tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24861944062276824142024-03-14T23:15:12.028-07:00Wood Cookstove CookingThis is a blog about cooking on a woodburning cookstove. Here you will find recipes, methods, other uses, and miscellaneous information about using a woodburning range. I've searched the net for any and all information about cooking on one of these amazing appliances, and I've found a lot of interesting things, but none of them have been what I've been looking for. Therefore, this is my attempt at creating what I've been in search of.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-48924299795213645122023-04-15T18:09:00.001-07:002023-04-15T18:09:44.832-07:00Cole's Hot Blast Ranges and Cookstoves<p>In my occasional trollings through Ebay, I sometimes run across some interesting cookstove ephemera that I want to share here on the blog. Tonight, we have a catalog from the Cole Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois. There is not date on the catalog, and a search of the Internet did not yield much information about this particular stove company at all. However, I did find a site that said that the company closed down around 1920. That information coupled with images from their 1916-1917 catalog, which was for sale at a different antique site, cause me to date this catalog at around 1920, thus making it one of the company's last.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOt_DECbiFll2eyuqhtYt8z591DLuzhrH3piwfqJ1yOhN4K5i-Vt0LG1L5qIA89OniwZ0GNthVyIyjFlStYcXyHAqTCAVlXWeGjR04lvnl1SLXHz9LDscdmUDrFQNZMyupz6SJBWoGejpH_fLUlywZKPRJOgOEi0f_HpvAf3gUJurfvgAr6wmnDlz/s2840/img035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2840" data-original-width="1359" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOt_DECbiFll2eyuqhtYt8z591DLuzhrH3piwfqJ1yOhN4K5i-Vt0LG1L5qIA89OniwZ0GNthVyIyjFlStYcXyHAqTCAVlXWeGjR04lvnl1SLXHz9LDscdmUDrFQNZMyupz6SJBWoGejpH_fLUlywZKPRJOgOEi0f_HpvAf3gUJurfvgAr6wmnDlz/w306-h640/img035.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of the Cole catalog.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I've blown up the next view large enough that I think you'll be able to read it yourselves. I'm entertained by the text on the left side and wonder whether there was some kind of "energy crisis" at the time that caused the price of coal to skyrocket like the price of heating oil did last fall. There may not have been anything like that going on, though, as fuel economy is a topic often addressed in sales brochures for wood/coal cookstoves no matter the date of their publication.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWYclRlhhWn_Z3C7FOlfiDpOK2VwbqY1kkhCsOfn8Y7G1G4dbjDfpgopyKyrNRjlVV7HqwEq8p2-72pq40PFPs1htGeuTJk3NNwRpFcg2QYK2h8fo4aEE3sem_dTLZaJKTDV-W5D484PirErmN7248wsuffu1o82wp2nk3RZdjsUnFN3hcC6wOsLq/s2840/img036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2840" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWYclRlhhWn_Z3C7FOlfiDpOK2VwbqY1kkhCsOfn8Y7G1G4dbjDfpgopyKyrNRjlVV7HqwEq8p2-72pq40PFPs1htGeuTJk3NNwRpFcg2QYK2h8fo4aEE3sem_dTLZaJKTDV-W5D484PirErmN7248wsuffu1o82wp2nk3RZdjsUnFN3hcC6wOsLq/w574-h640/img036.jpg" width="574" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, the next pictures are the ones that really caught my eye for this brochure. Anytime I see a model of wood cookstove with the oven located somewhere other than the traditional spot to the right or left of the firebox, I am intrigued. Before purchase, I think I had only seen a picture of the model on the left, and I couldn't help but think that this stove must have been a source of great frustration to those gallant souls who tried to cook on its stovetop. You will note the barrel-shaped firepot at the base with four cooking lids arranged over its top. This configuration is quite similar to the old-fashioned "laundry stoves" that were used to heat a pair of wash boilers before that advent of hot-running water. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I was in my very early teens, I purchased one of those laundry stoves at an antique store and hooked it up to an abandoned flue in the old school bus carcass that used to be here on our farm. My brother and I had many, many fires in that stove while we cooked a variety of grass soups, popped field corn, and various other concocted "foods." Although we never cooked any real foods on that stove, one of the things I learned quite quickly was that it didn't have the range of cooking temperatures that the surface of a cookstove has. It was hottest over the center of the firepot, but beyond that, each of the four lids were of equal temperature.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure it would have been the same across the cooktop of the stove in the left picture. The cook would have had to employ a variety of <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2014/09/trivets-and-simmering-pads-keys-to.html" target="_blank">trivets and heat diffusers</a> to create the varied temperatures that are needed for cooking most meals. You may even notice that the text brags about this cookstove's room heating ability more than its ease of use for cooking.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWyESb_TZdLtlXMa5LA3x1JJUZvTcxqlIHpaqxlY2JF4KiIlPqfkJT0htr2IGyhOY5vdJrXabinBKorJLm-bpO_wVBgH3YnGbX8ZJsKqAMqOpxaTuYChLFb4GjBBKvR8YDFTd84y5Kjqrr0jrnChmCKeceWAUlXEtlWpSu4NaHP7Moq2yJy_6sbnb/s2831/img037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2831" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWyESb_TZdLtlXMa5LA3x1JJUZvTcxqlIHpaqxlY2JF4KiIlPqfkJT0htr2IGyhOY5vdJrXabinBKorJLm-bpO_wVBgH3YnGbX8ZJsKqAMqOpxaTuYChLFb4GjBBKvR8YDFTd84y5Kjqrr0jrnChmCKeceWAUlXEtlWpSu4NaHP7Moq2yJy_6sbnb/w360-h400/img037.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cookstove on the right in the scan above seems to have the answers to all of my suspicions about the one on the left. You can see in the picture below, that the firebox is only at the front part of the base, thus creating a cooler surface at the back of the stove. Granted, this still would have been a bit of a challenge because it wouldn't have been a lot cooler than the two front lids which are directly over the firebox, but some temperature difference would have existed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSbLCR4-4bHkNvISPE5nFEbv726gGRsvveJ6dDCVPI_977KNHVL7jgxlHBmxqAc1WtlgXkJ1_uKHeFbjmTQtd-0wjesEXlhL4m4oQJbNFHODOy2gQLt4WID_siYyMOjtkeuwbZc9oliRJyO7BtWLQAVscN6kn18SybRBi8qw_qwh7YmIdtkAQanKs/s2829/img038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2829" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSbLCR4-4bHkNvISPE5nFEbv726gGRsvveJ6dDCVPI_977KNHVL7jgxlHBmxqAc1WtlgXkJ1_uKHeFbjmTQtd-0wjesEXlhL4m4oQJbNFHODOy2gQLt4WID_siYyMOjtkeuwbZc9oliRJyO7BtWLQAVscN6kn18SybRBi8qw_qwh7YmIdtkAQanKs/w360-h400/img038.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Though this cookstove only had four cooking lids, I wonder if the high oven would have been bigger than the ovens on the little cookstoves that engineered like the one below. I would think that it would certainly have been more even-heating with the flue gases hitting it squarely in the bottom rather than having the firebox occupy about a quarter of the surface area of the oven box.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszehEQIqx4LqouXk8ibt8zdJ_iVaTWkJT_WI-J43dzSbVdRe1hsx0-VlGc-CukJClsbDKPMDrljIanleImplgx5raegcm31AMzJ6GU1Vwnc4PH3Xx2cCt5w4mdoC3S-1ZRhtnHyU4XPEVAEI9RJmTNrKqGF3VKiM2h5U5bAzfW0O5vfge4FDckqWq/s4608/IMG_0710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszehEQIqx4LqouXk8ibt8zdJ_iVaTWkJT_WI-J43dzSbVdRe1hsx0-VlGc-CukJClsbDKPMDrljIanleImplgx5raegcm31AMzJ6GU1Vwnc4PH3Xx2cCt5w4mdoC3S-1ZRhtnHyU4XPEVAEI9RJmTNrKqGF3VKiM2h5U5bAzfW0O5vfge4FDckqWq/s320/IMG_0710.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>That said, I wonder if "Cole's Square Base High Oven Range" would have been a popular choice with apartment dwellers of that time period. This stove would have had a nice sized square oven while occupying a much smaller footprint in the kitchen than standard style range.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of standard style ranges, I find the range on the right side of the scan below to be extremely attractive. The clean lines and angular trim just scream 1918 or 1919, and I think it is beautiful. I might even use the word "masculine" to describe its solid, reliable appearance.