Crabbing at Oak Orchard


We crabbed using fish heads as bait and filled up peach baskets with crabs to take back. They always escaped and we would find crabs in the shower or a closet for days. I always sat in the front seat going back since it was safer.

This picture shows Scott and Philip Laird, Barbie Hinkson, Wowie and Jane and me sometime in the late 1950’s.

Hot Browns

FROM THE BROWN HOTEL IN LOUISVILLE

(Mom sent me this recipe – sort of a Cheese Dream with Turkey)

HOT BROWNS
12 bacon slices (about 10 ounces)
12 slices firm white sandwich bread
unsalted butter, softened, for spreading on toast if desired
1 pound sliced roast turkey breast

For sauce
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg yolk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 3 ounces)
freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons well-chilled heavy cream
In a large heavy skillet cook bacon in batches over moderate heat, turning it, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer bacon as cooked to paper towels to drain.

Toast bread and if desired discard crusts and lightly butter toast. Arrange toast on 6 flameproof plates and divide turkey among toasts.

Preheat broiler.

Make sauce:
In a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Add 2 cups milk in a stream, whisking, and bring sauce to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, in a bowl whisk together yolk and remaining ‚ cup milk. Whisk about 1 cup sauce into yolk mixture. Remove pan from heat and whisk yolk mixture into sauce with Parmesan. Cook sauce over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until a thermometer registers 160°F. Remove pan from heat and season sauce with white pepper and salt. In a small bowl whisk cream until it just holds stiff peaks and stir into sauce.

Spoon sauce evenly over turkey and sprinkle Parmesan evenly over sauce. Broil sandwiches in batches about 2 to 3 inches from heat until sauce is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Arrange 2 bacon slices in an X on each serving.

Gourmet
November 1998

Cheese Dreams – Modern Era

Simpler than the 1930’s recipe, all that is needed is cheese, bread and bacon. Cook the bacon separately and drain on paper towels. While it is cooking, preheat the oven to broil. Slice the cheese (usually a good cheddar, though other melting cheeses such as jack also work) and put on bread. Just before the bacon is ready, put the bread and cheese under the broiler and cook until bubbly. Add drained bacon on top and eat.

One variation tried years ago is to add a slice of tomato on top of the cheese while broiling.

Cheese Dreams – 1930

Cheese Dreams have always been a wickedly favorite lunch from childhood. I found this recipe from the 1930 Good Housekeeping’s Book of Meals. It is even more wicked and I have never tried it, although the addition of Worcestershire Sauce and mustard sounds good.

2 tablespoonsfuls melted butter or margarine
1 egg beaten
1/4 teasonful salt
1/2 teaspoonful prepared mustard
2 teaspoonfuls Worcestershire Sauce
2 cupfuls grated cheese
8 slices bread
8 slices bacon
1/8 teaspoonful paprika

Combine the melted fat, beaten egg, salt, mustard, paprika, Worcestershire Sauce and cheese. Spread on bread slices, arrange the bacon strips one on each, and cook under the broiler heat until the cheese is melted and the bacon crisp. Serve accompanied by green or ripe olives and pickles. Serves 8.

Dandelion Wine

Malerba Family

This recipe comes from Jerry’s grandfather, Cesare Malerba, who was  farmer on Long Island. Jerry’s mother is the youngest of 13,  12 of whom are shown here by the farmhouse Cesare built.

Dandelion Wine

Pick 12 to 16 cups of flower heads on a sunny day. Put in a 2 gallon container and cover with one gallon boiling water.

Stir in 1/2 lb. finely minced raisins
2 1/2 lb. sugar
one whole orange chopped with peel
one whole lemon chopped with peel
Mix in one ounce wine yeast.

Steep for 4 days in a warm spot (72 degrees to 78 degrees)
Strain mexture through a cheese cloth. Squeeze the pulp to get out all the juice. Discard pulp.

Pour the liquid into a crock, cover with fresh cheese cloth and continue to ferment in a warm dark corner for three weeks.

Decant gently into clean bottles. Cork tightly and store in a cool place for six months or more.

Save

Bean Soup – US Representatives Restaurant

When I was about 7, Wowie and Monty took me to visit Washington D.C. In addition to the usual sights, I was also taken to the McCarthy hearings and lunch with their friend, Congressman Bryon Rogers of Denver at the U.S. House of Representatives Restaurant. Mom found and sent me the menu which has the recipe for their “famous” bean soup on the back.

2 lbs. No. 1 white Michigan beans
Cover with cold water and soak overnight.
Drain and recover with water.
Add a smoked ham hock and simmer slowly, for about 4 hours until beans are cooked tender. Then add salt and pepper to taste.
Just before serving, bruise beans with a large spoon or ladle, enough to cloud.

Raspberry Trifle

Custard sauce

2 cups 2 percent milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp freshly grated orange zest
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

20 ladyfingers
1/4 cup tawny port (or Grand Marnier)
3 packages (6 oz each) fresh raspberries

Directions

Stir milk, sugar, cornstarch, and zest in a saucepan. Bring mixture almost to a boil over medium heat. Beat eggs in blender on low speed and slowly add hot milk mixture. Return to pan. Cook over low heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Cool in refrigerator, stirring once. To assemble, place a layer of ladyfinger halves in the bottom of a glass serving bowl. Sprinkle with a little port. Spread 1/3 berries and 1/3 custard on top. Continue layering, ending with custard. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.

SELF December 2001

This is the recipe that Mom just sent re Trifle. However, I think I have made it with sherry and some raspberry jam it in some where?

Why Eggs Fried?

This is an experiment to see how easy it might be to share recipes since it is time to start on the next volume of the Family Cookbook. It can also be used to quickly post single pictures rather than go to the trouble of putting up an entire gallery on my website or for other information we all might want to share.

Rather than having me post and having the rest of you comment, I will send invitations so that you can all equally post. I will also work on putting up the pdfs of things like the cookbook.

Eggs Fried

  1. Be sure to order the eggs
  2. Keep eggs in house to prevent freezing
  3. Empty ashes and fix fire
  4. Call friend wife
  5. Make coffee
  6. Call wife again
  7. Set table and cut bread – fill salt shaker
  8. Call wife again
  9. Just fry the eggs – with feeling if the eggs break
  10. Repeat daily – she’ll never be the wise