1 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Favor production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese and I'm Lauren Volga bam, and today 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: we have an episode for you about Betty Crocker. Yes, 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: which not a current sponsor. No no no um also 5 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: favorite pun when researching this one. No whisk, no reward. 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, it's so good. I love it. I 7 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: love it, I love it, I love it. That is 8 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: official branding. That is official Betty Crocker branding. By the way, 9 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: Yeah it is. You're right, all my Betty Crocker knowledge 10 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: is gotten whisked together. Now that's fair. That's fair. Yeah, yeah, 11 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: this is the longer outline. Actually, um so a couple 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: of years ago stuff I've never told you. The other 13 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: podcast I do, we did an episode on Betty Crocker. 14 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: We all also did as part of that um Ante 15 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: Mima and uh Mrs Butterworth. So what a what A 16 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: what a parent? Yes, so definitely like if you want 17 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: to learn more or like more about the kind of 18 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: the history of those brands. And you know, now it's 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: a little bit outdated because a lot of things have changed, 20 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: um since Yeah, maybe maybe an updates and order, Yeah exactly, 21 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: but the history is still there, and it's really interesting. 22 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: And I actually do find Lauren and I were discussing 23 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: this before before we started recording. I find this story 24 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: really interesting in a lot of ways, um, and a 25 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: lot of ways I find it really endearing, and a 26 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: lot of ways to find it really sexist. But but 27 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: I do. There's just something to me about like this 28 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: character taking off for these women who were in the 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: kitchen and they were trying to do the best with 30 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: new ingredients they had around and didn't have the internet. Yeah, 31 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: you know, like like relatively isolated and and and lonely 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: and just trying to work out how to make um, 33 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: this post industrial revolution kitchen work and right and finding 34 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: you know, reaching out and finding this fictional character and 35 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:23,399 Speaker 1: being like close enough, we'll take it. Yes, Yes, it's 36 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 1: so funny because, like you said, fictional character. I'm almost 37 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: like gast It's not like I was ever a shock 38 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: to me, but it was a shock to some people. 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: And we're going to talk about that. Sure, Yeah, quite 40 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: a quite a big shock. Sure. Yeah, I mean to 41 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 1: see because she wasn't marketed as a character for decades exactly. Yes, 42 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: it's it's a really interesting story and we're going to 43 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: get into it. But I guess we should get to 44 00:02:50,360 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: our question. I suppose, Okay, Eddie Crocker, who what is it? Uh? Well, um, 45 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker is a brand based on, Yes, a character 46 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: who just wants to help home cooks out. She is 47 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: friendly and competent and resourceful and creative yet science based, 48 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: and she looks good doing it. She's uh, she's the 49 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: She's the Betty with the good hair. Oh nice. Um. 50 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: The brand is currently part of the General Mills Corporation, 51 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: through which General Mills produces UH packaged food products and 52 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: publications of a number of kinds um food products. Generally, 53 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: these are meant as like shortcuts for home cooks more 54 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: than actual prepared foods. UM. Though, let's be honest, we've 55 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: all eaten the icing out of the can. Yeah it's 56 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: okay that Hey, that frosting is heck and delicious. Um. 57 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: But yeah, there are there are boxed baking mixes that 58 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: let you just add water and or eggs and or etcetera, 59 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: UM to bake up cakes, cookies, brownies, muffins, pizza crust, 60 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: pancakes or biscuits, and yes, a shelf stable frostings to 61 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: dress them up with along with icing gels, sprinkles, other 62 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: decorative candies, food coloring and candles, and um like muffin 63 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: or cupcake liners. Yeah yeah. There are also boxed dinner 64 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: mixes that let you just add water and or dairy 65 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 1: and or meat to create main dishes or side dishes, 66 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: like the Helper line of hot pastas or rice, hamburger Helper, 67 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: chicken helper, etcetera. Um. There's also a line of mashed 68 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: or scalloped potatoes. There's also a line of pasta salads. Um. 69 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: But there are a few packaged products, namely fruit snacks 70 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: that are under the sub brands of Betty Crocker, Um, 71 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: Fruit by the Foot, fruit roll ups, gushers, Oh nineties 72 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: nostalgic of crashing into me right like a like a gush, 73 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: you might say, Yeah, I had I had no idea, 74 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: I did not remember that. Um, that's a little bit wild, 75 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: and I feel like I don't have time for today. 