This is one of the recently discovered boxes
filled with recipes. Photo by Abigail Bobrow.
Kitchen finds stir up memories
Recently discovered metal boxes filled with hundreds of recipe cards reveal a flavorful time capsule of dining history from before the digital age.
Contributors
Written and photographed by Abigail Bobrow
Illustrations by Rebecca Schultz
Photographs courtesy of the University of Illinois Archives
Long before computers became a household staple and the internet connected the world, chefs across campus crafted and preserved their culinary creations in more than a dozen metal recipe boxes. A bit larger but still like ones in many family kitchens, these simple yet enduring collections are cherished records of the meals served in the residence halls, a glimpse into the flavors and traditions of another era.
Craig Stockman, a food sanitation laborer, discovered them in 2019 while cleaning some cabinets in the Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls (LAR) kitchen area. He might as well have stumbled upon a time capsule created in the 1960s and sealed up in the early 1990s.
“It’s amazing how they’ve just been in there for all these years,” said Stockman, who has been in his role since 1999. “Some of them even have food stains on them!”
Taken as a collection, the hundreds — maybe thousands of recipes — tell the long story of the evolution of the dining halls and the university itself. Foods that were staple offerings, such as the dozens of savory and sweet creations using gelatin, don’t appear on today’s menus.
A handwritten peach-pie card from 1983 is stained with evidence of its many creations, while the yellowed 1969 frozen fruit salad recipe remains surprisingly intact. The 1973 beef vegetable soup card, worn and discolored, speaks of countless servings made by myriad hands.
These pages feature just a few of the recipes we imagine were beloved by students and chefs alike.
Frozen fruit salad
This frosty favorite from 1969 was a staple in the “gelatin mold” section of the recipe box. The stained, well-loved card tells the story: This dish was a hit in dining halls.
Peach pie frozen
This handwritten 1983 card tells you all you need to know about this in-demand, juicy, sweet peach pie. Another piece, please!
Beef barley
Simple, satisfying, and served often, this 1972 beef barley soup recipe gets right to the point: just two steps to a hearty bowl. Judging by the worn card, this dish warmed up many a campus lunch.
Beef vegetable
Students looking for a nourishing home-cooked meal likely found it with this 1973 beef vegetable soup recipe. This comfort food hit the spot by the looks of the card.
Coconut mold
A standout from 1970, this creamy coconut creation was so popular that cooks had to laminate the recipe card just to keep up with demand. Gelatin-based dishes ruled the menu for decades. “I remember making Jell-O in those big sheet pans until 2010 or ’11,” said Ruth Jones, kitchen supervisor. However, tastes have changed, and this kind of retro dessert is history.
Mabel Murphy’s fruited bread pudding
Sweet, creamy, and unmistakably indulgent, this dessert takes its name from the famed Chicago restaurant. Judging by the laminated card and handwritten notes, it was clearly a well-loved favorite. Though undated, the recipe stands out for its generous use of maraschino cherries — two full cups!
