Ruth Ellen Church
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Top Food Editors: Day One & Ruth Ellen Church
For the next 30 days, I will be blogging about a different newspaper food editor. Day one features Ruth Ellen Church, the longtime food editor at the Chicago Tribune. These food editors tested recipes, reviewed restaurants and explained new products. They wrote about rations, consumer news and nutrition research. As technology changed how food was prepared, the food editors evaluated the ease and quality for her readers. This is how Church described her job in a 1955 survey as she supervised a staff of five home economics, a secretary and a kitchen assistant: “We do most of our own food photographs, conduct a daily $5 favorite recipe competition, maintain a…
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Chicago Tribune Beauty Editor Eleanor Nagle
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Green Goddess Dressing History
I recently read about food editor Judyrae Kruse retiring from the Herald, a newspaper in Everette, Washington. According to her retirement story: “To read Judy’s column is to read a diary of life in Snohomish County: Recipes for slow-cooker stew and make-ahead casseroles followed the school year. She shared an idea for dinner pulled from the pantry after a week of snow and ice. When the weather warmed, the recipes cooled: crisp salads and gelatin desserts, ideas for grilling. Occasionally, without warning, a recipe would strike a chord. Who knew Snohomish County residents ate so much Green Goddess dressing? After a request, the deluge of recipes continued for months.” Green…
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Food Studies Presentation: Ohio Food Editor History
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American Midwest Foodways Scholar’s Grant
I am happy to announce that my proposal “Stirring the Pot: The Story of Newspaper Food Journalism, Home Cooks & Ruth Ellen Church” has been awarded an American Midwest Foodways Scholar’s Grant. I will be researching the career of longtime Chicago Tribune food editor Ruth Ellen Church who often wrote under the pen name “Mary Meade.” Her work is a major part of the book I am writing about newspaper food editors. According to the press release:“Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance in collaboration with Culinary Historians of Chicago and with funding from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts is pleased to announce financial support for the study…
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Food Studies Presentation: Ohio Food Editor History
- food editors, food history, food journalism, Mary Meade, Ruth Ellen Church, women's history month, women's page history
Women’s History Month: Ruth Ellen Church
Day 25 of Women’s History Month features the Chicago Tribune’s Ruth Ellen Church (who often used the byline Mary Meade). She was the food editor from 1936 to 1974. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1933 with a degree in food and nutrition journalism. She guided the development of The Tribune’s test kitchen, one of the first at a newspaper, and in 1962 became the first American writing a regular wine column. She won six Vesta Awards – the top recognition for food sections. In 1948, Church introduced the recipe feature “Cake of the Week.” Church was quoted: “My staff and I have known for a long time that…
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Food Studies Presentation: Ohio Food Editor History
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Archival Material About Ruth Ellen Church
I was researching cookbooks and food editors when I came across the promotional material for two of Ruth Ellen Church’s cookbooks (including the one above) at the Lilly Library located at Indiana University. Here is a link to the finding aid. I just placed an order for the copies. Ruth Ellen Church (who often wrote under the byline Mary Meade) was the longtime food editor at the Chicago Tribune. She is known for being the first wine editor at a newspaper.
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Chicago Tribune Beauty Editor Eleanor Nagle
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Pinterest and Recipe Sharing
Today, the food section of The New York Times repinned my photo of the Beachy Christmas Cookies I made this year. (The sand in the photo is crushed graham crackers.) It is just one more example of how the food sections of newspapers have long had a social media voice that connects reporters and readers. It is common for newspapers to have Christmas cookie competitions or other best recipe contests. For many years in the 1940s, Chicago Tribune food editor Ruth Ellen Church (who wrote under the pen name Mary Meade) had a weekly recipe contest.
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