76 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: I feel like fruit by the Foot and Gushers are 77 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: like such totally different episodes. Yes, okay, alright, so that 78 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: a side Um. The Betty Cracker brand is also a 79 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: recipe creating behemoth um testing and publishing just a ton 80 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: of content UM through print books, their print magazine, their 81 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: product packaging UM and online media including their website, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, 82 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: and Instagram. Of course, uh that many Cracker brand is 83 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: based in the United States, but also has outcroppings in 84 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: the UK and Iceland and Saudi Arabia and Mexico, in 85 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: Australia and elsewhere throughout Europe and the Middle East and Asia. 86 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: I actually just after Thanksgiving. Uh my mom of course, 87 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: did the mom thing and I was leaving and she 88 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: was like, take this. Take this. You don't have enough food. 89 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: Take this. And she gave me like way too much 90 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: turkey for like a single person to eat reasonable amount 91 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: of time. And so I know, we've done a past 92 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: episode on tetrazini and how that used to be like 93 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: a thing we would make leftovers. And I found a 94 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker recipe and it was for like a leftover 95 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: you make tetrazini. And I happen to have all the 96 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: stuff and I was like, well, here we go, that's 97 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: what's happening with this and it was good. Well heck yeah, yes, 98 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: Well what about the nutrition? Uh don't eat brands or 99 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: characters probably mm hmmmm, Well you can get you know, 100 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: like gummies fictional characters on them. Sure, sure, and I 101 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: mean I guess, I mean, like we we sort of 102 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: covered this previously, but like if you drink kool aid, like, 103 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: are you drinking the kool aid man's fluids? I don't know, 104 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: mm hmm. True. These are the deep questions that haunt us, 105 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: keep us up at night over here at Saber. Yeah, 106 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: they do well. But in the meanwhile, we have some 107 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: numbers for you. We do. As of October, Betty Crocker 108 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: is one dred years old. Yeah, over two hundred grocery 109 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: products carry the Betty Crocker name. At General Mills headquarters 110 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, there is a Betty Crocker available for questions seven. 111 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: The brand is supported by research done in the Betty 112 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: Crocker Kitchens, which, as of two thousand three anyway, encompassed 113 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: a facility with nineteen individual kitchens equipped to test fifty 114 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: thousand recipes a year. Those nineteen kitchens included at the 115 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: time eighteen tons worth of granite countertops. Wow, yeah, I know, behemoth, 116 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: I said, behemon, and appropriately so, Lauren. Since Betty Crocker's 117 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: very first portrait, her image has since been updated seven 118 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: times um more on that in the history section. But 119 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 1: despite going through various updates and changes in appearance, Betty 120 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: Crocker is one of the most recognizable women in America. 121 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: Article from ad Week found that Betty Crocker was one 122 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: of the most famous fictional female characters in the US, 123 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: and she held the top spot until flow from Progressive 124 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: surpassed her. An article from the New York Daily News 125 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: but her among the ranks of Barbie, Santa Claus, and 126 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: Uncle Sam as one of the most influential fictional figures 127 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: in the world. Yes, Betty Crocker's name is on over 128 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: two cookbooks, and the one that started it all in 129 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: nineteen Betty Crocker's picture cookbook UM now in its twelfth 130 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: edition and called the Betty Crocker Cookbook Everything You Need 131 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,239 Speaker 1: to Know to Cook from Scratch, has sold over seventy 132 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: five million copies. Seventy million copies, Yes, and it's been 133 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: translated into Spanish. Uh. The website receives over twelve million 134 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: visitors a month, including me I guess YEA. While today 135 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: we may be more used to seeing the name and 136 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: face on boxed cake mixes and cans of icing, Betty 137 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: Crocker used to be a figure women sawed out for 138 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: cooking advice. Dear Betty Crocker, why won't my cake cries? 