B O O K C L U B

throwback

BH&G is turning 100! That’s a lot of recipes, DIY plans, and garden to-do lists. We hit the archives to spotlight a few absolute gems and, just for fun, a couple of head-scratchers.

T I M E

T E S T E D

We stand by these tips from decades past.

1 961

To protect a wet paintbrush between coats, “Wrap brush in a plastic bag and immerse in water. Water forces air out of the bag, so bristles remain soft.”

1 94 4

To avoid rug dimples: “Move the furniture a little each time you clean. You can raise the rug’s pile by placing a damp cloth and running a hot iron lightly over it.”

1 9 2 3

You don’t need a yard to put up a bird feeder, as we wrote nearly 100 years ago: “A simple and pleasant way to neighbor with winter birds is to maintain a window feeding-tray.”

[ O F F I C I A L R E T R AC T I O N ] 1957 File this under What were we thinking? This midcentury story claimed that “bathrooms can lead a double life: Durable by day, dressed up for parties,” suggesting (with a straight face) this slightly terrifying, supposedly sturdy clown rug for daily use. And for parties? Add “luxurious wall-to-wall cotton carpet.” Cut it in two, of course, for easy washing. How … practical?

A TOAST

“Suppose we each agree this year we will plant a fl ower at every opportunity. ... This ‘fl ower’ may be merely a thought, a good deed done, or a bit of unselfi sh service rendered to a neighbor.”

—E.T. MEREDITH, publisher B AC K S T O RY This New Year’s toast from our founder appeared in Fruit, Garden and Home— our original title from July 1922 to August 1924. When we changed our name, Mr. Meredith wrote: “I’m sure you will agree that Better Homes & Gardens is ‘better.’”

Over the years we’ve published 171 pancake recipes, 107 mentions of “griddle,” 12 “fl apjacks,” 10 ideas for camping pancakes, and 2 suggestions of pancakes for “husky plaid-shirt breakfasts” (left). In 1950 we off ered this tasty syrup sub: Mix 1 cup honey with ¹∕4 cup melted butter; add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to taste. In 1972 we put sourdough starter to use in pancakes. And in 1930 we went Russian-style: Wrap thin cakes around cottage cheese and serve with jam. Mark your 2022 calendars: National Pancake Day is March 1. Use your smartphone camera to scan this code for our best-ever buttermilk pancake recipe.

1 95 5 1 0 0 Y EA R S O F

PANCAKES