With its first appearance in 1901, The Settlement Cookbook has had various editions, a vast collection of recipes and a special place in my vintage cookbook collection. Setting out to record ‘the classics’ the book records historical recipes in a way that was accessible to its audience. With the profits, the association that wrote and published the book turned to philanthropic endeavors, working to assimilate the large amounts of immigrants coming to the United States in hopes of a better life. From there, The Settlement Cookbook became a cross-cultural project— immigrants from European countries would learn not only ‘the American ways’ but influenced the development of the contents as they shared their own traditional cuisine with the the book’s writers and publishers. This encounter shines through in the later editions, with recipes reflecting the melting pot of cultures, cooking and tradition that I find so inspirational.