What Was New in Kitchen Design in 1957?

See What Your Next Kitchen Can be Like by Sally Pepper Haas appeared in the September 1957 Family Circle magazine, showing the latest in kitchen design.

The article states that one's kitchen should "be convenient, with counters and cabinets that are the right height for you. It should have enough storage space to take care of all the supplies, china, utensils, glassware, and gadgets you use. It should be arranged for easy movement with clearly defined work centers for mixing, cleaning up, cooking, and serving, and yet should have a feeling of spaciousness. It should be will lighted and ventilated and its color scheme and decoration should be harmonious."

Those rules still apply today. But few today would be satisfied with linoleum tile floors, Formica countertops found in these kitchens.

We lived in several houses with the above configuration, a 'breakfast' bar that was to have had high stools with an overhead hanging cabinet with doors that open to both sides. The dining area was situated in the right side of the room.

 The galley kitchen above has a washing center. We lived with that, too. Washing day brought piles of clothes on the floor, clean items in baskets, and there was no where to hang clean shirts. Note the slab doors with no hardware, golden yellow Formica countertops, and linoleum floor. Note the dearth of lighting.

The rest of the kitchen is pictured below. The wall oven is next to the cook top with no counter space in sight. Well, I lived with that configuration as well. Ugh. That home also had a brick fireplace with indoor grill!

Below is a photograph of the church parsonage we lived in with the fireplace, wall oven next to the range, and breakfast bar! Note the indoor grill on the left holds a birdhouse, lol.

The next kitchen shown in the magazine featured a peninsula countertop which holds the sink and dishwasher. The electric oven could be raised when used and lowered for more countertop space when not in use. Wise idea.

The white cabinets above look pale yellow in the magazine. They appear to be metal cabinets. The walls are white painted brick and the floor is a forest green linoleum tile.

The L-shaped kitchen above has electric cooking units that fold back when not in use to provide more counter space. The slab doors have knobs in this kitchen, but note once again the forest green linoleum tile floor. And yes, the fridge dishwasher, and stove are PINK, as is the backsplash and the wall paper on the soffits.

The magazine has a cute story called Love Me, Love My Pink Refrigerator. In 1980 we moved into a parsonage with a pink refrigerator!

We Become What We Read. Maybe.

How to Be A Heroine, Or What I Learned From Reading Too Much by Samantha Ellis just sounded like too much fun to pass up.

The author reviews the literary heroines that influenced her during different life stages. She discusses how she perceived the heroines at the time she was drawn to them, then how the 'wisdom of age" has brought new insights.

I loved reading about the books I knew well (Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre). She offers enough information about the books I had not read (Valley of the Dolls) to understand her point.

I had not expected to learn so much about the author herself. Duh. The whole point of the book was how these heroines influenced her expectations, self-image, and life choices. Sometimes for the better, and often for the worse. Catherine Earnshaw is not really a good role model after all. Nor is Sleeping Beauty--unless your life's goal is to be beautiful victim so a prince can save you and marry you!

Random House first published the book in Britain in January of this year, with the American printing coming in February, 2015.

I received a free ebook in exchange for a fair and inbiased review.

How To Be A Heroine, Or What I Learned from Reading Too Much
by Samantha Ellis
Random House
ISBN 9781101872093
$14.95 paperback

Looking Pretty in 1957

"What Makes A Pretty Face" by makeup artist Eddie Senz in the September 1957 issue of Family Circle looked at actresses including Jayne Meadows and June Lockhart as examples of  beauty.

Judy Holliday knows her eyes are her best feature

 

Julie Wilson's 'animal magnetism' and June Lockhart with natural good looks

Jayne Meadows's 'flaring hair style' and Rita Gam with her generous full mouth and casual hair

 

"These are unaffected girls who have learned to present themselves confidently to the public," Eddie Senz wrote about his chosen beauties.  "It is always interesting to me to see people...present themselves frankly and do not try to correct what might seem in others to be unfortunate features. These persons have a gift for knowing that certain features are trade-marks."

+++++

Other examples of 1957 'beauty' can be found in ads and fashion articles. "Fashions You Need For The Life You Lead" was geared towards the 'suburban' lifestyle. 