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEmuRJH3Lw9an9VCaXjZmk4MMy4IRYOFVUDCqjTZWgDPd8TcNJQ4bM1b5Q71KW6ybkXbafla2-pJeMsPbBbZZ_scWF0-Y6pWivUmJaRV3TbAhnBW4vBZPye99q49AUKqcxqeoN0iQhdKnwW5BolDvFdU_dSZgIz-dgnA5-RxL3R9b6sNo5XYVww_a/s2817/img039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEmuRJH3Lw9an9VCaXjZmk4MMy4IRYOFVUDCqjTZWgDPd8TcNJQ4bM1b5Q71KW6ybkXbafla2-pJeMsPbBbZZ_scWF0-Y6pWivUmJaRV3TbAhnBW4vBZPye99q49AUKqcxqeoN0iQhdKnwW5BolDvFdU_dSZgIz-dgnA5-RxL3R9b6sNo5XYVww_a/w363-h400/img039.jpg" width="363" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The next pages are interesting because they show Cole's line of "down-draft ranges." As you can see, the Cole Manufacturing Company had designed a range where the drafts delivered air into the top of the firebox (hence the name "Hot Blast"). They advertise that this new technology is what allows their ranges to be so fuel-efficient. What fascinates me about this is that delivering air into the top of the fire has been proven to create the most efficient combustion of wood, but not necessarily coal. For this reason, the Margin Gem and other wood cookstoves that are being manufactured today use this technology, but they tout it as something that was discovered within the last thirty years. It appears that the Cole Manufacturing Company was far ahead of its time. </div><div><br /></div><div>As you can see, Cole's offered three styles of downdraft ranges.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOi-bbqP2OLvtUwswQDpweQKFL4KDfeXfOHDroVkuuhyETLr-LWoWQ6qbrh5VJ_8S_PlrNowNp738VmQotvgFIhwUFgr0E6f0GDldZOYMqX4qehqTGXY1MHLIirWkjAsS74sFxcoT7-6RdGnWBrM4IHM4RkA0GV72rz7i4h6RGK--gnTCo1wmnHig/s2805/img040.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2805" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOi-bbqP2OLvtUwswQDpweQKFL4KDfeXfOHDroVkuuhyETLr-LWoWQ6qbrh5VJ_8S_PlrNowNp738VmQotvgFIhwUFgr0E6f0GDldZOYMqX4qehqTGXY1MHLIirWkjAsS74sFxcoT7-6RdGnWBrM4IHM4RkA0GV72rz7i4h6RGK--gnTCo1wmnHig/w364-h400/img040.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmpRRab9wt3h71KKeQW_W4HPwqTcDJv0xARWEy8wTmW0CDXisW4yIQtDPtEPV4UM9Tt8qVUt4dq65jnpq1vAVq-sRHRwiMK991HKJhNUcy0FXPYprL1NXS1Ah8MSX6lXQgJiZ527r0htG2hB9QwkVjE-5GaMjFIixNGUcKZX2nwaOt51jCnyoWkkv/s2761/img041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2761" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmpRRab9wt3h71KKeQW_W4HPwqTcDJv0xARWEy8wTmW0CDXisW4yIQtDPtEPV4UM9Tt8qVUt4dq65jnpq1vAVq-sRHRwiMK991HKJhNUcy0FXPYprL1NXS1Ah8MSX6lXQgJiZ527r0htG2hB9QwkVjE-5GaMjFIixNGUcKZX2nwaOt51jCnyoWkkv/w370-h400/img041.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The rest of the catalog features their heating stoves, furnaces, and schoolhouse heaters--most of which feature the down draft air delivery system. I would love to know what caused this company to close its doors so long before the Great Depression hit, so if you have any information to add, please do so in the comments section below.<br /><p><br /></p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-70903093437672199412023-03-19T16:08:00.001-07:002023-03-19T16:08:23.194-07:00A Couple of Family Recipes Specific to the Wood Cookstove: Laundry Soap and Boiled Potatoes<p>Back in 2010, one of my distant cousins on my mom's side of the family decided to put together a cookbook of the recipes from my Great-Grandma Ruth's family. Grandma Ruth was the second of nine children, and she came from a family who knew their way around a kitchen.</p><p>The cookbook was a grand idea, and I find myself going to it for several family recipes. While I was searching for the recipe for Aunt Tod's Lemon Filling to spread between the layers of a sponge cake I baked yesterday in the Margin Gem, I ran across a couple of treasures that I'd like to document here. Both of these recipes have specific instructions for how to use the wood cookstove to accomplish the desired result, and they both come with stories that give today's reader some insight into what life used to be like in rural southwest Iowa in the first half of the twentieth century.</p><p>The first recipe is for laundry soap and comes from a book that my Great-Great Aunt "Tod" had. It reads as follows:</p><p>4 pounds grease or cracklings</p><p>1 can lye</p><p>2 quarts water</p><p>Mix. Let stand on back of stove, preferably the reservoir, from one morning until the next. Stir in a tea kettle of hot water or until the consistency of honey. Pour into a mold. Let cool and cut into bars.</p><p><br /></p><p>Aunt Tod's daughter remembers her mother making homemade soap in a big iron cooking pot over a fire outdoors. That would have been as late as the 1940s or early 50s.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second recipe comes with the following story written by my grandpa's first cousin:</p><p>"A three-ring recipe book was given to Mom for a shower gift by friends of hers. Guests were to write recipes in it, and it was presented to her. I have the book now, and I often read this page and laugh over it. I wonder if the shower guests did too. Date was June 19, 1930."</p><p>I can just see a group of farmwives in their best cotton summer dresses and with their bobbed hair done in waves gathering together to celebrate Aunt Martha's upcoming wedding. A delicious homemade cake waited to be cut and placed on the hostess's best china while the women laughed at jokes about a bride's lumpy potatoes or her not knowing how to boil water.</p><p>The following is what was handwritten on the page, complete with the errors still present:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Boiled potatoes</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> <u>will serve nine</u></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Go to your potatoe [sic] patch or basement and get thirty five large potatoes and wash in water.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> Now get a basket of cobs and kerosene over a few of them, <u>before</u> you put them in the range. put in the kitchen range. Get a match and light the fire. First being sure that your drafts are open, as the fire may go out if they are closed. Now go to the pump or windmill and get a bucket of water. Fill the teakettle and put over the fire. Close the drafts.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> Next peel your potatoes, being sure to get all the eyes, unless Art [her fiancé] likes eye soup for dinner. Wash the peeled potatoes and pour off water. By this time it will be eleven-fifteen. It is now time to pour the water which has reached the boiling stage, on the potatoes. Salt to taste but don't burn your tongue. Remove from fire when done. They will be sure to please the hungry better half.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Notice the mention of the ever-present teakettle in both of these recipes. These bits of history are reminders of the hard work that filled the "good old days." Speaking of that, Nancy and I are headed out to the wood splitter, so I'll sign off for this afternoon!</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-33192995940376190912023-02-20T18:11:00.000-08:002023-02-20T18:11:24.227-08:00Homemade English Muffins on the Wood Cookstove<p>My dad and I have always enjoyed English muffins. I remember Dad making English muffins from scratch a couple of times when I was young. I remember one time particularly well because we invited my paternal grandparents (and also our next door neighbors) down for supper so they could enjoy them with us. We ate Dad's English muffins hot off the griddle, slathered with butter and homemade black raspberry jelly.</p><p>Years ago, I made English muffins using the same recipe that my dad used, and while they were delicious, they were dense and a bit on the rubbery side. I remember that an engaged couple came to the house while I was making them. I was going to be the organist at their wedding, and they had come to choose the music. The muffins were ready to be baked as they were leaving, and I mentioned to them that I was disappointed in the texture. The bride-to-be, in what appeared to me like an exaggerated attempt to impress her future husband, was telling me that I needed to have beaten the batter very hard for quite a while so as to get air into it. She was sure that I would then have the nooks and crannies in the English muffins that I desired.</p><p>Well, fast forward nearly twenty years. I've done a great deal more baking with yeast doughs, and I can tell you that the advice the young lady gave me would have worked for cake batter, but not English muffins. With yeast doughs, to get nooks and crannies is an entirely different matter. First, you don't want to work the dough for a long time because that activates the gluten in the flour, which will create a finer crumb texture. Secondly, you want a very soft dough so that large bubbles can easily form; and finally, you want the dough to rise as quickly as possible because that will create bigger bubbles of gas too.</p><p>Thus, when I came across a recipe which was such a soft dough that the muffins had to be dropped rather than rolled and cut out, I knew I was getting closer to my desired result. I've tweaked the recipe that I found and gotten the results I desired. Now, when I buy English muffins in the grocery store, it will be for the sake of convenience, not because I can't make an equally desirable product. What's more, for reasons that will be obvious in a moment, this is recipe that takes full advantage of a wood cookstove. Here is what you do:</p><p>Into a large mixing bowl, pour one cup of warm water. To it, add 2 tsp. of yeast, 1 tsp. of sugar, and a 1/2 tsp. of salt.