Product Cookbooklets

After the Civil War another category of product-sponsored publications appeared. These publications promoted specific foods or culinary equipment. When the U.S. Patent Office began registering trademarks and slogans, the use of brand names and attractive labels grew. Around the same time, a drop in the price of paper and the invention of the rotary press made possible high-speed, low-cost printing. With major advances in color lithography and photography in the late 1800s, brand-name food manufacturers began advertising nationally by buying ad space in magazines and by publishing pamphlets. These pamphlets encouraged customers to request particular brand-name products at local grocery stores rather than to accept unbranded bulk goods. Local stores, in turn, were encouraged to purchase products directly from manufacturers. This system eliminated the need for middlemen or brokers and reduced prices for retailers and for customers. The recipes in these booklets usually featured the company’s products, and these recipes were often reprinted in newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks.