Roberta's Realities

My Memorable Mother's Day!

2013-05-13T19:32:00.001-04:00

I had a crazy busy and unconventional Mother's Day this year but it was truly memorable. Normally, my husband and I spend the day getting our deck ready with a phenomenal container garden for the summer. We also pot decorative hanging plants and a container full of beautiful plants and decorative grasses for our front steps. You see...we live in a townhouse. Space is limited but we do own the end unit that abuts a small hillside and a backyard grass covered hill that provides a perfect place for perennials and flowering bushes. I've made sure that bird feeders are placed in the pines behind our unit to lure finches and robins to our city home! I've always loved my home. I'm a city girl but still believe I can enjoy flowers, birds and the same joys that homeowners with land are privy to. After all...it's not where you live but how you live!

Two years ago I wrote about the history of Mother's Day. If you want to read about how important carnations really are to this day that was never intended to go commercial then click on this link! The weekend for us really started on Saturday when we went to New Milford to visit my husband's mother. Her birthday was on Friday and with Mother's Day on Sunday (and our busy schedule) we were able to have a quick lunch with her and her sister (my husband's aunt...the nun). It was a nice lunch and she enjoyed the two Pandora beads we got her for her bracelet! After lunch, she and Aunt Nancy had to head to Ridgefield for dinner with her daughter and son-in-law and family. Mark and I headed to the large theater in Danbury to meet our oldest son who actually wanted to go to the movies with us! That's a first. Well...with him as a grown up! Anyway, we saw 'The Great Gatsby' that was just released in 3D. All of us had it on our required reading list when we were in school and I had seen the movie starring Mia Farrow and Robert Redford but we were not prepared for this amazing version! Definitely try and see this movie if you can. The cinematography was amazing and the musical score, while not what you would expect for the 1920's, was worth the price of admission and more! Here's a trailer of this new film!

The next day found us enjoying a leisurely morning after which I found a wonderful gift waiting for me on our dining room table. My husband has never been good about figuring out gift buying. He's an engineer. Enough said. So...when Pandora came out with a charm bracelet that any husband could figure out, well, it saved him. He's now able to walk into any jewelry store and with minimal thinking ask to be shown the 'new beads'. We're both happy - now. I had filled up one bracelet and so he purchased some beads with a new bracelet and a jewelry box for Pandora jewelry for my Mother's Day gift. What a great way to start the day!

The next part of our day involved a trip into Hartford to The Bushnell Auditorium to see 'Looped' starring Stefanie Powers. We had originally been scheduled to see this production in January starring Valerie Harper but then of course she was diagnosed with a terminal brain disease. So our tickets were reissued for Mother's Day. Stefanie Powers did an amazing job. The play is about a recording session for the movie, 'Die, Die my Darling!!'. Stefanie Powers actually acted in the movie with Tallulah Bankhead who the play is about. To read more about Tallulah click on this Wikipedia link. We loved the play and were pleasantly surprised that it was so funny! We had no idea how a 2 hour play with only 3 actors was going to be but it was funny, light and just perfect for Mother's Day...but no children please. Apparently, Tallulah had the mouth of a 'sailor'.

After the play we were off to The University of Hartford to pick up our son who had just completed his Freshman year and needed some help moving his stuff back home for the summer. And by stuff I really mean crap. But he was well prepared and had his things all packed and his car was packed already. All we had to do was take the few remaining boxes and put them in our car. And by 'we' I mean not me! After all, it was Mother's Day! Below are pictures of the 'cell' (also known as Freshman housing) that he lived in for the year and the new dorms he will be living in next year. Quite an improvement! I didn't mind doing this at all. It was such a joy to help him move back home and literally 'close the door' on this chapter of his life. And the super good news is that he starts his full-time summer job tomorrow. Life is good and he's one happy guy - at last.

The Freshman 'Cell'

Sophomore Housing

After we returned home and our boys emptied out the cars and deposited the junk in our living room we called my mother to wish her a happy Mother's Day. She, like I, believe it's not the created holiday but an attitude. That's a true gift because her day involved unwanted water flooding in the house, some unwelcome mice and an escaped and expensive Maine Coon cat! Life is grand!! Adventures await around every corner, you just have to define them as that and not as anything else. Life is good...really.

I have one final word about gifts and expectations. I never want nor 'expect' my sons to spend tons of money on me for birthdays, Christmas or 'Hallmark Holidays'. What I want is their presence - just for a short while and maybe a kindness or two. That's it. I am blessed and have everything I could ever possibly need or want. They've been good kids. Besides...they need to start paying student loans! And if anyone in my family really wants to gift me with flowers...find some carnations.

1970 Cocktails...Add Vodka!

2013-05-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

I found these two interesting recipes from the early 70's in my collection this afternoon and thought that it would be fun to share. These involve a little bit of work and on a Friday afternoon after a long work week I don't believe anyone would want to attempt these cocktail concoctions but they offer some good 'entertainment' value! It was an exciting day on Wall Street today with the Dow and S and P index numbers skyrocketing and breaking all records. When the closing bell rang there was applause. Those Wall Street guys get super excited about money. Too bad they'll be singing the blues in the near future. It's the nature of the biz. Ups and downs. Today is a Friday and I'm sure there will be plenty of celebrating for those that work and invest in the financial markets this weekend.

I found these two early 1970's recipes for mixed drinks that involve vodka and I thought they were fun to look at. Especially the one that calls for 'canned vodka'. I can't ever remember seeing that! Hopefully, if you share a cocktail with someone this Friday evening you won't have to go to all this trouble but this does remind us of the cocktail parties that were given in the sixties and seventies. Lots of work but classy events given at the drop of a hat to celebrate just about anything. Remember there was no Internet and socializing was done face to face and neighbor to neighbor. Read this link from foodtimeline.org about 1970 cocktail parties if you want to be reminded of this fun social gathering for adults. The kids were usually confined to a family room...out of sight.

Frozen Daiquiri

1 (6 oz.) can frozen limeade
2 (6 oz.) cans frozen lemonade
4 and 1/2 cans (6 oz. size) water
1 and 1/2 cans (6 oz. size) vodka

Kahlua

Bring to a boil:

1 quart water
2 and 1/2 cups sugar
9 tsps. instant coffee (10 tsps. if freeze dried)
Simmer very slowly for 3 hours. It will be dark and syrupy.
Cool, add 3 tsps. vanilla and 2 and 1/2 cups vodka. Mix
Refrigerate in your favorite decanter and serve at room temperature.

Freeze dried coffee preferred.
Expensive vodka not needed.

If these beverage 'recipes' have you interested in learning a bit more about vodka then check out this wikipedia link. And if you would like a laugh, here's a clip from You Tube with Betty White and David Letterman and a little vodka!

The 'Dainty of the West' Mystery!

2013-04-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

My heirloom recipe collection contains some amazing finds and I usually can do some research with my food reference books or the sites I've shared with you that are available online, however, this time I'm stumped. This recipe appears not once but twice in my collection and it is included with the recipes that are over 100 years old. I thought that with such an intriguing name as 'Dainty of the West' that an answer would be only a 'click' away. When my computer research turned up nothing and my old cook books yielded no results I knew that this would remain a mystery. Or would it?

One of my favorite recipe websites is www.Allrecipes.com because it has an incredible feature in it's search section. Here's how it works, there's an ingredient tab that you click on and a screen appears with several spots to insert ingredients that you want to include in your dish. Next to that there's a spot where you can specifically exclude certain ingredients. I thought I could use this tool to uncover what this recipe was originally intended to be. I had inklings and ideas but needed to know what this 'dessert' originally titled 'Dainty of the West' ended up becoming in our current vocabulary. It turns out that this recipe is actually what we currently refer to as 'Rocky Road Fudge'! Read what foodtimeline.org has to say about fudge and why food historians are puzzled about this 'dainty' confection. Just click on the link. Wait a minute...did you see the word dainty? I did find out that 'dainty' was often used in titles of foods that were meant to be used as 'finger foods' served with tea. Go figure.

Without further ado...here's the recipe. I have to hand it over to you because I've been staring at these recipes on my table for months. I'm sick of them. I don't make desserts and don't eat them. I know. Whatever.