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMrDDLPkT2wlESrlw76ab8CmtJB8IaTMwD7pMOhdnay_TX5GuCHH8SOoVV_w8WMgx7yQWse9SXp8fymMMeCFXV0xPG4XoFy8NRC2cTx07h4VPOC_9PZ-W2XNj2HSlIiMeof0nWUytgxJeGNld1OpZio3lrzAVZPRJ8LVCYvXIaLMbFHspYFvugcRU/s4608/IMG_1783.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMrDDLPkT2wlESrlw76ab8CmtJB8IaTMwD7pMOhdnay_TX5GuCHH8SOoVV_w8WMgx7yQWse9SXp8fymMMeCFXV0xPG4XoFy8NRC2cTx07h4VPOC_9PZ-W2XNj2HSlIiMeof0nWUytgxJeGNld1OpZio3lrzAVZPRJ8LVCYvXIaLMbFHspYFvugcRU/w400-h300/IMG_1783.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see that Granny's ugly avocado green Sunbeam Mixmaster<br />that I inherited 28 years ago and was going to "use until it quit" <br />still hasn't quit. In the picture above, it is outfitted with Sunbeam's<br />answer to the Kitchenaid dough hook.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>While the yeast is proofing, put a tablespoon of butter in the measuring cup you used for the water and put it into the warming oven of the cookstove to melt.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBQhzU-mHrwfbHoNLH7ymV3gfx35XTycISsbRPWUfMlC1fnP58siRAfP4-QG2oN7qpnsX___OviBRNxkKc03bnr8h5Y-4IzmA72nT2akJPpGT2tsd56ip8cVlq0YgwzktxLvsVro1whX9ndzvk-4uGlLLVjrD0Lx4695CyW4tnEeTgxqGD4JVQxTx/s4608/IMG_1784.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBQhzU-mHrwfbHoNLH7ymV3gfx35XTycISsbRPWUfMlC1fnP58siRAfP4-QG2oN7qpnsX___OviBRNxkKc03bnr8h5Y-4IzmA72nT2akJPpGT2tsd56ip8cVlq0YgwzktxLvsVro1whX9ndzvk-4uGlLLVjrD0Lx4695CyW4tnEeTgxqGD4JVQxTx/w400-h300/IMG_1784.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time the butter is melted, the yeast and water mixture should be foamy. Add the melted butter to it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjKoRDMqsQSom7YzTFZ3ZMQRFUa8t_T8FO3NnoqBTFJwEtdsB4ix2j07hRHyKd0Uyl_dc-HJHOwZExNWE57BVMBO4cXBrvbpf6W5mS9kpi0_9B5yG7-oOOT5lMtYV60cs4hB0BvS81kxwmzWmkyttgnLx0EbzrEUS0iCKa50W_61hGD7LSofrs3kO/s4608/IMG_1785.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjKoRDMqsQSom7YzTFZ3ZMQRFUa8t_T8FO3NnoqBTFJwEtdsB4ix2j07hRHyKd0Uyl_dc-HJHOwZExNWE57BVMBO4cXBrvbpf6W5mS9kpi0_9B5yG7-oOOT5lMtYV60cs4hB0BvS81kxwmzWmkyttgnLx0EbzrEUS0iCKa50W_61hGD7LSofrs3kO/w400-h300/IMG_1785.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To the liquid mixture, add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour. Mix just until dough is stringy.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpci83VM7bZCcU3curw6YgiYqhQ20wF8cgkuDRxNI_LqTyW7dZDoTSozsgZKiz7jdjMr8FxZ81rXIhCpnZJ_lFoycX614oFzHmPds4tXxeaDB9uJWA9dHUg5laoddS8qaeZ9nQgjDEf0TBE70F6MwQ89o6Enta6XpaDj-f1-zLvSa4Pc8EpbeXpRH/s4608/IMG_1786.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpci83VM7bZCcU3curw6YgiYqhQ20wF8cgkuDRxNI_LqTyW7dZDoTSozsgZKiz7jdjMr8FxZ81rXIhCpnZJ_lFoycX614oFzHmPds4tXxeaDB9uJWA9dHUg5laoddS8qaeZ9nQgjDEf0TBE70F6MwQ89o6Enta6XpaDj-f1-zLvSa4Pc8EpbeXpRH/w400-h300/IMG_1786.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Scrape the dough from the edges so that it is shaped into a ball in the middle of the bowl.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw-bwsHuwGr81VJEcg9XHryHBOvDAoVUH69fgQI9Jpj04-xpdkoX_6dsefprdv4vlVXUlDECdP3SA4MzzQqlovZ13pF1HSFDoI4LyRlTZj1yc8cHctuqyCmly2FU06j1vtZDUAf6xLZckch2JjOG9fdS1FepPAJDUnuMnNFt-gboYWqoFzBzofwJU/s4608/IMG_1787.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw-bwsHuwGr81VJEcg9XHryHBOvDAoVUH69fgQI9Jpj04-xpdkoX_6dsefprdv4vlVXUlDECdP3SA4MzzQqlovZ13pF1HSFDoI4LyRlTZj1yc8cHctuqyCmly2FU06j1vtZDUAf6xLZckch2JjOG9fdS1FepPAJDUnuMnNFt-gboYWqoFzBzofwJU/w400-h300/IMG_1787.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Cover with a plate and put in a very warm place to rise. This is key to getting the big nooks and crannies. Usually, I think the warming oven of the Margin Gem is a little too warm for yeast doughs to rise there, but it is perfect for this because you want this dough to rise quickly to achieve those big bubbles.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmScs-lLuPwRLBiXIpbArLofN7qZtZqHrSVPcyXCbzuXxLpM_9F3urhuRFslFZTZIaLHT_t4XqOYCT5wWbGlYEhpH0l4g2NKmjWtVGfpBlK9ZFxG1uKuTbjz4YyyEn_hvmGWD4bEnI6HSxoL3hBUDUjgNEBze_W7yhVCLwi_1k1wXTib_glOXfFGPt/s4608/IMG_1788.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmScs-lLuPwRLBiXIpbArLofN7qZtZqHrSVPcyXCbzuXxLpM_9F3urhuRFslFZTZIaLHT_t4XqOYCT5wWbGlYEhpH0l4g2NKmjWtVGfpBlK9ZFxG1uKuTbjz4YyyEn_hvmGWD4bEnI6HSxoL3hBUDUjgNEBze_W7yhVCLwi_1k1wXTib_glOXfFGPt/w400-h300/IMG_1788.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Let use until double in size. It will be EXTREMELY soft dough.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyzRhAaV2sTxknMoHk4hMEJmnetbk_xOdCa-6HDllT4Hx9bwZmpVmo18arNPS_b0riXi-Quj-Jtyfw044-m2PoPOr1HfQh9DARpqc1DXRpG5mrVaK_Q7gMSX4fX3K2X3UN9gQhPrWdyaIBkqKj5v7R8Aw-EXVCHrZS2Pww1EP70Y-lbaRzQ2BstvT/s4608/IMG_1789.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyzRhAaV2sTxknMoHk4hMEJmnetbk_xOdCa-6HDllT4Hx9bwZmpVmo18arNPS_b0riXi-Quj-Jtyfw044-m2PoPOr1HfQh9DARpqc1DXRpG5mrVaK_Q7gMSX4fX3K2X3UN9gQhPrWdyaIBkqKj5v7R8Aw-EXVCHrZS2Pww1EP70Y-lbaRzQ2BstvT/w400-h300/IMG_1789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sprinkle cornmeal lightly on a jelly roll pan. Using a greased ice cream scoop (I sprayed mine with Pam), drop the muffins onto the cornmeal in the size you desire.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssXaZy6Wvg9mvQkUyfKwyutWVf40mNwFWUWoy6uwfpWKfoxw87X8ZggR_TZkHmp2g2lAwSOqrG0pF8qBzwQi6EluXfZgAb9tj4jpsevV2j4Pb5X2cKxeOdDJ5aco8CeFVglbHFzqpyPfqE4DolINehJn47lBUWT4avXGS3UFMRL4GAuAFI6DLeDft/s4608/IMG_1791.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssXaZy6Wvg9mvQkUyfKwyutWVf40mNwFWUWoy6uwfpWKfoxw87X8ZggR_TZkHmp2g2lAwSOqrG0pF8qBzwQi6EluXfZgAb9tj4jpsevV2j4Pb5X2cKxeOdDJ5aco8CeFVglbHFzqpyPfqE4DolINehJn47lBUWT4avXGS3UFMRL4GAuAFI6DLeDft/w400-h300/IMG_1791.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with a little more cornmeal and return them to the warming oven door to rise quickly again. This is why a wood cookstove is the perfect tool to make English muffins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhns_ybTMu0mJ_vo0bqRr_M_mxGyPdb4tgRp1ptUT_rZiFd_FPveWERcocsWSDv5oyPovXyaX02EQ2lCg6PECVlwduaJEtQN4Q2eBl8U8vD53fivqq950rR1gohLooyB9bT3OB1PVmj44XYxxKynKBEaLaybwsVp0E1gWRGsHimEXeg6R17pwXAqoLG/s4608/IMG_1792.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhns_ybTMu0mJ_vo0bqRr_M_mxGyPdb4tgRp1ptUT_rZiFd_FPveWERcocsWSDv5oyPovXyaX02EQ2lCg6PECVlwduaJEtQN4Q2eBl8U8vD53fivqq950rR1gohLooyB9bT3OB1PVmj44XYxxKynKBEaLaybwsVp0E1gWRGsHimEXeg6R17pwXAqoLG/w400-h300/IMG_1792.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just a little before you think the muffins will be ready to bake, preheat a griddle and melt a tablespoon of butter on it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Depending on how hot your fire is burning at this point, you may need to do this directly over the fire or slightly away from it. Initially, my fire was quite hot, so my griddle started to the right of the fire. However, just before baking, I put a couple of large split pieces on the fire that didn't take right away and cooled the stovetop a little. That is why you will see my griddle move in the pictures below.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQiHbI4kgahufD3gC80srODkS5CQUTQrNS83YgR7YOX-dvw8sukw-UFdTqmiVByB-eHBOrBbm2PWXSPQYhP2k0efzUVNN3pbuZsLsTHz4glg5bR8x4IaLo22BqI7-3Zc8SIVwCr91GjeP8pE53fBGTqgLG4qn_7MWMbTKLO8bxK1qQ5xQc5lmQvPB/s4608/IMG_1793.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQiHbI4kgahufD3gC80srODkS5CQUTQrNS83YgR7YOX-dvw8sukw-UFdTqmiVByB-eHBOrBbm2PWXSPQYhP2k0efzUVNN3pbuZsLsTHz4glg5bR8x4IaLo22BqI7-3Zc8SIVwCr91GjeP8pE53fBGTqgLG4qn_7MWMbTKLO8bxK1qQ5xQc5lmQvPB/w400-h300/IMG_1793.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When you are ready to bake the English muffins, quickly slide a pancake turner under them to pick them up, using the cornmeal as the means to slide them onto the turner without deflating them. Place them on the hot buttered griddle and bake until the bottoms are nicely browned and set enough that they can be turned.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93JK0qwXlhMT179nWZ6hcyV0eTqwGxXJGxQ27F28b5DGBmOqcO5mvrF_qPVwAQDsWIeilpY77XqGZPB1aZvMGTklcK4z-oNOPAW4VopuMrLuHR1MGowvnU23I2N5gpJSoZxzT-ClMO-sJJWKbb9iXwazP7GvA4YPG48Gy8hknjWf125Tw5iVe1VA0/s4608/IMG_1794.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93JK0qwXlhMT179nWZ6hcyV0eTqwGxXJGxQ27F28b5DGBmOqcO5mvrF_qPVwAQDsWIeilpY77XqGZPB1aZvMGTklcK4z-oNOPAW4VopuMrLuHR1MGowvnU23I2N5gpJSoZxzT-ClMO-sJJWKbb9iXwazP7GvA4YPG48Gy8hknjWf125Tw5iVe1VA0/w400-h300/IMG_1794.