One of the best things about buying secondhand cookbooks isn’t the books themselves –although that’s obviously a high-point – but what you find inside them.

Besides notes handwritten in the margins (“Jerry likes this!” wrote my mother, an enthusiastic newlywed, in one of her books), there are often other recipes clipped from newspapers, or written on notebook paper. A few weeks ago, I found a 1944 edition of "The Good Housekeeping Cookbook." It was filled with clippings, old coupons, and a mimeographed recipe for apple cake (Remember mimeographs? Do you remember the smell of the ink and the particular thrill of being selected to go to the office to run off copies of a test?).

What grabbed my interest most, however, was an advertisement for Spry vegetable shortening. I had only vaguely heard of it before, Spry having been discontinued a few years before I was born. The ad included a “friendship offer” – a coupon – from Aunt Jenny, but that had been torn off. Aunt Jenny, though, was still there, gray haired and matronly. An incessent baker, Aunt Jenny touted her recipe for Four Square Chocolate Cake, promising compliments galore.

A cardboard insert from a can of Spry (Recipecurio)

“Make this cake today and hear ‘em rave about its FULL rich honest-to-goodness chocolate flavor,” said Aunt Jenny, sounding – I would imagine – a bit like Sarah Palin.

Turns out, Aunt Jenny had a long and productive life, promoting Purer All Vegetable Spry (“Triple-Creamed for Easier Mixing”), hosting “Aunt Jenny’s Real Life Stories” on CBS radio, and baking cookies for the mailman. Aunt Jenny, portrayed by actress Edith Spencer, became the face of Spry shortening in 1937, promoting the product for nearly 20 years.

From "Aunt Jenny's Favorite Recipes".

Homespun and down-to-earth, Aunt Jenny was a source of encouragement and cooking advice. She was also a very successful advertising gimmick. In her uncomplicated world, there were few problems that couldn’t be solved with a generous dollop of Spry.

During World War II, she helped home cooks navigate rationing, when fats such as butter and lard were hard to come by and vegetable-based shortenings were becoming more popular (Who knew about transfats?). Recipes like Victory Spice Cake and Victory Frosting used little sugar – also severely rationed – and plenty of Spry. To help spread the Spry gospel, she – or rather, Unilever Corp. in its former guise as Lever Bros. – published several cookbooks featuring Aunt Jenny’s “receipts”: “Aunt Jenny’s Favorite Recipes”, “Aunt Jenny's Cookies Cookbook”, “Aunt Jenny's Recipe Cookbook”, and “Aunt Jenny: Home Baking Made Easy”.

“It’s wonderful the difference Spry makes, Calvin," Aunt Jenny tells her husband. "My cakes are delicious since I’ve been usin’ it.”

Aunt Jenny still has her admirers, and detractors. The cookbooks published under her name have made their way to the Internet inspiring cooks and - occasionally - laughter.

Do you have questions about cooking, food, or why Canadians call Reese's candies "Reese candies"? Ask me, and every Friday I'll answer your queries.

Topics: Spry , Aunt Jenny , Unilever , vegetable shortening

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