Dainty of the West

1 cup marshmallows cut fine*
1 cup English walnuts broken
1 pint cream, whipped
4 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 squares chocolate, melted (or cocoa as dark as wanted)
vanilla to flavor

*You do know without me telling you that over 100 years ago you would be making your own marshmallows, right? You couldn't buy marshmallows in the store until the late 1950's.

And the how to? Sorry that's all the recipe states. Most cooks learned at the side of the women in their families. All they needed were the ingredients. They knew what to do after that. From what I can gather, this recipe was originally made as a Christmas treat. Refrigeration was not an option like it is today. People had it available but it was dear. Made in winter this dish could be set outside to chill and be ready for dessert in no time!

Think about how expensive this recipe was to make 100 years ago. All of the ingredients were precious - very. This had to have been a Christmas treat. But I needed to get it off my back. Like I said, I've been staring at it. If you know anything...enlighten us all. Please.

Earth Day 1970's Style!

2013-04-22T18:57:00.001-04:00

Today is Earth Day. It was first celebrated 43 years ago in 1970. I can remember participating in Earth Day throughout my youth and can tell you that the focus has changed over the years as our awareness and knowledge has grown. In 1970 our focus was on energy conservation and pollution. This year's theme surrounds climate control. Read about Earth Day 2013 by clicking on the link. Back in 1970 climate control and global warming wasn't a concept we were thinking about or even imagining. Our focus then was centered around pollution, air quality and trying to introduce recycling. We were still watching cigarette commercials on television and seeing them in all our magazines!

In fact, in 1970 we were falling in love with convenience foods. Hamburger Helper had just appeared along with all sorts of fast, ready to eat mixes. And we loved them! Women were entering the workforce at a fast pace and didn't have the time they once had in the kitchen. And the new foods were fun and a novelty! Our kitchen appliances were evolving in the beginning of the 70's and we couldn't have been happier. But then again...anything that distracted us from the reality of the Vietnam War and inflation was a good thing. If you would like to read more about the food of the 1970's please click on this foodtimeline.org link! I really believe this site is one of the best resources for food history. If you're not a fan yet, become one today!

I thought today would be a good day to visit some recipes from the 1970's from my collection. They're funky and very 'different'. I don't advocate actually making these - they're involved, not so healthy and these 2 are quite definitely designed to 'stretch' ground beef. Inflation was a reality in our lives then and every kid (and I was one) was keenly aware of the cost of oil, the rising cost of food and the need to make the dollar stretch. Remember the lines of cars waiting to buy gas? It became very vogue to make your own bread. I can remember my mother canning all sorts of things to store up. There was worry about the availability of sugar and basic staples. So when new appliances were introduced everyone was thrilled at the prospect of life becoming just a little bit easier. I remember the move in our home from using a percolator for coffee to our first 'Mr. Coffee' machine. That was heaven! And we were so impressed with the introduction of the 'Toaster Oven'. We made room for that on the counter top! Below is a picture of some typical kitchen appliances from the 1970's. Just a little trip back in time.

And here's a photo of a typical kitchen from 1970! We thought it was so perfect at the time!

So. Here are some recipes from the 70's designed to 'stretch' that ground beef! No horse meat involved.

Chinese Hamburgers

1 lb. ground beef

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup raw rice

1 small can water chestnuts, sliced

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup Chinese noodles

Brown meat. Add and mix all ingredients except noodles. Pour into 2 quart casserole and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees, covered.

Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.

Sprinkle with noodles and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

* So. This is a ground beef casserole but it serves many and can be prepared ahead of time. Perfect for the woman who doesn't have tons of time to cook anymore.

California Style Hamburgs

1 and 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 and 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. finely chopped green pepper

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

3 Tbsp. chopped onion

1/2 clove garlic - mashed

Filling: 1/3 cup chopped ripe olives, 2 Tbsp. blue cheese

Sauce:

1 and 1/2 Tbsp. fat

1 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash Tabasco

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1 and 1/2 cups water

Preheat skillet to 380 degrees.

Combine first seven ingredients; mix well. Shape into 12 thin patties. Combine olives and cheese. Put about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture in center of 6 patties. Top with remaining patties; press edges to seal.

Heat fat in skillet; brown patties on both sides. Turn down heat to 'simmer'. Remove out excess fat. Combine remaining ingredients to make a sauce. Pour over patties. Cook 20 minutes or until done, turning patties once. Makes 6 servings.

These recipes are heavy on the prep work and this last one even includes the addition of fat. Wouldn't happen now.

I'll say it again, these recipes are provided for a 'look back' and not as dinner suggestions. Things are much better now. We know better and we can do better. But...at the time these were awesome. Then again...at the time, we thought bell bottoms, platform shoes, halter tops and mu mus were awesome. What was wrong with us? Watch these commercials.

For Boston

2013-04-16T17:22:00.000-04:00

No words can adequately express the grief that is sincerely felt for the horrific event that occurred in Boston yesterday at the marathon that has helped define that glorious city. Patriot's Day is special to all residents of Massachusetts. It's a day off from school, the Boston Marathon is run on this day and it commemorates the opening battle of the revolutionary war on April 19, 1775. Click on this link to learn more about Patriot's Day and it's significance to all Americans. It's not an official celebration here in Connecticut but being a proud New Englander I certainly wish it was part of our shared heritage. The news is on now and I'm listening to stories of courage and survival and trying to focus on the heroism displayed yesterday afternoon 4 hours and 9 minutes into what will be forever now known as the 'unfinished marathon'. Perhaps some didn't technically finish the race but the race has been won by all participants, bystanders and public servants (police, fire, national guard, EMS) that immediately jumped into the fray. I heard someone quote Fred Rogers (the Children's PBS show host of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood) yesterday. They said he always told children in times of trauma to look for the helpers. They were the true heroes yesterday.

So. In order to somehow pay tribute to this city that has given this country so much, I thought it would be appropriate here to highlight some very old recipes that Boston has become famous for. For many, you can't say the word 'Boston' without conjuring up images of these truly New England dishes. Enjoy. And be brave and try some...after all - you have a crock pot and microwave at your disposal!

Boston Baked Beans

1 quart beans soaked in cold water for an hour or two, then add salt and pepper together with 1/2 teaspoon mustard and 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 or 3/4 pound pork placed on top, enough water to just cover the beans. Put in oven and bake slowly for 12 hours* adding more water as it evaporates. Keep covered all the time while cooking.

* This is why your crock pot might come in handy!

Boston Brown Bread

Mix and sift together:

1 cup sifted rye flour
1 cup corn meal
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Stir in 1 cup graham flour.
Mix together 3/4 cup molasses and 2 cups thick sour milk*. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. If raisins are desired, flour 1 cup of them and stir into mixture. Fill well-greased molds 2/3 full, cover with greased covers and steam 2-3 hours, depending on size of molds. Remove covers and bake 15 minutes at 350 to dry tops. Cut with a string.

From, 'America's Cook Book'

*Sour milk would translate to 'Buttermilk' today.
Yankee magazine did a piece about step by step instructions for Boston Brown Bread almost 2 years ago. I love Yankee Magazine! Take a look.

Parker House Rolls

Take 2 quarts of flour and rub into it a tablespoon of lard and a little salt. Mix in a deep bread pan, and make a hole in the flour into which pour 1 pint of cold boiled milk and half a cup of yeast.* Cover the pan and let it stand all night, and in the morning stir it up and knead well and then set it in a warm place to rise and let it rise to a light sponge. Then roll it out on the board about half an inch thick. Cut in center. Half of roll should be buttered - the other side lapped over it. Put them in the pan 1 inch apart and let them rise 1 hour. Bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes.

*This is yeast before packets of 'active dry yeast' were available. I actually have an old recipe for yeast involving potatoes...another time. This recipe involves many hours of work for a quick bake! The Parker House Hotel still stands today but now is known as the Omni Hotel. The interior is still intact and reflects the beautiful architecture of the 1870's. For more history on this uniquely Boston Bread click on the Cook's Info link here!

Finally, how can we leave a discussion of incredible Boston recipes without this one...

Clam Chowder

1/2 peck clams, boiled, picked out, and chopped
4 large potatoes
1 onion chopped
Boil in the liquor

Fry 3 or 4 slices of pork* till quite brown. Cut up fine, put in 1 tablespoon flour and brown. Then put all in the kettle and also the clam water to make fresh enough, and a little pepper.

