INDIANA — A colorful slice of Southern Indiana’s culinary and industrial history is available to explore online, thanks to the Indiana State Library’s digital collection.
Featured in the library’s Trade Catalogs section, “The First Bite: Tasty Recipes for Big Dandy Bread” is a richly illustrated, full-color advertising cookbook produced during the Great Depression by the Jeffersonville Baking Company. The promotional booklet highlights how commercial bakeries once used creative recipes to build brand loyalty and increase consumer demand for packaged goods.
A Southern Indiana Baking Pioneer
Established in 1910 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the Jeffersonville Baking Company held a significant place in regional manufacturing history. According to a January 10, 1944, edition of the Jeffersonville Evening News, the company earned the distinction of being the first bakery in Southern Indiana to mass-produce, wrap, and pre-slice bread for local consumers.
Advertising cookbooks like “The First Bite” became a popular marketing tool in the early-to-mid 20th century. Similar to famous promotional collections centered around Campbell’s soup, Jell-O, or mayonnaise, these inexpensive booklets encouraged home cooks to use brand-name products in novel ways.
Depression-Era Comfort and Creativity
Because it was published during the Great Depression, “The First Bite” focuses heavily on economical, filling meals that utilized simple, inexpensive ingredients, with the company’s signature Big Dandy Bread served as the primary foundation for every dish.
Some of the unique vintage recipes featured in the collection include:
- “Celestial Hash”: A molded rice and tuna creation structured around sliced bread.
- “Lady Lou”: A rich bacon and cheese sauce served over toasted Big Dandy Bread.
The booklet opens with a warm dedication to Hoosier home cooks, expressing a wish: “May the recipes in this little booklet suggest many delightful new ways of combining healthful, nourishing foods into tempting, appetizing dishes.”
History buffs, food historians, and curious home chefs can view “The First Bite” alongside dozens of other historical trade catalogs and vintage advertising materials by visiting the Indiana State Library Digital Collections.
