Community Cookbooks

Community cookbooks are commonly used as fundraisers and contain recipes contributed by members of churches, historical societies, schools, and other groups. These publications became popular toward the end of the 19th century, when women’s social organizations recognized their value as fundraisers. Occasionally little more than stapled pamphlets, these cookbooks provide insight into the relationships between people, their communities, and the foods they prepare and eat. In the later 20th century, publishing companies saw opportunities to help organizations produce professional-looking ring-bound cookbooks.