Commentary: Cookbooks document the history of women’s lives

In the margins, Gulielma Springett Penn had notes and thoughts written. The recipes are riddled with her opinions and adaptations of the methods and foods cooked. The cookbook read like a daily journal of her life.”

I was raised in historic New Castle. This local jewel’s diverse and far-reaching history is close to my heart.

It is well known that William Penn landed in our town in October of 1682, before ever stepping foot in Philadelphia. We tell of the legendary ride of Caesar Rodney, the inspirational votes of George Read and Thomas McKean that led to Delaware becoming the First State, and of the famous Booths — gentlemen judges and father and son — who presided over many controversial cases in our courthouse.

But what about the women?

One of my earliest memories is sitting on my Mom-Mom Francois’ kitchen floor, watching my female relatives baking cookies for the holidays. My grandmother, clearly the matriarch, steered the activities with both a quiet passion and attentive direction. This cozy memory will always embrace me, like a warm hug.

As a historical interpreter at the New Castle Court House Museum, I have many resources at my fingertips. I had had the privilege of indulging myself with the letters passed between William and Gulielma Penn over the years of their courting and marriage. One quiet afternoon, I found myself reading their family recipes. After further research, I was captivated by the photocopied pages of the original. In the margins, Gulielma Springett Penn had notes and thoughts written. The recipes are riddled with her opinions and adaptations of the methods and foods cooked. The cookbook read like a daily journal of her life. She displayed the same resolve I witnessed in my grandmother’s kitchen.

On May 21 of this year, coinciding with the celebration of the 96th anniversary of A Day in Old New Castle, the state of Delaware will honor the Delaware suffragists by dedicating a plaque to these women. These brave ladies were arrested in Washington, D.C., fighting for women’s right to vote. Legal advancements resulting from their brave actions and the civil rights movements allow Delaware women so many opportunities in the present day. The glass ceiling-shattering message of the suffragists was surreptitiously passed amongst women through cookbooks. An intimate look at these cookbooks was icing on the cake for me!

Using my acquired background in history and a dilettante education of oenology and culinary skills, I set my mind to a new endeavor that blossomed during our time in quarantine. The cornucopia of notable women to select from bubbles over in the pages of Delaware history.

Hosted by Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs for Women’s History Month, the series, “Well Seasoned Heirlooms,” will let you whet your appetite for a rare and exclusive look at our state’s history. This unique experience will allow the viewer to gain perspective through the eyes of the women who lived it. On March 28, “Well Seasoned Heirlooms” will bring a new appreciation to Delaware’s enticing past. Everyone is invited to the table! You can RSVP at history.delaware.gov/2022/02/17/womens-history-month-2022.

In the future, “Well Seasoned Heirlooms” will yield heaping, monthly servings of the practices, recipes and women throughout Delaware history as they speak to us through their food.

Kimberly Fritsch is a historical interpreter at the Delaware Division of Historical & Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum, hosting tours and interpreting the museum.