International Women's Day
Did you know here at the Vanilla Valley 74% of our work force is women? So, we think on international women’s day that they deserve a massive shout out!
Baking through history…
Or should we say herstory?
Suffragettes
The Woman Suffrage Cookbook was published as a fundraiser in 1886 not only to raise money but also to try to show case that woman could have careers along side tending to their traditional roles. That their house keeping shouldn’t affect their ability to vote. Some of the contributors even placed their names against their recipes, giving us a glimpse into who was involved in the suffragette movement. This cookbook really was a trail blazer inspiring at least half a dozen more publications.
Are you feeling inspired? Why not try making a bread pudding as featured in the book? Make sure you have your tin ready!
Civil Rights Movement
The suffragette cookbooks were contributed to by women from middle- and upper-class background who had the free time to participate. This meant that women without the ability to hire domestic help got left behind, so immigrants and women of colour were missing from the movement.
Although not specifically a women’s issue the Civil Rights movement was incredibly important to marginalized black and brown women, and once again baking was involved in the fundraising! ‘Georgia Gilmore’s sweet potato pies’ was very a more recent but notable example of this community using baked goods in mobilizing voters.
If you want to spread the message as well try your hand at some mini sweet potato pies, we have these handy cases.
Recent History
Since 2016, both professional and home bakers have hosted bake sales in person but also digitally to benefit women’s organisations. These bakes maybe pretty or they may not be but they always communicate powerful messages, more often than not explicitly!
So, if you have something to say why not frost it on a cake?
Or even spell it out in the cake itself?