I am interested in your take on Hough Bakeries recipes, and on my grandfather, L. A. Pile--founder and owner--and Robert, one of his four sons. Robert was never a baker! Very close to his dying day, and long after retirement, Grandfather could still be found four a few hours here-and-there in white baker's apron, standing before one of the revolving ovens tending the crisping up of the tons of nuts that went into Hough products.

Robert initially was the personnel manager (HR manager in today's parlance) but not for terribly long. His oldest brother, Arthur Pile, had begun experimenting with canapés, probably in the 1940's and other party foods; and before long a vibrant catering business was up and running--eventually to become Cleveland's foremost caterers for dinners, private and public parties, weddings, commercial ventures, picnics, conventions,debuts, graduations and christenings, and post-funerals.

During Arthur's years of the the firm's presidency, he always had his clients. But in the face of his huge administrative responsibilities, Robert took over the responsibility for the catering business--running it for decades until the late 1990's.

You're right about MENU PLANNING FOR EVERY OCCASION, Robert's book that appeared in 1968. The title tells it all. It is not a cookbook or even a recipe book. The recipe section covers only 44 of the 368 pages! Most of those recipes are for special party food, and dishes for important functions and very special affairs where unique dishes and creations are highmarks of the occasion.

The other 324 pages are crammed full of highly unusual themed party suggestions, complete with beautiful menus and the kind of decoration ideas you wish you'd thought of yourself.

The book is copyrighted, all rights reserved, so I don't know that you'd be permitted legally to reproduce or copy by electronic or other means.

BUT I'm sure you would love it and suggest you open onto amazon.com or other nationally known used book sellers to see if you can't get a copy of your own to treasure. Or you could just try typing into Google "Purchase Robert S. Pile's Menus Book." I don't think the price would be that all high. Best wishes in your treasure hunt. Would love to know how you get through.