139 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: How do I get fluffy pancakes? Can you share a 140 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: good pie recipe? Not only would Betty Crocker give answers 141 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: to questions like these um and make people, largely women, 142 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: feel more confident in the kitchen, she also encouraged people 143 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: to try new things and acted as a safety net 144 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: for if those things didn't go to plan. Through this, 145 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: she showed up a huge following and fans. According to 146 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: the General Mill's website, at the peak of her popularity, 147 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker was receiving five thousand letters a day. Goodness, goodness, indeed, 148 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: and it is quite the tale of her creation. And yeah, 149 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: and we are going to get into that, but first 150 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 1: we're going to get into a quick break for a 151 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. And we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, 152 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,599 Speaker 1: thank you. So I guess, yes, we should get this 153 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: out of the way that we've already pretty much said. 154 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker was not a real person, never a real person, 155 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: never a real person. She was created by a flour 156 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: milling company called Washburn Crosby Company, a company that would 157 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: go on to become General Mills. Are a part of 158 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: General Mills. Okay, so let's unback all of that. Washburn 159 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: Crosby got started in that same year. They entered their 160 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: Flower into the International Milling Competition and they won the 161 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: gold medal. To capitalize on their win, they changed their 162 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 1: name to something you might recognize, Gold Medal Flower, or 163 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: that's the name they put on their products, and yes, 164 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: it is a top seller today. The company decided to 165 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: run ads for their award winning flower in the Saturday 166 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: Evening Post in nine The ad was a jigsaw puzzle 167 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: of a small town square and consumers who figured it 168 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: out could claim a gold Medal flower sack shaped pincushion, 169 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: which cracks me up. And not only did over thirty 170 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,079 Speaker 1: thousand people return the puzzle, much to Washburn crosby surprise, 171 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: a lot of the responses came with baking questions. Um, yeah, 172 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: because I remember this was before the internet. Again, I 173 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: think that's a huge part of this story. The company 174 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: did have a rather small marketing team made up of 175 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: all men and run by a man named Samuel Gale, 176 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: and this team typically handled customer questions and complaints. The 177 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: men on the team often handed these questions off do 178 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 1: the women who worked for the Gold Medal Home Service department, 179 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: But Gail did not like signing his name AM to 180 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 1: their answers because, in his mind, customers would prefer to 181 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: get kitchen advice from a woman. At the time, women 182 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: were doing most of the cooking and women were doing 183 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: most of the writing in to the company. The sheer 184 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: amount of responses and questions to the marketing campaign reinforced 185 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: to the company um the desire these customers had for 186 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: space to ask questions and have them answered, um to 187 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: get tips and recipe ideas, preferably from a woman they've trusted. 188 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: So that same year, the company went to work on 189 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: inventing a fictional woman to fill this need. They borrowed 190 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: the last name from recently retired Washburn Crosby director William G. 191 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: Crocker for the first name. The powers that be chose 192 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,959 Speaker 1: Betty because they thought it sounded all American and cheery 193 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: and unthreatening. Yes, now that they had the name, they 194 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: needed the signature. Female employees were asked to submit samples 195 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,959 Speaker 1: of what they thought signature should look like. Secretary Florence 196 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: Lindbergh submission one out and any letter responses sent to 197 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: a customer would have that now iconic signature on it. 198 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: People were even trained to match it, and the women 199 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 1: who worked at the company's home economist department UM who 200 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: answered the mail addressed to Betty were named the Crockettes. Yeah. Uh. 201 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: And by by this early point, although the brand and 202 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: or character was established by these higher up men at 203 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: the company, Yeah, the research and writing was being done 204 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: by women. UM, eventually led up by one Jeanette Kelly, 205 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: who had joined Washburn Crosby just four years out of 206 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: college in nine This was the era during which the 207 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: company began creating test kitchens for these home economists that 208 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:53,359 Speaker 1: they employed to create recipes, design solid cooking advice, and demonstrate, 209 