Duncan Hines: How a Traveling Salesman Became the Most Trusted Name in Food

by Louis Hatchett, Michael Stern (Foreword)

Duncan Hines (1880--1959) may be best known for the cake mixes, baked goods, and bread products that bear his name, but most people forget that he was a real person and not just a fictitious figure invented for the brand. America's pioneer restaurant critic, Hines discovered his passion while working as a traveling salesman during the 1920s and 1930s -- a time when food standards were poorly enforced and safety was a constant concern. He traveled across America discovering restaurants and offering his recommendations to readers in his best-selling compilation Adventures in Good Eating (1935). The success of this work and of his subsequent publications led Hines to manufacture the extremely popular food products that we still enjoy today.

In Duncan Hines, author Louis Hatchett explores the story of the man, from his humble beginnings in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to his lucrative licensing deal with Proctor & Gamble. Following the successful debut of his restaurant guide, Hines published his first cookbook, Adventures in Good Cooking (1939), at the age of 59 and followed it with The Dessert Book (1955). These culinary classics included recipes from many of the establishments he visited on his travels, favorites handed down through his family for generations, and new dishes that contained unusual ingredients for the era. Many of the recipes served as inspiration for mixes that eventually became available under the Duncan Hines brand.

This authoritative biography is a comprehensive account of the life and legacy of a savvy businessman, American icon, and an often-overlooked culinary pioneer whose love of good food led to his name becoming a grocery shelf favorite. Hatchett offers insightful commentary into the man behind the cake mix boxes and how he paved the way for many others like him.

Genres: Biography, History

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up with Duncan Hines cake mixes, had no idea that Duncan Hines was a real person. I thought Duncan Hines was like Betty Crocker, a made-up advertising character, or that the company was started by a Mr. Duncan and a Mr. Hines. What began as a master’s thesis is a very thorough and skillfully researched book that shows how Duncan Hines had considerable influence on making restaurants cleaner and safe for the traveling public. This book is an education in the history of early highway travel in America. The author demonstrates that Duncan Hines was a character, a real-life character. I will look at a box of cake mix totally differently now and will remember the story of the real Duncan Hines.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved the Duncan Hines cake and brownie mixes for years, but never knew he was a real person. I thought he was similar to Betty Crocker--a made up name. But this book tells the story of the real Duncan Hines and how his name became associated with good food. Several interesting tidbits from the book--he discovered the Toll House Restaurant--and the Toll House Cookie recipe; one of his later business partners was a North Carolina State University graduate named Roy Park; and Oakwood Markets in Kingsport, Tennessee is mentioned in the book. A great book for people interested in food and travel!

[Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 delicious stars for the book about Duncan Hines. The book alternated between a fascinating history of food service and a dull and unending list of foods Mr. Hines ate. The polarity of the topics made it difficult to rate this book higher than a 3.

I did truly enjoy a look at the evolution of the restaurant industry and food safety standards from the 1920’s through the 1950’s. Fascinating historical information about the United States in the post- civil war South through the age of Baby Boomers. If you’re going to read this one, just skip the pages upon pages of foods Duncan ate and the location of the restaurant.

[Kerry Kjargaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what an interesting man! His biography reads like an exciting novel. I had recently watched a couple of newly made westerns and Duncan Hines time working in the west rivaled my TV westerns for Thrills. I can see why the author had a hard time slimming down this book, just too many amazing stories within Duncan Hines life. He may have to write a sequel. ha ha

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but too long and detailed.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duncan Hines the original Tripadvisor. Interesting read. Explained the couple of books that my mother had in her things endorsed by Duncan Hines.

[Philip Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hines

"See spot" "see spot run" the masters thesis was probably too long, also. Don't bother. Free ebook was right price.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half star, I think. This is really hard to judge star-wise.

The first few chapters are very difficult to get through. It reads like a high school research paper. The middle section got better but then the ending dragged again. I will say she had a lot of footnotes so I trusted it was well researched.

I read decent amount of nonfiction and what this book desperately needed was a good editor. This could have been a fun read given the subject but the author is more of a student, not a professional nonfiction writer. There is most definitely a difference.

So if I was reading a research paper, I would give it more stars. As an actual book, less.

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting biography about the man behind the cake mix. Duncan Hines may be known as the man with premiere foods but he started as a traveling salesman for a printing co. As he tracked the restaurants he ate at as he traveled, he gave other salesmen his reviews on the places. They would give him their reviews too. From thoses reviews, he started reading guide books about the restaurants and later hotels. He helped get the restaurants to clean up their kitchens. He wrote Vacation guides and cookbooks too. Then he finally allowed his name on premiere foods like cake mixes, ice cream, muffin mixes and so much more.

[Al · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get through this. Not only are some sections tedious (such as the one which is almost a laundry list of dates, destinations, and restaurants), but the book contains errors. There is a description of a trip from Denver to Cheyenne which suddenly becomes a trip back to Cheyenne (wrong direction). There is a mention of Provincetown, Rhode Island. Provincetown is in Massachusetts. This started out as a thesis, and it reads like one. With all the editing the author mentions in the preface, it seems errors like these should have been caught.

[Lisa Urso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never knew that Duncan Hines was so well-known when it came to food and lodging. What began as a hobby during his traveling salesman days turned into a lucrative business composed of travel guides, small appliances, credit cards--and yes, cake mix. This was a well-researched volume, and was excellent in describing the man that, sadly, current generations think is akin to Betty Crocker--a made up persona used to sell packaged food.

[Dianna]

An interesting read from a historic point of view. I think it could have been half the length and been better. I also think it would have been nice if the dollar amounts were translated into more current amounts. It is a republished dissertation, so it is fairly well researched.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not finish the book ( due to other obligations) but did find it interesting, did not know Duncan Hines was a real person.

[Andrew Clem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the most interesting book of a man only known by cake mixes today but was the most world renown restaurant critic during the 20's and 30's.

[Alyson Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had no idea Duncan Hines was a real person!

[Erin Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about a man I never knew really existed.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read Harder Challenge 2016 - Biography

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the originators of travel & restaurant guides. Duncan Hines’s books were the original Trip Advisor. A lot of detail and could make for an interesting movie or doc.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the book in the Kentucky section of my local library's ebook carrier. At first I thought it was a mistake, until I read the Duncan Hines was born in Bowling Green, KY. this book was less about cake mixes and more about the Duncan Hines guidebooks that I knew nothing about. there were too many minute details about what Hines at and where for my taste. This was still an interesting biography about a person I never thought was real.

[Jerri Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fascinating bit of history I knew nothing about. The descriptions of restaurants and meals eaten across the country were plentiful and well-researched, likely to appeal to those in "foodie" culture as well as those who like a certain style of travel writing. However, the author could perhaps benefit from the wisdom I received while writing my college thesis: just because you have a date/statistic/detail does not mean you have to include it. One section in particular (in the chapter describing the last year in the life of Hines' first wife) becomes very choppy with calendar dates when the occasional phrase of "two days later" or "that same week" might have created a more smooth narrative picture. Overall, a good book for both the casually interested reader and the more serious alike.