Spring: Are We There Yet?

Rain, rain, go away;

Come again some other day;

Mrs. Bill would like to play!

After a few sunny days last week, we are back to cold drizzly rain.  We started our new vegetable garden last week and I really, really, want to go out and play in the dirt!    Of course, as a gardener, I realize that

It isn't raining rain, you know,

It's raining violets......

However, that never was any conslolation to me.  As a child, I always longed for the promise of the freedom and fun of being outdoors in the sunshine after being pent-up in the house all winter.  I still do.

It's not that we didn't play outdoors in the winter. We did, but compared to spring and summer, it was quite limiting. Even though we had heavy snowsuits and boots, the weather in our area was often too harsh for any living thing to venture out.

I recently ran accross some paintings that brought back a few memories of that outdoor fun.  Just change the clothes from early 1900's to 1940's - we still did the same things.



Painting by John Walter

I was ten years old before I ever saw a television.  To be truthful, there wasn't  much programming of interest to children on it then.  It's only use was when we were stuck inside.

Painting by Frances Hook (d. 1983)

 Even if companions were in short supply, I still preferred to be out with the flowers, birds, and squirrels. And I still do.

Painting by Frances Hook

Pantry Cakes

Time, money, energy - three things that always need to be kept in balance.  Not an easy thing to do at any stage of life.  Anything that helps to save on all three levels is a real treasure. 

When I was a young mom we had one car like most people did back then.  Mr. Bill was in sales and used that car all week - in fact, he was often traveling out of town.  It was a mile walk to the nearest store, which we enjoyed in good weather. But let's face it, good weather is in short supply in our area most of the year.  So, I learned to keep a pantry.


NOT my pantry - but I wish it were!

I converted a hall closet off the kitchen and kept plenty of baking stuff in it.  We didn't have the big plastic storage containers of today, so I used two small metal garbage cans with handles that clamped shut to store 20 pounds of flour and 20 pounds of sugar.  The shelves were filled with basic baking supplies - baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, brown and 10x sugar, powdered and canned milk, oil, etc.

I was always cautious about using up fresh milk and eggs too soon in the week, so I turned to OLD, tried and true, 'everyday' cake recipes.  These two take just a few minutes to mix, use a minimum of equipment, and are GOOD.  They were family favorites then and still are now. Both recipes can be doubled for a 9 x 13 pan.

COCKEYED CAKE  (This one mixes right in the pan and is a rich, dark, and moist cake).
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

• Sift the above ingredients into a greased 9" sq. pan - if you have a sifter. ( I did for years until Mr. Bill broke it, so now I spoon the flour lightly into the measuring cups, dump it into the pan and add the other dry ingredients and stir them up).
• Next you make 3 grooves or holes in the dry ingredients. 
• In the first groove you put: 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• In the second: 1 Tbsp vinegar.
• In the third: 1 tsp vanilla.

Now comes the fun:  Pour 1 cup cold water over it all and mix with a spoon until nearly smooth and you can't see the flour. (I use a fork). Kind of like making mud pies.  Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.
We usually serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar.

JOHNNY APPLESEED CAKE (This one mixes in a saucepan)
1/2 cup butter (stick margarine works just fine in this recipe)
1 3/4 cups applesauce  (They used to sell applesauce in 1 lb cans which was perfect amount)
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup raisins or chopped nuts if you want.
Grease bottom only of 9" sq or 11 x 7" pan.  In a large saucepan, melt margarine with applesauce. Remove from heat and blend in the remaining ingredients, stirring until well combined.  Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes.
We usually serve this one with a glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar mixed with enough water to make a thin glaze.

A note about frosting:  Everyday cakes in the past were heavy and moist and didn't really need frosting.  (Think pound cake).  Birthday cakes were light and fluffy and had rich icings and were really only made for the special occasion.  That made them a real treat.

Sunday Dinner: A Tradition

Painting by John Walter, Illustrator

This nostalgic picture brings to mind the countless dinners from grandmothers' kitchens served for generations across this land. 

Usually it was pot roast with potatoes and carrots cooked with it.  Sometimes it was pork roast, turkey or ham;  then mashed potatoes would be featured.  A layer cake or a pie was the expected dessert.  Nothing fancy, just good plain cooking and plenty of it.

What a boon for young mothers.  Getting babies, toddlers and older children fed breakfast and dressed for church was no small task (ask me how I know!).  Arriving at grandma's after church and smelling the feast prepared for her family was a blessing.  Babies would be whisked away by aunts and cousins, giving mom a chance to rest a little before dinner.

After dessert the cousins would play together and maybe grandpa would challenge them to a checker game. The grown-ups would linger over coffee and relish some grown-up conversation. Then it was home to nap, carrying a bag with leftovers in it.  Grandma always had plenty of leftovers to share "so mom wouldn't have to bother cooking later".

Dinner at my Grandparent's 1945*.  Child in left corner is moi.

Those grandmas had a mission to serve their young daughters and sons who were going through the labors of raising a growing family. Those grandmas knew that young mothers are often sleep-deprived and worn out at the end of the week.  Of course it was work for grandma, too, but she didn't have to prepare dinner with a baby on her hip and a toddler hanging on her leg.  And, when everyone left, grandma could put her feet up and relax without anybody pestering her.

I personally was a recipient of that wonderful mission.  God bless those ladies! Hopefully the tradition is alive and well today.

*For those of you who would like to know, my Grandpa is the gentleman on the right with the shirtsleeves.  Grandma is next to him and an aunt is next to her. (Don't you love those aprons!). I have no idea who the other people are.  I know it is 1945 because grandpa is still alive.  He died in 1946. In the ensuing years, I attended many meals at that table and countless more at the breakfast nook in the kitchen.