Mine, not because I bought it but because I inherited it (my mother only had two cookbooks so far as I know), was The Sunset Cook Book (Food With a Gourmet Touch), copyright 1960, by the Sunset Mag Home Economics Editor (Home Ec, that's funny all by itself!) and a staff of six, which were, by the names, five definite women and one either/or. Published in California, I presume it represents what was a West Coast mentality of the time.
The paucity of food books in mom's collection is amusing to contemplate because she was a major reader and we had furniture dedicated to her book collection. She was also considered a very good cook; we ate more diversely than any of my friends even though new dishes didn't show up very often. She didn't even have a Joy of Cooking or any of the other comprehensive compendiums for housewives of the era. I don't recognize a single recipe in this book as food she ever made.
Out of sentiment, I still have it. Probably haven't opened it in 30 years though, so yesterday I read thru it to see to what extent it stands up over time (not much). Several things stood out.
1) Pimientos, sometimes specified as canned but sometimes just "1 pimiento", are called for in about every fourth recipe. Quite often in tandem with green bell peppers, but never green peppers alone. Pimiento red was clearly their go-to method for making food pretty.
2) Catsup is everywhere as an ingredient. About every other time, also with Worcestershire sauce.
3) They weren't shy about calling for canned soup.
4) Herb use was very timid. In a dish calling for 4 lbs of chuck roast, for instance, they used just 1/8 tsp ea of three different herbs.
5) Ethnic recipes were often odd. A recipe for chicken enchiladas called for toothpicks to fasten the rolls shut, even though the tortilla was dipped/softened in heated sauce. Chicken Hawaiian's only authentic major ingredient was pineapple, albeit canned. The other principal ingredients were dates, almonds and--come on, guess!!--pimientos!
6) It was badly edited--the recipes must have been included as contributed or found, despite lots of sentences that begin with "we recommend...", usually having to do with silly garnishes (crab apples with tournedos is a must!) or presentation suggestions.
7) It's clear that all foods were to be put on platters and served family style. Several refer to a "chop plate" for arranging meats. This is a new term to me.
8 ) Speaking of poor editing, I laughed out loud over four chicken recipes on two facing pages. First ingredient in each was chicken all the same way but with four different descriptions meaning the same thing, i.e.: 1 frying chicken, cut up; 6-8 pieces chicken (wings, thighs, legs, breasts), 1 frying chicken in serving size pieces, etc.
9) A lot of the recipes made me gag. The two worst: Turkey and Oyster Fricasse, and Tuna Pancakes. In the latter, in a pan one combines chopped pimiento and green bell pepper (natch), 2 cans tuna*, butter and a lot of mayonnaise. Separately, you make 16 pancakes, stuff them with tuna mix, roll them up then place side by side in a baking dish. Bury that under sour cream and cheddar cheese, bake, and voila! Dinner.
*Tuna came in 7 ounce cans then, not six.
10) Anyone want a recipe for broiled mallard ducks? Got it for you right here. (No pimiento, but yes on the Worcestershire!)
11) Two recipes called for baby turkeys. WHA-AT?
They really launched me on an interest in international cookery, and made certain that the first cookbook I bought for myself was Marcella Hazan's Classic Italian Cookbook, followed closely by Frankie Lappé's Diet for A Small Planet (stereotypical, I know). From there, it wasn't long before I had a bookshelf full.