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Turn them when you can and continue baking on the other side until as brown as the first side. You want to be sure to bake these for quite a while to get as much moisture out of them as possible, and they can become quite brown without being burnt. Just watch them carefully.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhYYWRniApYqY7c0MUI2rMDvJbg2RHLB4Jot8ijUnbsglxW0RT_PR_067R7Xymy5JrdvtSFMbVGfCNvG_IlbAOZSdyZponcTkSmgt39-bLo37_gsT6JDQQ7pzMVQKd7V5qv4ljjoxS6pCt38H-bjB47QnYmTNTacqJtJmMI09t0gE6Kx7Fn2MTKXD/s4608/IMG_1795.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhYYWRniApYqY7c0MUI2rMDvJbg2RHLB4Jot8ijUnbsglxW0RT_PR_067R7Xymy5JrdvtSFMbVGfCNvG_IlbAOZSdyZponcTkSmgt39-bLo37_gsT6JDQQ7pzMVQKd7V5qv4ljjoxS6pCt38H-bjB47QnYmTNTacqJtJmMI09t0gE6Kx7Fn2MTKXD/w300-h400/IMG_1795.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When done, remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zqrYQ2vt_CswMemO1mi-a9BmQBH3M8fNIMTyp9akM4F8rcNI248cr4i3EE96ck4zvZtDI1ssVAtvWxZsQs2WgqBvsAi38_niEuLdq6B-jaG9eIiDxBaN0AaP69ziWG5Ae7NJBoDFDqFaPGIXDVrFZLaVbJm3hYdGSzF2LSJmnJmRbNP5mGXhlVvm/s4608/IMG_1797.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zqrYQ2vt_CswMemO1mi-a9BmQBH3M8fNIMTyp9akM4F8rcNI248cr4i3EE96ck4zvZtDI1ssVAtvWxZsQs2WgqBvsAi38_niEuLdq6B-jaG9eIiDxBaN0AaP69ziWG5Ae7NJBoDFDqFaPGIXDVrFZLaVbJm3hYdGSzF2LSJmnJmRbNP5mGXhlVvm/w400-h300/IMG_1797.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When the muffins are completely cool, you can split them and they are ready for toasting. To toast them on the wood cookstove, I lightly butter the inside of the muffin and place them buttered side down on a small griddle directly over the fire. </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtc6kpxUpTQY9fHJTt8ugO8UwawmMsbIqR9apyq16OYh08QA9aEQWZCly9vhA81AOHyASS-n4W6N7VDq3bed4MuDfNHwsQmRT_86Ekqz5b37sWy1TI1FvPVjDm-4VkbLaCbFEBEOlzk2SN1JIv0pTGFrfYvp6qfdq9MfAIRmmWeNS9u3lAiKHln0t/s4608/IMG_1799.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtc6kpxUpTQY9fHJTt8ugO8UwawmMsbIqR9apyq16OYh08QA9aEQWZCly9vhA81AOHyASS-n4W6N7VDq3bed4MuDfNHwsQmRT_86Ekqz5b37sWy1TI1FvPVjDm-4VkbLaCbFEBEOlzk2SN1JIv0pTGFrfYvp6qfdq9MfAIRmmWeNS9u3lAiKHln0t/w300-h400/IMG_1799.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An English muffin half, toasting buttered side down.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wa3dNfP6Ha9JwfICBpoJPtJDU40gfVhjZ04csZaxrAnEr9KlGboqkNp0MakqfaqX576V8fR8MnV7o_YbOuE0zy7oq8TNUNA5xz0d6peCy8u66LNMUQlv2QsvgbqX1SA_1Q86r9SM1IK3AvH-QrEZBIv4_YF7y8WR59YBLVVKCIDZvpMF7i1uvsMr/s4608/IMG_1800.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wa3dNfP6Ha9JwfICBpoJPtJDU40gfVhjZ04csZaxrAnEr9KlGboqkNp0MakqfaqX576V8fR8MnV7o_YbOuE0zy7oq8TNUNA5xz0d6peCy8u66LNMUQlv2QsvgbqX1SA_1Q86r9SM1IK3AvH-QrEZBIv4_YF7y8WR59YBLVVKCIDZvpMF7i1uvsMr/w300-h400/IMG_1800.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The same English muffin turned so that the outside<br />is toasting and the toasted, buttered side is now up.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I slathered a dab of my homemade <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2012/06/strawberry-preserves.html" target="_blank">strawberry preserves</a> on the buttered side, and it was wonderfully tasty! These keep well in a plastic bag on the countertop until you are ready to toast them.</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-43703713889974963822023-02-18T16:41:00.004-08:002023-02-19T02:10:23.602-08:00Meals out of a Ham<p>Since there are only two of us in our household, when we bake a ham, there is a lot of leftover meat. Nancy doesn't like leftovers as a general rule, but she doesn't mind having leftover ham because we turn it into so many other very different dishes as we work to finish it.</p><p>The first thing she always asks for is a ham pot pie. I've never heard of anyone else making one of these, so maybe they are a creation that is unique to us. The process for making this pie is almost identical to what I do to make a chicken pot pie, which I have written about <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2021/04/chicken-pot-pie-baked-in-wood-cookstove.html" target="_blank">in this previous post</a>. I make gravy out of the drippings from the bottom of the roaster, adding some heavy cream and mixed vegetables. Nancy cuts a few slices of ham into chunks, and everything goes into the meat pie pastry that I blogged in the other post. The only real difference other than the type of meat and the color of the gravy is that we like to cover the top of the meat filling with Swiss cheese before adding the top crust. Also, because of the salt that is already in the ham and the cheese, we add no additional seasoning to the gravy.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6dozYntE1q6APT89tT8u-B9mznkKunRGZhqemcW6NY7ZJSVCSmcF2Hetw_hRL9xvkoyrzC9AV-Jr6bj0CLHY1Mi1Ie7N4QJ7m8KyKIWAEynmOuKqFEzhqROaqg05uRfTaY-_msJsvT16HtWUY9AFRlM_CNIHCoo7-T5CdyWd8coTUj3nB8pA9b58/s4608/IMG_1774.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6dozYntE1q6APT89tT8u-B9mznkKunRGZhqemcW6NY7ZJSVCSmcF2Hetw_hRL9xvkoyrzC9AV-Jr6bj0CLHY1Mi1Ie7N4QJ7m8KyKIWAEynmOuKqFEzhqROaqg05uRfTaY-_msJsvT16HtWUY9AFRlM_CNIHCoo7-T5CdyWd8coTUj3nB8pA9b58/w400-h300/IMG_1774.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Swiss cheese (two different kinds) on top of the<br />meat filling, waiting for the top crust to be added.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenF41YTyrOIt3SVPFavVcDWfMLpY0Zd7nxn_AyWjEv7-mJb_0eQf-4GAUcUt_1PO02xpDu5ZRsOd1d0GlgR9u_Qa0z1ohUoznZlgIQ87lLr_0KzxZ0Krcoyn0nNInL8uqGkoEIvQTuCTP3zKIc1tThw4wIOizsAKr-vWsd3SNO-vHhh8_004Yh73t/s4608/IMG_1775.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenF41YTyrOIt3SVPFavVcDWfMLpY0Zd7nxn_AyWjEv7-mJb_0eQf-4GAUcUt_1PO02xpDu5ZRsOd1d0GlgR9u_Qa0z1ohUoznZlgIQ87lLr_0KzxZ0Krcoyn0nNInL8uqGkoEIvQTuCTP3zKIc1tThw4wIOizsAKr-vWsd3SNO-vHhh8_004Yh73t/w400-h300/IMG_1775.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is nothing quite like the feeling of taking a flaky<br />meat pie out of the oven of a woodburning cookstove. <br />Loaves of golden brown bread and meat pies just make<br />a woodburning cookstove cook's heart sing.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqcit2qvFT1-THd1pb0Wg5Si8PFX80zhjRZ607OdomiX-n8kLiYH5MykbQXB0OLr-pRvs7Wj8S5UUtRJc47Ik2EydWbdpfPfC-6ZwkKQ1grVCBR6uPaxQR_Sls54A71RSKC1ps4AzGAZqQfK7KtXAHmMLRaOmqhNa0mdRgyNErMLL6nldlVMVTgtX/s4608/IMG_1776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqcit2qvFT1-THd1pb0Wg5Si8PFX80zhjRZ607OdomiX-n8kLiYH5MykbQXB0OLr-pRvs7Wj8S5UUtRJc47Ik2EydWbdpfPfC-6ZwkKQ1grVCBR6uPaxQR_Sls54A71RSKC1ps4AzGAZqQfK7KtXAHmMLRaOmqhNa0mdRgyNErMLL6nldlVMVTgtX/w400-h300/IMG_1776.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished potpie removed from the oven to the<br />countertop for serving.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFatbNGvrnPWkRd7XdXyyktxNkWPx434CINVWZlh_hEPXxVSVeoqmJd9foAdemDeh5WE-x36nNsRaLE5tWWFKXL7lluYJereV6tTjYYfkbmab1ExvRb0-5-2QS2OPZvttTa1eIm0u5-DuvM5CsNyoAeT2PuTwxGgdifw1UcU6U718TypO_B8VyFY-V/s4608/IMG_1777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFatbNGvrnPWkRd7XdXyyktxNkWPx434CINVWZlh_hEPXxVSVeoqmJd9foAdemDeh5WE-x36nNsRaLE5tWWFKXL7lluYJereV6tTjYYfkbmab1ExvRb0-5-2QS2OPZvttTa1eIm0u5-DuvM5CsNyoAeT2PuTwxGgdifw1UcU6U718TypO_B8VyFY-V/w400-h300/IMG_1777.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ham pot pie. Delectable!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>The next meal might be something really fast. One of the things I like is ham and sweet potatoes. In the picture below, I had just used a can of sweet potatoes, some pecan syrup leftover from sweet rolls, and a couple of slices of ham placed on top. I covered it and let it boil until all was hot. Some leftover green beans were warming in the small saucepan up next to the stovepipe.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2pRmJvzqfdGY_Cl_753sUAUPHDIS9lajlUFhCOBXhHJM451ZGbn57Sv5ajMBFwo8xmxZxjDj7Cldh4HdtXI3fn1kqYJjBh5Gs780H-pMuAtZjAYpf-lXTgjTqDiV7nNME_GI0bHXAAyoWug63PyPKZuviCbSR2g05FyFQOP4kcqzHr_nKuohL-64/s4608/IMG_1778.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2pRmJvzqfdGY_Cl_753sUAUPHDIS9lajlUFhCOBXhHJM451ZGbn57Sv5ajMBFwo8xmxZxjDj7Cldh4HdtXI3fn1kqYJjBh5Gs780H-pMuAtZjAYpf-lXTgjTqDiV7nNME_GI0bHXAAyoWug63PyPKZuviCbSR2g05FyFQOP4kcqzHr_nKuohL-64/w400-h300/IMG_1778.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Nancy's other usual request is ham and scalloped potatoes. For years, I would occasionally attempt homemade ham and scalloped potatoes with no good results. Then, a couple of years ago, I ran onto a video from Brenda Hall of the Youtube channel <i>Appalachian Cooking with Brenda</i>. I now make scalloped potatoes and ham just the way she teaches in <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2021/04/chicken-pot-pie-baked-in-wood-cookstove.html" target="_blank">this video</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you've ever made scalloped potatoes, you know that they take a long time in the oven to get the potatoes cooked through. Brenda starts her potatoes on the stovetop to shave some of that oven time. This is a particularly efficient thing to do on a wood cookstove because while the oven is coming up to temperature, you can use the hot cooktop to get the meal jump started.