Edmonds Cookery Book turns 100

Enter the Competition at the end of the article.

The Edmonds Cookery Book has been part of almost every New Zealand home for the past four generations. The first edition was published in 1908 by Thomas Edmonds in thanks for the support given to his product, Edmonds Baking Powder. The development of Edmonds is one of the great Kiwi success stories.

Almost 130 years ago young 20-year-old Thomas John Edmonds stepped off the sailing ship Waitangi at Lyttelton. Thomas soon opened a small grocery store and learned from his customers of their dissatisfaction with the unreliable baking powder products they were able to purchase at the time. In response to their comments Thomas began making his own baking powder out the back of his shop, drawing on his blending experience gained working
for a confectioner in London.

His first batch of 200 tins went on sale in 1879. One customer reputedly questioned the superiority of the product over the one she was currently using. Edmonds is said to have replied “It is sure to rise Madam” and so the famous Edmonds promise was born. From this comment the iconic rising sun logo and Sure to Rise trademark were developed, both of which still appear on Edmonds Baking Powder today.

Demand for Edmonds Baking Powder slowly grew until its popularity spread from the housewives of Canterbury to span the whole of New Zealand. As the 19th century drew to a close Edmonds moved to Ferry Rd, Christchurch and in the expanded premises increased production of Edmonds products.

In 1908 the first Edmonds Cookery Book was published in thanks for the support given to Edmonds products. Housewives could receive a free copy by a written request and young couples were sent a complimentary copy on announcement of their engagement. The first edition contained 50 pages of ‘economical everyday recipes and cooking hints’. Many of the original recipes are still part of the Edmonds Cookery Book today and are marked in this
anniversary edition for your interest.

* Edmonds Baking Powder went from strength to strength and by 1912 one million tins had been sold. Thomas Edmonds was not only a successful businessman but a pioneer in industrial policies, during the Depression the company was the first to introduce a 40 hour week which enabled redundancies to be avoided.

When the Edmonds company turned 50 in 1929 Thomas Edmonds generously gifted the city of Christchurch with a clock tower and band rotunda.

Today the Edmonds range has grown to include not only baking ingredients but flour, cake mixes and pastry. The Edmonds Cookery Book remains our first point of reference for cooking ad baking. With sales estimated at over 3 million copies, it is not only our most popular cook book but New Zealand’s most popular book.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cookery Book Competition

The Edmonds Cookery Book Competition has been going so well that the good people at Edmonds have agreed to give us some more books to giveaway! Go in the draw to win the latest edition of the Edmonds Cook Book.

To enter, please submit your favourite or most interesting recipe to GrownUps.

Make sure you submit the recipe under the "Food&Bev" category. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

print