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: perhaps most importantly, how to use the gold medal flower 210 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: that they were so proud of. UM. A notable these 211 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: test kitchens were incorporating in the nineteen twenties all of 212 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: this newfangled technology like gas stoves and running water. Yeah. Yeah. 213 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: So like when we're saying like this was before the Internet, 214 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: this was a minute before the internet. This was yeah 215 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: things where things were very much still in flux in 216 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: terms of of of home cooking technology. Yes, UM, and 217 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: the demand for Betty Crocker was high enough that the 218 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: company opened the Betty Crocker Cooking Schools, which were these 219 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: companies sponsored cooking schools across the country, eventually eventually across 220 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: the country, originally just around the company's hometown of Minneapolis, 221 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: and then around the Midwest, and then yes, further out 222 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: than that even mm hmmm. However, for the first three 223 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: years after her inception, Betty Crocker existed in writing for 224 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: the most part um either through letters or her name 225 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: on the schools. That changed in nine when Betty Crocker 226 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: made her audio debut on the newly launched Washburn Crosby 227 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: Radio cooking show on Minneapolis's w c C o are 228 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: Washburn Crosby Company, and the company had purchased the station 229 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. And note 230 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: that this was this was really early, or like fairly 231 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: early in the history of commercial broadcasting, Like there was 232 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: at the time a pretty huge movement towards corporate and 233 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: ad driven radio, but it was it was still like 234 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: fairly visionary for the company to put this together. The 235 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: show was called the Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air, Yes, 236 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: and it was one of the first daytime cooking shows. 237 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: It really leaned into this school vibe. Graduates of this 238 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: on air school sent in reports for Betty Crocker too great. Uh. 239 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: There were two hundred and thirty eight graduates in that 240 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: first year. It was written and hosted by home economist 241 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: Marjorie Child. Hosted UM and I tried to find a 242 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: pronounced tion of the name, so I think it's hosted, 243 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 1: but h U s t e D. However, the show 244 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: quickly went nationwide and regional Betty Crockers were developed, though 245 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: the scripts are still written at the company's national headquarters. 246 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: The show sometimes featured prominent guests like Joan Crawford and 247 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 1: Carrie Grant. Um. I actually listened to one right before this, 248 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: and it was yeah in. The new NBC network added 249 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: the radio show to their lineup, where it would stay 250 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: for the next twenty four years, making it one of 251 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: the longest running radio shows in history. Over a million 252 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: listeners enrolled in the radio cooking show, and Betty Crocker 253 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: became an authority on baking during the Great Depression. She 254 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,959 Speaker 1: provided advice on how to cook with little and she 255 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: didn't just talk about food. She sometimes gave advice on 256 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 1: raising children and family stuff. She also received queries like this, 257 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: I don't make your fudge cake because I like white cake, 258 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,719 Speaker 1: but my neighbor does. Is there any danger of her 259 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: upturing my husband? Who Betty croc cake intrigued, cake intrigue. Indeed, later, 260 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: when asked about her time with this show, Husted, who 261 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: reportedly put a lot of herself into the show and 262 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: into Betty Crocker, said, it is very interesting to me 263 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: to look back now and realize how concerned I was 264 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: about the welfare of women as homemakers and their feelings 265 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: of self respect. Women needed a champion. Here were millions 266 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: of them staying at home alone, doing a job with children, cooking, cleaning, 267 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: on minimal budgets, the whole depressing mess of it. They 268 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:42,199 Speaker 1: needed someone to remind them that they had value. I know. Wow. 269 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: Six big milling companies, including washbron Crosby, merged together in 270 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: to create General Mills. The first grocery item that carried 271 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: the Betty Crocker name was a soup mix in ninette. 