Buzz
Today, cookbooks are everywhere, with celebrities and home chefs alike releasing their own, often paired with kitchen gadget lines. But just a couple of generations ago, cookbooks were a staple in nearly every American home, not just for show but for everyday use (and sometimes daily!).
Cookbooks, no matter when or why they were written, offer a fascinating look into history—revealing when certain ingredients became common, regional dishes that have faded away, and the foods that were reserved for special occasions.
Luckily, you don’t need to travel far to access a huge collection of cookbooks from America’s postcolonial past. A free, ever-expanding online archive offers nearly 12,300 American cookbooks and home economics texts. Here’s everything you need to know.
How to access the free digital archive of vintage cookbooks
Regular readers of Mytour know our deep appreciation for the Internet Archive. Whether you’re hunting for websites that are no longer online, eager to relive your favorite 1990s TV shows and ads through VHS, or want to play old-school video games, this digital resource has been a lifesaver, leading us down many fascinating research paths.
Although the Internet Archive’s Cookbook and Home Economics Collection has existed since 2007, its growth in recent years has been impressive: From just 3,000 titles in 2016 to 12,297 at present.
As expected, most cookbooks in the archive—and in general—were created with home cooks in mind, a role that was historically dominated by women. In fact, from the mid-1800s onward, it became a tradition to give cookbooks and household guides (often bundled together) to newlywed women to help them set up their homes.
Alongside cookbooks and home manuals, you’ll also find some books that haven’t aged particularly well—many of which aimed to introduce white Americans to regional or international dishes, often doing so through harmful stereotypes based on race, class, xenophobia, and culture.
You’ll also come across the familiar names—Fannie Farmer, Betty Crocker (who, by the way, is a fictional character), and the culinary experts at Better Homes and Gardens—along with their timeless recipes.
