memory lane

Someone sent me this in an email, thinking I was old enough to remember these things (and I am). LOL I hope you enjoy this trek down memory lane.



... THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS .... 
'Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?'
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him... 'All the food was slow.' 
'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?' 
'It was a place called 'at home,'' I explained. ! 'Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.'

By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it: 

Some parents NEVER owned their own house, never wore Levis, never set foot on a golf course, never traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears & Roebuck. Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died. (And, soon to be no Sears anymore.)

My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. 
I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow) 

We didn't have a television in our house until I was 12. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at midnight, after playing the national anthem and a poem about God; it came back on the air at about 6 a..m. and there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people. 

I was 21 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called 'pizza pie.' When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had. 

I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line. 

Pizzas were not delivered to our home But milk was. 

All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers --my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which he got to keep 2 cents.. He had to get up at 6AM every morning. On Saturday, he had to collect the 42 cents from his customers. His favorite customers were the ones who gave him 50 cents and told him to keep the change. His least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day. 

Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut... At least, they did in the movies. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or most anything offensive. 

If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing. 

Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it? 

MEMORIES from a friend: My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother's house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I am old. 

How many do you remember? 
Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall.
Real ice boxes.
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards. 
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals. 

Older Than Dirt Quiz: 
Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about. Ratings at the bottom. 

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2.Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water 
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles 
5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes 
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers 
7. Party lines on the telephone
8 Newsreels before the movie 
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax 
11. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning (there were only 3 channels - if you were fortunate) 
12. Peashooters 
13. Howdy Doody 
14. 45 RPM records 
15. S& H greenstamps 
16. Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever 
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns 
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers (we had a brand new one)
25.. Wash tub wringers
26. How about wax lips? 

If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older 
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt! 
I might be older than dirt but those memories are some of the best parts of my life.

Hearty everything soup

You name it, it's in this soup. I am using up everything that needs using and putting it in the slow cooker.  We are in for a cold snap this weekend, so I am preparing hearty soups to sustain us. Soups allow us to use our skills of trial and error and the dish remains very forgiving. We had the postage stamp beef stew yesterday and today the base of that is today's lunch along with rice and additional vegetables and chicken. Fall and winter cooking is just right for me because I can throw caution to the wind and enjoy the results.  I am happy that January is half over.  I feel winter will be gone in a flash with just a few jabs one of which is to come this weekend if the predictions are correct. Well slurp and pass the crackers; it's soup for lunch at the Lechlers.

 

beef stew, how I love thee

Am I losing my mind or has beef prices gone through the ceiling?  I asked Andy to pick up a chuck roast, expecting to have him come home with buy one get one free or at least inexpensively, but he brought in a roast about the size of a greeting card envelope and it was expensive even on sale.  Looks like more pork for the Lechlers.  We like it anyway, so until prices even out again, we will be having pork or chicken.  Nevertheless, with that tiny roast the dish looks delicious with large potatoes and carrots and peas.  (I am making some Basmati rice for those shying away from potatoes now days.) I put red wine in the slow cooker with the things I described and it mellowed into a lovely sauce with fairly tender chuck roast.

Andy likes Kroger and we have a growing list almost every day, so off he goes.  He does really well unless it is something hauntingly rare and elusive such as oyster sauce.  He has never come home with that yet. He did really well with 2 large heads of radicchio for $5.00 last week.  I used one head in with the cabbage dish that I made for Beth yesterday. It turned out pretty and delicious.

Brooks has arrived in the Middle East, I guess I am not supposed to say where and even if I knew they sometimes are not where they say they really are. Prayers would be appreciated, with thanks.  I hope your winter is pleasant.  David sent a message to remind me to let the water drip this weekend in the mother-in-law suite so the pipes won't freeze.  That bathroom is one cold mother!

picture albums

During the winter I like working on family picture albums.  I have finished seven BIG albums and just ordered another album online because all seven are plum full. No one can fault me for not keeping records of every family nuance. I have two albums on weddings alone.  Who knew there were so many so detailed in all aspects of those special days?

I would love to be able to show you the video of Madeleine reading a book to Mike. The inflections were spot on but not one word can he detect.  She 'reads Madeleinese' fluently, turning the pages as she goes, looking up to make sure he is attentive, showing him the pictures and then reading on. It is a hoot.