Going antiquing in 1957? You would want one of these two-piece dresses. The left fashion is made of tweed-like fabric with a slim skirt, bloused jacket top, and detachable collar. 

The right is a wool two-piece dress with a fitted top, wide collar and bow, and a zippered front closing and a knife-pleated skirt. Both dresses by McArthur cost $25 and came in red, royal blue, brown and black.

An outing in this new convertible required a fleece car coat with roomy pockets. $70 by Handmacher, and available in red, gray, navy and camel.

The little girl on the left is wearing a Bates plaid dress and a matching rain cape and tam. $13 bought the complete outfit. Th older girl's "beruffled sissy top" and plaid skirt was under $6. Both girls outfits were by Mary Jane. Their "babysitter" wears a Ship 'n Shore blouse with button on tie, $3.

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Fashion patterns were available mail-order from Old Chelsea Station. "Mix-mates" of a princess jumper and jacket for the girls, and a blouse jerkin and skirt in a "novelty fabric" for the woman.

Casual wear in a Pepsi Ad

These teens wear scarfs and sport the heavy brows and red lips of the era

  

A trip to the fair meant a 'casual' white sports coat for the man

A pretty flower-like apron

I never got these ads. Ladies so proud and comfortable with their brassieres they wore them publicly? That is a nightmare. Not a 'dream.' But hey wait, perhaps it was fashion-forward?

Eat Like Ike

The September 1957 issue of Family Circle Magazine ran the article "When the Eisenhowers Cook". It included 13 recipes including some touted as Ike's favorites.

According to the Eisenhower Presidential Library, his favorite foods included Beef Stew, Vegetable Soup, Mint Delight, Deep Dish Apple Pie, and Million Dollar Fudge-- all of which are included in this magazine!

Of course, Mamie herself did not cook while in the White House--the staff did it. She and Ike ate dinner on TV trays while watching I Love Lucy, just like millions of other Americans.

Ike dips each fish in olive oil then corn meal before wrapping in foil for fast grilling

 "A friend has called the President a 'walking recipe book who is as vain about his dishes as any fussy cook.'" 

Ike's mother taught him to cook on an old two-burner stove. He and his brothers made bread for the family--kneading it by tossing the dough ball back and forth! He was to have told GI chiefs to add butter to the pancake batter and sorghum in the baked beans.

"Food is part of a soldier's pay, and it's my determination to see that none of his pay is going counterfeit."

Here are some of Ike's favorite dishes, straight from 1957. You, too, can Eat Like Ike.

Ike's Vegetable Soup
Makes about 4 quarts
8 cups beef stock and meat
1 can tomatoes
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced white turnips
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup barley
1 cup coarsely shredded cabbage
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
2 teaspoons gravy seasoning
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat stock and meat to boiling in a large kettle, then add tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, celery, carrots, onion and barley; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cabbage, peas, and corn; return to a boil then simmer for about 10 minutes longer. Stir in gravy seasoning, celery salt, and pepper. If you cannot watch and stir the soup, Ike says to cook the barley first.

Beef Stock
Makes about 2 quarts
2 pounds shin of beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 beef knucklebone, cracked
4 marrowbones 2" long
1 large sliced onion
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 quarts water

Place in large kettle and heat to boiling; skim top; cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Remove bones, cool, and chill over night (stock will jell and fat will rise to top and harden). Remove fat.

Ike's Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Makes 8 to 12 servings
4 pounds stewing beef cut into 1 1/2" cubes
1 quart beef stock
12 potatoes, pared and quartered
12 carrots, scraped and quartered
1 pound white onions, peeled
3 tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp monosodium glutamate
2 bay leaves
1 clove of garlic
1/4 coup flour
1/2 cup cold water

Simmer meat in beef stock in large kettle for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Add vegetables and seasonings. Simmer 30 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Blend flour with cold water in a cup to make a smooth paste. Slowing stir into beef stew. Cook, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes, or until gravy is slightly thickened.

Mrs. Eisenhower smilingly admit her husband is the better cook.

