October Thrifty Week #1 ~ #1 Vintage Church and Amish Community Cookbooks

The Parson's Cookbook, published in 1968.  The recipes were compiled by the Women of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church located in Memphis, Tennessee. The usual categories are represented along with chapters for cheese and egg recipes as well as a section for pickles and preserves. In the miscellaneous portion, there is a really simple recipe for making Home brew!

St. Thomas Academy Mother's Club Centennial Cookbook, published in 1984.  This book is a sequel to the 1977 edition which was printed a few years prior to the ACTUAL Centennial in 1985 (according to a web page for the school, the academy was founded in 1885). The school is a private Catholic military prep school for male students in the 7th to 12th grades. The recipes range from appetizers, entrees, beverages and desserts. The contributors were the school's students (or most likely their moms!). I did find the same Orange Julius recipe I have made since high school and there was even a recipe for Mock Baby Ruth bars.

Favorite Amish Family Recipes, published in 1965.  Over 700 recipes from Amish cooks in the Kishacoquillas Valley area of Pennsylvania. The area is home to many Amish and Mennonite residents, including one of the most conservative Amish groups - the Nebraska Amish.

The recipes run the usual gamut, and include quite a few pickle and relish dishes. There are also recipes for butters (apple, pear, etc) and sandwich spreads.  A few of the bread recipes use potatoes instead of flour. In the miscellaneous chapter, there are instructions on making several types of homemade soap.