I made a big cabbage dish today.  Started off with bacon and pancetta lardons, then adding onions and diced potatoes then last of all cabbage and radicchio. Yum.  A cold weather favorite of practically no one--only mine and Beth's. I added soy sauce, and sriracha and a few other favorites for flavor.

I hardly look at the Dispatch's Cook's Corner anymore.  It comes on Wednesday as before, but it is of no interest to me now. It's a shame and I bet it will be no more one day soon.

Monday and Tuesday action

My niece, Nancy, and her husband just left after spending the afternoon and night.  They are always fun to have and we never run out of conversation.  Now that does not mean I don't run out of steam around 7:00 even with company in the house for the night. I just need my alone time about then and all house guests know this by now. We are all caught up on the family goings-on and we look forward to their next visit.  Danny is a hunter and he has confirmed by trampling through the snow that the coyote is still cutting through the back forty.  He identified coyote prints and deer prints in the snow.  The deer are pregnant at this time of the year and the coyotes follow the deer waiting for the birth and then they move in. Nature, but cruel to our way of thinking.

Johnna and Angela are planning the Italy trip.  We are going early for part of the trip, then landing in Florence for Alyssa's wedding, then doing Tuscany after the wedding.  Will we ever get home? I'd better buy travel insurance.  I will be a month from 82 on that journey.  (Biologically the doctor says I am 68, so I am acting on that premise.)

I have my new walking shoes which I have told you about, so I might just pull this off.

No cooking news today.  We had deep dish pizza last night.  Oh, have you had boars head ham? Kroger is selling it in different sized spiral cuts and I bought a small (hunk) whole section.  It is wonderful just heated through or browned a little with eggs or great on sandwiches.  I like the way they are selling it now because you can gage it with the number of people you are serving.  It is delicious.  You don't need to fool with glazes, it is perfect as it is.

Bathroom redo

Mike and a guy are putting in a new bathtub in the guest apartment.  After 80 years of use, the room deserves a new fixture.  We are lucky that it is snowy today so that the handyman can be here rather than at his regular job. The tub and tile that are being added will complete the good look of this bathroom.  Beth put her touch on it when they moved in and now it is very stylish. (We are lucky to have Beth and Mike living here.  Nate also.)

The snow is promising to be a big one, but it is in no hurry to get here.  It is just a gentle rain-like drip right now.

The chili from yesterday that I didn't think was very good, turned out to be delicious.  The cornbread topping helped, but actually, it could stand on its own quite well. So, today we will have it over crusty baked potatoes like they do in England. Topped with a dollop of sour cream it will go down very nicely.

Nate is in Hawaii for a month.  He has finally come to and let someone know he is alive. Now that we know this he has probably moved on to his next destination.  He's a wanderer.
However, Nate always comes home when the weather is so he can work and work he does until the next freeze comes along.

Time to get the baked potatoes out of the oven.  Yum.

Happy Shoes

 My hairdresser has trouble with her feet.  I went into the salon last week and noticed she was wearing sneaker type shoes.  I rarely, if ever, wear this type of shoe but it was good looking and she said comfortable. I got on line although they do have brick and mortar stores.  The brand is  O  N  and I bought the same shoe as Heather and have the shoes on right now after receiving them in only a couple of days.  They are so comfortable that I don't want to take them off.  They will be perfect for 11 or 12 days in Italy.  (Angie, Johnna and I and hopefully Beth) are going to Italy ahead of the wedding.  We are touring Italy for 9 days, then doing the wedding.

We are in for a big snow I hear so I made a pot of chili today.  It is not as good as my last batch, but that happens sometimes especially if I don't even look at a recipe.  Soups are off limits when it comes to cooking by recipe.  I also made some of the hyped up oyster crackers that Andy loves. I am also making his breakfast crack cereal. See what I can do in my new comfortable shoes? (chili/cornbread)

    

Pork bun soup

Remember the pork roast with roasted vegetables from yesterday's post? It reappears today in soup form with pork buns addition. The vegetables are multi-colored carrots, celery root, potatoes, and green beans. I added home-made chicken stock, soy, sriracha and a little pepper.

This is our first snowy day, light and pretty and that always sends me to the kitchen.  so I am leaning into the fridge today and pulling out interesting ingredients.  The trouble is my best eater is heading south to send her son, Brooks, off to Iraq. Why are we still there???? Now that is going to be 9 months of worry for all of us.

