17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, January 23, 1913: Bout the same as ever.
The
Healthful Beverage
Welch’s is the drink for youth and age. It tastes good, satisfies thirst and is healthful. It contains all the health-giving qualities of the finest Concord grapes. It is a splendid temperance beverage for the home. It adds a touch of cheerful hospitality to all formal and informal affairs.
Welch’s
“The National Drink”
To maintain the high quality of Welch’s we pay from $7 to $9 per ton over the market price, thus securing only the choicest of the luscious Concords grown in the Chautauqua Grape Belt.
Welch Punch
For a dainty, unfermented punch, take the juice of three lemons, juice of one orange, one pint Welch’s Grape Juice, one quart water and one cup of sugar. Add sliced oranges and a pineapple and serve cold. Order a case and have a supply in the house.
If unable to get Welch’s of your dealer we will ship a trial dozen pints, express prepaid east of Omaha, for $3. Sample 4-oz bottle, mailed 10¢. Write for our free booklet of recipes.
The Welch Grape Juice Co.
Westfield, New York
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write much, I’ll share old ad I found in the February, 1913 issue of National Food Magazine.
I love Welches, both the juice and the grape jelly….so yummy, I’m glad they’re ‘about the same as ever’.
It’s amazing how some of the companies around today have been in business for so many years!
Oh, dearie me Miss Muffly, I would have loved for your life today to not have been “just the same as ever” but, seems that this is what our daily lives are quite often all about, both for me in 2013 and you 100 years ago. e.g Today, in 2013, MUCH is happening and lots of people are getting very “excited” but its “just the same as ever” for me.
As I work on this blog I’m constantly amazed how many things have not changed over the last hundred years–and likewise amazed how much some other things have changed over the same time period.
I was a Welches fan in the 1950 and 1960s, as well … 😉
I just bought a big bottle! I am thrilled that it’s the “national drink!” 🙂
I wonder what legal battles a beverage would have to fight to claim the title of ‘National Beverage’ today?
I can’t even imagine–but I’m sure it would probably would cost a lot. 🙂
Welches has been around for a good long time! I love it and the jelly too!
Great ad. A far cry from the rather urbane tv ads nowadays.
Love their juice and grape jelly! I might just have to try that recipe on that old ad for “Punch”!
I love how it’s called a “dainty” punch. Dainty was an “in” word a hundred years ago.
Dang…I didn’t know they were this old…
I was disappointed to find that welshes has corn syrup in their sparkling juice.
That’s disappointing.