A special 120th anniversary menu has been created for Ford employees, using historic recipes published by the Ford Times magazine — as well as a 1930s-era, Ford-published soybean cookbook.
The Ford Times, a lifestyle and travel magazine, was published from 1908 through 1993 and distributed by Ford dealers. During its decades-long run, the Ford Times featured more than 3,000 restaurants and recipes from all corners of the U.S. At its height, the magazine claimed the world’s largest circulation.
The recurring feature “Favorite Recipes of Famous Taverns,” which recounted various recipes from large and small restaurants around the U.S., was first published in April 1946 and was preceded by an introduction that read in part:
“For those who cannot get to all the famous places they would like to visit, to have the same food at home is a good second best to traveling itself. The Ford Times therefore boxes the compass to bring you favorite recipes of famous inns hither and yon. Visit them if you can. If you cannot, or while you are waiting to go, try their mouth-watering specialties on your own dining table.”
The series, written by Nancy Kennedy — who, after joining the Ford Times in 1946. served in various editorial roles, including as food editor — was renamed to “Favorite Recipes of Famous Restaurants in 1962 and then simply to “Dining” in 1991, when the favorite restaurants of Ford’s dealers were featured.
The recipes were compiled into a nine-volume series of cookbooks that sold millions of copies, many of which appear for sale online today. The first edition was published in 1950; the series included full-color photos or illustrations of each restaurant.
Another area where Ford Motor Company crossed over into food and dining came through founder Henry Ford’s interest in soybeans. The legume was easy to grow and could be useful in creating car parts and paints — he went as far as producing and displaying an experimental soy car — but the protein-rich food also proved useful for making kitchen staples such as milk. Ford was so impressed by the multifaceted uses of soybeans that he was known to wear an entire outfit made from the beans, including a suit and tie, complete with a hat. He would also serve dinner guests an all-soybean menu that included soybean cheese-stuffed celery, apple pie topped with soybean sauce, soybean coffee and soybean ice cream.
In the 1930s, Ford published a soybean-based cookbook that included recipes that incorporated cooked soybeans, as well as soy-based milk, butters and cheese (tofu). One of Ford’s favorite soy items, a chocolate chip cookie, has been recreated by Zingerman’s Bakehouse for the company’s anniversary menu.
The special 120th anniversary menu includes select items — including a rotation of soups and cheesecakes, the iconic Maurice Salad, and more — and is now available in all U.S. cafes through early July.
