Old community cookbooks are fun to read. They were printed to share recipes of family favorites in order to support a charity, community project, church, or even a hospital. Some were also there to share helpful advice. Whether these advice recipes were actually ‘tested’ or written for actual use, many are entertaining to read in any case. Here is one such recipe: “How to Preserve a Husband” in a poem form. For some women domestic bliss was to keep husbands happy in the home, and this advice poem was written for women on how to keep a husband happy. There are many different versions out there, such as How to Preserve Children and How to Preserve a Wife.

How to Preserve a Husband

Be careful in your selection; Do not choose too young.
When once selected, give your entire thought to preparation for domestic use. Some insist on keeping them in a pickle; others are constantly getting them into hot water. This makes them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses and smiles. Then wrap them in a mantle of charity, keep warm with a steady fire of domestic
devotion and milk of human kindness. Thus prepared, they will keep forever.