Have you ever wondered why some family recipes are passed down, generation after generation? Cookbooks—both family relics and mass-produced literature—are cultural artifacts that reveal how our kitchens and meals have been shaped by changing social dynamics, economic shifts and evolving tastes.
Take a nostalgic dive into some of the classics that graced American tables in Linda Hall Library‘s newest free exhibition, Follow the Recipe: A Social and Cultural Journey. From military manuals to school lunches and home-cooked Sunday dinners, the featured cookbooks from the Linda Hall Library collection embody the resilience, creativity and aspirations of their eras.
The exhibition features a variety of cookbooks that inspire nostalgia and prompt visitors to explore the social and cultural customs related to food and cooking. Some of the books on display include:
- The Sunshine Cookbook: A children’s cookbook from the Florida Department of Citrus “to promote the increased consumption of Florida citrus and processed products thereof.”
- The World’s Favorite Recipes: A United Nations publication highlighting more than 100 dishes, which contains an introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt.
- Military Manuals: Decades of military cooking manuals from the Air Force, Army, Navy and more.
Linda Hall Library, known for its extensive collection of scientific publications throughout the centuries, has a wide variety of books on its shelves. From the historic evolutionary biology texts that supported Chained to the Sky: The Science of Birds, Past & Future to modern scientific analysis of the search for extraterrestrial life in Life Beyond Earth?. Follow the Recipe and Life Beyond Earth? are the two current exhibitions at the Linda Hall Library that are showcasing the diverse Library collections, giving patrons the opportunity learn from world-famous books and unexpected gems.
The Library is also hosting a special event on February 8 at 10:30 AM to hear more about the collections from the exhibition curators. Join Aida Clark, Reference Assistant at the Linda Hall Library, and Eric Ward, VP of Programs and Education, for freshly brewed coffee and a curators talk on the new exhibition, exploring their personal favorites. Following the event will be a meet and greet with the curators in the exhibition gallery. Free registration is required.
The exhibition will be on display at the Linda Hall Library now through August 2025, located at 5109 Cherry Street in Kansas City, MO. The Library is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Exhibition galleries will also be open the second Saturday of the month, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
