Alcatraz Women’s Club Cook Book

Alcatraz Women’s Club Cook Book, Collected Recipes Alcatraz Island, California. According to the front cover the original “appeared” in 1952 and is reproduced from a volume donated to the National Parks Service by Phillis T. Weed. The original is archived in the Park Archives and Records Center, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco California. This appears to have been reprinted in 1995. The proceeds from the reprint went to the Golden Gate National Recreation Center.

There is an introduction that goes over the history of families living on Alcatraz. Since the famously “inescapable” prison was on an island, this meant that pretty much everyone who worked there and their families also lived on the island. About 250 “civilian” people including between 60-90 children lived there and formed clubs like this woman’s club, J.U.G.s (Just Us Girls for older girls), and children’s groups. They had parties and various events and started putting out cookbooks that were advertised in Sunset Magazine as fundraisers for events for the children.

There is a note that the recipes appear exactly as they did in the original, “typos” and all.

The desserts are the standouts here, in my opinion, from Mrs. Blanch Hudson’s Cherry Cordial Chiffon Cake to Mrs. Evelyn Bergen’s Hollywood Cheesecake, Mrs. Viola Delmore’s Tutti Fruitti Cake, Mrs. Lonnie Blair’s Wine Cakes and Mrs. Ballment’s Lemon Sours.

There is one novelty recipe and two for tamale pie in this very short (63-page) cookbook. One photograph, no illustrations. All of the contributors are named.

I adapted Liv O’Connell’s recipe for Porcupines from this book.