We are knee deep in preparations for Italy. We ladies are planning a nine-day tour of Italy before landing in Florence just before the wedding. Angela, Johnna's sister, is planning the trip and we are giddy with anticipation.  My walking shoes are arriving today.   They are O  N shoes and my friend and hairdresser had them on because she is having foot problems. They looked good and they do the trick for her, so I got on line and ordered a pair. I don't usually like that style of shoe, but I liked hers.

I may add to this as I raid the fridge today.  I spied cranberries.  Happy to find them still in the markets.  I am freezing some and making some cranberry sauce with liquor and orange.

Celery root

 The house is clean and now I am ready to mess up the kitchen with celery root and potato gratin. Maybe. The celery root can scare people so I thought I would find them easily and cheaply, I mean who searches for recipes for celery root?  It's ugly and hairy (at times) and if they don't have to use it they leave it.  I, however, enjoy celery root and right now I have a big tray of carrots, potatoes and celery root roasting in the oven. By the way, they are not cheap and they are hard to find...at least for Andy who shops for me every day. I am serving the other vegetables with teriyaki pork loin. And, if there is anything left over, I will put it to soup. So, I have talked myself out of the gratin because I have no potatoes left to slice. And the above ideas sound tasty.

If you ever have the chance to buy the book The Chef's Companion, you won't go wrong.  It is beside my computer all of the time. It is a concise dictionary of culinary terms and explanations and spellings of course and how to pronounce the words. It is by Elizabeth Riely copyright 1986.

Sunday nights, and cozy days

I have grown very fond of Sunday night television.  At 6:00 on public television Downton Abbey is on for an hour.  Then Victoria came on after that and showed several episodes including the newest ones. I know it was after 11:00 when it was finished and I watched every second. Sadly the final one for the season is next Sunday and it seems it has just begun.  I don't understand programming. I am, however, grateful for WOSU and the shows they present. I know there are many more to come on Sunday nights.

I finally struggled through the latest Patterson book. Very disappointing, but then some might like it we can't all have the same taste.  I am determined to finish the newest Lee Child's book and it is another struggle. These two authors might want to hang it up.  They have had a good run. I just ordered Stuart Woods latest, said I wouldn't but I did and I read over half of it today.

I have two new products to figure out how to use. I wish I had not bought them, but I did so I am going to learn how to use them.  I have the pressure cooker/slow cooker.  I am still afraid of the pressure cooker but I could not resist the price slash, so I fell for it. This winter when I am trapped in the house and things are cozy and the fireplace is blazing, I will give it a go and probably fall in love with it.  Who knows? The other is an induction cooktop which looks to me like just another hot plate.
I will work on it.  Maybe I will find a big use for it when we have large gatherings.  But first I need to practice.  Next time something new comes on the market, stop me.

chocolate swirl brioche

I think Paris every time I find this euro classic French chocolate swirl brioche.  Last night I rediscovered it and it is just as soft and pillowy as I remembered. I used to get it at The Anderson's but that store has been gone for years and now high end apartments are being built there.  It looks like hundreds of them. 

Beth and I ran to two stores last night and Whole Foods was one.  I keep getting disappointed in Whole Foods because I remember it when it was really special.  The store had plenty of business and many empty shelves, so someone is buying there.  I am just not one of them.  I remember having a winter open house and I bought all of the desserts there.  It was an array like I have never had before out on the three seasons porch.  I kept the desserts there for the party so things would stay cool and perfect.  People were over joyed as they wandered out to the porch to select a beautiful tart or a lovely slice of cake.  It was a difficult decision because it all looked scrumptious. My favorite was their pear tarts; large or small, perfect.  The store had been open a short time and every department was one to be visited.  Sadly, I was eager to get out of there last night.

Fresh Thyme is the second store we visited last evening.  There are several locations in Columbus and we went to the one that is hidden in Worthington.  I would never have known it existed, but Beth knows where everything in Columbus is located. That's where I found the brioche products. I am not a chocolate lover, but I cannot resist this chocolate swirl brioche.  I will have it all to myself because everyone here is on a diet.  I will get to that, but not until this is gone. After all, the first wedding isn't until the end of April.