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HZoTDfncuBpAzEi4U87OiTO8M4Xt4DsFK7Oocwb6w7tlIr6M809cdVGKrYZcu4tVTFgfkpNGmdwV1hXxkvvNv13-rK6iFXgnZT0s8ZGPYR7MJ-pSJTOqgpYMpymfDSgkPPwqUiO8cHiCPAXcofNGJ3eZ1kb5YMdRAc6FbB2b_2vXr9_JbA1RWPvv/s4608/IMG_1779.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HZoTDfncuBpAzEi4U87OiTO8M4Xt4DsFK7Oocwb6w7tlIr6M809cdVGKrYZcu4tVTFgfkpNGmdwV1hXxkvvNv13-rK6iFXgnZT0s8ZGPYR7MJ-pSJTOqgpYMpymfDSgkPPwqUiO8cHiCPAXcofNGJ3eZ1kb5YMdRAc6FbB2b_2vXr9_JbA1RWPvv/w400-h300/IMG_1779.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pot of homegrown potatoes beginning to cook<br />in milk on top of the cookstove. The secret here (as<br />Brenda continually reminds you in her video) is to <br />keep them moving so they don't scorch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3G01fl1Zk2aeLa403K2X0zBvScvpS3eoz8aBuAgnqN5KYaXdIzaAFy7Vbc8kPNOFIUBXV-nZ55e2EdhJ5iFDlaWYcOfzNotQkk4_TJHLuNDGFAadr55gJFeMlC8TO0gwttjzPl4OHkGgMFBMR0_wSFStuY3U90VfaL-O571dFCeS5qruI6N6aGV8/s4608/IMG_1780.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3G01fl1Zk2aeLa403K2X0zBvScvpS3eoz8aBuAgnqN5KYaXdIzaAFy7Vbc8kPNOFIUBXV-nZ55e2EdhJ5iFDlaWYcOfzNotQkk4_TJHLuNDGFAadr55gJFeMlC8TO0gwttjzPl4OHkGgMFBMR0_wSFStuY3U90VfaL-O571dFCeS5qruI6N6aGV8/w400-h300/IMG_1780.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see that this boiled over in the oven. This was the first<br />time that I've had a really smoky boil-over in the oven of a <br />wood cookstove. I shouldn't have filled the dish so full! After<br />I saw what was happening, I added the foil and the pie tin to<br />catch any further spills.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>After cutting the ham for the scalloped potatoes, there was not much meat left on the bone, so the hambone and its remains went into the soup kettle that was about half full of water. I brought it to a good quick boil while the scalloped potatoes were in the oven. Then, I let it simmer and reduce on the back of the range overnight. This resulted in about an inch or so of some intense ham broth that was perfect for ham and bean soup--the final dish that came out of this particular ham.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimG5yCF2yY2usSxJwxfG0OL03Vseqt0ytwiIIeD-AXB7oDbk_iWQ_InJ5XfhRxmpTEe3m1kHaapcT0toU2nWn1ELVcAC2SK2cYzu79MfnkuxlsWc1DopXn-a3-RzpbYIPC6tSHgwbtzwuGuyycrYcBxr0I_cVC2uRMcnHCwH5SLNsImI-a2ZgQ3iLH/s4608/IMG_1781.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimG5yCF2yY2usSxJwxfG0OL03Vseqt0ytwiIIeD-AXB7oDbk_iWQ_InJ5XfhRxmpTEe3m1kHaapcT0toU2nWn1ELVcAC2SK2cYzu79MfnkuxlsWc1DopXn-a3-RzpbYIPC6tSHgwbtzwuGuyycrYcBxr0I_cVC2uRMcnHCwH5SLNsImI-a2ZgQ3iLH/w480-h640/IMG_1781.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hambone boiling on the back of the range with the scalloped potatoes<br />resting on the open door to the warming oven.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, I don't know about the rest of the world, but in my particular area of Iowa, ham and bean soup is made with ham broth, Navy or Great Northern Beans, a paltry little bit of onion, carrot, and celery, and a whatever morsels of ham were left on the bone. I've made that soup before, and I'm told that mine was pretty good, but to me it tastes like dirty water. By that I mean that it has a distinct lack of flavor and doesn't do justice to the ham, the beans, or the vegetables.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see from the photo below, that my version of ham and bean soup is totally different. I used all of the traditional ingredients, but my beans came in the form of two cans of Van Camp's Pork and Beans, some ketchup, some potatoes (sometime I'm going to try adding pasta instead of the potatoes), and pearl barley. This, for me, is much more satisfying and delicious! Again, the ham and its broth along with the canned beans and ketchup are salty enough that I added no further seasoning of any kind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4che4eR9M6s3kSrtILD1nM4dJJ7tyjJjgffnbU7z1-kAPicz0QlELFuSGIcwzO60ZBg8BUk-FV-UfaXoPolHhToVs8Ycxn6B3K4vMDfuKW60Qvfff9v6Lgx3NjTa-QYq-_Cw_Na8KgnVi7G3M8wNGXSTBe0XP4FuEUzRTvyp6yaNujwVH4nNtfFu/s4608/IMG_1782.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4che4eR9M6s3kSrtILD1nM4dJJ7tyjJjgffnbU7z1-kAPicz0QlELFuSGIcwzO60ZBg8BUk-FV-UfaXoPolHhToVs8Ycxn6B3K4vMDfuKW60Qvfff9v6Lgx3NjTa-QYq-_Cw_Na8KgnVi7G3M8wNGXSTBe0XP4FuEUzRTvyp6yaNujwVH4nNtfFu/w400-h300/IMG_1782.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><p>Now, there is one other dish that we love to make with leftover ham, and that is ham balls. These are a favorite dish in the southern two tiers of counties in Iowa, but an "immigrant" from Mount Ayr brought these up to our area fifty years ago, and they remain a family favorite. They really deserve their own blog post, though, so you'll have to look for that in the future.</p><p>In these days of high food costs, I think a ham is money well spent because of the number of different meals that can be made from it--even the bone was a source of joy to our dog after we had picked it clean of the meat that we could use. Further, each of these dishes is extremely easy to make on a wood cookstove since no specific times and temperatures are needed for any of them.</p><p>Please use the comments section below to let me know what you do with leftover ham.</p><p>May your kitchen cookstove fire be burning brightly!</p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-56531628914276946952022-11-25T19:53:00.002-08:002023-02-19T02:19:19.437-08:00Monarch Brochure from 1980<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Occasionally, I find some very interesting things on Ebay, and this little brochure from the Monarch division of the Malleable Iron Range Company is one of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have a special affinity for Monarch ranges. When I was growing up, the Monarch range that had belonged to my great-great grandparents on my mother's side rested comfortably in the dilapidated summer kitchen on the original home place. It had been my great-great aunt Meme's last woodburning range before she moved off the farm to her home on Grace Street in Council Bluffs, and it had been my grandma Marian's first range after getting married in 1947. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both Meme and Grandma Marian sang the praises of that large cookstove, which had reigned supreme in the spacious kitchen of the original home place. Fortunately, it had been moved out of the house into the summer kitchen a few years before the house burned to the ground from an electrical fire. Whenever we were at "the other place" to work cattle or cut thistles or simply have a picnic, I would go in and visit that old range.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I was about five years old, I drew up plans in red crayon to have a summer kitchen built between the two houses here on our farm using four old cedar trees as the corner posts. I wanted to move that Monarch range over here and put it to use. I distinctly remember having Granny come and look over the plans--even at that age I knew that if anything was going to get done on our place, Granny was the one who would spearhead the operation. She listened with that feigned interest that we give children who amuse us, but I could tell at the end of the conversation that no summer kitchen was in the foreseeable future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During my high school days, I was certain that I would be putting that range back into service someday, so I purchased a can of stove black and coated it well in order to protect it as much as I could. Though I would guess it to be about seventy years old at that point, it was in pristine condition except for surface rust and a temperamental oven cleanout door.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, when I was in my freshman year at Iowa State University, someone--actually a group of someones, I'm sure--absconded with that precious stove. I've kept my eyes peeled for it ever since, but Grandma and Grandpa were told at the time they filed a report with the county sheriff's department that it had been very likely shipped to Colorado since that was the hot spot for antiques during that time.