Cooking Up History: The Evolution of Kitchens and Cookbooks
No room in the house has transformed more dramatically than the kitchen—and cookbooks have been evolving right alongside. In my latest episode of Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens, I had the pleasure of visiting with Jill Van Veldhuizen, Education Assistant, Molly Engquist, Curator of Exhibits, and Jessie Nesseim, Curator of Collections, the designers and curators behind Cooking Up History: The Evolution of Kitchens and Cookbooks, now on display at the Old Courthouse Museum in Sioux Falls, SD.
Evolution of Kitchens and Cookbooks
We explore how kitchens shifted from open hearths and freestanding tables and a few open shelves to the sleek, tech-filled rooms we know today. The exhibit walks visitors through more than a century of change—highlighting innovations in appliances, food preservation and safety, advertising, and the role of the kitchen in American homes. Once seen as the woman’s domain, the kitchen has become “everybody’s room,” the bustling heart of the home.
They even made the kitchen display interactive. So go ahead! Open those drawers and doors and see what 1940s and 1950s surprises are inside.
How many of the mystery thingamajigs can you guess?
There’s even a little history on the ice cream maker.
Which goes even farther back than the story my dad told in Nearly 60 Years of Homemade Birthday Ice Cream with My Dad. Pictured below: (L to R) Uncle Wayne Perry, Ron Perry (my dad), and my grandpa Elroy Moe. In the back is my sister Heidi Thomssen.
A window into kitchens of the time, cookbooks truly tell the story. Jill, Molly, and Jessie explain how early cookbooks were more like household guides, filled with tips on stain removal, meat broth for the ill, and etiquette for hosting dinner parties. Over time, recipes evolved from brief memory aids to detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Community cookbooks, immigrant traditions, and branded recipe pamphlets played a major role in shaping regional flavors—especially in South Dakota, where German and Scandinavian influences still shine. Just look at a Christmas bake sale at a church and you’ll see it, from lefse to krumkake and sandbakkels and rosettes.
We also touch on how advertising and food brands like JELL-O helped create an emotional connection to products, some including a piece of china in the packaging, and how celebrity chefs like Julia Child brought joy and personality back to what was once considered a daily chore.
They take us behind the scenes of this exhibit, sharing how long it took from initial concept to opening day, plus what piece they couldn’t fit in the room.
Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts (or use the links below) and explore more about this exhibit and all the current exhibits at the Old Courthouse Museum or visit in person at 200 W 6th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.
Want to learn more about kitchens and design? Check out these two episodes:
- Painting Personality and Vibes into Your Kitchen with Wendy Doornink, Season 2, Episode 15 released on February 9, 2024
- From Cabinets to Sculleries and Floating Shelves: The Art of Your Kitchen Design With Carissa Trygstad, Season 2, Episode 16 released on February 19, 2024
Also Mentioned in this Episode
“The Buckeye Cook Book and Practical Housekeeping”
“The Kitchen Front” by Jennifer Ryan
Old Courthouse Museum
The Old Courthouse Museum is part of the Siouxland Heritage Museums system: https://siouxlandmuseums.com
Old Courthouse Museum Website: https://siouxlandmuseums.com/index.php/welcome-to-the-siouxland-heritage-museums/old-courthouse-museum/
Current Old Courthouse Museum Exhibits: https://siouxlandmuseums.com/index.php/old-courthouse-museum-exhibits/
Facebook: Old Courthouse Museum, Sioux Falls, SD
Location: 200 W 6th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Phone: 605-367-4210
Whether you’re a history buff, cookbook collector, or a curious cook, this episode is a flavorful journey through time.
Sweet wishes,
Photos courtesy of Old Courthouse Museum (except the photo with my family).
