Requiem for a wedding present

[Lady's Human]

Sadly, its day has finally come.

It's been used to the point of disintegration.

I need to buy a new Fanny Farmer cookbook.

Join us in a moment of silence?

[pomtzu]

You're going to get rid of your Fanny??? :eek: Oh no.............

[Karen]

Awww, make sure you save any important recipes! The copy I have is the Thirteenth Edition, last copyright date in it is 1990, in case you ever need me to look something up for ya!

[RICHARD]

I bet it needs spine surgery, or the Scotch tape has yellowed and won't hold anymore?

RIP Fanny, twas a pleasure to know you were there to help.

-----------------------


You reminded me of a fun little tradition we had in our house.

My mom would hold on to electric appliances that were worn to the point that you needed to have the right touch to use. So, if anyone else tried them, we'd fail and she'd have to come over and use her magic spell.

I'd go buy a replacement for whatever it was, then go to her house, open the door and toss it out onto the porch.

The first few times she was very angry and that would last until I'd come back and she'd beam about "how easy" it was to operate the new one.

She gradually warmed up to the event and would hint about getting new stuff by asking to have stufff tossed.

[Lady's Human]

The poor book was beyond salvage. We lost cookie recipes, some other recipes for baking, and the remnants of the book (6 or 7 pieces) were in a ziploc bag.

I went to find a recipe tonight and couldn't. I had to order a new book. :sad:

[Karen]

The poor book was beyond salvage. We lost cookie recipes, some other recipes for baking, and the remnants of the book (6 or 7 pieces) were in a ziploc bag.

I went to find a recipe tonight and couldn't. I had to order a new book. :sad:

What recipe? I can look in mine and type it out for ya!

[Lady's Human]

Meringue cookies. Made a batch of Mayo and realized we had enough egg whites for some cookies.

[Karen]

It's an easy one!

2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla (or whatever)
8 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine

Oven at 250° F

Cover a cookie sheet with brown paper or parchment. Beat eggwhites until stiff but not dry, and add 6 tablespoons of the sugar, a spoonful at a time, beating well between addition. Add the vanilla, and fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. "Shape the meringues on the cookies sheet with a pastry tube or a spoon. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and let the meringues remain in the oven for 6 more hours." (Hardest part ...) Don't open the oven door - they must dry out to be nice and crisp.

Store in an airtight container, of course!

It's right near one of the deeper creases in the spine of my copy, no surprise there!

[Cataholic]

Not that I don't use my cookbooks for guidance any more, as I do..but a quick google search is usually my ending point. Easier, and lots of choices to select from.

In fact, I was making a quick sauce the other day, and wanted to add a little 'oomph' to it. I googled it and added two ingredients that my cookbook didn't even mention, and I wouldn't have considered! J said it was the best sauce yet.

[Lady's Human]

Not that I don't use my cookbooks for guidance any more, as I do..but a quick google search is usually my ending point. Easier, and lots of choices to select from.

In fact, I was making a quick sauce the other day, and wanted to add a little 'oomph' to it. I googled it and added two ingredients that my cookbook didn't even mention, and I wouldn't have considered! J said it was the best sauce yet.

Most recipes are guidelines. However, there are certain recipes in that cookbook that are both unavailable anywhere else and tough to beat. We have a notebook containing freelance recipes created in the kitchen and recipes from online sources, but most of those have been heavily edited/altered.

I dislike using recipes from online sources when I know I have it in a cookbook. Besides, laptops don't belong in the kitchen, and I hate printing out a recipe. The paper invariably gets destroyed in the chaos that is our kitchen.

[moosmom]

Lady's Human,

Wait...YOU COOK??????:eek::eek::p:p

[Lady's Human]

Only 6-7 days/week. :p

[moosmom]

Sorry for your loss. *snicker*

The only thing I ever make from scratch are RESERVATIONS!!!!!!:p

[Cataholic]

Most recipes are guidelines. However, there are certain recipes in that cookbook that are both unavailable anywhere else and tough to beat. We have a notebook containing freelance recipes created in the kitchen and recipes from online sources, but most of those have been heavily edited/altered.

