In its June 9, 1938 issue The Planters’ Press announced its free Motion Picture Cooking School that was coming to town on Monday, June 20th. The second annual event was to be held at the Southland Theatre on Barksdale Boulevard in Bossier City.
“There will be real lessons, too, lessons in measuring, mixing, and blending the ingredients for many recipes; in the preparation of such triumphs as a lattice-top fruit pie; in making delicious frozen desserts and salads, in laundering fine fabrics and in planning healthful meals for growing children.”
“The camera has assembled all the expert information of trained home economists—not a routine lecture, not as a formal ‘highbrow’ demonstration, but as a real romance of home-making, full of suspense and charm, and informal chats from-one-good-cook-to-another.”
“There will be remarkable close-ups of each process in a series of model[s], conveniently-equipped kitchens—real, workable kitchens (not the synthetic, false-front variety), where trained home-makers will plan and complete the preparation of several meals so the entire audience can see the process step by step.”
“The finished dishes which will be shown in full color, will look as though they could be picked right out of the picture and eaten on the spot.”
“The class won’t be all work, for there is the constant play of sparkling humor, the appeal of tender romance, the suspense of a coherent, intelligently directed story, which dramatizes everyday happenings—the human sort of things that really do happen.”
“Binding the attractive story together is the romance of homemaking, a subject that holds the interest of every woman young and old. Even The Planters’ Press realizes that all women, brides, business types, and experienced housekeepers—respond to the fascination of looking in on another woman when she is at work in the kitchen.”
“Particularly do they like it when they are allowed to sit quietly and watch her prepare some dish in which she specializes. They know that if they watch closely, while she measures and mixes and completes the entire cooking operation, this close-up personal study will be more helpful than hours of ready recipes or blind experimenting.”
“The motion picture camera was leisurely, completely unhurried and painstakingly accurate in recording ‘Star in My Kitchen.’ There is no trickery in the cooking, baking, and preparation of appetizing ice-box wonders. Competent cooks who have drifted into bad habits will be able to check their own mistakes by studying the synthetic routine revealed in those close-ups.”
“It sounds like a real re-union for women of the community, even to The Planters’ Press, which is getting a steady stream of congratulations on booking this profitable cooking school.”
“In addition to the daily recipe sheets, a generous store of gifts are destined to be carried back to many a home from the Southland Theatre.”
Next week we will read more about ‘Star in My Kitchen.’ Or visit the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center if you find that you can’t wait that long.
Ann Middleton is Director of the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center. She can be reached at (318) 746-7717 or by e-mail at amiddlet@state.lib.la.us
