What can a simple date bar recipe tell us about the lives of Maine women a century ago? On February 26, 2026, food historian Rachel Snell, Ph.D. presented "Recipes as Windows into Women’s Lives," an exploration of the hidden histories found within early 20th-century community cookbooks. By analyzing two specific date bar recipes—one from the Order of the Eastern Star (1929) and another from the Machias Young Ladies Guild (1936)—Rachel reveals how these "simple instructions" were actually a form of public discourse. Discover how these domestic records track the evolving roles, community bonds, and social aspirations of rural women in Downeast Maine. Expanding on her scholarship in the 2025 edition of Chebacco, Dr. Snell examines the sociocultural significance of community cookbooks in rural Maine.