10 February 1933 “Singing Telegrams, Ukulele, Deviled Shrimp Pie & Unusual Lima Bean Loaf””

Today in 1933, Western Union began offering Singing Telegrams. Prior to this (and of course again in the coming decade with WWII) receiving a telegram usually made one feel apprehensive, as it often was a harbinger of bad news.

Apparently, their popularity picked back up again after the second World War, as here we see an advert for singing telegrams from none other than, 1955!

I read an article saying that Western Union actually launched this year a website to brink back the telegram. But to do so through the internet, so someone could send a singing telegram today. I won’t give the address, because when I followed the link in the article and the page loaded, I was accosted by the worse LOUD sounding hip/hop rippity rap sound that tortured my ears! I had to close the window immediately and listen to this to bring my ears back to the sensibility of good music. The lovely Ethel Waters singing Miss Otis Regrets

Here is a fun song and clip from the picture “Take a Chance” from this year. The song is called “Blame it on the Ukulele”

By now, the Ukulele is the established instrument of the people.

Transplanted to America in the 1920’s the ukulele, portable, it was considered the image of the Jazz Age. It was first introduced to the masses in 1926 with one of the earlier sound talkies staring the very talented Roy Smeck. Smeck was a genius of the strings and he could do magic with stringed instruments. Here is a clip from that ‘26 film showing off his talents. He plays the uke later on in the clip.

I found some cans of shrimp very inexpensive at my local market and so picked some up. Much as my Depression era sisters would have done, with food prices rising we must try to find inexpensive ways to make meals.

Here is the recipe and I will tell you how it turns out.

And from my Hostess Handbook from the 1930’s this fun recipe with a great drawing diagram to accompany it. I love that this recipe book has these little illustrations. It makes me want to get back to drawing again.

Do let me know if any of you try this recipe and cost it out if you can. I shall do the same. We can try and build up an arsenal of inexpensive but interesting foods to supplement our menus. It seemed to me today, as it was my marketing day, that prices seem to have gone up again! It is very frustrating.

Happy Homemaking.