cooking

Younger’s Mints

2002.125.008 - Youngers Mint recipe signed by Charlie Younger, 1929.

Mints

8 pounds Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1 ounce Syrup

2 ½ pints Boiling Water

When candy starts boiling, put in 1 ounce Butter. When cooks to 240° put in 2 ounces more.

Cook to 268° in cold weather and about 274° in hot weather.

Pour on slab and cool - pull & cut. Flavor 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon mint oil or less mint if too strong.

Too much butter in the Younger family taffy recipe resulted in the famous "melt in your mouth" Younger's mints. Started as a small operation in the basement of the Younger home in 1926, the business soon grew to the point where it was necessary to open a retail store in the original McKee building on Main Street. Not long afterwards the store moved to a building on 104th Avenue equipped with a kitchen for making the candy. In search of a better retail location, the business moved to Kirkland in 1938, as it was a larger town at that time. The candy was again made in the Younger home. In the meantime the candies were being shipped all over the world and a local reputation had been established. With the rationing of sugar during World War II the business was sold to the Anderson family in 1947.

2002.125.004 - Addie Hurley behind counter in Charley Younger's Candy Shop, Kirkland. Circa 1942.

Resources

Culinary History of a Pacific Northwest Town: Bellevue, Washington by Suzanne Knauss.

Eastside Heritage Center Archives

Historical Recipes and Cookbooks

The holiday season is characterized by large meals, lavish spreads of specialty dishes, and family traditions. Below you’ll find a selection of recipes from the history of the Eastside. Try one and share your dish with us! Email a picture of your creation to our Collections Manager to be featured on our social media pages.

1950 Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places

The cookbook lists restaurants throughout the United States. Each page describes one restaurant, and includes an illustration and a recipe from that establishment.

Pound steak with tenderizer. Pour flour into shallow pan; add salt and pepper. Press steak into flour mixture and turn several times. Melt shortening in heated Dutch oven (425°). Brown steak well on both sides, then add chopped onion. Mix mushroom soup with equal parts of water, stir well, and pour over steak. Turn fire down to 350° and let simmer for 2 hours. Add more water if necessary. Serves 4 to 6.

Dutch Oven Steak

2 pounds round steak, 1 inch thick

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shortening

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 can mushroom soup

 

1962 Favorite Recipes from Faraway Places

Century 21/Seattle World's Fair Souvenir Cookbook. The book was printed by Frederick and Nelson and Revere Ware.

Pour mixture over 4 pork chops - 1” thick.

Let stand for 24 hours.

Remove chops and brown in Revere 10” Skillet.

Pour Vinegar mixture over chops and cook until chops are tender.

Garnish with 4 slices pineapple and 4 maraschino cherries.

Pork Chops Tahitian

Mix Together:

3/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons dry mustard

4 cloves garlic

 

1916 Jell-O, America's Most Famous Dessert

In addition to the recipes, this book tells the story of a new bride and how she uses Jell-O to cook dinner for her new husband, entertain, and cook for her children.

Thrifty Salad

Dissolve one package of Lemon Jell-O in one pint of boiling water. When cold, put a shallow layer in bottom of mould, and when partly set, place in sliced tomatoes. Fill mould with alternate layers of salmon, cold cooked peas and cold Jell-O. Serve on bed of lettuce leaves, garnished with tomatoes, adding French dressing or mayonnaise.