October 1st is World Vegetarian Day. I have for that event, the book “Gall Bladder and Kidney Affections” by John Maxwell. 1931. It is a hard to find book about the author and health-man John Maxwell. He began his vegetarian crusade in Chicago. He also talked about the dangers of smoking and drinking.
This book first goes into afflictions of the body by having a poor diet-especially too much meat and salt. He then explains how a vegetarian diet would solve many health issues. He gives us examples and menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
John Maxwell had a ‘Rest Haven” in Zion, Illinois in the 1930’s, on 27th and Sheridan Road. He also had a restaurant. My grandmother talked about her and grandfather, before they were married, eating some vegetarian meals at his restaurant. She said while they were tasty, there was too much nuts and seeds.
Opposite vegetarianism would be meatism. October 1st is National Sausage Day. It all began with meats seasoned by salt. Vegetarian John Maxwell would have hated both ingredients. Not me. This tome “The Sausage Book” by Richard Gehman, 1969 is a wonderful book. Not only does Gehman go into histories of sausages, he give some recipes as well. One could get hungry reading this book.
Growing up in Zion, my grandparents shopped at Salem Meats and Groceries. Because of the religion based town, in the early years, Salem Meats butchers sold beef baloney, hot dogs, and other sausages. I still like them.
John Maxwell the vegetarian also did not like drinking. Sorry John, October 1st is World Sake Day. When traveling in Japan,we were hosted by a great friend, Junso. Not only did he invite us into his home, before every dinner he would give us a beer from his personal keg. We would drink beer, and eat edamome. Then Junso ensured that at every meal, we were presented with small bottles of Sake. We would try at least three different Sakes, and then discuss what was good, and which was better.
When one night I said I liked a certain Saki, Junso had confused look, and told me to try another again. I did, and said I still liked the other better. He said “No. That was woman’s sake-too sweet. You should like this instead.”
We may have listened, and drank too much Sake. I have a Sake barrel, albeit a little smaller, in with my Japanese souvenirs collection.
While John Maxwell thought enough seeds and nuts could get the proper proteins into the diet for good hair and nails health, those on vegetarian diets were likely to have more hair loss. That is unfortunate, because October 1st is National Hair Day. People want their hair to look nice.
I have two books, the first “Practices and Sciences of Standard Barbering” published by the Modern Barber College in 1956 ( I have discussed this book before) helps cut and maintain men’s hair.
The second book is “The Hairdo Handbook, A Completed Guide to Hair Beauty” by Dorothea Zack Hanle, published in 1964.
This book goes into all of the details of cutting and styling women’s hair. An interesting book. There is also a chapter on grey hairs, and some information on thinning and balding. I seem to resemble that (the balding and thinning part, not the women part.)
With all this talk on vegetarianism, I’ve bean there, done that. I would rather turnip the beef, not the beet. Here’s to supper-medium rare, and with a good drink. However, there is something I hope folks from both sides of this fence can agree on:
October 1st is National Homemade Cookie Day. While there is another Cookie Day in December (just in time for gifting,) I use today to bring togetherness with meat or no meat people. I have two cookbooks that are very much prized in my cookbook collection. They both came from my mother.
The first is “Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book” from 1963. I knew this had to be a good cookbook, I have used the regular Betty Crocker Cookbook ever since married-got it as a wedding present. This ‘cooky’ book has perhaps 100 recipes of just about any type of cookie. It even has two types of Pfeffernüsse cookies (light and dark). One is remarkably close to my great-grandmother’s recipe for cookies she made every Christmas-and which I still make.
This second cookie cook book is also from my mom. It is “Favorite Cookie Recipes” contributed by Members of Jo Daviess County, Home Bureau circa 1950’s. This paperback pamphlet book seems rather bland.
However it has suprisingly unusual recipes. Just in reading it, I made a list of nine different cookie recipes I need to try, from Cornmeal cookies, to Banana Oatmeal cookies, to Coffee Molasses Drops to Pineapple Drop cookies.
“C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me” – Cookie Monster.
Librarytomes 