Bellisio Foods

Bellisio Foods Incorporated (formerly Michelina's) is a diversified American frozen food manufacturer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded by food industry pioneer Jeno Paulucci in Duluth, Minnesota, the company is named after Paulucci's familial home in Italy, Bellisio Solfare. The company is now owned by Centre Partners Management LLC. Its products are primarily sold in the United States but are also distributed in over 12 countries worldwide, which includes Canada, Australia, Russia and China. As the third-largest producer of frozen entrées in the United States, the company has a daily production capacity of over two million meals.

Today, the company markets more than 400 products spanning across a wide variety of categories. These include single-serve and multi-serve entrees, snacks, side dishes and specialty sauces. While most of Bellisio's products are branded, the company also manufactures private label and co-pack retail products. Some of Bellisio's co-pack products are sold under the Chili's, Boston Market and Zatarain's brand names. Some of Bellisio’s brands are Michelina’s, Michelina’s Lean Gourmet, Michelina’s Budget Gourmet, Fusion Culinary, Arden Kitchens, Chariton and Howlin’ Coyote.

The Joy of Cooking

Joy of Cooking, often known as "The Joy of Cooking", is one of the United States' most-published cookbooks. It has been in print continuously since 1936, and has sold more than 18 million copies. It was privately published in 1931 by Irma S. Rombauer, a homemaker in St. Louis, Missouri who was struggling emotionally and financially after her husband's suicide the previous year. Rombauer had 3,000 copies printed by A.C. Clayton, a company which had printed labels for fancy St. Louis shoe companies and for Listerine, but never a book. In 1936, the book was picked up by a commercial printing house, the Bobbs-Merrill Company. Joy is the backbone of many home cooks' libraries and is commonly found in commercial kitchens as well.

First edition (1931)

In 1931, Rombauer, a recent widow needing a way to occupy her time, self-published The Joy of Cooking: A Compilation of Reliable Recipes with a Casual Culinary Chat.

The book was illustrated by Rombauer's daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker, who directed the art department at John Burroughs School. Working on weekends during the winter of 1930-31, Marion designed the cover, which depicted St. Martha of Bethany, the patron saint of cooking, slaying a dragon. She also produced silhouette cutouts to illustrate chapter headings.