That's it. That's what is a traditional no fuss 'clear broth' chowder. We currently refer to all clear broth chowders as 'Rhode Island style'. Nonsense. I grew up on it in a little fishing village in south eastern Connecticut called Noank. It's good stuff. But I don't see the harm in adding a little celery!

*That would be salt pork which you can buy in your meat case by all the pork products.

I can't end this post without invoking the words of Elizabeth Zimmerman. She's well known in the knitting world and has this quote attributed to her.
"Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises". You can read more about Elizabeth on this Wikipedia link. I'll be writing again soon. Right now...I feel the need to attack some knitting.

Thomas Jefferson's Birthday!

2013-04-14T19:07:00.002-04:00

I'm behind on my writing this month...and I have no good reason other than life and that misery that accompanies me every March called the CMT's! But now that it is over I can devote myself to this blog in a much more whole hearted manner and I intend to do so!! So today...I was thinking and then I heard a news report and followed it up on google and through some of my food reference books and lo and behold - this weekend is the anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birthday! Jackpot. You must know that for me to write and write well I have to have some sort of an angle - a grab. If I don't have it, I don't write. But, Thomas Jefferson?! No problem. So, here we go. The photo to the left is Thomas Jefferson's vegetable and herb garden. It has been maintained at Monticello all these years. Wouldn't it be amazing if our own descendants felt enough of us to maintain our vegetable gardens!? Just stuff I think about.

Thomas Jefferson's birthday is April 13th. His ancestors still gather to observe the date with an incredible dinner celebration. Why? Because he loved food before it was the cool thing to do. Because he spent so many years in France as a diplomat before he became President, he developed a fondness for French food and customs. Although while in France he grew many varieties of his Virginia sweet corn. Back in Virginia he grew more than thirty varieties of peas.

According to the cook book, 'The First Ladies Cook Book' published in 1982 by GMG Publishing, "He also liked salads and often attributed his long life to the many vegetables and greens included in his diet and his preference for wine instead of liquor. Jefferson was the greatest connoisseur of wine to live in the White House, and regarded fine wines as one of the necessities of life."

Jefferson loved to entertain at the White House and while he didn't have a first lady (he had been widowed for almost 20 years when he became President) he frequently sought the services of Dolly Madison to assist him as hostess for White House events. Because he loved vegetables and greens, I decided to include a few recipes from my reference book, 'A Treasury of White House Cooking' by Francois Rysavy.

Jefferson's Corn Pudding

6 to 8 ears green corn (for 2 cups) or 2 cups canned cream-styled corn
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
4 tablespoons butter

Shuck the corn and remove all silk. With sharp vegetable knife score each row of kernels down the middle; then cut corn from cob. Scrape the ear lightly to get the remaining kernels and corn 'milk'.

Scald milk, and pour over corn. Add salt. Beat eggs, and add to mixture. Melt butter in a casserole, being sure to cover sides of casserole. Pour mixture into casserole, and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Serves 6.

* Just a note. Adding sugar to this recipe as some are want to do renders it not a vegetable dish but a dessert. Just sayin'.

Jefferson's Asparagus Vinaigrette

2 pounds Asparagus
1 and 1/2 quarts water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place asparagus in a sinkful of cold water until crisp and drained of possible sand. Pick up each stalk at stem end and snap. With a little practice this trick is easily learned, and asparagus will break at point where tough portion ends and remaining portion is tender and edible. Scrape lightly with a paring knife. Tie in a bundle with string.

In the bottom section of a double boiler boil water with lemon juice and salt. Place asparagus in water; invert top of double boiler to serve as lid. Water should come within an inch of tips of asparagus. The steam will cook the tips. Boil about 15 minutes, depending on freshness and tenderness of asparagus. Drain and cool. Serves 6.

Vinaigrette Sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon prepared English Mustard
1/2 cup olive or salad oil
1/3 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped chives or mild scallions (using part of tops)
2 tablespoons pickle relish
2 hard-cooked eggs, pressed through colander with wooden spoon

Mix dry ingredients; stir in oil and vinegar, alternately. Blend well. Add chives, relish, and eggs. Stir. Serve over asparagus on Bibb lettuce. Makes 1 and 2/3 cups sauce; serves 6 to 8.

Eat your veggies this week!

Celebrating A Modern Nun!

2013-04-10T18:56:00.000-04:00

Aunt Nancy and Me!

Have you ever had the opportunity to meet a nun? I probably never would have had I not married my husband. I was not raised Catholic and didn't live in an area of Connecticut that had a high Catholic population. My true introduction to all things Catholic didn't happen until 1984 when I met my husband. That was also my first real experience with Italian and Polish families as well. Sheltered life. I'm still in shock. Culture shock. Everything about my husband's family seemed different and strange to me. I must have been their worst nightmare...a WASP among them. They didn't know how to relate to me and I certainly had no idea how to behave in their world. And it was just like that - I felt like I had entered some alternate universe and I didn't speak the language. I'm still learning. I think that at this point we're accepting our differences. It's only been 28 years!

When I heard one of my husband's aunts was a nun I was amazed. And curious, very curious. In the world I grew up in women were professionals. They worked long hours, became active in the community and sacrificed all sorts of things to grow as a professional. When I met Aunt Nancy (or Sister Marietta) I realized how close her outlook on life is to the women I was raised to admire. She accepted me and treated me with kindness from the very beginning. We even took a trip to Kentucky to visit her at the convent she lived at in Nazareth, KY in 1988. Click on this link to see the Kentucky campus. It was a wonderful visit and is still a highlight of our memories. When we got word that this year was her 'jubilee' year as a 'Sister of Charity of Nazareth' (SCN) we were thrilled to go to her family celebration of this monumental achievement. Just think of the sacrifice and service! She's had an incredible career and currently lives in the Boston area where she works as a visiting home health aide. She has had the amazing opportunity to travel all over the world. She even spent several months in India living, working and worshiping with the sisters from her order in India. She describes herself as a 'modern' nun and is anxious for change to come to the Catholic church. She is thrilled with the addition of Pope Francis and hopes he will break down some of the barriers to women in the church regarding leadership. Like I said, progressive.

Deviled Eggs!

There were about 45 family members at this celebration. I brought her a scarf I made for her in the colors of her order. She has not worn a habit in many, many years and as long as I've known her she's always dressed professionally and has loved color! The only way you would know she was a nun is by the wedding band she wears marked with a cross. It was a loud, crowded event with lots of children running about. The amount of food was...well, there was an awful lot. I brought 4 appetizer dishes and a Mediterranean chick pea salad to go with the main dishes. Nobody went hungry. I'm still full. Here are some pics of a few of the appetizers I brought. Every family member has a 'standard' dish they get assigned to bring and mine has become the deviled eggs! The skewers with tortellini was a new idea of mine. It looked beautiful but was an awful lot of work! The turkey roll ups with cream cheese, cranberries and pickles was a big hit and got high marks for looking so colorful. I wish I had a picture to show you of the most favorite appetizer that I brought to this celebration but they disappeared so quickly that there was no time to snap a pic! I'll just describe it to you. I purchased endive and carefully separated each leaf. After they were washed and had dried I spread whipped cream cheese in the center (like you would fill celery stalks) and sprinkled dried cranberries and candied pecans on top. It was colorful, easy to handle and light. Perfect for an appetizer.

Tortellini skewers!

Turkey Roll Ups!

Towards the end of the festivities, Aunt Nancy acknowledged her vows by reading her original vows that she took 50 years ago when she first entered her order. She's there in the middle. My mother in law is in the blue and on the far right is the youngest sister, Jo-Ann. It was a sweet moment. I'm glad that I was a part of this special, special day.

Canape, Appetizer or Hors d'oeuvre?

2013-04-06T10:58:00.000-04:00

I've taken about a week off from writing and I can feel it. There's just something that calls to you if writing is your thing and that voice just won't shut up! So anyway...I'm back and I thought I'd let you know about a party I'm going to tomorrow and what I'll be bringing. My husband's aunt is celebrating her 50th anniversary as a nun serving with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Click on the link to learn more about this order. This is a big deal and the entire family is gathering to celebrate and honor her. I'm bringing appetizers and a Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad that I wrote about in winter. It started me thinking about appetizers and how they worked their way into the American appetite. With all of my collections of vintage and heirloom recipes there are practically no appetizer recipes. And largely, cook books before 1940 didn't have sections devoted to appetizers or hors d'oeuvres. That roused my curiosity and I did a small amount of research. It appears that while they have existed in many forms in history they were not part of the American diet on a regular basis until about the 1950's. At that time Scandinavian food was very popular and lo and behold - Swedish meatballs arrived on the scene! And then with the advent of the theme dinner parties more appetizers and hors d'oevres worked their way into our eating patterns. Please click on this foodtimeline link to read more about the history of these delicious starters!

