Calming cookery book

BRIAN WATSON & HIS COOKERY BOOKLETS HAVE BROUGHT PLENTY OF THESE ITEMS OUT OF THE CUPBOARD. This is one Brian produced when asked for some material with an art deco flavour.

The cook looks very calm and in control of her kitchen; is it due to an overdose of Cleme

nts Tonic?

There appear to have been eight editions of this cookery book. The earliest was published before 1912 and the latest was thought to be published between 1930 and 1940.

The one illustrated is the edition published between 1930 and 1940. The catalogue record in Trove describes the two covers:

“With Compliments of Clements Tonic Rozelle Ltd. Sydney”–Cover.
Front cover is coloured red and blue, with a picture of a lady wearing a red dress, with white collar, and a white apron with red checks holding a covered dish on a red tray. Back cover has an advertisement for Elliott’s Essences, with a picture of a bottle of Elliott’s essence of vanilla, and some cakes.
[The second version has a ] Front cover coloured orange and black, with a picture of a lady wearing a black dress, with white collar, and a white apron with orange checks holding a mixing bowl and a recipe book on a white table. Back cover has an advertisement for Elliott’s Essences, with a picture of a bottle of Elliott’s essence of vanilla, and some cakes.

We can show you some detail from the book; here are some extracts from some recipe sections and adverting.

'Afternoon Teas... and Suppers' from Clements Tonic Cookery Book. — ‘Afternoon Teas… and Suppers’.

The combined aims of pleasure and economy suggest the publication date is during or immediately post the Depression.

'Tempting Suggestions for the Dinner Table' from the Clements Tonic Cookery Book. — ‘Tempting Suggestions for the Dinner Table’.

Advertising

The flavour of the advertising ranges from this fresh young woman who is maintaining herself with Fletcher’s Pills to the almost sad face below of an older woman who ‘felt really well’ after her Clements Tonic.