Dorcas Reilly

Dorcas Lillian Bates Reilly (July 22, 1926 – October 15, 2018) was an American chef, homemaker, and inventor. Reilly worked for several years in the Campbell's Test Kitchen creating new recipes. She is best known for popularizing the green bean casserole. Reilly was called the "Grandmother of the Green Bean Bake."[1]

Biography

Reilly was born Dorcas Lillian Bates in Woodbury, New Jersey on July 22, 1926.[2][3] She grew up in Glassboro and later in Camden.[2] Reilly attended Camden High School, along with her future husband, Thomas H. Reilly.[2] Dorcas Reilly went on to Drexel University where she earned a degree in home economics in 1947.[4][5] She was one of the first members of her family to go to college.[3]

Reilly started working at the Campbell's Test Kitchen in 1949.[4] She was one of the first full time employees in the department.[6] Reilly went on to become the supervisor in the home economics department.[7] She also worked as a recipe developer.[8] During her time at the test kitchen, she created hundreds of different recipes, including Campbell's tomato soup meatloaf, a tuna-noodle casserole, types of porcupine meatballs, and the Sloppy Joe "souperburger."[2][9][6] She is best known for her creation of the green bean casserole.[2]

In 1959, she married Thomas H. Reilly.[2] Dorcas Reilly left the Campbell's Test Kitchen briefly to raise her children in 1961.[3] She returned later to work as the manager of the Test Kitchen.[3] During her time back at Campell's she was cited by the Courier-Post as an expert in "cooking and entertaining."[10] Reilly retired in 1988.[3] In 2002, Reilly and Campbell's donated her recipe for green bean casserole to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.[9]

Reilly died on October 15, 2018, in Camden from Alzheimer's disease.[2][6]

References
  1. "Neo-Comfort Food". Clarion-Ledger. November 10, 1996. p. 124. Retrieved November 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Zraick, Karen (October 24, 2018). "Dorcas Reilly, Creator of the Classic American Green-Bean Casserole, Dies at 92 (Published 2018)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  3. Katz, Brigit (October 26, 2018). "The Woman Who Invented the Green Bean Casserole". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  4. Bolado, Carolina (June 1, 2005). "Simply Green". The Herald-News. pp. C1. Retrieved November 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Dorcas Reilly". Drexel Alumni. July 10, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  6. King, Rebecca (October 31, 2018). "Dorcas Reilly Leaves Behind a Great Legacy". The Record. pp. BL1. Retrieved November 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.comj. and "Reilly". The Record. October 31, 2018. pp. BL2. Retrieved November 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Bella, Timothy (October 24, 2018). "Dorcas Reilly, Inventor of the Green Bean Casserole, a Thanksgiving Favorite, Has Died at 92". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  8. "Dorcas Reilly and the Original Green Bean Casserole Recipe". National Inventors Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  9. "Dorcas Reilly, whose test kitchen created green bean casserole, dies at 92; read our 2002 interview". Akron Beacon Journal. November 27, 2002. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  10. "Ask the Experts". Courier-Post. February 22, 1985. p. 49. Retrieved November 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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