Time Travel Kitchen
Dolly, Duncan, Road Trips and Brownies
When I heard Dolly Parton partnered with Duncan Hines on a line of cake mixes, I giddily searched for the answer to only one question: did she name one of the cake mixes the Jolene?
It turns out she didn’t, but I will always love her because she’s the reason friends, strangers and occasionally airport customs agents looking at my passport have spontaneously broken into song, belting my name out to me since 1974.
My thoughts then turned to Duncan Hines, the man not the mix. As this terrific NPR piece documents, he shaped restaurant history. A traveling salesman from the 1920’s through the 1940’s, he searched for a good meal in every small town and on every back road and highway he traveled. He began keeping a journal of places to eat and rest and in 1936 self-published Adventures in Good Eating. The book turned him into THE source for dining and lodging for the traveling American public of the era.
It wasn’t until a later business partnership when he was 72 years-old that Duncan Hines lent his name to the boxed cake mixes he is now famously remembered for.
I hope you’ll read this story about his fascinating life and his lasting impact on eating, traveling and dining out. I really enjoyed learning about him and I think you will too. Here’s the link:
Duncan Hines: The Original Road Warrior Who Shaped Restaurant History
There’s another reason I have a soft spot for Duncan Hines. As I’ve mentioned in earlier newsletters, the very first thing I baked by myself as a kid were Duncan Hines Brownies. I baked up a batch (pictured above) the other night with the optional extra egg and milk instead of water, just like I used to, and they were as good and familiar as I hoped they’d be.
The First Brownie
There are several origin stories about when brownies first arrived on the scene. Last year I wrote about one of the contenders, brownies created in 1893 and served at the World’s Fair in Chicago in the ‘ladies lunch baskets’. They are about as decadent and luxurious as a brownie can be. Here’s the recipe if you would like to give them a try. Personal preference: I liked them better without the glaze.
A Special Newsletter Next Tuesday
My friend and fellow Substacker, best-selling cookbook author and baker, Anne Byrn is going to trade places with me on Tuesday. I’ll be writing on Anne’s page and she’ll be here. We’re making two beautiful cakes from her book American Cake that I think you’re going to love.
I’ll also be posting my regular Friday newsletter next week as well. If you’d like to visit Anne’s Substack the link is below. Have a great weekend!
Jolene
PS As of last night, Dolly’s Cake Mixes are sold out online. Of course they are! It’s Dolly! 💕
So am I the only ding doing who never associated "Duncan Hines" with a person??!! A human??!! Betty Crocker, yes of course! But never once did Duncan Hines occur to me as a person. A man. It's me, right? Ding dong..
I remember well your Brownies. And to this day, when I think of Brownies, I think Duncan Hines. Your Duncan Hines Brownies. The Brownies of my childhood. Crispy and moist. So yummy.
Ya know if poor Willy Loman had thought outside the box, perhaps it would be his Brownies we'd be enjoying all these decades. Willy Loman Brownies. Perhaps things would gone another way for Biff and Hap... 🤣
Love that Dolly is "collabing" with DH. Love that you and Anne are "collabing" as well. Looking forward.
And yes, Dolly made your name very accessible way back in '74. As, a side note, 30 years later in '04 the White Stripes covered "Jolene" assuring the names cache well into the 21st century. See ya next week.
When I saw "Dolly" in the title I instantly thought about Dolly Parton. So fun to get to know your story. Have a grat day Jolene!