The world of American domesticity in the late 19th and early 20th century was one that placed a premium on oversight of many aspects of the home. While many instructional devices (such as books and manuals) were created to instruct women in the fine arts of cookery, laundry, and other areas, there were equivalent materials created for young girls. As part of their ongoing work, the University of...

Most people probably don’t want to hear the words “restaurant” and “doctor” in the same sentence, but for those seeking assistance with managing their own restaurant, hearing those two words together may be just the tonic they require. The restaurant doctor in question here is Bill Marvin, and he has created this site for those seeking free resources that address the mercurial nature of the...

As the summer continues to wane on, one tradition remains intact throughout much of America: the state fair. Usually the state fair is a place for local residents to showcase their agricultural marvels, and for urbanites to experience a bit of the country life, albeit rather briefly and somewhat voyeuristically. While there may be an uneasy alliance between urbanites and rural denizens during...

While the era in which most people sewed their own vestments has long passed, sewing is a skill and an art that some find relaxing and worthwhile. A number of trade organizations promote this craft, and the Home Sewing Association is one of these groups that has been thoughtful enough to also create a website that contains helpful information about all aspects of this activity. The “Sewing...

Well, it wouldn't be right to put out the Thanksgiving edition without at least one website exploring the wonders of turkey. From the University of Illinois-Extension's Nutrition & Health archives, this featured website contains a bounty of information regarding the use of turkey in holiday meals. Site visitors will discover a variety of cooking techniques including Traditional Roast Turkey, New...

The library at Virginia Tech has many rare volumes. This particular digitization project brings together dozens of those tomes. The focus of this collection is on works from the library's Culinary History Collection, and these items do not disappoint. Anyone with an interest in cookery will want to peruse many of these volumes as they offer insight into the history of this most noble activity from...