Prior to the 1950's a form of appetizer was often served. They were called canapes and those were typically served on small pieces of toast or bread. Fancy. Think afternoon bridge parties...with cocktails. This was not normally served in typical working families. But thank goodness we embraced those Swedish meatballs! I wrote about Swedish meatballs a while ago. Read that post here! Appetizers are not only the norm now but can in fact comprise an entire meal. Who hasn't filled up on appetizers? So enough about that. Let's get down to business...

Here's what I'm bringing tomorrow. I'll be delivering a large tray or two of deviled eggs, endive stuffed with whipped cream cheese and topped with chopped pecans and cranberries with a raspberry dressing on the side, tortellini skewer appetizers (the skewers will have marinated artichoke hearts, cheese, fresh basil and grape tomatoes) served with a pesto sauce, pinwheels made with flour tortillas filled with cream cheese, dried cranberries and roast turkey wrapped around dill pickles. And the chick pea salad. Now the best way to deal with those pinwheels is to wrap them today and let them sit in the fridge overnight before slicing them. This is only a tiny, tiny bit of the food that will be offered tomorrow. There will be over 50 people there and of course everyone is bringing food. It will be a feast and it may not all get eaten but everyone will go home with wonderful parting gifts!

I'll write more about this event on Monday. Who am I kidding? Tomorrow the writing will be moved to the back burner. That's ok though, that's where the simmering takes place and the flavor deepens.

Thinking About Tulips!

2013-03-31T15:03:00.000-04:00

Today is Easter Sunday and I have a beautiful bouquet of tulips on my table. It's about the only sign of Spring that can be seen in this part of New England besides the stray crocus or two. We've had a dismal winter which has left us on this early Easter with a barren landscape. The birds haven't even appeared as they usually do by this time of year. We're anxious for springtime and warm temperatures. It's 50 degrees right now and while that's better than the temperatures we were dealt last week it's still not weather that makes the flowers bloom. Once my forsythia blooms then I'll be convinced that spring is indeed around the corner!

Enough of my moaning and groaning...my husband's aunt informed us last week that she's headed to the Netherlands tomorrow for just over three weeks! One of her goals is to visit the Flower Market in Amsterdam. I'm so happy for her. She's 81 and still globe trotting. That's amazing. She has always found a way to travel with groups of ladies and soak up knowledge about her world. I can't even remember how many countries she's managed to visit since she became a widow. She made it happen! Maybe she'll see some clogs!

I found some incredible photos on pinterest and thought I would share them. This is springtime on steroids! If you've never heard of the tulip mania that occurred in Holland in 1637, read the wikipedia article by clicking on the link. You'll never look at a tulip bulb in the same way again!! And to think - the first 'economic bubble' turned out to be a bulb!! As I sit waiting for the bulbs I planted in the fall to show their blooms...

It's Been a Wild March!

2013-03-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

I haven't written much at all this month and it has really bothered me. March is always difficult for me because of what I do. For those of you that don't know, I coordinate mastery tests for a very large middle school. That's a big job. Our school is larger than many high schools in our country and more culturally diverse. I love our demographics. I'm so proud that our children had the opportunity to experience public education in a population that prepared them for life. They loved it. So... March is a month of extreme concentration and attention to detail for me. I'm in a conference room with thousands of test booklets and many other pieces of paper. They all have to be accounted for. Every single piece. I do a lot of counting and re-counting. We, as a school, have to hit a certain percentage of children tested. We have to exactly identify which children belong to which subgroups and in what way. If they receive free or reduced lunch, are English Language Learners, receive Special Ed. Services or are 'native Alaskans' (seriously) I need to know about it! Thank goodness I have incredible help because I certainly couldn't do this alone. This year I was blessed to work with several who needed the experience that this unique job offers. They were able to see the education process from a unique perspective. Not many think favorably about standardized testing. It's a necessary evil. It needs to change. I get that. But our kids do need an assessment of some sort and until they can figure this out this is the only game in town. So anyway...that was my March.

On the weekends. Now that's another story. To relax I knitted and of course experienced the zen that is laundry. I made a cute dishcloth for a friend at work who literally saved my life this month. She keeps our computers at school humming and when I learned that I would have to print 'tickets' for all of our resource students to take tests on computers she offered to help! How could I thank her? A dishcloth...I had enough time to knit her a dishcloth. You might think that a rather 'simple' gift but let me tell you - she was so happy. That made my day. And then there was the stress. Lots of it. Well to conquer that I decided to learn how to knit socks. I wrote about that earlier this month but thought you might like to take a peek at the finished product! Not too bad for a first pair. In fact, I have bought yarn to make a chunky pair of socks! And to think, women and children made socks on a regular basis to help our soldiers back in the 40's! I made this pair for my 19 year old son. I haven't decided if he'll be allowed to wear them yet.

I'm hoping that soon I'll be back to my blogging about vintage and heirloom foods, traditions and recipes. Bear with me. Like I said...March was wild.

Watch This!! A Place at the Table.

2013-03-19T17:49:00.000-04:00

I don't take money from anyone for endorsing anything. Ever. There are ads on this site that are content driven but that's it. Anything objectionable and they're gone. It's a promise I intend to keep. That little bit of business out of the way, I want to tell you to spend some money and see the film 'A Place at the Table'. It's by the same people that made 'Food, Inc.' Both are important films and both should be required viewing. If you ever thought that hunger has never been an issue in this country then this will enlighten you and hopefully challenge you. Our country is wealthy beyond belief but all of the government food programs available are wanting. The ability to provide our citizens with healthy food is greatly hampered by the government subsidized crops farms are now growing. I've written about the Farm Bill and the National School Lunch Program before but this film also focuses on the Child Nutrition Act signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966. All of these bills and Acts are political hot potatoes. They are so loaded with flaws that no political party wants to challenge them and it would be 'political suicide' to challenge something that sounds so inherently 'good'. Who wouldn't want to be seen as supportive of farms, nutrition and children? But think about it...these bills were put into effect many decades ago with the intent of helping family farms and our nation's children. That has changed. In every way these bills have become huge 'cash cows' feeding the food industry in America. Reform is needed. But before reform can happen the public has to be educated and enraged. Our children are hungry - and obese. How can that happen? Cheap calories. That's what they're being fed. And so are we.

What can we do? Michelle Obama has spearheaded a wonderful program called 'Let's Move' which is aimed at educating our children and parents about nutrition and wellness. She saw a problem and became the change. Change is good. I write about heirloom and vintage recipes. They took an awful lot of time but the men and women that went before us knew what they were doing. My hope is that we'll be brave enough to try feeding our families that way again. Whole foods locally grown and chemical and additive free. Check out her Let's Move blog to see what you can do. Get involved and eat fresh and local foods. Farmer's markets will be opening soon. Visit one and support local farmers. One person can make a difference.

Here's a clip from 'A Place at the Table'. I hope it makes you hungry for more information!

March Madness of Standardized Tests

2013-03-16T18:00:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I haven't written for two weeks! This is March and March is the month when most American students are immersed in the madness of standardized testing. I'm not a fan. Please don't misunderstand. I love public education and work with teachers that I respect and admire. I coordinate the Connecticut Mastery Test for the middle school I work in. I make sure the materials are correctly distributed and the make up tests are given to the students that were absent during testing. It's an awful lot of paper to keep track of and I always have incredible help in the form of interns, student teachers and other substitutes. In a school the size of ours it is a monumental undertaking but we all pull together and navigate our way through the stress (and there is a lot of that) with little loss of life. Maybe just a few paper cuts. If you work in a school you know exactly what I mean!

For the most part the testing has finished. I continue the good fight for the next week and a half by chasing down kids to take make up tests. Believe me, it's the last thing a middle school child wants to do. Awesome. After we finish that task it's all paperwork. A team of us check test booklets to make sure labels are in place, student ID numbers are correct and the sub groups are properly identified. Sub groups are crazy important to a large city school system. Crazy.