272 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: When the company started selling cake mixes in ninety seven, 273 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: uh they came with her name to the first cake 274 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: mix was a ginger cake uh, today gingerbread cake, followed 275 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: by a Devil's Food cake mix and a party cake 276 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: mix with dual instructions for white or yellow cake via 277 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: adding just egg whites versus whole eggs. Yeah, party cake mix, 278 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 1: party cake mix. Okay, Um, yeah, that was a that 279 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: was a rabbit hole I very narrowly avoided, but I 280 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: wanted to learn everything there was about box cake. Oh yeah, yeah, No, 281 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 1: that's definitely that's definitely a separate episode. Um and right, 282 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 1: really really nitty gritty and interesting. Um, but for another day. Uh. Meanwhile, Um, 283 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: a year before that, ginger cake mix debuted in the 284 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: company's test kitchens were officially rebranded as the Betty Crocker Kitchens. Yes, 285 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: and Betty Crocker was by this point a household name. 286 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: Surveys done around the time found that nine out of 287 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 1: ten women knew the name Betty Crocker and she was receiving, yes, 288 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,959 Speaker 1: about five thousand letters a day. Fortune magazine named her 289 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: the second most popular woman in the US behind Eleanor 290 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: Rosevelt in nine, earning her the nickname the First Lady 291 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 1: of Food. But this was actually somewhat of a scandal 292 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: because the article outed her as a fictional person. According 293 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: to Susan Marks's book Finding Betty Crocker, The Secret Life 294 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: of America's First Lady of Food, the company started stalking 295 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: tissues for people who visited the company's headquarters to meet 296 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker, only to be reduced to tears when they 297 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: learned she wasn't real hoof to right. Yeah, but I 298 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: totally get it. I get if you had this presence 299 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: in your kitchen where you might have even received a 300 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: letter from her, like you might have corresponded like and 301 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: then and then to realize that Betty was a lie 302 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: that stuff. I mean also just like oh, man, like 303 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: y'all like like like we talked, we talked these days 304 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 1: about about representation, right, about seeing people like yourself, um 305 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: out there in the world. And yeah, the fact that 306 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: the second most popular woman in the US in was 307 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: fictional is really that just really says something about the 308 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: state of representation at that time. Yes, and that they 309 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,880 Speaker 1: were both still white, so there you go. Yes, yes, 310 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: also that um. At the request of the U. S 311 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,959 Speaker 1: Office of War, Betty Crocker spent four months in on 312 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: the radio show Our Nation's Rations, all about inspiring listeners 313 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: on ways to be creative and resourceful. During ration ng UM, 314 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 1: there was also a Betty Crocker pamphlet called Your Share 315 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: about all of this. Over seven million copies were circulated. 316 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: A second Betty Crocker pamphlet called Through Highway to Good Nutrition. 317 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: Through Highway to Good Nutrition that for some reason, that 318 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: title gets me every time. Yeah yeah, was recognized by 319 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,719 Speaker 1: the American Red Cross for having a positive contribution in 320 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 1: terms of national interest. Yeah. I don't. I don't think 321 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: that you can read that title without having in your 322 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: head that very atomic age, uh, you know, like mid 323 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: Atlantic accent, like very um fallout or BioShock, kind of 324 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: like through Highway to Good Nutrition like kind of thing, yea, 325 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: which was kind of the I was like, oh, there's 326 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: that Transatlantic when I was listening to some clips. Oh, yep, yep, yep, 327 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: especially Oh my goodness, especially radio of that era was 328 00:22:54,960 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: really full of it. Yes, oh yes. Inty Crocker's Sure 329 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: cookbook hit the shelves and it sold two million copies 330 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: in its first two years. The aforementioned Janette Kelly, who 331 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: was still with the company UM, supervised the launch of 332 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: the book. UM. She uh stayed with the company until 333 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: nineteen when she went to New York City to continue 334 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: her career. And yeah. Since then, this book has sold 335 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: seventy five million copies and is still available under the 336 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 1: name the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Um. It has had a 337 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: huge impact, and it's sometimes referred to as the kitchen 338 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: Bible or Big Red. Its covers are red. It's a thing. Yes, yes, 339 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: but I know some of your listeners have written in 340 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: about this and I found a really delightful uh kind 341 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: of just an essay from somebody who was writing about 342 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: the importance of this book and kind of rediscovering it 343 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 1: and retrying the recipes, and it was just really sweet. 