceivably the most successful fundraising |
| her students and their families, and even was able | | | | cookbook in American history, The Settlement |
| to include recipes from noted chefs here and | | | | Cookbook was initially sold for 50 cents per copy. |
| abroad. | | | | It has been revised into 40 editions, including one |
| In April, 1901, the first run of the cookbook made | | | | in Yiddish for the young immigrant women for |
| its appearance in the guise of The Way to a | | | | whom the book was written. It has sold more |
| Man's Heart...The Settlement Cookbook. Divided | | | | than 2 million copies and still funds charitable |
| equally between simple recipes for girls just | | | | projects to the present. It is still a source of |
| learning to cook and more involved and complex | | | | funding for the all-purpose Jewish Community |
| recipes for those cooks with previous training, | | | | Center of Milwaukee and remains a vibrant |
| The Settlement Cookbook also included household | | | | reminder of American social history. |
| tips, and housekeeping advice. Spill grease on your | | | | NEXT INSTALLMENT: A close-up look at |
| floor? Immediately pour ice water on it to harden | | | | television's bad boy, Master Chef Gordon |
| the grease. How to properly set a table? Always | | | | Ramsey, from his family's itinerant beginnings to |
| use clean linen, even if it is coarse and cheap. And | | | | the phenomenal success he enjoys world over. Is |
| so forth. Throughout the book, an underlying | | | | he vitriolic all the time or is it part of his TV |
| current implies that if you follow all the recipes | | | | persona? |
| and other directions implicitly, you will become a | | | | |