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Monarchs seem to have been a particular favorite among our family members. The last kitchen stove my great-grandma Ruth (the daughter-in-law and next door neighbor of the aforementioned great-great grandmother) had on the farm before moving to Council Bluffs was a Monarch combination stove with a woodburning left side and an electric right side. That stove still rests in the basement of my Grandma Marian's house. On the other side of the family, my great-great aunt Donald's Edna Klopping had an electric Monarch range purchased in the 1940s and used until the 1960s. It was the 40" deluxe model that had an electric roaster built into the right side of the cooktop. I actually think that it was Auntie Edna's first electric range, and I know she liked that stove very much.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even the last woodburning range that was in our farmhouse before I put the Qualified range in was a Monarch. Its remains still haunt the banks of our creek where my grandparents deposited it sometime in the late 1950s or 60s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I said earlier, Monarch was a division of the Malleable Iron Range Company of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Much information about them is available online, but two important details stick out: a) the company was in business from 1896 to 1985 and b) Monarch ranges "<span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">were recognized as being [of] much better quality and easier to use than the typical range." </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #202122;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34);">Perhaps Meme and Grandma knew what they were talking about when they bragged about that old Monarch!</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The brochure was sold on Ebay as having been published in 1980, but I am unable to find a dated printed on it anywhere. From the pictures, I would say that 1980 is believable, but if that isn't accurate, I would put it slightly earlier. There were many pictures of the woodburning heating stoves and furnaces they sold as well, but I only included the pictures that had to do with cooking appliances. (As I always say, if it doesn't have an oven, I'm not interested.)</div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDsuRrOIbYAWgOIXU3tmPRR1q1esyGJs3WQou7X8BtjpQVQYObwa6FZA4ydWl_Fzbr2JUTKXKNQHgUPq1LMsITrhzrclqpyL_t30syTuWTG7cJXUcLMn1pM6NN0wDXW08dJCEG1CqK0L5AJmBUVp66IklBROw5K0a4jO1te_A094s4qW7XM2xgzEb/s1775/img030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="1014" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDsuRrOIbYAWgOIXU3tmPRR1q1esyGJs3WQou7X8BtjpQVQYObwa6FZA4ydWl_Fzbr2JUTKXKNQHgUPq1LMsITrhzrclqpyL_t30syTuWTG7cJXUcLMn1pM6NN0wDXW08dJCEG1CqK0L5AJmBUVp66IklBROw5K0a4jO1te_A094s4qW7XM2xgzEb/w366-h640/img030.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of the brochure.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQR1eoUFi6EemsO7eKZCHd_t84Z7JtAmcKWwVJAbTxRxvF7qDsQ_ARlO_c3QXfuraYmQ2DUmMDfBHfqpaN9p3ndDTXgvjKigsK96eV53Q6w4fmqp-mnCYZ3TN1z1omLjV6aY5JyUEvICq5oUBp7F6p_QRiol8Kz3DwgbcwWZNan9ddJk4M_EnZW2q/s1779/img031%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="1005" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQR1eoUFi6EemsO7eKZCHd_t84Z7JtAmcKWwVJAbTxRxvF7qDsQ_ARlO_c3QXfuraYmQ2DUmMDfBHfqpaN9p3ndDTXgvjKigsK96eV53Q6w4fmqp-mnCYZ3TN1z1omLjV6aY5JyUEvICq5oUBp7F6p_QRiol8Kz3DwgbcwWZNan9ddJk4M_EnZW2q/w362-h640/img031%20(2).jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first picture of a range is the later version of the<br />combination stove that my great-grandmother had<br />in the late 1930s.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6eYlW-QKTJiDqbcK0bAbZ1xSsf3QtOYAXtWbJUZtlJKEBVaUG69inWKm-m7qi2V6W8RSHsGhG20jS4gCNzMHAVcud-kB1xnOIpfo5o-SrqjA-LTkfmCX00zv1VMV4SbEfpBIlngQFyYgeSr9L7pQAKTaGo4vjSMbjkej6prJ-aa8suX9J6xeXMwi/s1802/img031%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="1018" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6eYlW-QKTJiDqbcK0bAbZ1xSsf3QtOYAXtWbJUZtlJKEBVaUG69inWKm-m7qi2V6W8RSHsGhG20jS4gCNzMHAVcud-kB1xnOIpfo5o-SrqjA-LTkfmCX00zv1VMV4SbEfpBIlngQFyYgeSr9L7pQAKTaGo4vjSMbjkej6prJ-aa8suX9J6xeXMwi/w362-h640/img031%20(3).jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gas version of the same stove.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75_GBz7va9KDwglWCnRAfw2bG56scuA3RU6gM9HuTJiyo6It3_m-I0MzijnhF-EnvXZ-k8L208W0AoMmrFqwLYyeztAwPRkJkS4EAt2m2iXpQ2O_3qbzYe7W1D5CMHCDykkTw8JvjFmkeXfYg0QxsvprXmoo4S72aWpdQWfcvaKoGeGJlKP4MgPzI/s1788/img033%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75_GBz7va9KDwglWCnRAfw2bG56scuA3RU6gM9HuTJiyo6It3_m-I0MzijnhF-EnvXZ-k8L208W0AoMmrFqwLYyeztAwPRkJkS4EAt2m2iXpQ2O_3qbzYe7W1D5CMHCDykkTw8JvjFmkeXfYg0QxsvprXmoo4S72aWpdQWfcvaKoGeGJlKP4MgPzI/w358-h640/img033%20(2).jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wood/coal range that they were manufacturing at<br />that time.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzafOgyNPuAMUFlwxbbWXR2H-8s_8rgBUijaV2Fio2VOnlL6MxvvcNX9I8MMKwukF8yG00oEL_vm5JPZu0FtQo-YcE-WmfrRxN2jdjKcrDzyBnQuxGraZ8XHl09P1n-1JbR52OS4HcUHUoEvWCtu-gnjywpV9dwJ9-3c2OB0ZCnQvvRSOlqLEo00A/s1810/img034%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1810" data-original-width="1062" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzafOgyNPuAMUFlwxbbWXR2H-8s_8rgBUijaV2Fio2VOnlL6MxvvcNX9I8MMKwukF8yG00oEL_vm5JPZu0FtQo-YcE-WmfrRxN2jdjKcrDzyBnQuxGraZ8XHl09P1n-1JbR52OS4HcUHUoEvWCtu-gnjywpV9dwJ9-3c2OB0ZCnQvvRSOlqLEo00A/w376-h640/img034%20(2).jpg" width="376" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dual-fuel range that Monarch made for many, many<br />years. This stove went through many different iterations<br />over the nearly forty years that it was manufactured. This<br />was truly a dual-fuel range in that you could cook on the <br />surface with heat from a wood or coal fire or with electricity.<br />The single oven was heated with either the wood or coal fire<br />or electricity or a combination of both. If your wood fire<br />wasn't hot enough to heat the oven to baking temperature, <br />you could supplement that heat with electricity.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2z9KhuSNhOsd-Xyv3FN3Rk5NPsuesHaW34DxXCIOLSrkEwanNwdGFprbTByyNcoIQD_z34ugUlhB65OT1fD3JNN2fzES0MR6enK2WoO7j4mImQacCOuN8-nNdYdW4yeJeTmUJi_SUVBAd22llLr-6UwG48__UM7TGA-1cSGNnn3HoBjbJPBGSLGk/s1803/img033%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1803" data-original-width="995" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2z9KhuSNhOsd-Xyv3FN3Rk5NPsuesHaW34DxXCIOLSrkEwanNwdGFprbTByyNcoIQD_z34ugUlhB65OT1fD3JNN2fzES0MR6enK2WoO7j4mImQacCOuN8-nNdYdW4yeJeTmUJi_SUVBAd22llLr-6UwG48__UM7TGA-1cSGNnn3HoBjbJPBGSLGk/w354-h640/img033%20(3).jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Information about the woodburning firebox, clearances,<br />and the waterfront to heat running water.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>I've not personally seen any of the ranges advertised in this brochure up close, but the earlier versions of these stoves were high quality appliances with a high standard of fit and finish. If any of you readers have had or are currently using any of the ranges pictured in this post, please fill the comments section with your opinions about them and whatever other information you can share.</div><p></p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-36972140870095203632022-08-12T18:18:00.107-07:002022-08-13T08:06:48.462-07:00Readers' Cookstoves Post VII<p><span style="color: #0b5394;">Brett, a longtime blog reader and fellow Midwesterner, has become a great email friend over the last few years. Though he heats his home with a Kitchen Queen, he completed the restoration of a Waterford Stanley cookstove earlier this year and shared the following account with me and gave permission to share it with all of you.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: center;"><b>Waterford Stanley Cookstove</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We heat our home with a Kitchen Queen 380 cookstove. We live in northern Indiana and our house is a 2200 cu. ft. ranch. The Kitchen Queen in the basement does an admirable job of keeping the house warm. When it is very cold and/or windy, we have a small Hearthstone stove in the living room to help the Kitchen Queen out. We do almost no cooking on the Kitchen Queen.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">All that, notwithstanding, this article is not about the aforementioned stoves. It is about our Waterford Stanley cookstove. I recently renovated this stove and this article is about that renovation. Note: we have never fired this stove.