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As cookbooks go, this one looks like a reject from the world of yesteryear’s memories. It is tattered, torn, and stained from many trips to the kitchen counters. For all its pitiful appearance, the contents of this little red folder of a cookbook have put many smiles on many faces and several pounds on the midriffs of many happy eaters over the years.

The cookbook first came to life in 1960 in Lynchburg. The women who worked at the Craig Glove Factory got together and brought in their favorite recipes, and a secretary at the factory typed all of them down. Then they were all put in different colored folders and sold for $1.00. The money was raised to support a local young woman who was running for Frontier Days Queen, which was held in Lynchburg every year. One of the ladies that worked there was Faye Smith. She said they all had a good time putting it all together. Unfortunately, hers was lost when her house was destroyed by fire years later.

The Craig Glove Factory opened in Lynchburg shortly after the end of WWII. Many local ladies worked there when the factory closed in the late 1960’s. The DeLong Factory opened in the early 1970’s and closed in the late 1980’s.

The proud owner of this particular Craig Cookbook is my wife of 54 years, Jimmie Lee Anglin. She recalls that her Aunt Maggie Smith gave it to her when she was 10 years old. These recipes really out date themselves with some of the ingredients, such as when making a Milky Way Cake.

Milky Way Cake

Cake Ingredients: Icing, 8 five cent Milky Way bars, 4 eggs, ½ c sugar, 2 sticks oleo, 1 ¼ c buttermilk, 1 evaporated milk, 2 c sugar, 2 ½ c plain flour, 1 stick oleo, 1 c chopped nuts, ½ tsp soda powder, 1 6oz pkg chocolate chips, and 1 7oz jar Marshmallow.

There is also a recipe for Pizza…made from scratch. The cookbook also contains recipes for main dishes, deserts, snacks, and treats. Sadly, many of the women who worked there are no longer with us, but hopefully their Craig Cookbooks have survived and are still being used to bring smiles and culinary pleasure for many more years. HAPPY EATING!!