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In  January 1959 Alaska became a state creating the short-lived 49 star flag; in August 1959 it became a 50 star flag with the admission of Hawaii as a state. In 1960 Florence Brobeck released her new anthology cook book, The "Best-of-all" Cook Book. Unfortunately the cook book has an Alaska section and a Hawaii section under Foreign Cookery. Somehow, I don't think she spent much time on the West Coast.

That cookbook is a time capsule.

I have a mini-cookbook from 1971 (Better Homes & Gardens All-Time Favorites, free with a tube of Prell Concentrate shampoo) with a section titled "Specialties with a Foreign Flair." What is that "foreign flair"? Tomato-sauce Italian.

But it contains my go-to recipe for Italian meatballs.

I have a Better Homes & Gardens Cook Books from 1951 & 1953 that has a section of 5 "Novelty Sandwiches," one being peanut butter and tart jelly. It does seem ironic that this is a novelty whereas chopped cooked bacon, peanut butter, and mayonnaise is just casually listed under "Meat and Fish Sandwiches" as if it's perfectly normal.