Staplebound
1907 · San Francisco
by Alaska Packers Association
San Francisco: Alaska Packers Association, 1907. Staplebound. Tan textured wraps. Fine. 36 pages. 14 x 9.5 cm. After 31 canneries banded together in 1891 to sell off surplus canned salmon, the Alaska Packers Association needed to educate the general public on how to make use of this protein packed can of fish. An aggressive campaign to introduce canned salmon was decided upon and this beautifully illustrated cookbook was the solution to the problem at hand. The first order of business was to illustrate "How to Open the Can" along with a two page essay entitled, "The Art of Canning Salmon, A Concise Statement of the Process as practiced at the Canneries of the Alaska Packers Association" - an attempt to counteract the impact of Upton Sinclair's recently published book, The Jungle, an expose of the dangerous and unhealthy meat processing practices in America. Next, the Association rounded up recipes using their product in dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner including: Salmon Omelet, Salmon Croquettes, Salmon Pie, Salmon Curry, Salmon Salad, and many more. A truly pristine pamphlet demonstrating the reach of an early American advertising campaign.
(Inventory #: 4179)