Did you know that you can turn granulated sugar into powdered sugar? Store-bought powdered sugar is pulverized sugar - usually with just a little added cornstarch to keep the sugar from caking. That’s it!

When Emily and I attempted to make cream cheese mints for the first time, I blended my granulated sugar and attempted to mix it with the small amount of powdered sugar I had in the pantry. Worked like a charm! Although, if I had been more patient and blended it longer, I think the result would have been better (read: less crunchy)…

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This newspaper clipping is likely from about 1973 or 1974 - tucked away in gramma’s yellow, green and orange paisley recipe box. A simple reminder saved for later.

After 1970, the price of sugar increased dramatically as (according to this New York Times article from 1974) economies of developed and developing countries were improving and demand was increasing for desirable consumer goods (like sugar). Supply was not able to keep up with demand and prices were going up. Tips such as these appeared in papers and magazines as readers sought to share practical advice with their neighbors.

Fun Fact: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was released June 30, 1971

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Being the lover of history that I am - I did some research on “Hints from Heloise”. This was a column that appeared in nearly 600 newspapers in its heyday. The column, “a compendium of household shortcuts, consumer tips and shopping advice” first appeared in 1959 (St. Petersburg Times, Dec 30, 1977). Author, Eloise Bowles died in 1977 but the column continued on with her daughter (see more here).

I can imagine what a wonderful resource the column was in a time before the internet.