It was an early fall morning, the sky bright and the air crisp, when my family and I climbed out of our vehicle and ambled into the yard of a rambling old farmhouse at the edge of town. We were there for the usual reason--to search for treasure. Yard sale treasure, that is, and this one looked promising. Tables piled high with antique glassware, primitive farm tools, and vintage lamps dotted the lawn, while faded oil paintings and advertising memorabilia leaned lazily against an assortment of tattered furniture. The occasional odd knick-knack punctuated the scene, along with various stacks of old magazines and well-worn books.
It was in one of these stacks, unbeknownst to me, that a particularly tasty treasure quietly awaited discovery. I, in my excited haste, actually overlooked it, but thankfully my mother, who never overlooks anything (ahem), didn't.
Here's what mom rescued from that musty old pile, and then promptly handed over to me...
It was in one of these stacks, unbeknownst to me, that a particularly tasty treasure quietly awaited discovery. I, in my excited haste, actually overlooked it, but thankfully my mother, who never overlooks anything (ahem), didn't.
Here's what mom rescued from that musty old pile, and then promptly handed over to me...
A vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook!
Now, you may have noticed that this book has seen better days. It's clearly been beat up, cracked up, and taped up, but all that means to me is that it was used plenty and cherished enough that someone took the time to try to hold together when it was on the verge of falling apart.
Ooh, this is getting good...I mean, don't we all need to be appreciated that much?
Golly, I'm gettin' a little teary-eyed.
I bet it's just my allergies...here, peek inside while I take a moment to compose myself:
Now, you may have noticed that this book has seen better days. It's clearly been beat up, cracked up, and taped up, but all that means to me is that it was used plenty and cherished enough that someone took the time to try to hold together when it was on the verge of falling apart.
Ooh, this is getting good...I mean, don't we all need to be appreciated that much?
Golly, I'm gettin' a little teary-eyed.
I bet it's just my allergies...here, peek inside while I take a moment to compose myself:
Each section begins with an eloquent introduction and is dotted with charming illustrations. The recipes contain gracefully detailed instruction along with a brief history of the dish, timely advice, and gentle etiquette tips. It's all so endearing, and from an era so lost in time that these days most have never even heard of it.
Thankfully, I'm here to save the day.
Although, unfortunately, I neglected to save you a piece of this...
Thankfully, I'm here to save the day.
Although, unfortunately, I neglected to save you a piece of this...
Lemon Meringue Pie! The first thing I did when I got this book was to immerse myself in the "Pies" section, because I firmly believe dessert should come first. And I also believe that simple old-fashioned homemade pies are simply the best dessert ever!
And since I'm on a roll, I also believe that this Lemon Meringue is simply one of the best old-fashioned homemade pies I've ever tasted!
Ok, roll over. I mean my roll is over.
Oh boy. You know what I mean. Back to the pie...
It wasn't difficult to make. First I made a pie crust, and then I simply (oops, I backslid) followed Betty's recipe. Here it is, straight from the pretty pages of my new favorite book:
And since I'm on a roll, I also believe that this Lemon Meringue is simply one of the best old-fashioned homemade pies I've ever tasted!
Ok, roll over. I mean my roll is over.
Oh boy. You know what I mean. Back to the pie...
It wasn't difficult to make. First I made a pie crust, and then I simply (oops, I backslid) followed Betty's recipe. Here it is, straight from the pretty pages of my new favorite book:
The recipe is formatted differently than what I'm used to, but once I got the feel of it, it was easy to follow. So I followed all the steps and ended up with this sheeny, citrus-y, pudding-like mixture...
Which I poured into my baked pie shell and topped it with meringue.
Here's the meringue recipe, and don't be alarmed. It's very detailed but ultimately very easy, and like what it says at the top of the page,
"With a little care, they'll be heavenly fare."
Here's the meringue recipe, and don't be alarmed. It's very detailed but ultimately very easy, and like what it says at the top of the page,
"With a little care, they'll be heavenly fare."
I baked the pie until the meringue was "delicately browned", which happened fairly quickly.
I had only just about enough time to grate a little extra lemon rind, which I then sprinkled on top of the piping hot, fresh-from-the-oven pie.
I think it dressed it up nicely, and I did that on purpose. Let me show you why...
This paragraph introduces the "Frostings" section, and it contains of my favorite phrases in the book:
"A butter icing is like a favorite cotton dress...simple and easy to put on...".
Sigh.
It makes me want to put on my favorite cotton dress, head straight to the kitchen, and whip up that "simple and easy" butter icing or whatever else strikes my fancy.
And sprinkling that lemon rind on my pie struck me as fancy. I get the feeling that this is exactly what the book is designed for--elevating mealtimes in a way that is uncomplicated and carefree.
The message is loud and clear, yet spoken in an elegant lady's prose:
A little effort goes a long way, and aren't our families worth it?
As I cook my way through this book, one dish at a time, I can feel those words settling around me and infusing the ingredients of my meals. And with each stir of the spoon, I swirl a little farther back in time to an era where family came first, fellowship and feasting went hand-in-hand, and a traditional meal served on the dining room table was an event to be treasured.
I must say, despite my never-ending search for treasures of the yard sale variety, I know in my heart that the true treasures already reside in my home. And I think those "precious jewels" are worth any effort I can make, no matter how "little" it may be.
But let's be clear--once yard sale season begins, that effort may get a little sparse. Although once my family sets eyes on all the goodies I'll be lugging home, they'll forget all about fancy little touches like grated lemon rind on a homemade pie...I think.
Oh well, I'll just go about my adventures and hope for the best!
"A butter icing is like a favorite cotton dress...simple and easy to put on...".
Sigh.
It makes me want to put on my favorite cotton dress, head straight to the kitchen, and whip up that "simple and easy" butter icing or whatever else strikes my fancy.
And sprinkling that lemon rind on my pie struck me as fancy. I get the feeling that this is exactly what the book is designed for--elevating mealtimes in a way that is uncomplicated and carefree.
The message is loud and clear, yet spoken in an elegant lady's prose:
A little effort goes a long way, and aren't our families worth it?
As I cook my way through this book, one dish at a time, I can feel those words settling around me and infusing the ingredients of my meals. And with each stir of the spoon, I swirl a little farther back in time to an era where family came first, fellowship and feasting went hand-in-hand, and a traditional meal served on the dining room table was an event to be treasured.
I must say, despite my never-ending search for treasures of the yard sale variety, I know in my heart that the true treasures already reside in my home. And I think those "precious jewels" are worth any effort I can make, no matter how "little" it may be.
But let's be clear--once yard sale season begins, that effort may get a little sparse. Although once my family sets eyes on all the goodies I'll be lugging home, they'll forget all about fancy little touches like grated lemon rind on a homemade pie...I think.
Oh well, I'll just go about my adventures and hope for the best!
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