Halloween showed up, dressed in plump costumes designed to disguise and retain warmth. The wind made marvelous work of the strewn cobwebs startling 1 dog and intriguing multiple trick or treaters. The night closed with the rise of the moon and engulfment into darkness, a spitting sleet keeping everyone home and cozied up with the leftover candies. Two horrible creature features (First: Piranhaconda & Second: Attack of the Killer Donuts). Horrible plot lines, bad graphics and subpar acting. A perfect way to wrap up the Halloween evening.
Enter November 1st, fall in its glory, trimmed in pumpkins and rotund turkeys, hints of cinnamon and spice in the chilled air. And everything Halloween, fall or festival, gathered, marked down and pushed to the side to allow the utter take over of the red and green trimmed with gold (granted this holiday was trying its darnedest to wheeze in at the end of August). Upon the 6th day into November we have entered into Christmas. There is a whopping 49 days left until the actual date. Sure, its a money making holiday. Sure those big companies are quarters ahead (they’re planning spring break as you read). It’s always been a slight annoyance.
Couldn’t we refrain from the holiday sparkle until after we’ve celebrated family and friends? Until after we have gathered in good food and love? Start the greens and reds the moment after Thanksgiving. Heck through a big royal party after the big Macy’s balloons have wafted by and Santa has given a hearty hohoho and wave. (Cue the song from Home Alone as they are running to the plane).
Perhaps this is a way back to a “new normal”. The year was a rough one, so let’s turn to the holiday that brings bliss, happiness and joy sprinkled with hope for the new year? (Though, this lovely holiday has been creeping upward into August for the past few years.) Yes, we like Christmas. What we wish is that we could have a sense of fall, of Thanksgiving, before it took over like a fluffy red & green twinkling beast.
Here’s to fall, pumpkins and cider and that gathering of friends and family (together or remotely) to celebrate good health and love. Let’s celebrate Christmas in its due time!
OOOOOOOOO!!!! Mark your calendars!
December 5th, from 9-2 in the Regency downtown St. Cloud there will be the Maker’s Market! Snag gifts and goodies from local artists and crafters. Plus you’ll get a chance to oogle at the lovely things Atomic Collars has! Indeed, we will be there in the flesh, masked and socially distant, hanging out with the awesomeness of local crafters & artists. The full details can be found here: https://www.makersmarketstcloud.com/
Recipe time!
Today, like every Friday before, it was a Saturday in 1896. The recipe submitted by Mrs. Lucy J. McChesney, of Charleston W. Va.
(A unique: the recipes for Friday the 5th – submitted by Elizabeth Bacon of Memphis Tenn – are all repeats, minus the Southern Corndodgers.)
BREAKFAST
White grapes
Granose with sugar and cream
Liver and bacon
Hominy griddle cakes
Coffee
LUNCHEON
Cold meat and tomato pie
Potato split biscuit
Baked apples with hot sauce
Cocoa
DINNER
Mushroom soup
Panned rabbit with currant jelly
Creamed potatoes
Browned parsnips
Turnip salad
Lemon pudding
Coffee
What in tarnation is granose?
– turns out it is a flaked wheat cereal introduced in 1895 and created by William Kellogg of the future Kellogg’s brand!
Let’s enter into the recipes for potato split biscuit and lemon pudding:
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POTATO SPLIT BISCUIT
Boil two large Irish potatoes; while hot mash well. Stir into the hot potatoes a tablespoonful of each of butter and lard, one level teaspoonful of salt, and when cool enough not to cook them, two well beaten eggs; to this add a teacupful of milk, in which has been dissolved one-half cake of compressed yeast and a tablespoonful of sugar. Stir in a quart of sifted flour; cover and leave in a warm place to rise. This should be mixed in the morning. One hour before luncheon turn out on a biscuit board and with just enough flour to handle roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter; place them one on top of another (like a sandwich) in a baking-pan; let them rise and bake in a quick oven.
* Quick oven = 375-400 degrees
** assumed cooking time: 15-20 mins
*** yes you can still get cake yeast! Can’t find it (it will be refrigerated)? Use dry yeast: One 2-oz. cake yeast is equal to three packets (¼-oz. or 2 ¼ teaspoons each) of dry yeast.
Go ahead and share with your dog, moderation of course!
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LEMON PUDDING
Put a quarter of a pound of macaroons in a pint of milk to soak until soft. Beat four eggs with half a cupful of powdered sugar until light, and stir into the milk. Beat the whole until thick and smooth; add the juice and grated rind of two lemons. Pour into a well-buttered pudding mold; cover, and stand in a pot of boiling water to boil for one hour. Serve with lemon sauce (recipe follows).
* the unique thing about this pudding recipe is that is uses already made macaroons, (which aren’t the coconut covered treats but instead the dainty tasty french cookies). These guys:
Interesting. Now if you’re bold, then make yourself up a batch of those tricky little tasty beasts (there’s a realm of letting them sit to get skins, and then baking to get perfect feet – we have not given them a try yet…). Feeling less than eager to put them together, then plop them into a pudding? Buy them. Aim for the lemon flavored ones to recreate the lemon pudding. Whole Foods does sell them, smaller bakeries might as well.
Why banterings into vintage recipes that have nothing to do with photography and frequently little to do with dogs? History intrigues me. The 1896 cookbook is 124 years old, preserved and longer lived than the recipe givers within the pages. How the book itself survived in such stunning condition with no more than a slight discoloration on page edges and well worn cover is the curiosity. Who kept it throughout each generation, who cooked from it & added the dog ears on select pages? How did it leave the kitchen, the bookshelf and land in a large antique store in Indiana where it caught the attention of my eye? The inquisitive in me is curious. And the fascination makes me want to learn more, to share with you.
This is about lending to you the depth that is I. Food is one of those universal things that bring us together. And heck, why not try some exotic 124 year old recipes?
With Fridays being a fun, learn a little, banter a lot, perhaps cook something and share with your pupper, what would you like to know/learn?
This brain is available for all kinds of picking and sharing:
– photography elements
– dog breeds
– collecting Pyrex/vintage milk glass
– recipe consulting – there’s a pack & we can find the recipe!
– anything else delightful you can think up!
Respond to me at and your topic will become part of the Friday banterings!
Stay healthy, safe and enjoy that GORGEOUS MN weather while it remains!
If you need to get ahold of us (chit chat, scheduling your session, baking success or fail, etc) email: / text or call 320-428-0135 / Facebook & Instagram