Now for something completely radical. I believe that standardized testing is not how we should be spending our education dollars. It just doesn't work. Different models are paraded out every few years with great fanfare and they just haven't found anything that comes close to success. Something new is coming to the American education system and it will invade every community next year. It's called the 'Common Core Curriculum' and the testing that goes with it will be completed on computers. Computers in many school systems that are outdated and slow. Cycling an entire student body through media centers that are not equipped to handle the volume just doesn't make sense. What makes 'cents' is that all the testing companies that print materials and score these tests will be making money - lots of it. Companies that get these contracts are growing, expanding and hiring. That's where anybody who needs a job should be looking! Measurement Incorporated located in Durham, NC is the company Connecticut public schools uses to provide materials and score tests. That's right, the good folks of North Carolina will be reading the writing prompts and scoring them! Bizarre isn't it?

There are movements afoot all across the country to radically change assessments of our youth. I think we need to listen. Change is good and I believe with all my heart that things don't happen unless we make them happen! If you say (and many do) in a resigned way, 'It is what it is' then you are accepting what is being spoon-fed to you. Question everything. Challenge everything. Why not? Here's a great site Fairtest.org that will inform you about the national changes that are on the horizon and marching at breakneck speed towards our children. Be informed. Education reform should be anchored by the belief system of the community and powered by local voters. Get involved before this 'common core' becomes the new 'Big Brother'. Just sayin'.

The Most Annoying College Bill - Ever.

2013-03-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

I had to pay my son's room deposit fee for his dorm room for next year. No problem. I'm used to this little bit of 'legal extortion' the universities throw at us every year in the name of securing a dorm room. It's part of the game. I get it. What annoyed me was the bill I had to pay in addition to the $250.00 non-refundable room deposit. Tacked on was a fee for $14.33. Odd. I did some digging and discovered it was a fee they assessed for damage to his room. Many of you know he's in his freshman year. Like most freshman, his accommodations are not the best. So I was surprised to see a 'room damage' fee. That room is not a 5 star dwelling by any stretch of the imagination. He's a pretty good kid and very busy at the art studios most days (an Art major) and really doesn't have much time or inclination to do much 'damage'. Of course, I talked to him about it. He couldn't figure it out either. He promised that he did nothing. I believe him. This boy just doesn't lie. Then he remembered something. Back in the fall (when he had a roommate) his roommate had a friend visit who became slightly 'inebriated'. That friend ripped the room number off the door to his room and threw it outside. Shortly thereafter, my son's roommate left college for the foreseeable future. His quad mates next door transferred after 1st semester leaving him the sole occupant of a 'quad'. Just last week - a full four months later - a maintenance person was sent out to put a new door number on the door. My son is the only occupant. That room number cost $14.33. I paid it. Whatever.

Learning to Knit Socks...Am I Crazy?!

2013-02-25T18:17:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about learning how to knit socks for a long time. I actually attempted it several years ago but my head wasn't in the right place and I probably didn't have the knitting experience or skills to attempt it. Sometimes you just have to wait for the time and place to be right. Lately, it has felt right. I found an excellent local yarn store which was an intoxicating experience and contained beautiful yarn and incredible amounts of information. I can't begin to tell you what it's like to walk into a real yarn and fiber store! This particular store also has one of the largest selection of needlepoint supplies I have ever seen! The lady at the store was patient and guided me to an excellent book for new sock knitters with some basic patterns. It's titled, 'Knitting Circles Around Socks' by Antje Gillingham. What a great investment! Step by step photos to accompany the directions - awesome. There are incredible websites with tutorials but having an old fashioned book in your lap while you sit on the sofa or in your favorite chair just feels better than curling up with a laptop. Just does. Always will.

This is a small store without an up to date website. By the way, the store is aptly named, 'A Stitch in Time' and it's located in Bethel, CT. If they had an up to date website I would provide a link but they don't. That kind of surprised me. It seems such a necessity today but perhaps it's a case of not messing with something that works!

Anyway, on to the sock adventure. As with learning or attempting anything new you truly do have to pick up your bucket of courage and just dig in. And so I did. I read the instructions carefully and attempted this new thing step by step. I broke every step into baby steps and gathered my materials. I actually took the skein of sock yarn I bought and wound it into two separate but equal balls! I never do that. I should, I know...we'll see. Here's the result - not too bad.

Then I had to deal with the two different round needle sets. That was difficult. I was able to cast on 40 stitches on each set of needles and successfully separate them to form the two socks. The method I chose to learn sounds complicated but once you get going it really isn't. I'm knitting both socks at the same time! Crazy, right? That's what I thought but the woman at the store convinced me that it would be fine and I would end up with two socks that are exactly the same length. I'm pretty sure that's a good thing!

I was able to successfully finish the cuff on both socks and have begun knitting the leg portion of the socks. It's coming together! I will tell you that the one thing that saved the day was the last minute purchase of needle protectors! They are the green rubbery things on one set of needles that you can see in the picture. It's an absolute essential to keep you knitting on the right set of needles! I know many swear by knitting socks on sets of double pointed needles but if the end result is a pair of socks it doesn't matter how you got there.

It was worth it to take this hour out of my day last week to browse through the fiber, yarn and threads. It truly brings you back to a time when women (and even men) created fabric this way out of necessity and not out of a need for a hobby. I felt connected to women in the past. It was a great way to spend a rainy February afternoon! By the way, my 19 year old son will be the recipient of this first attempt. He's always loved anything I've knitted for him and if this first and definitely clumsy attempt at socks provides him with a little bit of comfort after a rough month then it will be a great success.

Here are some pictures of some famous and not so famous knitters from a time I like to write about!!

Eleanor Roosevelt

Princess Elizabeth and family

Dining with George and Martha - Part 2!

2013-02-18T16:42:00.002-05:00

I wrote about our 'first' first couple one year ago but felt that I couldn't let the day go by without a little more culinary information from this important time in American history. Read about my first President's Day post here!

Many people are home today in America. It's President's Day. Many recognize this not as a day to honor Lincoln or Washington but as the day when bargains can be found in abundance at your local mall. It's also a traditional long weekend break for most school districts and a tourist agent's dream. Many Americans are anxious for some sort of break from the winter hibernation and will pay dearly for a brief respite from the short, cold days that have enveloped them. I thought today that I would focus on George and Martha Washington and some of the food that graced their table at Mt. Vernon in Virginia. The Capitol of our country was located in New York City at the time and while they did entertain there they also received guests in their Philadelphia mansion and of course the Mt. Vernon estate. While Washington was President he received guests in New York and Philadelphia. These were formal affairs with much pomp and circumstance. An interesting fact, there was no hand shaking of guests hands. It was considered improper and short, brief bows of the gentlemen's heads and slight curtsies from the women were expected! "The First Ladies Cook Book" recounts that, "Upon his 'retirement' from public life, he and Martha returned to Mt. Vernon where he had hoped that he and Mrs. Washington might do what had not been done in twenty years, that is to sit down to dinner by ourselves." Sadly, that was not to be the case. There was such a steady stream of visitors that Washington invited his nephew, Lawrence Lewis, to live with them to assist with the many visitors. Read more about his retirement days at this link.

Mt. Vernon Dining Room

The Washington china Service

Even though the Washingtons' were considerably more relaxed during mealtimes these meals were bountiful events. In addition to the great variety of meat and poultry served there was an ample supply of desserts, tarts and cheeses. A large amount of wine was available. Meals were served by three liveried servants. According to the 'First Ladies Cook Book' conversation consisted of "talk of many things: building improvements in the United States, bridges in particular, New England roads, mutual acquaintances, progress of public buildings in the Federal city - the weather, conditions of crops, etc." Isn't it interesting that though time may pass, table conversation remains pretty much the same!

Recently, I've noticed that this blog enjoys an enormous amount of traffic whenever I write about old pancake and waffle recipes. I don't get it...but I will take advantage of that fact! Numbers don't lie. Anyway, I have a memoir type cook book authored by a former White House chef named Francois Rysavy title, "A Treasury of White House Cooking" where he recounts one of Washington's favorite breakfasts - waffles! Amazing!