344 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: At the time, recipes accompanied with pictures were new and exciting. Again, 345 00:23:55,480 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: no Internet and another way to make cooking less intimidated. Sure, um, 346 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 1: I there's there's also, I will say now, a little 347 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: bit of a collector's market for some of these old, 348 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: old versions of this book. I myself have two or 349 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: three versions of it um that are not like in 350 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: like collectible condition by by any means. I'm not that guy. 351 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: I'm like fully prepared to spill something on any of 352 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: my books at any given moment um. But uh, but 353 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 1: they are fascinating because around around this time especially and 354 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: up through oh goodness, the modern era. UM, they had 355 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: in addition to recipes, like all of this life advice 356 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: UM about about like hey, like don't wear your best 357 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 1: shoes when you're vacuuming, or like what vacuuming the only 358 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: time for them? There's there there's one on I'll see. 359 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: I'll see if I can find it and post it 360 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: on the I'm so sorry. I never post anything on 361 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 1: the internet, but all sudden, y'all remind me, like right 362 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: in and remind me. Um, there's this one, and it's 363 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: always coming with these little like atomic age cartoons. Um, 364 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: there's this one that's like if you feel tired, to 365 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: just lie down on your back for a while on 366 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: the floor. And this is like like lady in this 367 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: very nice day dress and heels just flat on her back, 368 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: like studying the ceiling like you do. I've been there. 369 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: I've been there. Heck, i've been there today. Jeez, I 370 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: knew what was up anyway. Anyway, Yes, Uh. The advent 371 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: of televisions and homes in the US in nineteen really 372 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: changed this whole thing again, because the company knew they 373 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: needed to find a face and a voice for Betty Crocker. 374 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 1: After a search, they hired actress Adelaide Holly Coming, who 375 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: portrayed her in um several television programs like The Betty 376 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: Crocker Television Show and The Betty Crocker Star Matinee. Holly 377 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 1: Coming had come up in vaudeville, and before her hiring, 378 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: General Mills became the first consumer product company to extend 379 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: They're one of their trademarked print slash audio characters to 380 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: a quote fully dimensional live action personification. I don't know why. 381 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: That kind of makes me nervous. I think a lot 382 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 1: of things just make me. Full dimensional live action personification 383 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: sounds a little threatening to It's the specification of fully dimensional, 384 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,360 Speaker 1: I think, because then it opens the question of like, 385 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: how many dimensions? How many dimensions like five? Two? I 386 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: don't know again deep questions questions in this episode. At 387 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: the time, there had been illustrations of Crocker previously, including 388 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: the first official portrait composed by Nissa McMain in ninety 389 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: six and I Hope I'm pronouncing your name correctly. It 390 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: was a compositive faces of the women who worked in 391 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: the company's home services department, and it didn't really change 392 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: for two decades, but it has now been updated seven 393 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: times to fit the trends and times of whenever it 394 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: has been updated, and in that way, it's kind of 395 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: an interesting look at the evolution of American women or 396 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: a specific demographic of American UM. For example, in nineteen 397 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: sixty five, she was styled in the vein of Jackie Kennedy. However, 398 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: she has generally been depicted as a white woman with 399 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: brown hair in her early thirties, specifically thirty two UM, 400 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:50,400 Speaker 1: usually wearing red and white. I know, like okay, I'm 401 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: sure mm hmm. In painter John Stuart Ingold tried to 402 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 1: make Betty Crocker more inclusive by giving her all of 403 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: skin and for the first time, brown eyes. Oh. To 404 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: create the image, he took inspiration from seventy images of women. 405 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: General Mills provided that they felt captured the spirit of 406 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker. Yeah, um and yeah. By the nine sixties, 407 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 1: around of the American population recognized the name. So that's 408 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 1: a lot yeah, mostly everybody, yep, yes, But stepping back 409 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: a bit, uh huh. The trademarked Red Spoon branding was 410 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: released on packaging starting in nineteen fifty four. UM and 411 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: General Mills brought the brand international for the first time 412 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 1: in the mid fifties to Canada um later other places. 