Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One Arm Cookery

by Mary Lasswell

Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One-Arm Cookery

Genres: Humor, Cookbooks

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1981

About the author

American author of humorous novels about life in Southern California, Texas, Mexico, and Newark, New Jersey under the name Mary Lasswell. She was born in Scotland to American parents and grew up in Brownsville, Texas.

Her first book, Suds in Your Eye (1942), published by Houghton Mifflin, was described as "a crazy, funny story" about three impoverished but high-spirited and beer-loving elderly women. It was adapted into a Broadway Play by Jack Kirkland in 1944.

Laswell followed with five other books about the same three women, Mrs. Feeley, Mrs. Rasmussen, and Miss Tinkham, plus their handyman, only known as "Old-Timer". These included High Time (1944), One on the House (1949), Wait for the Wagon (1951), Tooner Schooner (1953), and Let's Go for Broke (1962), all with illustrations by famed New Yorker artist George Price. Their home base for most of the series was called "Noah's Ark", and was a junkyard in San Diego, but the third and fourth books were set during travels. These books consistently featured certain themes: the main characters faced financial disaster, were usually forced to take innovative measures to ensure a homeplace, rescued other people with problems, and acted as matchmakers.

Lasswell was also an editorial writer for the Houston Chronicle in the 1960's.

She was married to Dr. Dudley Winn Smith, a surgeon.

She died at the Solvang Lutheran Home in Solvang, California of Alzheimer's disease.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've owned this little book for decades. It was my mother's, and something about the book reminds me of her cookery and style.

My rating is probably partly sentimental, but the recipes are quite tasty and approachable, if not heart-healthy.

I think the food/hospitality in her novels is the main thing I enjoy about the stories. They share GOOD food with each other because they care enough to feed themselves and those they love as well as they can manage even when times are tough.

The ladie's joie de vivre is contagious, and inspiring.

If only I had friends so near, dear and loyal.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the cookbooks I reach for whenever I want to cook mexican. Always an interesting view of cooking.

[Nann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated (c.1946), but a treat for all fans of Lasswell's "Suds" series.

[Mary Cravens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this book and all the rest of her books. It was one of my mother's favorite authors.