The Westinghouse Electric Company was founded by George Westinghouse in 1886, beginning with a small plant in Garrison Alley, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company would change its name to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company in 1889 and later to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1946. In its early years the company produced many new types of commercial and industrial equipment for the generation, transmission, and application of electricity. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company diversified its product line to include defense contracts, nuclear power, and household appliances. They produced the first electric range in 1917, followed soon by other household electronics including the clothes iron, coffee percolator, and refrigerator. Westinghouse would continue to produce household appliances until 1972 when their Major Appliances division was sold.

Like many other food and household appliance companies in the later 19th through mid-20th century Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company created and distributed recipe and tip booklets to advertise and assist consumers in using their products. Early versions of these publications were typically simple in design and focused primarily on desserts, but by the 1920s they became colorful, heavily illustrated, and began including more tips on making food preparation faster and easier.