George Washington's Rice Waffles

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup boiled rice
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Then add the milk, egg yolks, butter, and rice. Carefully fold in the egg whites, and your waffles are ready for the waffle iron. Serves 4.

The above waffle recipe was frequently served with the following sauce:

Honey-Maple Sauce

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the ingredients well, and heat before serving.

Here is a description in Rysavy's book about George Washington at breakfast after his retirement to Mount Vernon. "In a visit to Mount Vernon in 1798, Washington's friend, J.U. Niemcewicz, tells about Washington's early morning: 'He rises at five in the morning, and reads or writes until seven. He takes bis breakfast-tea with a cake of Indian corn (because of his teeth), cutting it in slices, which he covers with butter and honey.' Then, Niemcewicz says, Washington would get on his horse and 'see the work in the fields.'

Retired but still living and working! That is another reason why he is the 'father of our country'!

As always, a good reference site for all thing 'food history' is www.foodtimeline.org - please check out this link for all things George and Martha.

Fat Tuesday Pancakes from the Fifties!

2013-02-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

I've always been fascinated by the whole 'Fat Tuesday', Mardi Gras, and Lent traditions. I was raised a Protestant so many of these practices are foreign to me. I wasn't raised anywhere near a largely Italian, Polish or Irish population so these days always intrigued me. I couldn't imagine not eating meat on Fridays (we ate whatever, whenever) or the tradition of giving something up for the season of Lent. More often than not we were told to 'do something' during Lent. Volunteer...something like that. So marrying into a large Italian and Polish family was quite a shock to my reserved and ever so 'Waspish' self. Honestly, I just didn't get it and I'm sure (I know) the feeling was mutual. Today is Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday. That means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I couldn't even relate to that! Never in my life did I receive ashes on my forehead. I attended Baptist and Methodist churches during my childhood and the ash thing just didn't happen for me. It wasn't until I landed in college that I started to see and feel a real disparity between myself and my Catholic friends. My college roommate was Catholic and there were more than a few religious discussions! But that's the great thing about college. You expand your worldview and stretch your belief system into a form of grand acceptance. So I have learned to appreciate our differences and celebrate them!

On to today's fun stuff from the fifties! I found these recipes that were hand written on index cards. One is from Vogue magazine and the other is from Yankee magazine in March of 1957. The recipe from Vogue is 'fancier' - of course - and is actually an apple crepe concoction while the Yankee offering is a sturdy New England pancake creation. Tradition holds that Roman Catholics at one time (things change) would cook pancakes on the day before Ash Wednesday because the families had to remove all fat and butter from the house before the Lent began. Read about all things pancake and crepes at this foodtimeline.org link. This is one of my favorite sites to learn about food history! Check it out.

Tuesday Pancakes

6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 and 1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar

Beat eggs lightly, beat in other ingredients. Beat approximately 5 minutes until the batter is smooth.

Coat bottom and sides of a wide frying pan with melted butter. When hot, pour in about 5 Tbsp. butter. Turn the pan as it will form a large, thin flat pancake. Cook until the batter bubbles, then turn and fry the other side. Then put pancakes on a hot plate. Sprinkle heavily with powdered cinnamon and powdered sugar. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon over it, then spread with cooked apples or chocolate sauce and the the cake like a jelly roll. Cut the roll in two pieces, sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar and serve. Or... use maple syrup on them.

Yankee magazine - March 1957

Panqueque Manzana (Apple Pancake)

2 large apples
2 Tbsp. butter

Pare apples, core, slice very thin. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the apples. Cover and cook very slowly until tender. Occasionally toss - do not stir.

Crepe Batter

3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. rum or brandy
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp. melted butter

Beat eggs well, add salt and rum. Stir in the flour; slowly add milk until the mixture is the consistency of thin cream. Add the melted butter. Let stand for 1/2 an hour before baking.

Add 2 tsp. of butter to a hot skillet. Cover bottom of pan with a thin layer of apples; pour over enough batter to make a thin crepe. Cook over a slow flame until brown. Toss, or if you haven't enough courage, turn with a spatula.* When brown, cover top with a thick layer of granulated sugar. Turn again. Slowly pour 2 tsp. rum down the sides of the skillet. Cook slowly until sugar is caramelized. Invert on a hot serving plate.

Vogue (South American Recipes)

*Seriously. The recipe reads, 'if you haven't enough courage'. Well, just have a shot of the rum or brandy and you'll be good to go!

I wrote about pancakes a year ago in March. The recipes from that post are at least 100 years old and quite a bit simpler. Click on the link to check it out to see the difference! There's even some waffle recipes!!

The Blizzard of March 1888!

2013-02-11T17:02:00.000-05:00

We have nothing to complain about. Living in New England means you're built tough. Or ought to be. This is not the place for the weak of heart to live. There are many parts of this country that can claim frequent weather calamities but New Englanders have a reputation for digging a little deeper and lasting a little longer. We haven't had a winter with a lot of snow in several years. And most certainly have not had the pleasure of a blizzard of this magnitude in a lifetime. Really. See there was this storm in March of 1888 that may have delivered slightly more snow than this 'blizzard'. March 12th. We actually get a lot of big snowstorms in March. Yay. So what we're going through in the Northeast now may be devastating and hard to deal with but I'd rather deal with it now than in 1888. I can't even imagine. Wait. I don't have to imagine. I was scrounging around on pinterest and found these pictures! Snow removal was crazy. Horses and blowtorches. Enjoy this trip down memory lane and be thankful for all your modern appliances and things like electricity and heat. And maybe be extra thankful that the men in your neighborhood didn't decide to torch the snow to get rid of it! I can't even imagine being the wife of the man that came up with that brilliant idea.

Horses - no plows.

Smart.

This is Longacre Sq. - Currently Times Square!

And the guy on top of the train!

There's been a lot of discussion in Connecticut about the severity of this blizzard (named 'Nemo' or 'Charlotte' depending on who you talk to) and the 'Blizzard of '78'. Well, it just doesn't matter. Going through that amount of snow in 1888 must have been worse than any of us could relate to. I mean...I snuggled up with a bunch of knitting and reading and waited for the plow to come. And there were no blowtorches or horses to feed.

Easy Mid-Week Casserole circa 1960!

2013-02-06T18:03:00.000-05:00

It's the middle of the week and terribly difficult for me to be witty for any extended length of time. And then I found this. For some bizarre reason Juddy (the woman whose recipes I have been gifted with) wrote 'Adlai Stevenson' next to the title of this casserole recipe! Was it a favorite of this frequent presidential candidate or featured in a magazine article about him? We may never know. Believe me, I wasted an enormous amount of time on google today trying to figure it out. If you know exactly how this recipe and Adlai are tied together...good for you.

The recipe looks really yummy and easy to throw together for a mid week meal. I would serve it with rice or pasta. The recipe doesn't call for either. I don't get it. Rice and pasta make sense with everything!

Shrimp Artichoke (Adlai Stevenson)*

Arrange 1 pound cooked shrimp and 1 #2 can artichoke hearts** in casserole. Bake 20 minutes covered with mushrooms and sauce.

Mushroom sauce: Sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter for 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup sherry, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire.

Top with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and paprika.

*That's exactly what is written on the top of the recipe card!

**There's also a notation that a package of frozen artichoke hearts may be used. My feeling is that it may add a lot of liquid as the casserole bakes.

Make up some pasta or rice. This recipe just doesn't seem complete without it. It's not complete. Rice or pasta - definitely.

Here's a great pic of Adlai Stevenson. Notice the worn sole on his shoe!

Visiting the Vanderbilt Mansion!

2013-02-03T17:21:00.001-05:00

My husband and I spent yesterday back in Hyde Park, NY touring the Vanderbilt Mansion. Several weeks ago we immersed ourselves in the Roosevelt homes down the road. We had been to this particular 'country cottage' before but it must have been over 10 years ago so we decided to take the tour again. I'm glad we did this. We've been trying to have excursions on the weekend now that we are officially 'empty nesters'. I've decided that opportunities have to be created for us to reconnect so we can avoid one of the many pitfalls of long term marriage...staring at each other and wondering who the other is. It happens. So we're returning to the activities that attracted us to each other almost 30 years ago. This has been an interesting lesson for us in many ways. Our families are getting used to us 'dating' again and not being as available as we once were when the children were little and we made it a priority to spend most of our weekends visiting family. So on to this adventure...

