07/23/2026
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Research Inquiry: Family Recipe Collections from the Maritimes, 1860-1950
My name is Misty McKinney, and I am a graduate student at the University of New Brunswick. I am currently conducting research on recipes written and used by women in the Maritimes between the 1860s and the 1940s.
I am looking for handwritten recipe collections, cookbooks, diaries, journals, letters, or other written materials related to food preparation and domestic life. Materials may include recipes, notes about cooking and baking, grocery shopping, gardening, household labour, childcare, or everyday life. The scope of my research may also include domestic labour in employment, such as records of women who worked as cooks, housekeepers, and live in maids.
Because many recipe collections are passed down through families rather than preserved in archives, I am reaching out to the public to learn about materials that may exist in private homes and family collections.
If you have a recipe collection or related material that you believe may fit this research, I would be happy to hear from you. Participants may contact me by email with a brief description of the material. Depending on your preference, I may review the material through photographs, scans, or an in-person visit. I will not take possession of any of the materials shared with me. If necessary and if the participant is willing, a supplementary interview may also be conducted in-person, online or, by phone.
Participation in this project is completely voluntary. If you choose to participate, we can discuss how you would like your materials to be used and identified in the research. This project has been reviewed by the Research Ethics Boards of the University of New Brunswick and is on file as REB 2026-117.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact:
Misty McKinney
Department of Historical Studies
[email protected]
