MID CENTURY MODERN IN THE KITCHEN in Postcards 4

Iroquois by Russel Wright.

As the men and women came home from the WWII, they found a new world of home making to great them. There were new fabrics, new styles of clothing, and new home goods as well as new homes waiting for them. Before the war, many housewives had formal dinnerware and the fabrics to go with them. Gold or platinum edged place settings were common. Many of the soldiers brought home dishes and silver in the older styles. The same for the fabrics and glassware.

Before the war, the Arts and Crafts movement brought a sense of relaxation, newness, and originality to the more avant-garde as well as the older styles. By the time many of the soldiers were settling in to their new lives, many of their fresh ideas had gone from hand made to machine produced. Happily, patterned fabrics were used for lunch and dinner, not just for breakfasts any more. Stoves and refrigerators were streamlined as were vacuum cleaners. Furniture styles changed dramatically. Food styles changed right along with them.

New inventions opened the door to all sorts of new results. Ice cube trays gave us easily chilled drinks for the hot days. Then Tupper ware opened the door to an unlimited use of left overs. Imagine life without frozen dinners. As each new invention came out, it broadened our outlook on the regional foodways that surrounded us.

A large Bauer mixing bowl with two Wright platters.

New ideas were offered to us by chefs, and our way of life was changed forever. In 1946 James Beard published his first cookbook. After his death he was described by Julia child, “Through the years he gradually became not only the leading culinary figure in the country, but ‘The Dean of American Cuisine’.” She also tells us, “He was a big man, over six feet tall, with a big belly, and huge hands. An endearing and always lively teacher, he loved people, loved his work, loved gossip, loved to eat, loved a good time.” According to Thomas McNamee, “Beard, a man of stupendous appetites—for food, sex, money, you name it—stunned his subtler colleagues.”

Julia Child followed James Beard as an influencer in the 1960’s. In 1961 the first volume of her cooking series, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” was published. “The French Chef” TV show had its debut in 1963 on the Boston Public Broadcasting Service station. What happened next was a surprise to everyone. She became the most widely viewed television chef ever. Child was beloved not only for her cooking, but also for her enthusiasms, her voice, and her totally “unaffected manner.”

A large painted glass pitcher with Russel Write platters.

During his enthusiastic lifetime, James Beard published over 40 books. His foundation continues to affect the food world today. Julia Child’s writings can still be found in many homes, and her Santa Barbara based foundation continues her work. These chefs are just two of many that changed and expanded our way of lives.

Three Russel Wright patterns.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

https://americanhistory.si.edu/food
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Child
https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/adding-weight-julia-childs-kitchen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Beard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russel_Wright
https://bauerpottery.com/
https://www.thefoodhistorian.com/blog

Last updated November 10, 2020