Japanese American Cookbooks, Nisei Favorites Volume 1 & 2, 1970s

Japanese American, Cookbook

Archive

[Japanese American] Nisei Favorites Volumes I & II. California: Gardena Valley Baptist Church, American Baptist Women. Volume I: Revised edition 1975; Volume II: ca. mid 1970s. Original spiral-bound illustrated wrappers. 8vo. Approximately 120 pages each. This set of two spiral-bound cookbooks—Nisei Favorites No. 1 and Nisei Favorites No. 2—was compiled by the American Baptist Women of Gardena Valley Baptist Church in Gardena, California. These cookbooks are emblematic of postwar Japanese American community life, where food served as both cultural preservation and a tool of community healing and rebuilding after the trauma of wartime incarceration and resettlement. Volume I, first printed in 1966, and Volume II contain dozens of family recipes contributed by Nisei women, reflecting a unique fusion of Japanese, Hawaiian, and American culinary traditions. The dishes range from homey casseroles to “Strictly Oriental” recipes, showcasing the adaptability and creativity of the Nisei kitchen. Each volume includes: Sections on Appetizers, Breads, Soups and Salads, Casseroles, Meats, Seafood, Poultry, Vegetables, Sweets, and a dedicated chapter for Strictly "Oriental" dishes; Recipes such as Chasu Spareribs, Barracuda no Teriyaki, Kikkoman Shoyu Wieners, Shoyu Butterfish, and Ika no Sumiso, blending traditional Japanese flavors with American pantry staples; Notes of gratitude from Aki Tsukahara, the Cook Book Committee Chair, emphasizing the community’s dedication to preserving culinary heritage; A foreward with Christian framing with inspirational quotes and the poem “Recipe for Happiness in Christian Living,” reflecting the church’s influence on domestic and cultural life; Illustrations to start each section and dedications within the books reinforce the communal and intergenerational aspects of food sharing. Recipes are frequently signed by individual contributors, creating a deeply personal and familial feel throughout both volumes. These cookbooks are a powerful record of Japanese American women's cultural labor, domestic creativity, and resilience. In a period when Japanese Americans were reestablishing their homes and identities after incarceration and wartime prejudice, food became a language of continuity, care, and cultural expression. The Nisei Favorites volumes capture that spirit of adaptation and connection, serving as both culinary guides and community archives. Overall very good condition.

Item #21806

Price: $185.00