We had to plan carefully. Winter hours for many of the National Historic Sites are limited and we wanted to be sure we didn't end up just missing a tour and having to wait two hours for the next one! As it turned out we arrived with plenty of time to peruse the gift shop while we waited for the park ranger to arrive to give the tour. It was the same park ranger that we had for our visit of Val-Kill just one month ago. He didn't remember us. On the plus side, winter tour groups are smaller than crowded spring and summer tours and the park rangers have the freedom to share more information and take more questions. It was a good experience and we loved roaming around a home that was so completely different from the style of Springwood where FDR was raised or the stark simplicity of Val-Kill where Eleanor Roosevelt spent most of her time. This was pure aristocratic extravagance! Below are some pictures I took. They're not the best photos (no flash photography) but you get a good idea of the scope of size and style. This home had many French touches as you can tell from Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom! She wanted it to be a reproduction of Marie Antoinette's. Why not?

When we finished our step back into the 'gilded age' we decided to stop at the Eveready Diner for lunch. Several years back Guy Fieri filmed a 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' episode there and we had to experience it for ourselves. We had planned to try the lobster quesadillas he featured from the diner but they are no longer on the menu! No matter. This was a fun and funky diner and the food was crazy good. It was a diner that had been immersed in 'retro' and was full of families. We left for home full and happy. Click on the Eveready Diner link to get a taste of yesteryear! There's a link on the site to the recipe that was featured on Guy Fieri's show as well.

Confused Curry Recipes from the Seventies!

2013-01-31T18:23:00.000-05:00

Well, you can't really think about the seventies without using the word 'confused' and these recipes certainly reflect that! It's the end of January and I really wanted to get one more post in for the month when I came across these two 'special' recipes. I thought that with the heat offered by the curry these might add some warmth to the remaining cold winter nights we're still destined to deal with! One is most likely a luncheon recipe and the other is a dinner delight. Not really - wait until you read the ingredients in this gem! I'm sure it's fine. But I won't be making it! Americans really didn't eat much curry before the 1960's or so. It was huge in Europe and Asia and has always been a favorite in Great Britain. It just took us longer to become comfortable with this spicy and exotic style of food. It took us a long time to get used to most international cuisine. Odd isn't it when you look at all the different varieties of food we eat today?

The 'Food Lover's Companion' describes curry powder as, "Widely used in Indian cooking, authentic Indian curry powder is freshly ground each day and can vary dramatically depending on the region and the cook. Curry powder is actually a pulverized blend of up to 20 spices, herbs and seeds. Commercial curry powder (which bears little resemblance to the freshly ground blends of southern India) comes in two basic styles - standard, and the hotter of the two, 'Madras'. Since curry powder quickly loses its pungency, it should be stored, airtight, no longer than 2 months."

Here are some early adventures with curry recipes from the early '70's. Remember, we were just coming out of the sixties and just beginning to find ourselves! Women were well on their way out of the kitchen and into the work place. When they did have time to spend on creating dishes in the kitchen, experimentation was key...and so were themed parties. Those were big.

Curried Rice and Meat Salad

1 - 12 oz. can luncheon meat, chilled and chopped*
1 - 3 and 1/2 oz can pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced
2 cups cold, cooked rice
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup salad dressing
1 Tbsp. milk
1 and 1/4 tsp. curry powder

Toss. Serve in lettuce cups. Serves 4.

*I don't even want to know how they could have made 'canned' luncheon meat. Wait...don't even. This better not be a Spam recipe. I'll bet it was. Ugh. And by the way, at least now we can buy those olives already sliced!

And now for dinner...

Chicken Curry for 8

4 slices bacon
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 minced clove garlic
2 Tbsps. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup applesauce
3 Tbsps. tomato paste
3-4 tsps. curry powder
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
Hot cooked rice
Raisins, toasted coconut, chutney, diced green peppers

Crisp bacon, drain and reserve 1 Tbsp. fat. In the fat cook celery, onion, and garlic. Crumble bacon. Blend in flour, stir in milk, water, tomato paste, curry and bouillon cubes. Cook and stir until hot and bubbly. Stir in chicken and additional ingredients. Heat. Serve over rice.

Better Homes (April 1972) Here's a picture I found on pinterest from that issue of Better Homes. What our kitchens looked like then! And that's what we all wanted...

There's lots of information about curry. If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know, click on this Wikipedia link!

And for those of you that knit like I do, I know you'll appreciate this yarn skein! It's called 'curry'.

Dorm Appliances - Then and Now!

2013-01-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

Many of you know that I have two grown sons. One just graduated from Central Connecticut State University and my youngest is a freshman at The University of Hartford. He had a roommate first semester. As most of you know, large items for the dorm room are 'shared'. Our son brought the television and game system and his roommate provided the microwave and refrigerator. Well...college didn't work out well for his roommate and the roommate and his father arrived this weekend to retrieve the rest of his belongings and the sacred microwave and refrigerator. So we had a job to do this weekend (in addition to scrambling for a cheap art history text)! Our older son never had to provide the room microwave or refrigerator so this was a new step.

Back when we were in college, the most advanced dorm appliances we owned were the versatile 'hot pot' and the 'air popper'. Of course that was necessary because none of us had microwaves. In fact, they were just making their way into our parents homes at a steep price. Even the smallest microwaves were huge and took up enormous amounts of counter space. When they were first introduced there was no such thing as a microwave with a turntable. Unheard of. Well - it's truly a different world. There is absolutely no need for a popcorn popper because everyone has a microwave and those hot pots? Outlawed. I guess they could have hurt us if we used them to heat things other than water...They totally should have banned them. We heated everything in those things. I remember that we were allowed to bring toaster ovens and electric skillets as long as we agreed to use them in the small kitchens that were located on every floor. Those kitchens are gone now. If you can't heat what you need in a microwave you're out of luck. And back in the old days our cafeterias weren't open 24/7. We had to fend for ourselves on the weekends!

So our appliance quest resulted in the purchase of a compact microwave for $70.00 and a super compact refrigerator for less than $50.00. Success! Now if we could just purchase a successful college experience with as much ease. No. Road bumps ahead.

A Cause Eleanor Roosevelt Would Support!

2013-01-23T18:43:00.000-05:00

It's late and I have to get ready for work tomorrow so I'll try and keep this brief. I know - but I'll try. I've been reading an awful lot about Eleanor Roosevelt lately and have become a huge admirer of the strong woman she was. She was ahead of her time in so many ways! A year ago I wrote about a company that employs women and trains them for the work force after they have fallen on hard times. It's a great company. It's called The Women's Bean Project and if you'd like to read what I wrote about a year ago, click on the link! This 'project' trains women to enter the job force while turning out quality American products and food items. It just makes sense. Eleanor would definitely have supported this worthwhile effort. Please visit this Women's Bean Project link and if you feel able, please donate. We need to help employ women and give them a marketable skill. Eleanor would do it.

Another interesting thing I learned today about the Roosevelt's - while they occupied the White House they preferred casual dining and food. Eleanor took great delight in serving a picnic lunch of hot dogs and beer to the King and Queen of England when they visited Hyde Park in the summer of 1939 much to her mother in law's great disdain. But they still had official china in the White House! Here's a pic!

The Thai Restaurant Experience!

2013-01-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've decided that my husband and I are going to be doing much more in the way of day trips, culinary adventures and short get aways. In an effort to keep this long term marriage vital we have to take some risks and begin 'dating' again. If last night was a 'date' it would have been a complete flop! And not because our 19 year old son joined us. He was pleasant and great company. It's just hard to attempt a new food experience with little or no background about what it should be like. We have many friends who rave about Thai food so we thought we would be safe going to a restaurant that has been a part of Danbury's fabric for longer than we've been married! For an eating establishment to be around that long it should be amazing...right? No. This place was featured in Zagat's in 2003 and 04 and was reviewed and received a 3 star rating from the New York Times in 1993. That was then.

