Christmas is a Warm Cookie presented for your enjoyment by The Children’s Board of Lakewood Hospital, Lakewood, Ohio 1979
The book opens with a little history of the Children’s Board starting with it’s founding in 1948. It was a way to promote and improve the hospital through fundraising and volunteer service particularly to support the children’s ward. In 1957 their pilot project, the Occupational Therapy Unit became a permanent feature of the hospital and was still “heavily funded” by the board. In 1973 they created a courtyard for the children to enjoy.
They put out their first cookbook, “You Are Invited” in 1974 which was a “total menu” cookbook about entertaining and it was a success. A major fundraising event was their Christmas Walk which was a home tour and pop-up boutique. They sold cookies at this event and patrons requested the recipes so they decided to publish a cookie-only book. Profits went to fund the Children’s Board.
I have a lot of thoughts about why a group needs to fundraise so much for what seems like basic amenities and services for sick children in a hospital but it does seem like they were both needed and welcomed.
There is a section thanking people for testing, typing, and proof reading the recipes. I don’t often see references to testing in community cookbooks–this was a hard-working group! They list the contributing members of the board and friends of the boards but oddly do not credit any of the individual recipes.
They did credit Mrs. Charles E. Campbell for the cover and cardboard divider illustrations.
The recipes are divided by type– bar cookies, drop cookies, hand-formed cookies, cut out cookies and “et cetera” which were mostly no-bake cookies or recipes bordering on being candy such as Apricot Balls but also petite fours.
The recipes didn’t have headnotes but quite a few had helpful notes at the end. Old World Butter Horns “dry out fast’ and they suggest you freeze them if not serving the same day you bake them. Other recipes are listed as good for being mailed or if they “improve with age”.
They must have been mailing a lot of cookies back in 1979!
There is a good variety of cookies and a few cookie-like recipes for brownies.
I wish the recipes did have headnotes, the names aren’t too mysterious but what makes the Hungarian Nut Bars, Hungarian? What makes the English Raspberry Bars, English? What’s the scoop on Bishop’s Bread? Why are they called Grumble Bars and why do they call for grapenuts? Why do the Coconut Orange Squares call for both (dry) Tang and orange juice? Who had the idea to add Dr. Pepper to the Chocolate “Oaty” Cookies?
Is the title a the Beatle’s “Happiness is a Warm Gun” reference? Or to Peanuts’ Happiness Is A Warm Puppy? I’d love to know.