413 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: From to nineteen seventy seven, the company offered scholarships for 414 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: high school seniors based on their skills in home Eck 415 00:28:57,320 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: as part of the Betty Crocker Search for the All 416 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: American Homemaker of Tomorrow in Sphere. The Betty Crocker magazine debut. 417 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,719 Speaker 1: It was a monthly recipe magazine that opened with this quote, 418 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: as women were lucky to be alive right now amid 419 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: the universal tumlt. It's more than ever a woman's world, 420 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: with twentieth century reality located somewhere between the swooning vapors 421 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: of Victorian forebears and the militant fervor of women's lib huh. Now, 422 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 1: I'll also say these seem to be pretty big collector's 423 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: items here issues in this magazine, and you can find 424 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: some like it feels like, I don't know the Indiana 425 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: Jones of Betty Crocker magazines. So people will be like, 426 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: I've just go I've unearthed this edition and it's in 427 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: this condition, and yeah, um well, uh, not to diminish print, 428 00:29:55,440 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: but Betty Crocker dot Com launched in Yes and now 429 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker dot Com has loads of recipes and advice 430 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: available UM. When the Betty Crocker app came out, it 431 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: was one of the most popular free apps available. Customers 432 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: can still find Betty Crocker pamphlets in grocery stores as well. 433 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: Crocker made headlines when the companies started providing same sex 434 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 1: wedding cakes in Minnesota, where their headquarters are located, and 435 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: when gay marriage was legalized, the company presented the first 436 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: three gay couples married in Minnesota with gifts and a 437 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: wedding cake. UM. That same year, the Betty Crocker website 438 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: launched thirty cakes for thirty Days of Ramadan Um and 439 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: the Middle East is the brand's second largest market in 440 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 1: The cookbook was updated to include an entire chapter for 441 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: vegetarians and new recipes like chicken to Jane and I 442 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 1: think this is this is a big conversation in terms 443 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: of like what is included in American heavy quotes cuisine, 444 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: which Betty Crocker is kind of like been the representative 445 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: of what people think that is and how it's all 446 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: changing and shifting and or at least in terms of 447 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: mainstream or every right, right, right, right right? What what 448 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: the what the mainstream American UM perhaps includes in American cuisine? Right? 449 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: In UM, the brand partnered with Barbie to launch the 450 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: Barbie Dream Gap Project UM, which aimed to grow, um, 451 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: grow stem confidence in girls via kitchen projects. And that's 452 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 1: interesting because I do think, you know, it's been so 453 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 1: gendered and so I mean, it's such a big divide 454 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: of you know, the math and science is the boy's realm, 455 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: right and then every you know, social thing is a 456 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: girl's realm, which is there's so much wrong with that 457 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: to impact. But cooking is very scientific. Cooking is a 458 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: heck in science, like baking is science. You can eat 459 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: as people cooler than we have said. Yeah, um And 460 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: speaking of yeah, this very year in March, I believe UM, 461 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: the brand Betty Crocker launched a web section called Betty 462 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: lab Um, which yeah, encourages science based kitchen experimentation with 463 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: like some really cool stuff about the principles behind cooking 464 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: and baking, like heat transfer and sugar crystallization and the 465 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: pH scale and like freezing points and leavening processes. It's 466 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: it's pretty nifty. Yeah. Again, not a sponsor. I just 467 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: appreciate it, you know. Yeah, no, I did too. I 468 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: cooking can be an heart and of science. It is, yes, 469 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: it is, it is indeed. Um, Well, it's been quite 470 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: the journey. But I think that's what we have to 471 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: say about Betty Crocker for now. It is. Um. We 472 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: do have some listener mail for you, though, we do. 473 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: But first we have one more quick break for a 474 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. And we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 475 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 1: thank you, We're back with listen. I wanted to do 476 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 1: it the Transatlantic. I know you've got a good one, Laura. 