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Background</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">From what I have been able to find, the company that became Waterford Stanley began manufacturing cookstoves in <a href="https://waterfordstanley.com/about"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">1936</span></a>. I have seen at least one claim on the Internet that the poster’s Waterford stove was “antique.” In another post, someone claimed her Waterford Stanley cookstove was made in “the late 1920s.” That seems a little impossible. I am less sure about this, but the best estimate I have is the company began exporting cookstoves to the U.S. <i>about</i> <a href="https://woodstoves.net/documents/cookstoves/Stanley_US_Brochure_1-2013.pdf"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">1982</span></a>. I do not know how old our stove is, but I am <i>guessing</i> it was new in the late 1980s.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Our Stove</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I purchased the Waterford cookstove in March of 2016. When I purchased it, the stove was in rough shape, as the following photos show.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoEA3yIK_lOPm3WlZkd7yDF13Fan1m6zo8wvDG5GWHt90aoISa1EYB_iHxavcbbjNIA2RV8me6slRVQyvxPZZT_d6KTQaruz-zhuRtZ-Xs6zKeEFPQeR32K1-jhuVH_AX1pHmi9CJZtpN4sNwRCGUKbgv8PhNAdhB4pcVSuc9vUIOIPKSW9Uxmyn5/s482/E864D862-C25C-4863-A36D-CE4DD5CFD194.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoEA3yIK_lOPm3WlZkd7yDF13Fan1m6zo8wvDG5GWHt90aoISa1EYB_iHxavcbbjNIA2RV8me6slRVQyvxPZZT_d6KTQaruz-zhuRtZ-Xs6zKeEFPQeR32K1-jhuVH_AX1pHmi9CJZtpN4sNwRCGUKbgv8PhNAdhB4pcVSuc9vUIOIPKSW9Uxmyn5/w320-h400/E864D862-C25C-4863-A36D-CE4DD5CFD194.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFg0kdjIaSzgtEjD34fyt_kgYai7kKXo922oOhATi_F37lmEbVZfWU35Xste_OXJVQPJ9pGtnAfcwcBtSDzSn0f5U8XDaZ9fsgnkFNss8SuGPc4_axL1dNP01gDOZj-SszvHAuSjwq_5CClqWKEAGD-IqoW5suPRxnL_0ezve-wmml3tbtZrRQRfK/s480/D92056D4-6E8A-47B0-A2C8-9BDE6204EEC8_4_5005_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="337" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFg0kdjIaSzgtEjD34fyt_kgYai7kKXo922oOhATi_F37lmEbVZfWU35Xste_OXJVQPJ9pGtnAfcwcBtSDzSn0f5U8XDaZ9fsgnkFNss8SuGPc4_axL1dNP01gDOZj-SszvHAuSjwq_5CClqWKEAGD-IqoW5suPRxnL_0ezve-wmml3tbtZrRQRfK/w281-h400/D92056D4-6E8A-47B0-A2C8-9BDE6204EEC8_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd6MWu99oRWQh0L8Xiz31fdvrw5Z8zqNzyQPehkswdvD_-UOl2oxAGBzDSKcOPqTIhwu2FrWriQoZcf6uRnn56qoDk2b6s50WNLvG8Fq8HWThfbODYlsMd9lrVpZWV6BrRXoNJ4fEy-u9vV-A17Q0CfN5SLSzeV02-vHyo8FnNAa6tSyOq-ElOsad/s486/DA20D347-2C5D-40BB-8DFF-904C392C8356.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="368" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd6MWu99oRWQh0L8Xiz31fdvrw5Z8zqNzyQPehkswdvD_-UOl2oxAGBzDSKcOPqTIhwu2FrWriQoZcf6uRnn56qoDk2b6s50WNLvG8Fq8HWThfbODYlsMd9lrVpZWV6BrRXoNJ4fEy-u9vV-A17Q0CfN5SLSzeV02-vHyo8FnNAa6tSyOq-ElOsad/w303-h400/DA20D347-2C5D-40BB-8DFF-904C392C8356.jpeg" width="303" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Everything shown in the above photos was included. A new water jacket was also included.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Despite the rough appearance, the stove, from the hob (cooking surface) down, was in pretty good shape – with the exception of the sheet metal side panels. The left side panel is shown in the figure below. The discoloration toward the bottom is rust.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIkh6NxkD3iyw3pE4IZMoqVnDKcl-U414SQkswxfi3erhlFUMKVdOES8ignbOt3crEflrjmj_6CwBvx9ct6ODwTOcNhGvjFLBJCKaKwikoUtXV_tSxHDoyrZooDsiSD44afWBJpvOJYqnklmtb1YaEvlRai6qDII9fqbJM4zdpZv7MOdBmTsqrXaw/s517/F92B7665-C7FB-4498-A741-A14B27815AD2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIkh6NxkD3iyw3pE4IZMoqVnDKcl-U414SQkswxfi3erhlFUMKVdOES8ignbOt3crEflrjmj_6CwBvx9ct6ODwTOcNhGvjFLBJCKaKwikoUtXV_tSxHDoyrZooDsiSD44afWBJpvOJYqnklmtb1YaEvlRai6qDII9fqbJM4zdpZv7MOdBmTsqrXaw/w374-h400/F92B7665-C7FB-4498-A741-A14B27815AD2.jpeg" width="374" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I had a variety of plans when I bought the stove, and more came to mind along the way.</p><ul>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I wanted to replace the “<a href="https://manualzz.com/doc/11143608/waterford-stanley-wood-burning-cookstove-owner-s-manual"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">platerack</span></a>” (the slotted warming shelf) with a warming closet.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I wanted side shelves.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I wanted the option to burn coal.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I wanted a plurality of hooks available for hanging tools, trivets, etc.</li>
</ul><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For the warming oven, I made a pair of new standards using one-inch square tubing. I had a local welding shop make a stainless steel backsplash for me. I also had them build a warming oven, which I did not use, as detailed, below.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I purchased a pair of cast iron grates from Tractor Supply to use as side-shelves. To support the side shelves, I had to fabricate some bracing members.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The first major hitch came when I had my new parts porcelain coated. The job was not done very professionally. The owner of the porcelain coating business claimed many of the parts would not take a porcelain coating due to being inferior quality steel. The warming oven was coated in black, whereas I had specified white. The backsplash and side-panels came back terribly warped. The standards were coated in the right color and were not too badly done. The cast iron side-shelves came back looking very good. I ended up using the standards, backsplash, side-panels, and the side-shelves. The company did not coat the braces for the side shelves, so I had to paint those.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In considering what to do about the warming closet, I found that Margin sold a package comprising a warming oven, backsplash, and standards. I reached out to Jim R. who operates the woodcookstovecooking blog, and he was very helpful in providing me Margorie’s warming oven dimensions. Based on those, I decided to order a white warming oven assembly to substitute for the miscolored one I already had. The overall width of the Margin warming oven is greater than the width of the Waterford stove, so I stripped off the Margin standards and backsplash and used my own. Because the Margin backsplash extends up to form the back of the warming oven, I had to fabricate a replacement back for my installation. I used stainless steel for that purpose.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you can see in many photographs on Jim’s blog, the flue exiting Margin’s stoves is oval in cross section. So the hole in the bottom shelf of the Margin warming oven is also oval-shaped. Waterford Stanley stoves, on the other hand, make use of a circular flue. I had considered reshaping a flue pipe to pass through the warming closet, but I chose, instead, to cut the lower shelf of the Margin warming closet. The shelf is porcelain coated, making cutting it a challenge. To overcome that challenge, I made a clamp for my die grinder, and welded a short piece of rod stock to the bottom of the clamp. Then, I drilled a board and put the board under the lower warming oven shelf. The rod engaged in the hole and the die grinder could pivot around that axis of rotation. The next two photos illustrate the die grinder with its clamp. In the first one, the rod is engaged in the hole in the board. In the second, the rod can be seen on the right side of the photo. With that, I was able to cut an arc and make room for the circular flue. In the third photo, below, the modified hole in the bottom of the warming oven is illustrated. A flue pipe is shown passing through that hole.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdqxTgu9ihGkEW5wtvuM0yboOnkT8oAwkygQSciGeUmEAv7ZWR9x9TBcXtzPJj8iEmDZgnQvYXBw98YBCSzECq3J4wfPwh6TgzdcOtfwBYd-ME2iUaRyqszjJmYGbp6MyvH4GBtKmry_wR43HBgsM-O5jCfs_BmbqKFVabyY6FQG1ygOhtgTZ-qxJ/s340/A45BF3D4-2E8F-49C6-83E7-C96595CDC11A_4_5005_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdqxTgu9ihGkEW5wtvuM0yboOnkT8oAwkygQSciGeUmEAv7ZWR9x9TBcXtzPJj8iEmDZgnQvYXBw98YBCSzECq3J4wfPwh6TgzdcOtfwBYd-ME2iUaRyqszjJmYGbp6MyvH4GBtKmry_wR43HBgsM-O5jCfs_BmbqKFVabyY6FQG1ygOhtgTZ-qxJ/s320/A45BF3D4-2E8F-49C6-83E7-C96595CDC11A_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChGHpe9mHi7r3ETinNHn1E8zSq9-gmMra1qaNJYFfgUf7NOCAotZKOflTaa37_cO56FDRtG9umHiwOjnDmZaPlujhz4eMvCaOyMT5YEyRMFB3dYrsyxu-FEGGaFQ3mNpSrkVqi-xT2LVJZOPWJ_A8skqtzHWKArG6nrmoBsLcbUhxGlVNcRBvt8bS/s753/D93D00DF-04AC-44B7-96CB-24F2C03542C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="753" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChGHpe9mHi7r3ETinNHn1E8zSq9-gmMra1qaNJYFfgUf7NOCAotZKOflTaa37_cO56FDRtG9umHiwOjnDmZaPlujhz4eMvCaOyMT5YEyRMFB3dYrsyxu-FEGGaFQ3mNpSrkVqi-xT2LVJZOPWJ_A8skqtzHWKArG6nrmoBsLcbUhxGlVNcRBvt8bS/w400-h225/D93D00DF-04AC-44B7-96CB-24F2C03542C8.