I Northern IL, just below the WI border, there was an old tavern that had a sign in it’s window advertising oleo for sale. It was illegal to sell Oleo in WI.
oleo’s what it is. margarine sounds like a tv commercial or something. it’s all called butter around here, regardless of whether or not a cow is even near it….
but when I lived in Wisconsin, early 1960’s, my family made an excursion every few months, from Madison down to Rockford, Illinois, just to buy yellow margarine.
I think it was about 50 miles.
The grocery and drug stores, even gas stations, in Rockford had big signs in the windows, saying “Oleo”… and “Welcome Wisconsinites.”
My mother would stock up on the cheapest, sometimes on sale at 12 pounds to the dollar (!!) and also buy a pound or two of Imperial or Parkay at about 50 cents a pound for special occasions.
Just like the Pennys!
You could buy margarine in Wisconsin, but because of the dairy lobby, it was more expensive, and all of it was pure white.
It came with a little tablet of yellow coloring.You were supposed to dissolve it in a little hot water, then unwrap the margarine and mash it all up — but then you’d have a big bowlful.
Mom wanted sticks that were already yellow…. and she wouldn’t pay $1 a pound for wonderful Wisconsin butter.
Sadly, in the 60’s they believed that margarine was healthier, too.
I am not sure what the differnce is between oleo and margerine. I have even heard it refered to as oleo margerine, though I am not sure if that is accurate.
@defowensby: we always called it butter too, at home. However, it is illegal to call it butter when you are selling it (or giving in a restaruant). My mother even put butter on her grocery list, though she only bought it for very special occasions. My wife uses both depending on what we are using it for, so she writes exactly what she wants on her grocery list.
@SusanSunshine: You are dating yourself, lol. My mother told me it used to be her job to mix the color in with the oleo. This self-coloring was a compromise between the dairies and the people selling the oleo (chemists?). The idea was if they sold it in the yellow color it looked too much like the butter it was competing with and might fool the consumer. By keeping the coloring out, it wasn’t going to trick anyone who was trying to buy the real deal and you could always color it when you got it home.
I think the dairies also enjoyed the extra advantage the white stuff wasn’t as appealing as the natural butter, it looked too much like shortning.
The original advantage when margerine came out was that it was considerably cheaper than butter, but now-a-days, though margerine tends to be a bit cheaper, the price difference isn’t quite as drastic as it once was, at least not in our monetary scale. At one time twenty cents was a huge gap, now a couple dollars isn’t that big of a deal…less of course you are in the Pennys’ circle.
Mikie must be around my age; that was my job. After I grew up I never bought margarine unless it was for 1/2 dozen loaves of garlic bread (made with french loaves and garlic salt- we didn’t eat healthy back then).
Well, butter is natural, margarine is not….grandparents had a farm with real butter, whole milk, cream, lard….I use the same ingredients but not to the degree they did. Everything in moderation, right? Otherwise, a lot of health problems…
leakysqueaky712 over 12 years ago
On a slow boat to China …….Would I love to get them in a poker game.
Good Morning Everyone
mikie2 over 12 years ago
All associate grads of Mensa U. I know of games that would generate gunfire if you got over 52.
Leaky, that 62 car wreck/pileup. Fog on the Lake P. bridge?
I haven’t heard of margarine called oleo since the 40’s. And poor Timmy, he just get to look at the toys, not touch or acquire.
Good night.
margueritem over 12 years ago
Good morning Leaky and Mikey Hello to all other Crustwoodians, too!
margueritem over 12 years ago
I Northern IL, just below the WI border, there was an old tavern that had a sign in it’s window advertising oleo for sale. It was illegal to sell Oleo in WI.
leakysqueaky712 over 12 years ago
And look at the sign……………4 yahtzee dice. lol
dfowensby over 12 years ago
oleo’s what it is. margarine sounds like a tv commercial or something. it’s all called butter around here, regardless of whether or not a cow is even near it….
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 12 years ago
Morning Crustwood!
I fell asleep and now it’s too late to comment….
so I’m not….
Um…. wait…. Ok this isn’t a comment, then….
but when I lived in Wisconsin, early 1960’s, my family made an excursion every few months, from Madison down to Rockford, Illinois, just to buy yellow margarine.
I think it was about 50 miles.
The grocery and drug stores, even gas stations, in Rockford had big signs in the windows, saying “Oleo”… and “Welcome Wisconsinites.”
My mother would stock up on the cheapest, sometimes on sale at 12 pounds to the dollar (!!) and also buy a pound or two of Imperial or Parkay at about 50 cents a pound for special occasions.
Just like the Pennys!
You could buy margarine in Wisconsin, but because of the dairy lobby, it was more expensive, and all of it was pure white.
It came with a little tablet of yellow coloring.You were supposed to dissolve it in a little hot water, then unwrap the margarine and mash it all up — but then you’d have a big bowlful.
Mom wanted sticks that were already yellow…. and she wouldn’t pay $1 a pound for wonderful Wisconsin butter.
Sadly, in the 60’s they believed that margarine was healthier, too.
Hussell over 12 years ago
I am not sure what the differnce is between oleo and margerine. I have even heard it refered to as oleo margerine, though I am not sure if that is accurate.
@defowensby: we always called it butter too, at home. However, it is illegal to call it butter when you are selling it (or giving in a restaruant). My mother even put butter on her grocery list, though she only bought it for very special occasions. My wife uses both depending on what we are using it for, so she writes exactly what she wants on her grocery list.
@SusanSunshine: You are dating yourself, lol. My mother told me it used to be her job to mix the color in with the oleo. This self-coloring was a compromise between the dairies and the people selling the oleo (chemists?). The idea was if they sold it in the yellow color it looked too much like the butter it was competing with and might fool the consumer. By keeping the coloring out, it wasn’t going to trick anyone who was trying to buy the real deal and you could always color it when you got it home.
I think the dairies also enjoyed the extra advantage the white stuff wasn’t as appealing as the natural butter, it looked too much like shortning.
The original advantage when margerine came out was that it was considerably cheaper than butter, but now-a-days, though margerine tends to be a bit cheaper, the price difference isn’t quite as drastic as it once was, at least not in our monetary scale. At one time twenty cents was a huge gap, now a couple dollars isn’t that big of a deal…less of course you are in the Pennys’ circle.
I amost forgot, Hi Crustwoodians!!
vldazzle over 12 years ago
Mikie must be around my age; that was my job. After I grew up I never bought margarine unless it was for 1/2 dozen loaves of garlic bread (made with french loaves and garlic salt- we didn’t eat healthy back then).
recordman over 12 years ago
Well, butter is natural, margarine is not….grandparents had a farm with real butter, whole milk, cream, lard….I use the same ingredients but not to the degree they did. Everything in moderation, right? Otherwise, a lot of health problems…
finale over 12 years ago
(Had to shake the cobwebs out; that’s why this is so late)
….So; does this mean they ARE playing with a full deck?