Monticola Club cook book. Compiled by the ladies of the Monticola Club.
Susanville, Lassen County, California: [the club: Lassen Advocate, n.d., circa 1914].
Octavo (23.5 x 15.5 cm.), 100, [11] pages. Index. Advertisements at rear. Evident FIRST EDITION. A community cookbook produced by the Monticola Club, founded in 1912 by Philenda Spencer, apparently inspired by the passage of the bill that recognized the rights of California women to vote. The club was located in Susanville, on the banks of the Susan River in Honey Lake Valley, on the far side of the Lassen National Park in northeastern California. Early activities of the club members included naming passes and peaks in the national park, and in 1920 they built a public swimming hole on the Susan River. Most of the recipes in the book are attributed to their contributors, usually members of the club or the committee in this case, and the sections, all fairly brief, are arranged in an odd order, starting with Oysters and Fish, Pickles and Relish, and Desserts. A bit of wear to the rear cloth hinge (interior) and a good number of pages show signs of having been dog-eared, otherwise very good in black cloth, with the front panel gilt titled. Some of the recipes bear little plus signs in pencil, and at least one, "Hungarian Goulash" is crossed out (it contains a box of spaghetti, and so I concur with the critique). Two handwritten recipes, " and "Noddles" (sic) are added in the appropriate blank spaces provided. Very scarce. [OCLC locates five copies dated 1915, and one dated 1914, but none lacking the publication date altogether, like this copy); not in Brown or Cook].
Price: $500.00