Cook Book '79 - A Flashback to an Etobicoke Cooking Contest -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

A few week's ago my partner Natalie discovered a recipe for bran muffins from none other than Prime Minister Stephen Harper's mom!

She found it in a cookbook released by the Etobicoke Guardian in 1979 that flowed out of a cooking contest they had held.

While Harper's mom's recipe was not one of the winners, the 62 page magazine format cookbook is a fascinating throwback to a different time and place.

Today we will look at the "Prize Winning" recipes. Note the prizes, the categories and the fact that there was a "Men Only" category (the winner took home a broilmaster).

While a few of the recipes look pretty good (especially the Ukrainian meat sticks), the Grand Prize "Gourmet meal for two" stretches the term gourmet.

Humorously the Grand Prize was a dishwasher...while one of the lesser prizes was a trip to Ottawa (that went to the vegetarian)!

Here are all the winning recipes as well as a few advertisements for the sake of ambiance.

(click on images to enlarge)

See also: Stephen Harper's Mom's Bran Muffin Recipe