I think it was Longfellow who said, ..."in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity." I think that's true. And sometimes the best gifts are the simplest ones. This box of "California Sunshine" arrived on our doorstep last week on one of the coldest days we've had this season; a wonderful gift from my dear cousin who lives in the 'mandarine orange capital' of the state. These little orange orbs came from her own trees and could not have made us happier or arrived at a better time. Nature's candy!
The Mister and I both grew up in southern California, in houses (on opposite sides of town), surrounded by orange groves. Living where we did, citrus fruit was something we just took for granted. That is, until we moved a thousand miles north seventeen years ago. Now we marvel at the mere sight, smell, and taste of something we once thought ordinary. And it takes us back. And we realize how lucky we were to have had that experience.
And speaking of lucky, here's a lucky thrift shop find. Time for a "vintage" book review. The jacket cover alone just makes me happy looking at it. Love the old cast iron stove. The book is copyrighted 1949 and tells of the baking traditions around the holidays in Virginia Pasley's childhood kitchen with her sisters. The first chapter of the book is all about that, and so charming to read. The "old ways" of doing things are always interesting to me. On spices, she writes, "In those days every corner grocer and druggist carried not only spices from all over the world, but potash and ammonium carbonate and the other old-country chemicals used before modern baking powder. Angelica and citron, candied Seville orange peel and all sorts of decorative candies and sugars were just as easy to get then as they are hard to find now." I guess that is still true in most places. The back cover flap tells a little more about the author. Mostly it's full of the old cookie recipes. It says, "Here is a cookie book for people who enjoy making an old-fashioned Christmas, and who revel in the fragrance of spices and fresh baking that permeates a house before such a holiday. It is also a book for the compact modern kitchen; the author has translated and revised the old, traditional recipes to fit modern methods of measurement, mixing and baking. Each cookie, from the crisp Burnt Almond Cookies and Eier Kringel to honey-laden Lebkuchen, is delectable and different, yet easy to make." Cookbooks are such comforting reads, aren't they? I have other favorites. What are yours? Here are two recipes from the book you might like to try.
Porcupine Cookies:
Cream together 1/3 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar, then blend in 1/2 cup sour cream. Grate 3 squares (ounces) chocolate and add to creamed mixture along with 1 cup bran, 2-1/2 cups grated coconut, 1 teas. vanilla. Sift 1-1/2 cups flour with 1/2 teas. baking powder, 1/2 teas. baking soda, and 1/2 teas. salt--and add to first mixture. Blend all and drop from teaspoon, onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in moderate oven (350 degrees F).
Butterscotch Cut-outs:
Cream together 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, alternately blending in 2 T. water and 2 teas. vanilla. Sift together 6 cups cake flour, 1 teas. salt and 1 teas. baking soda and mix together with other ingredients in bowl. Chill dough for an hour. Roll out about 1/8" thick and cut out in fancy shapes. For larger cookies 1/4" thickness is better. Bake for 15 minutes in moderate oven (350 degrees F).
Under the jacket cover I discover more charm. And look at the end papers! OK. A few more of Mrs. Pasley's memories to warm you . . ."The Christmas baking always seemed to start unexpectedly overnight. One snowy brisk November day we three girls would race in from school rosy-cheeked and cold-nosed, and go wild with excitement at the sight of the big cookie sheets that had burgeoned during our absence, the Springerle board spread out on the kitchen table, and Mama checking over her recipes. My mother set up cooking as a priviledge. It was not something you were ordered to do, or even urged to do. You were allowed to do it. You were, after the proper apprenticeship, privileged to do it. You washed up after you finished and left the kitchen as spotlessly clean as when you entered its magic precincts as due payment for the special treat of trying your hand at cooking. My mother always saw to it that no one, not even the youngest, was made a drudge in the Christmas cookie making. If you shelled nuts, you were allowed to put them on the tops of the cookies. If you measured the flour out and sifted it with the spices, you could hold the spoon and stir for a minute of two. And you were never too young to be given a scrap or two to cut out a cookie of your very own."
Now that does seem quite fitting.
Unrelated: Please get your free downloads and pattern orders in now. The PatternBee website will close the day after tomorrow and will remain closed throughout the holiday season. The shop will be up and running again on January 2, 2012.
I'll be back here on Friday with a Give-Away!
The mandarins are making my mouth water just looking at them! Also, I really love the look of that vintage cookbook! How wonderful..what a great find! I would have bought that up in a second! Thanks for posting those 2 recipes from the book.
Posted by: Bonnie@WhatAboutPie | December 14, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Goodness.. you are lucky to have such a nice generous cousin! Made me crave a fresh orange. I love the vintage cookbook... and the writings.. sweet.
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*M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
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Posted by: Teresa Kasner | December 14, 2011 at 11:30 PM
We have two copies of "The Christmas Cookie Book" in our home and I just picked up Virginia Pasley's "The Holiday Candy Book" which is just as "sweet"!
Posted by: deb h | December 15, 2011 at 04:30 AM
The mandarines are going fast! Love 'em!
About the book, I noticed there are copies available right now in the Amazon Marketplace section. Just search either author/title and you should find one.
Enjoy the recipes!
Posted by: vicki haninger | December 15, 2011 at 08:46 AM
Teresa, you are a bundle of sunshine yourself!
Thanks for stopping by and spreading JOY!
Posted by: vicki haninger | December 15, 2011 at 08:47 AM
Thanks for the info, didn't know there was a Candy Book. Just perused Amazon and found one too! Too cute to pass up. My girls will love it, as they are into making candies for their dad at Christmas.
Posted by: vicki haninger | December 15, 2011 at 08:48 AM
What a precious book you shared! I am reading a memoir of life on the Nebraska prairie and I am so longing to find a chapter on Christmas. What a pretty lady Mrs. Pasley was!
Posted by: Vee | December 15, 2011 at 08:53 AM
A visit here always makes my heart happy. Love and Christmas wishes to all of you! ♥~ Mandy
Posted by: Amanda | December 15, 2011 at 11:09 AM
So much to love....on pg 6 and 7.... "Yet, it's not the expert's creamy fudge many of us want at all, but the kind of fudge that tastes like home and childhood - and since many of us have now lost the knack of making 'bad' fudge we include in this book directions for making both creamy fudge and old-fashioned 'amateur' fudge." Enjoy!
Posted by: deb h | December 15, 2011 at 07:49 PM
Oh, I certainly shall!! (thanks for that.)
Posted by: vicki haninger | December 16, 2011 at 12:36 AM
I've lived in So Cal 30 yrs now and adore the citrus trees & fruit...they just make me feel happy & I have a fruit themed kitchen. I grew up in the midwest so apples & cherries on trees were the norm. Sadly, the local lemon/orange groves have been mowed down to make room for more buildings & houses...the scent of the orange blossoms is a thing of the past. :(
Such a charming cookbook! The stories & graphics are sweet...must keep my eye open for this one.
Posted by: tammyCA | December 21, 2011 at 09:36 AM