Crisco's history began in pre-Civil War America when William Proctor, a candle-maker, and his brother-in-law James Gamble, a soap-maker, joined forces to compete against the other candle- and soap-makers in the Cincinnati area. By cornering the market on cottonseed oil, Proctor and Gamble sidestepped the meat packer's monopoly on the price of lard and tallow. With electrification, the need for lard-based candles decreased and the new vegetable product needed a new market. With a wealth of cottonseed oil at their disposal, the answer was Crisco. In order to market their product, Proctor & Gamble distributed for free Marion Neil's 1921 cookbook, The Story of Crisco. It provides a history of Crisco, information on the benefits of the product, as well as recipes for soup, fish, meat, vegetables, cakes, bread, and more, all using Crisco. The book also includes a calendar of dinners for every day of the year.
