We mentioned these Robert Carrier recipe cards in a blog post just the other day – then lo & behold, we come across a set. Isn’t the Op Art tin box great? There’s something very Mary Quant about it.
We’d guess that this particular set dates from the early 1970s. Inside the tin are held a large number of cards divided into the various categories. Robert Carrier was a big name in cooking at this time with TV shows and accompanying merchandise. His style was quite theatrical and camp. American by birth, his wealthy parents went bankrupt in the 1930s Depression. They had to dispense with their servants, but maintained their social life by preparing their own elaborate dinner parties. This was no doubt an influence on young Robert – as was his French grandmother who also taught him to cook.
Initially, he trained and toured as an actor, but also began submitting cookery articles to magazines. He got a big break when given a weekly column for the Sunday Times colour supplement. This brought him fame and celebrity which then led to the books, TV shows and restaurants.
These particular recipe cards are very much of their time – the actual dishes, presentation, serving suggestions and so on. They pack a punch on the colour front, that’s for sure. There’s certainly something of the ‘fancy’ 70s dinner party about them. Abigail’s Party springs to mind – sardine stuffed lemons to accompany the Demis Roussos perhaps!
We’ll be putting them into our webshop soon, but drop us a line if you want first dibs – £22 for the tin and recipe cards.
