Rand Mcnally

Ruth Ellen Church, born in Iowa in 1909, built a significant career in journalism, primarily with the Chicago Tribune. After graduating with a degree in home economics journalism, she joined the Tribune in 1936. She initially wrote under the pen name Mary Meade, eventually becoming the paper's food editor. In this role, she was instrumental in developing the newspaper's test kitchen and overseeing food photography.

Church made history in 1962 by launching a syndicated wine column, "Let's Learn About Wines," making her the first person to hold such a position for a major U.S. newspaper. This column continued for nearly two decades, extending beyond her 1974 retirement as food editor. Her work garnered widespread attention, with thousands of readers seeking her advice and submitting recipes. She authored several cookbooks and books on wine, and her insights into the evolving food industry and wine culture were notable for their time.

Ruth Ellen Church, writing for the Chicago Tribune, was a trailblazer in food and wine journalism. Under the pseudonym Mary Meade, she not only served as the paper's food editor for nearly 40 years but also established one of the first newspaper test kitchens and managed food photography. Her influence extended to readers nationwide, who actively sought her culinary advice and contributed recipes to her contests. She was recognized for her ability to connect with a broad audience, addressing everyday cooking challenges and innovations in the food industry.

In 1962, Church broke new ground by initiating a syndicated column dedicated to wine, "Let's Learn About Wines." This made her the first syndicated wine columnist for a major American newspaper, predating similar columns by a decade. Her reporting on wine included observations from European wine regions and the burgeoning wine industries in New York and California. Church noted the increasing international interest in American viticulture and winemaking techniques, highlighting institutions like the University of California at Davis for their contributions to the field. Her work provided early insights into a burgeoning American wine culture.

Beyond her newspaper contributions, Church authored numerous books on cooking and wine. Her publications, such as "Mary Meade's Magic Recipes for the Electric Blender" and "The American Guide to Wines," reached a wide readership. She was also a keen observer of the changing food landscape, noting in 1955 the revolutionary pace of new product development in supermarkets. Church's perspective was considered unique during the 1960s, a time before the widespread public interest in gourmet food and wine that emerged later in the decade.

“that the changes in the food industry were ‘revolutionary […] [F]ully a third of the products and foods we buy now in the supermarket were not even in existence 10 years ago: instant puddings, cake mixes, instant coffee, instant dry milk, detergents, the wide array of frozen and pre-packaged foods.’”

“we do most of our own food photographs, conduct a daily $5 favorite recipe competition, maintain a mail and telephone service to homemakers, scout for what’s new in the kitchen, test recipes and such. In addition, I write a daily and Sunday column, and supervise the publication of a number of supplements each year, notably the Thanksgiving and Christmas special sections.”

“meeting of the people who write about food with the people who produce the food we write about.”

“The comments attributed to these ladies are unbelievable and in fact, untrue.”