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How to survive quarantine? Memory Lane. Rumford Complete Cook Book.

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

Memory lane Quarantine Rumford Complete Cook Book survival

Quarantined?  Survival techique.

So we are confined to our homes.  We get hungry because we have time to think of food.  My mind started thinking of old-fashioned chocolate fudge.....home made, of course.  That made me think that my mother's old cookbook might have a recipe for it.

Here you see my mother's old cook book.  There, written in the back, was a recipe!  It was noted that it came from Ethelle Hardy, a friend who lived next door.  As a child, I loved that lady!  The old book was a 1948 edition and had been published since 1908 and as you can see, it was worn out, held together by an elastic band of some kind!  OMG!  That was probably an elastic garter!  Now who can remember garters??  I think they were used to hold up your stockings before panty hose came along.  Panty hose?  Out of style with young ladies now saying, "No matter how ugly your legs are, go bare-legged."

So there you go.....memories of the past flood your mind.  Other things in the book were written reminders, obituaries of relatives.....all kinds of things helping me forget my lack of  freedom.....and making me remember.....

Try it!!

Krystin Mitchell, CPA CFE
KLSM CPA Firm, PLLC - Houston, TX
Strategic Accounting & Tax Solutions

I love times like these when all the memories flood back. I had actually thought to make copies and bind my grandmothers handwritten recipes. Thanks for the reminder!

Mar 25, 2020 07:55 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Krystin, it might be good that we have a chance to remember.....

Mar 25, 2020 07:57 AM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

I love to collect old cookbooks and, the best ones, look like yours.  They are well used, proving someone showed their family a lot of love.  I bet the chocolate fudge was excellent!

Mar 25, 2020 08:02 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Barbara - without your explanation, I wouldn't have known those were garters.  Come to think of it, I think my recollection of them might be from movies.  

Mar 25, 2020 08:58 AM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

I'm goimg to make some ciabatta bread. How about you Anita?

My memory of garters is they were put on the top of the stockings then the stockings were rolled down to jut above the knees. Of course the dress hem was below the knees.

Mar 25, 2020 09:06 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Michael, when I researched this morning they were fancy.  I remember them as Don Thompson just wrote.

Mar 25, 2020 09:51 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, that is exactly the way I remember them.  That way, when dresses were short or long, stockings could be adjusted also.

Mar 25, 2020 09:52 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Interestingly enough, last week I ordered a book from Amazon.  The title was "The Decameron," by Boccaccio. The Decameron tells stories of ten Florentines who fled the Black Plage in the 1300s.  I felt it a fitting title in light of today's events.  However, Amazon won't be delivering until somewhere around April 21st, so I had to find alternative reads.  I ended up pulling cookbooks off my shelves and I've been exploring recipes.

Mar 25, 2020 11:28 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

CONGRATULATIONS Barbara, on having this blog FEATURED in the Old Farts Club group!  

Mar 25, 2020 11:30 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Myrl, we agree again.  But cookbooks are probably not current with cans and cake mixes smaller than they were when the books were written.  I didn't get to do the fudge because my cocoa was over 5 years old!

What an honor to be featured on the Old Farts Club!  Wish I could advertise it but the name will not allow it!!  LOL

Mar 25, 2020 12:01 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Raymond, if a cookbook is like new, it is no good because it has not been used and loved!

 

Mar 25, 2020 12:03 PM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

There's a 1938 edition on eBay for $2.00 plus shipping.

 

One of my favorite cook books I bought at a garage sale even though the seller decided to not sell and I finally convinced her to.

Here are two of my favorite cook books.

  

Garage  sale cook book                                         1933 edition

Mar 25, 2020 01:18 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, I wish I liked to cook as you do.  I have the cookbooks, just not the desire!  That probably comes from having had cooking duty for SO many years!!

Mar 25, 2020 01:53 PM
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

I plan to make ciabatta bread either tomorrow or the next day. I'll post a pic. via message.

Mar 25, 2020 04:18 PM
#14
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, how about a shared piece of the bread?  I still don't know what that is!  Or at least a vivid description of the taste?

Mar 25, 2020 04:22 PM
Don Thompson

ciabatta bread has a  chewy exterior and soft crumb speckled with air holes. It’s the perfect bread for dunking into soup, slicing horizontally and making a sandwich, or for simply slathering with butter and eating until your heart’s content.


Mar 25, 2020 06:09 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Barbara,  We have an old cookbook my mother-in-law gave us, years ago.  It has many recipes that we made over and over again when our kids were little.  Maybe we'll dust it off again...good memories.

Mar 25, 2020 06:28 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Morning Barbara.

I know we've had more home cooked meals lately, then we have in the past year.  Saving a lot of money

Mar 26, 2020 12:46 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

So, Don, what does it taste like?  Regular bread?

Mar 26, 2020 04:55 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

James, we have had more home-cooked meals and that is bad for the cook, mainly me. 

Mar 26, 2020 04:57 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Bob Crane, the bad part of that is having so much of the food means left-overs for days.  After three days meat loaf is not so good.

Mar 26, 2020 04:58 AM