Mamie's Frosted Mint Party Delight
Makes 12 servings
1 can crushed pineapple
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 coup mint jelly
Few drops of green food coloring
1 pint whipping cream
2 teaspoons confectioner's sugar

Drain syrup from pineapple into a small saucepan; put fruit into a large bowl. Soften gelatin in pineapple syrup and add mint jelly. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved and jelly has melted. Stir into pineapple; tint a deeper green with food coloring if you wish. Chill for 20 minutes. Whip cream and sugar until stiff. Fold into pineapple and pour into 2 ice cube trays. Freeze until firm.

Mamie's Deep Dish Apple Pie
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes
10 to 12 tart cooking apples, about 8 cups cut up
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Pare apples and cut into small pieces. Stir in sugar and lemon juice to coat well. Spoon into buttered 9-inch shallow baking dish. Combine flour and brown sugar, cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Sprinkle over apples. Bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with whip cream, ice cream, or snappy cheese.

Mamie's Million Dollar Fudge
Makes 5 pounds
2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
3 packages sweet cooking chocolate
1 jar marshmallow cream
2 cups broken walnuts
4 1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tall can evaporated milk

Combine semisweet and sweet chocolates, marshmallow cream, and walnuts in large bowl. Combine sugar, salt, butter and evaporated milk in heave saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 6 minutes. Pour at once over chocolate mixture, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until creamy. Pour into buttered shallow pan 13x9x2 and let stand for a few hours. Cut into squares and store in tightly covered metal box.

Fittingly, the cover of the magazine was in pink: Mamie Pink!
See her pink bedroom at
http://firstladies.c-span.org/FirstLady/36/Mamie-Eisenhower.aspx
See some of her pink dresses at
http://firstladies.c-span.org/FirstLady/36/Mamie-Eisenhower.aspx

Reverse Applique Jane

Here is how I did the Jane Austen silhouette in reverse applique.

I printed Jane's silhouette in different sizes and decided what size I wanted to use. Then I cut her out, right at the edge of her silhouette. (I loved paper dolls when I was a girl, so I had lots of practice.)

I cut the light and the red stripe fabric the same size and layered them with the light on top. I basted the layers together along the outer edges. (You could pin them. You could also iron the fabric. I didn't have my pins, or iron, at the time I did this.)

Silhouette placement on layered fabrics

I placed Jane on my white fabric and using a pencil traced around the edges of the silhouette. This line became my edge for the applique. I then basted around the silhouette, leaving a seam allowance between the basting line and the outline.

Using a sharp pair of small scissors I cut into the fabric inside the outline. I cut it little at a time, about 1/4 inch from the line. I cut small cuts into the seam allowance, down to the line, to help the fabric fold under better. (Like I learned when sewing curved seams when making clothing.)

I hand stitched the light fabric to the red stripe, folding the seam allowance inside just like in needle-turn applique. I actually used a red thread to match the silhouette fabric. I used the same stitch as in applique.

After the applique was completed I took out all the basting threads. I flipped the block over and using small sharp scissors trimmed the red stripe fabric, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Then I pressed the block.

Jane's signature

I added Jane's name by finding her signature and enlarging it, tracing it onto the light fabric. I embroidering it using three strands of dark brown embroidery floss.

It was really easy!

Austen Family Album Progressing

This weekend I needed to verify which Austen Family Album blocks I had completed, going through Barbara Brackman's blog posts and pulling out my blocks. I became quite confused, so I started to write names on the backs of the blocks...then it hit me. Why not embroider the names on the blocks? Album quilts often were signed by the block makers, so names on sampler quilt blocks is quite traditional. So I have begun the process of embroidering names.

I also decided to make a Jane Austen Silhouette block. I don't need large bed quilts, and Brackman's suggested settings would be too big. I need to set the blocks side by side, which looks very busy. I thought...a few interspersed blocks with more negative space would give the eye a place to rest.

Here is Jane's before block. It was awfully dull and I decided to add her book titles to the background.

I wanted to imitate Jane's handwriting in the embroidery. I did for the Charles Dickens quilt (which will be layered this weekend for quilting, finally) I went online to research examples. I found a type font based on Jane's handwriting that can be downloaded for free! It is available from several sources.

Here is my Harris Biggs-Wither block. He proposed to Jane, who accepted his offer but after sleeping (or not sleeping) on it she rescinded.

