OP: Heinz Book of Salads

H. J. Heinz Co., 1930. Staplebound pamphlet. Very Good.

With products like vinegar, oil, preserved onion, horseradish, mustard, ketchup, and various relishes carrying the Heinz name, a recipe book dedicated to salads (with a sandwich section, as well) is a smart choice for the company. 

At 90 pages (5.5” x 8”), the Heinz Book of Salads effectively but subtly advertises their products in a serious and well designed format. Staplebound with a pink gingham design, it stands out as an example of promotional material that might actually be useful in the long term, rather than be totally kitschy.

The recipes are straightforward and concise. Each is followed by a brief, sometimes saucy, comment. 

A punchy beet and macaroni salad with horseradish, for example, is dubbed, “A salad that men like.” The cucumber boat salad’s “appearance compensates you for the work.” The cream cheese and Bar le Duc salad is “rated a delicacy by the sophisticated.” And the alligator pear salad, avocados tossed with French dressing and topped with almonds, “appeals to the pampered palate.”

Very Good, overall, though the covers show soiling, chipping, damp staining, and fading. The interior is clean and bright.