Retro Obsession

I've been collecting vintage diner china for years, picking it up at rummage sales and thrift stores when I find it. It is a collectible that you can still find at a reasonable price. Why do I collect it? My parents had a restaurant and used Buffalo China dishes there. They were sturdy, made a great sound when they clinked together, and nothing feels better in your hand than a heavy Buffalo China cup filled with steaming coffee on a cold day!

What's interesting is that you can tell how old your piece is by the code on the bottom. For instance this Walker China cup has a code of J-47. This means it was produced in January 1947.

Buffalo China has a unique code of its own, J-12 means that this stack of  small diner plates  was manufactured around December 1949.

I think my favorite marking would have to be the raised buffalo logo mark, which is most likely from the 50's or 60's.

Retro Baking with Betty

This is a cool vintage (from the '50's?) Betty Crocker "How to have the most fun with cake mixes" cookbook. It has funky recipes and ideas on decorating and presenting your Betty Crocker cakes. This book was targeted to the brand new homemaker. There are holiday cakes in the shapes of rabbits, snowballs, igloos and Jack-O'-Lanterns.

There are also gingerbread hard sauce clowns which are made with sugar butter and vanilla and candy pieces for a delicious and creepy effect. Plus ideas for  zoo cookies, lemon ginger dessert and ginger fancy!

My absolute favorite is the FLAMING Peach Jubilee Cake - Yikes! Set that one down in front of your family! It uses canned peach halves, lemon extract and sugar cubes for the fiery effect. Thanks Betty, you've been making our lives sweeter for the last 87 years! Now where's my fire extinguisher?