I dislike using recipes from online sources when I know I have it in a cookbook. Besides, laptops don't belong in the kitchen, and I hate printing out a recipe. The paper invariably gets destroyed in the chaos that is our kitchen.

My laptop is never in the kitchen. My smart phone, on the other hand, is. That screen wipes up super clean, I conserve paper by not printing, and it is super portable. In fact, I can store my faves right on the phone. I will create a list, from the online recipe, right onto my memo pad, and wah-la...easy peasy shopping.

I never met a recipe I couldn't make "better" (to suit my taste), yet.

[Karen]

Donna, all my parents' children, regardless of gender, could put a meal on the table to feed the whole family by the time each of us, in turn, hit middle school. Dad cooked, Ma cooked, we all cooked. We all also, regardless of gender, were expected to do outside chore, change oil in cars, know how to change a flat tire, etc, and all learned how to sew enough to produce actual garments.

If you ever you come to any of our family's gatherings, you will eat well!

[Lady's Human]

I prefer paper.

I don't own a smartphone, never will. I want my phone to be a phone.

My books are actual books, I prefer actually turning pages, and sitting down with a cup of coffee and a (fill in the blank electronic device) just isn't the same.

The same goes for my cooking. Every other week or so we sit down and plan the menu for the next couple of weeks, then create a shopping list around the menu. On paper.

The recipes we've created or altered are in the process of being turned into a book for use in the kitchen, as the green notebook is getting pretty
sad.

[Freedom]

I prefer paper.

I don't own a smartphone, never will. I want my phone to be a phone.

My books are actual books, I prefer actually turning pages, and sitting down with a cup of coffee and a (fill in the blank electronic device) just isn't the same.

The same goes for my cooking. Every other week or so we sit down and plan the menu for the next couple of weeks, then create a shopping list around the menu. On paper.

The recipes we've created or altered are in the process of being turned into a book for use in the kitchen, as the green notebook is getting pretty
sad.

Hear, hear, me too! Someone recently told me bookmarks have become collectibles, I said no they are quite functional still with me! LOL

There are some great online sites which allow you to make a book and include photos - you can snap pics of what the finished product is like! Friend of mine did this 2 years back with some family recipes, gave the books as Christmas gifts. She went back through old albums and included photos of passed and present family members in with the recipe pictures. Took almost 7 months to pull it all together, but the result was fantastic and well loved by all the recipients. I can't remember the site she used, but would be glad to call her and find out, if you are interested. Editted to add: tastebook.com

[moosmom]

Karen,

Now that's what I call a great family unit!!!

[Lady's Human]

With our assorted schedules growing up, learning to cook was in self defense. Ma cooked ONE dinner every night, if you were there, fine, if you weren't, the answer was "You know how to cook, do it!". Otherwise she would have been going crazy trying to accommodate Pa's somewhat insane work schedule (rotating shifts) and music lessons, art lessons, sports practice, etc.

The first thing we all learned to cook was gingerbread men, about the second thing was spaghetti sauce (from scratch, with very few exceptions I still can't deal with the commercial garbage called spaghetti sauce) and it went from there. As with most everything else in the house, it was a somewhat competitive sport.

The car repairs and maintenance (as well as learning to drive a standard) were somewhat more negotiable, but not a whole heck of a lot. Karen skated on some of that for reasons I'll leave out to protect the guilty.....but I was helping in the garage at about age 7, especially after Ma got her Pinto that Pa couldn't work on easily, big arms, small space) Sewing was mandatory, as that's what we did for Christmas presents some years.

[Karen]

Oh, and because of all our crazy schedules, if anyone said, "I'm hungry," aloud near dinnertime, you were told, "Well, cook!"

[Lady'sOtherHuman]

Lady's Human,

Wait...YOU COOK??????:eek::eek::p:p

He most certainly does! Most of what I know how to make I learned from him and the kids have the same teacher.

My main specialties are pie crust and bread everything else is fair territory.