477 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: I got a pretty good one. But it's hard to 478 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: communicate the trans Atlantic. I would go, like, pick up 479 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: a phone and do this. It's like a popping of 480 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 1: the chin. You know. I strongly suspected that that's what 481 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: you wanted to go for, and I didn't know how 482 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: to follow you with it. So I was just like, well, 483 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: we'll kind of yeah, I would, and see what it 484 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 1: takes us. And we did. And but I'm glad you're 485 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: picking up my my wavelength. Yeah, communicating it will um. 486 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: Danielle wrote, how long again from your favorite New Jersey resident, 487 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:05,280 Speaker 1: I'm still waiting for my jailer Ham episode, but today 488 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: I am writing it about your poutine episode. I sat 489 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: there waiting patiently for you to mention the new Jersey 490 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: diner delicacy disco fries. Now. I'm not sure when they 491 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,400 Speaker 1: were first advented, as I was only born in nineteen eighty, 492 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: but I remember my weekly diner spot, the Colonnette Diner 493 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: in Jersey City, which sadly no longer exists, updating their 494 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: menu in the nineteen nineties to include them, though I 495 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: believe they were a hidden menu item, kind of like 496 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: how Starbucks has hidden menu items for a long while 497 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:39,879 Speaker 1: prior to the update. There's also an alternative version which 498 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: swips out the brown gravy for marinara sauce, which is 499 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: my preferred way to eat them. M hm. Anyway, come 500 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,879 Speaker 1: to New York, New Jersey and I will take you 501 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: to all the good spots. Just don't eat for a 502 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: month prior. The diner Bagel pizza game is real p s. 503 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 1: I'm still hunting for the tomato soupcake recipe. I know 504 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,200 Speaker 1: it's a spice cake mix, but don't remember the other 505 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:08,760 Speaker 1: proportions and the icing which is cream cheese and chocolate frosting. Mixed. 506 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 1: Is literally the jewel in the crayon, the jewel in 507 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 1: the crown, not crayon, the jewel in the crayon. I 508 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: feel like wating to happen. Um. Anyway, Danielle continues, I 509 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 1: know my sister has it and is keeping it to herself. 510 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: Oh now the cake intrigue. Indeed, right right, I bet 511 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: Betty Crocker has a tomato soupcake recipe. Sure. Oh yeah. Um. 512 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm like almost physically trying to reach out 513 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: to my bookshelf which is downstairs where those cookbooks are, 514 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: and be like, oh no, it's right here. Um. Alright, alright, 515 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: we'll have to we'll have to delve into it later. Um. 516 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:03,480 Speaker 1: But in the meanwhile, Ashley wrote, I loved your episode 517 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: The Mad Hatter Tea Party. It was so fun listening 518 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: to it. I ended up watching the original movie when 519 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 1: I was done. I've always treasured the Alice in Wonderland movies, 520 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 1: original Tim Burton and Alice though the Looking Glass. In 521 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,319 Speaker 1: high school, we studied Alice in Wonderland, which was a 522 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: lot of fun. In my Auntie and I decided to 523 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 1: dress up as the Red Queen, her and Alice me. 524 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 1: We didn't even tell each other. We just showed up 525 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 1: dressed as the characters, which was pretty cool. What a 526 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 1: fun coincidence. We also carved Alison Wonderland themed jack o lanterns. 527 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 1: I lost the pictures of us actually dressed up, but 528 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: enjoy a picture of us and are finished Alison Wonderland 529 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: themed jack o lanterns. I wish I could share this 530 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 1: episode with her. She passed away in April. I hope 531 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:47,360 Speaker 1: you guys are doing well and staying safe. The pictures 532 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: are so lovely. Yes, the jack lands are so great. Um, 533 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 1: and I love love, love of love that you showed 534 00:36:55,760 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: up just independently, right sweet. Oh that's wonderful, So so sweet. Um. 535 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: I'm glad you enjoyed the episode. As we've said we'd 536 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:11,279 Speaker 1: we'd love doing those. So wonderful to hear. Wonderful to 537 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,400 Speaker 1: hear from both of these listeners. Thank you so much 538 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: for writing it. If you would like to write to us, 539 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 1: you can our emails hello at savor pod dot com. 540 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:22,360 Speaker 1: We are also on social media. You can find us 541 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at saver pod and we 542 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,440 Speaker 1: do hope to hear from you. Savor is production of 543 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts, my Heart Radio, you 544 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,759 Speaker 1: can visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 545 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,720 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always 546 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: to our superproducers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to 547 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:41,399 Speaker 1: you for listening, and we hope that lots more good 548 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: things are coming your way.