Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930’s by Rita Van Amber and edited by Janet Van Amber Paske is a bound compilation.  Part cookbook and part collection of stories and recollection, this book will enlighten, inspire, and fill your tummy.  Given the economic times we are currently in, this book is so much more relevant.

Excerpt from chapter 3, “Favorites and Memories”:

... Prepared for a family of five, all too many times, this meal is well remembered.  You ate what was available; it didn’t matter if you liked it or not.  Into a large pot of boiling water you added salt and pepper, a big spoon of bacon fat…

Van Amber Publishers

Dear Valued Customer,

Our Great Depression Cookbooks are very unique, unlike any other cookbook.  We receive phone calls almost daily from people who love them and want to share them with family and friends.  The appeal seems to be the nostalgia of heartwarming memories told in the words of those who survived those desperate times.  Some stories are heartbreaking, some are hilarious, but all provide a rich historical account of the trials endured in homes across the country during the poorest time in the history of our nation.  The creativity and solid purpose families meeting these challenges delight and amaze our readers, providing entertainment along with lessons for today.

Our books came about as a result of how deeply impressed my mother (author, Rita Van Amber) was with the way her mother held their family together, body and soul, during those hard times.  As a child of 10 she witnessed her mother facing daily hardships with a positive, encouraging attitude, maintaining the morale of her husband and children.  As stated by many who lived through those days, "We didn't know we were poor."

My mother desired to document for all time the courage and grit displayed by these families through collecting their personal stories and memories.  This documentation had to be in the form of a cookbook because feeding the family was the harshest challenge they faced, and their creativity in meeting this challenge resulted in our most treasured "comfort food" recipes today.  My mother asked me (her daughter) to join her in this project as my Home Economics background provided necessary expertise.  We completed the first volume in 1986, printed enough copies for family and friends and thought that was the end of it.  It was just the beginning.  Twenty years and 250,000 copies later we have 5 volumes and a full time business.  My husband (a Graphic Arts instructor) has taken an early retirement to apply his knowledge in paginating and printing the books.  And our talented daughters-in-law help with our cover design, making this a three generation project.

This is our story, told to you with the desire that it will help readers appreciate the historical and inspirational value of our Great Depression Cookbooks.  And with the hope that your family stories might be sent our way to be documented in future books.

Sincerely,

Janet Paske
Co-author & Publisher