Los Angeles is a magnificent melting pot, a city constantly reinventing itself as adventurous eaters explore and adapt the comfort foods of cultures not their own.

Today, we have Yelp and Instagram to help us find the freshest taste sensation. But in old Los Angeles, cultural foodways were shared in small-run amateur recipe books, published to promote historic preservation, celebrate civic engagement, or raise funds for a favorite charity.

Recently, at a library book sale ($2!), we picked up a copy of the 1942 Victory Edition of Burnt Toast, a regional recipe book published by the Women’s Auxiliary of the California Babies and Children’s Hospital (now called Eisner).

The conceit of “burnt toast” was that young wives were clueless in the kitchen, but could develop their skills by carefully copying the signature dishes of established community members. And these were not just women of a certain age, but men, too, because Southern California has always been a progressive place.

Every regional charitable recipe book is interesting, but those from Los Angeles can hold some cool surprises in the form of recipes from well-known cultural figures. And we’re pleased to share with you the coolest surprise in Burnt Toast: architect Richard Neutra’s recipe for old world Tongue-Goulash. (We like to think that the hyphen represents the tongue sticking out.)

Not a fan of meaty goulash? Perhaps you’ll enjoy Mrs. Dione Neutra’s Graham Cracker ice box cake. So simple, even a newlywed can do it, and taste tested by the sophisticated Neutra household!

Here’s wishing you and yours a season of delicious treats shared with those you like best, from your pals at Esotouric and Burnt Toast! Please let us know if you make either of these dishes, and how you like them.