Last night I discovered that Barbara Brackman's January 11, 2015 post on the Austen Family Album blog featured MY QUILTS!!! My Pride and Prejudice storybook patterns and several of my Austen Family Album blocks are featured! I could hardly get to sleep! Thank you, Barbara!

Men. Women. Love. "Amherst" by William Nicholson

I did not like Emily Dickinson's poetry as represented in the school text books until I saw an episode of Meeting of Minds by Steve Allen, his 1977 talk show where historical figures met and discussed ideas. Emily Dickinson read poetry to Attila the Hun-- poetry I would have never associated with Dickinson.

Wild Nights --Wild Nights!

Were I with thee

Wild nights should be

our luxury!

Futile-the winds--

To a Heart in port--

Done with the Compass--

Done with the Chart!

Rowing in Eden--

Ah--the Sea!

Might I but moor--tonight--

In thee!

I bought the complete poems and discovered a whole new Dickinson.

When I saw Amherst by William Nicholson on NetGalley with a ghostly Emily Dickinson hovering over her home on the cover, I requested it.

The novel is about Emily's brother Austin Dickinson and his fifteen-year relationship with Mabel Loomis Todd. They were both married. I was quite ignorant about Austin and Mabel...but Emily was on the cover! She had to figure into the novel somewhere.

I was uncomfortable with the kinky aspect of Mabel and Austin's affair conducted with the consent of Mabel's husband David. I really didn't want to go into it. Why did I request this book? It was creepy.

Nicholson puts forward that Mabel and her husband David advocated an open marriage because people can love more than one person and it won't affect a marriage where there is love and affection. I am no spring chicken, I remember the open marriage, free sex 1960s-70s. Today's young people 'hook up', sex without strings. But I really didn't want to know the details disclosed in Mabel's diary concerning how she merged two lovers into her life. Even if she was responsible for getting Emily's poems into print. I wanted to like Alice, but ended up ambiguous about her. And Nick was such a handsome hunk of loser.

In contemporary times Alice Dickinson struggles with how those 19th c lovers sustained a passion for fifteen years. They believed their love was pure, justified, and consecrated, that they were ordained for each other. Alice and her lover Nick debate the issue, bringing their own experiences and failures, into the discussion. Alice wants to believe in true love, kindred spirits, and a perfect match made in heaven. Nick is a pessimist who lives in the moment and conducts short term affairs.

Did Austin and Mabel sustain their affair for so long because they were true soulmates, or was it the danger and sneaking around that made it so exciting? Do we delude ourselves into false beliefs to justify what we want? Does requited love resolve loneliness? Does gratification result in boredom or completion? Is the chase what is exciting? Do we have only one chance of getting it right? Do we only want what others want?

And what do we want? It seems that we want Darcy. Jane Austen heroes and heroines have become cultural icons. Lizzy and Darcy are to swoon for. Like Alice, we still want the fairy tale princes. Experience be damned. Hope springs eternal.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing the ebook for a fair and unbiased review.

Amherst: A Novel
by William Nicholson
Simon & Schuster
Publication February 10, 2015
$26 hardbound
ISBN: 9781476740409

I cannot live with You – 

It would be Life – 
And Life is over there – 
Behind the Shelf

The Sexton keeps the Key to – 
Putting up
Our Life – His Porcelain – 
Like a Cup – 

Discarded of the Housewife – 
Quaint – or Broke – 
A newer Sevres pleases – 
Old Ones crack – 

I could not die – with You – 
For One must wait
To shut the Other’s Gaze down – 
You – could not – 

And I – could I stand by
And see You – freeze – 
Without my Right of Frost – 
Death’s privilege?

Nor could I rise – with You – 
Because Your Face
Would put out Jesus’ – 
That New Grace

Glow plain – and foreign
On my homesick Eye – 
Except that You than He
Shone closer by – 

They’d judge Us – How – 
For You – served Heaven – You know,
Or sought to – 
I could not – 

Because You saturated Sight – 
And I had no more Eyes
For sordid excellence
As Paradise

And were You lost, I would be – 
Though My Name
Rang loudest
On the Heavenly fame – 

And were You – saved – 
And I – condemned to be
Where You were not – 
That self – were Hell to Me – 

So We must meet apart – 
You there – I – here – 
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are – and Prayer – 
And that White Sustenance – 
Despair – 

by Emily Dickinson