This recipe, titled Chinese Chews, was submitted by Mrs. A. V. Silk and Mrs. Norman Graham. Its ingredients are pretty standard ones found in cookies, such as flour, eggs, and sugar along with some unique additions like dates and walnuts. Although originating in the Middle East, date palms can grow in Canada. This “rare” ingredient along with the cookie’s exotic-sounding title, reflects that more Canadians in the 1930s were willing to broaden their palates and incorporate lesser-known dishes in their daily meal planning. It is possible that this recipe would have been made when hosting guests in order to show off and look worldly. This also suits the Depression-era mentality of trying to appear better off than you actually were. A cookie recipe was an affordable way to impress family members and guests and demonstrate some culinary skill. 

This recipe is titled Choice Liver Dish and was submitted by Mrs. Arthur Pickles. Its ingredients include beef liver, sausage meat, onion, breadcrumbs, salt/pepper, tomato juice, and a bouillon cube. Although all of these ingredients were considered common during the Great Depression, the nature of this dish reflects the population of the Danforth area at the time. In the 1930s, the Danforth neighbourhood was largely composed of Euro-Canadians and recently-arrived immigrants from England, Ireland, and Scotland. Liver and Onions is a very classic dish with many adaptations across Europe. Specifically, this method of cooking the dish is native to the United Kingdom. The meats in the Choice Liver Dish also reflect the economic circumstances of the time. Many Canadians could no longer afford finer cuts of meat and resorted to eating tougher cuts, ground meats, or organ meats to make food dollars stretch.