We expected to be greeted by traditionally dressed waitstaff in a brightly lit and festively decorated establishment. The photo above is what appeared on their website! I was confused when we walked in and found waitresses dressed in jeans and hoodies with cell phones hanging out of their pockets. Really. The waitresses were in fact Asian but as my husband pointed out (not the most discreet man) 'What's up with all the old white men in plaid flannel shirts?' Seriously. He said it and it was true. They were serving but just mostly roaming. Weird upon weird. The website suggested we make reservations for a Saturday night which we did. Dinner is served from 4-10 in the evening and we opted for 6 p.m. reservations. After our initial shock at the lack of traditional attire (I made my husband wear a button down dress shirt for this expected formality and asked my son to put on a clean shirt!) we were then stunned to see a restaurant that was less than busy. We were the third table to be seated. The interior looked exactly as it did on the website only darker and dingier. Twenty years worth of dingy. Here's a pic from last night. Bleh. I swear those are the same parasols hanging from the ceiling.

My husband and son ordered soups for an appetizer and I ordered the vegetarian spring rolls. They were brought to us fairly quickly and the only problem was that the young server (cell phone girl) couldn't identify which soup was which. Well, not too big of a problem because neither could we. They also brought us a basket of 'Thai like tortilla chips'. I believe they were called prawn toast. My son said he ate them just because they were there. I believe that. I tried a bite but was unhappy with the fishy taste and cardboard like texture. We were unfamiliar with what to order, how Thai food was served and what to try. I guess we thought we would receive some help or direction but received no help at all. My husband ordered something a colleague suggested and a typical Thai dish. He tried the Pad Thai and I finally settled on a curry and chicken dish. My son ordered steak cooked in a spicy sauce in a clay pot. His dish arrived about 5 minutes after ours. We were expecting my dish and my son's to each be served with a dish of rice. That didn't happen. We received one serving of rice and it was skimpy. We had to ask for an additional serving of rice to be brought to us which we were charged for! Rice was supposed to be included in the price of the main dish. To top all of this off the restaurant had no vestibule area and the front door opened directly into the dining area. As the restaurant finally filled, I'm sure the interior temperature dropped significantly! I couldn't wait to get in our car just to turn the heat on. And you know what? It is little things like the outdoor temperature coming indoors that can make or break a dining experience.

My chicken and curry dish with rice

My husband's Pad Thai

This was in fact the first Thai restaurant in Connecticut and did have a claim to fame at one time. That time has come and gone. I've not given up on Thai cuisine. Too many have told us how much they love it. Sometimes you have experiences like this. It will just make us appreciate really excellent Thai food all that much more. Click on this foodtimeline.org link to read about how Thai food and restaurants made their way into America. Here's a Wikipedia link about Thai cuisine if you want to read more.

I didn't want to actually mention the name of the restaurant. If you live in or near Danbury, CT it's pretty much the only game in town for this kind of dining experience. When I got home last night I watched a few episodes of Restaurant Impossible. This place needs that desperately.

Wiggle Recipes and Chafing Dishes...really.

2013-01-16T14:57:00.000-05:00

Well, this is what happens when I'm home on a snow day and discover an odd bit of food history that just must be shared. I have an old recipe from about 1950 titled 'Tuna Pineapple Wiggle' and recalled something I had read on www.foodtimeline.org about 'wiggle' recipes and chafing dishes and girls living in college dorms in the early 1900's. Seriously, that's how my mind works. Anyway, the way the story goes girls living in dormitories in the early 1900's would invite friends over for 'wiggles'. They would cook these concoctions involving a white cream sauce, peas and shrimp or flaked fish (served on toast usually) in chafing dishes which were not allowed and they may or may not have added sherry or other alcohol to the dish. Of course they did. Read the whole sordid tale on this foodtimeline link to learn all about different wiggle recipes and the controversy surrounding this 'forbidden' cooking utensil! It became such a problem that 'chafing dish parties' on campus were forbidden. Scandalous.

'The Food Lover's Companion' defines the chafing dish this way, "Chafing dishes found in the ruins of Pompeii prove that this style of cookery is nothing new. Used to warm or cook food, a chafing dish consists of a container (today, usually metal) with a heat source directly beneath it. The heat can be provided by a candle, electricity or solid fuel (such as Sterno). There's often a larger dish that is used as a water basin (like the bottom of a double boiler) into which the dish containing the food is placed. This prevents food from burning."

Here's a Wikipedia link about the history of the chafing dish.

Here's the 1950 ish recipe for Tuna Wiggle that I discovered.

Tuna Pineapple Wiggle

1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen peas
6 Tbsps. butter
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. soft bread crumbs
2 cups milk
2 eggs beaten lightly
2 - 7 oz. cans drained tuna, flaked
1 - 8 and 3/4 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained

Cook peas, drain and set aside. Melt 4 tbsps. of the the butter, stir in flour, blend with salt and pepper, add milk, thicken. Stir some hot mix into eggs, then add it all. Bring just to boiling, stirring constantly. Add tuna, pineapple and peas. Pour into 2 quart casserole. Melt the remaining 2 tbsps. of butter, blend with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over dish, bake at 350 degrees until brown.

If you thought it was weird to put pineapple in a tuna casserole, look at the next one!

Cashew Tuna Casserole

1 - 3 oz. can chow mein noodles (reserve some)
1 can mushroom soup
1/4 cup water
1 can tuna
1/4 lb. chopped cashews (reserve some whole cashews)
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced onion
1 can Chinese mixed vegetables

Combine. Spread in pan and top with some reserved whole cashews and noodles. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

This recipe most definitely is from the late 60's or 70's when women were returning to the work force and recipes that could be 'thrown together' were becoming popular. Canned goods were enjoying a rise in popularity as well. Here's another tuna casserole twist!

Tuna Mariner

1/2 of 8 oz. medium noodles
1 - 10 oz. can frozen cream of shrimp soup*
1 cup milk
Dash of liquid hot pepper sauce
2 - 7 oz. cans tuna, drained
1 can (3-4 oz) mushroom crowns, drained
1 - 4 oz. can pimiento, drained and diced
1 - 3 and 3/4 oz. bag corn chips, crushed

Cook noodles in boiling salted water by pkg. directions; drain. Combine soup, milk, hot pepper sauce in saucepan and cook over low heat until bubbly. Break tuna into bite sized pieces. Mix together gently the noodles, soup mixture, tuna , mushrooms and pimiento.
Set oven temperature to moderate (350).
Spoon half the tuna mixture into buttered 2 qt. casserole, sprinkle with half the crushed chips. Repeat with remaining tuna mixture and chips. Bake 35 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 4.

American Home, October 1963.

*Unfortunately, finding frozen condensed soups is difficult now. They were discontinued in the early 70's but I'm sure this recipe is easily adaptable with the regular condensed soup.

All of these tuna recipes were written for the oven. By the time these recipes arrived most chafing dishes had been relegated to the top shelf of the pantry or basement storage area. Like I said...I'm on the hunt for one.

The Million Dollar Quartet at The Bushnell!

2013-01-13T18:04:00.000-05:00

My husband and I spent the afternoon together in Hartford at The Bushnell Theater. This is the official start of their 'Broadway Series' although it did unofficially begin in September with Mary Poppins. Today's January excursion was to see 'Million Dollar Quartet' about one special jam session at Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee. These incredible musicians had recently launched their careers at Sun and had an impromptu gathering on a December night in 1956. They went on to become legends. They were Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of Carl Perkins before today! Apparently, he founded a form of music coined 'Rockabilly'. Who knew.

The show was amazing and performed without an intermission it had the feel more of a concert than a show. It felt similar to 'Jersey Boys' in presentation but with much less dialogue and story. Anytime we attend one of these shows that is sold out we can't help but get drawn into the concert atmosphere. I'm glad we got to attend an event like this. We're at the point in our lives where we need to search out and plan activities that we used to do when we were younger. Our children are at the precipice of embarking on their own lives and we are back where we started before the kids arrived! So...we begin again. My job is now 'cruise director'. I'm charged with coming up with things we can do together that allow us the time to rediscover each other. Family members are puzzled because we're now 'dating' again and not completely available for family events. But this is important. We enjoyed Hyde Park so much that we're returning in early February for the whole weekend. This time will be a true culinary adventure! In two weeks we head back to The Bushnell to see Valerie Harper portray Tallulah Bankhead in 'Looped'. This is quite a journey for us. There's been the occasional turbulence but always smooth landings.

Below is the short 3 minute original Broadway cast 'trailer' for Million Dollar Quartet. Just a taste! Enjoy.