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The top shelf of the warming oven already had a hole permitting the circular flue to pass. This <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1jhAZi29Ic"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">facet was introduced by Woody Chain of Obadiah’s Woodstoves</span></a>.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I ordered all the parts for converting to coal from Lehman’s Hardware in Kidron, Ohio. Those included firebrick, a cast iron frame with a gate just inside the firebox door, and a coal riddling grate. Although these stoves seem to hold up very well, one of the things that does, occasionally, go wrong is the cast iron firebox lining breaks. <a href="https://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/xref/WoodCoal/StanleyCookStove/SomePartsAvailable"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">Replacements</span></a> are still available, but very expensive. So I decided I would build forms (a few of which are shown in the first illustration, below) so I could cast my own refractory cement firebrick (see the second photo, below). I used the firebricks from Lehman’s as patterns. A new, complete set of cast iron liners would run over $1100, today. I can cast a full set of refractory cement firebricks for less than $50. Also, if I choose to burn coal, I would be closer to being ready for that with the firebox lined with firebrick. At this time, my plan is to use the stove with the firebrick installed. I still have the cast iron liners that came with the stove, and they are in good condition, so I can revert to them if I decide firebrick is not the way to go.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSt2-pFrsX6He6k62dnRz1zMuZHwf4W_aqA5Aq0cemBmmHPvKSwBH02N004_Tjyvuf85vR7gw1LYR_Nsku4UMNvdrUI51AUn8kjaXmQ5h9-oWOTuzUg-er7qWh-oFc5r9qT0J5ten_nSx-hwo6sQCB323V93gR1mdaOsVtse4ffU3P6krDJZz-jVcF/s636/95308897-ABC6-40A8-AC32-A8447E972550.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSt2-pFrsX6He6k62dnRz1zMuZHwf4W_aqA5Aq0cemBmmHPvKSwBH02N004_Tjyvuf85vR7gw1LYR_Nsku4UMNvdrUI51AUn8kjaXmQ5h9-oWOTuzUg-er7qWh-oFc5r9qT0J5ten_nSx-hwo6sQCB323V93gR1mdaOsVtse4ffU3P6krDJZz-jVcF/w284-h400/95308897-ABC6-40A8-AC32-A8447E972550.jpeg" width="284" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCYFsfqX9wVYanyX4ugYvLqAodUs5U7LNNnHDoxDBwkvKgWsggYNDxL_1n_jk1WGHVAqKfrQl3IZbJ1a39SfI7bTc0v3RAovGPnY73R_djQbZSNl8WKSVXSL-gdgDYKw4fmIHX6iFBGFjk2bvsnnJmMN3cabPyI70CJD0CZAm8pInYFXNyfTUdAcP/s697/734B72FB-CF53-4D0B-BDEF-D7DB663BEAE4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="697" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCYFsfqX9wVYanyX4ugYvLqAodUs5U7LNNnHDoxDBwkvKgWsggYNDxL_1n_jk1WGHVAqKfrQl3IZbJ1a39SfI7bTc0v3RAovGPnY73R_djQbZSNl8WKSVXSL-gdgDYKw4fmIHX6iFBGFjk2bvsnnJmMN3cabPyI70CJD0CZAm8pInYFXNyfTUdAcP/w400-h371/734B72FB-CF53-4D0B-BDEF-D7DB663BEAE4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I removed the hob (cook-top). The stove cement in all the seams had long ago failed, so the stove would not have been air tight. I sealed up the seams inside the stove, and after I had cast the firebrick, I recemented the hob into place. Hopefully, it is airtight, now.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To brace the side shelves – shown below – I used half inch solid square stock, pivotally connected to the side shelves and then pinned to cross-braces between the stove legs at each side of the stove. I had to drill the legs to provide a way to attach the cross braces. The legs, like most of the rest of the stove, are porcelain coated. I made a jig that allowed me to drill, using a diamond drill bit, from both sides of the leg, eliminating the porcelain coating in a circle 5/16” in diameter so I could use a high-speed drill bit to drill the cast iron. It all worked well.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLYT0V75a8vGj9kri5St1GYJykgNz-A4d5BGNWL4sr0IDZAxRNTlM4RSOCW4Q_mWsyA0oeGlhoZqo7XJWjOUAfvw26k1mAyNk7OpgfMTpwYRWUUillMgd1T7kIeN9R8kTs6zPQuzc3g70aW1lcgqSG5nSDayrIn_H8LzrHPqfirXnqnoACSUrQGUQ/s961/AD9C625F-F0DA-4E15-B9AD-7824027E9D94.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="861" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLYT0V75a8vGj9kri5St1GYJykgNz-A4d5BGNWL4sr0IDZAxRNTlM4RSOCW4Q_mWsyA0oeGlhoZqo7XJWjOUAfvw26k1mAyNk7OpgfMTpwYRWUUillMgd1T7kIeN9R8kTs6zPQuzc3g70aW1lcgqSG5nSDayrIn_H8LzrHPqfirXnqnoACSUrQGUQ/w359-h400/AD9C625F-F0DA-4E15-B9AD-7824027E9D94.jpeg" width="359" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The trivets, attached to the backsplash, were an eBay find. I drilled the backsplash for them before I had the backsplash porcelain coated. Because the backsplash was so badly warped after it was porcelain coated, I made some vertical braces extending the entire height of the backsplash. I then screwed the trivets to the braces, thus straightening the backsplash and providing very stable anchorage for the trivets.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYrDVPemIyAC06diCJhm4uELJxGHqERReFg4SES7q6LgiS5olnx-ZDP81iHC-cjf3qEN4YvTF1RVEUXY2rcoPNujubuFYX6Qwl77CycDNEbErp_60xj1MY-fxWo_wsTI7HtAkxQG7pQQXyzBCvgGwexiU6zbq5TluCoVx8iWfe9_JeM39OW5nhy0t/s992/77207A7D-6DBC-4E8C-BBB2-6F242EA45953.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="992" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYrDVPemIyAC06diCJhm4uELJxGHqERReFg4SES7q6LgiS5olnx-ZDP81iHC-cjf3qEN4YvTF1RVEUXY2rcoPNujubuFYX6Qwl77CycDNEbErp_60xj1MY-fxWo_wsTI7HtAkxQG7pQQXyzBCvgGwexiU6zbq5TluCoVx8iWfe9_JeM39OW5nhy0t/w400-h256/77207A7D-6DBC-4E8C-BBB2-6F242EA45953.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Also from eBay, I purchased two cast iron oven racks that fit the Stanley. The two lower racks in the photo are from eBay. The top one is original to the cookstove. These cookstoves came with one cast iron rack and one sheet metal shelf that was to be inserted <a href="https://assets.regency-fire.com/getattachment/aec65f29-16d6-49b7-9ede-77625a0f533e/Stanley-manual.aspx"><span style="color: #0b4cb4;">above the cast iron rack</span></a>. Our stove came to us with both.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-II1wjCf58uOSfv9Vo81scNcANjTJlHcCeQAdPoP2FCSqtae9n0F1ReO2R39UzsD3_Y35GOvCm5TiEKmA38raemOUAg73iHiAZ77znmmae7CRu9L7Lc2kmOMRE5cZoW2in_h-meubUI3ZXivUbGi-gE5i7xesIBAbWS2KoH6nCfWOAA1TOzTWTlkU/s767/1E4079B6-4F1B-442E-BCCA-EEAB6F6C674C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="767" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-II1wjCf58uOSfv9Vo81scNcANjTJlHcCeQAdPoP2FCSqtae9n0F1ReO2R39UzsD3_Y35GOvCm5TiEKmA38raemOUAg73iHiAZ77znmmae7CRu9L7Lc2kmOMRE5cZoW2in_h-meubUI3ZXivUbGi-gE5i7xesIBAbWS2KoH6nCfWOAA1TOzTWTlkU/w400-h225/1E4079B6-4F1B-442E-BCCA-EEAB6F6C674C.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There are two cookie sheets in the next photo, though it may be hard to tell. I purchased two pieces of 14 gage stainless steel sheet. I bent one edge of each up about 45°. They are made to slide into the oven without a rack to support them. The material is sufficiently heavy so the cookie sheets will not sag, and their dimensions are such that they engage the same guides that support the cast iron racks. I made them so they can be inserted frontwards or backwards – so they can be rotated to deal with higher firebox-side temperatures, when necessary.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzYELZJjDOyKQTt8Zd_2QjnNNygQzftgFI0FBvhA39p3MQFVZWMlUb0xQr_WFzDylAqEV3ohT3gVbBggy784Mcbu63-ZaNGs2RJIhcZRo8zzgbft4b-uy9VUMYE37ofIlnn1WyrUWx-4pOMMazNx5xewqFj-01vdCUB9AUYxsWTWN0Nzy8a10k1Wi/s768/FB3B8550-A508-4DEA-BFF7-0183159DFF82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzYELZJjDOyKQTt8Zd_2QjnNNygQzftgFI0FBvhA39p3MQFVZWMlUb0xQr_WFzDylAqEV3ohT3gVbBggy784Mcbu63-ZaNGs2RJIhcZRo8zzgbft4b-uy9VUMYE37ofIlnn1WyrUWx-4pOMMazNx5xewqFj-01vdCUB9AUYxsWTWN0Nzy8a10k1Wi/w400-h225/FB3B8550-A508-4DEA-BFF7-0183159DFF82.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Online, it is common to see cookstove tools – lid lifter, poker, soot rake, etc. – sitting on the warming shelf or in the warming oven, or just in the way, somewhere. I wanted a place to store these items so they will be out of the way, yet accessible. So I fabricated a set of hooks to hang beneath one of the side shelves, as shown, below. I also made hooks for the back of the warming oven (not shown).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklb-0PZvq8w7i1khOe3zItTk1J8rRNblpPrrzAPoAmpWHJTAZ1mz4VogvVzMmWmoyHMUhuWg7PmsVr-2yOcZTrhkM6VgMZvZncIa3cms28HisnPaajzJLvSBBewxcg86j6WUjDO39Ew6eoM5wLyx653hHdh-vz14otMr_Gy8L_GDaj2hrnRYjkU9N/s942/A53C9C33-1159-4C3A-97E1-DC51B5441556.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="629" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklb-0PZvq8w7i1khOe3zItTk1J8rRNblpPrrzAPoAmpWHJTAZ1mz4VogvVzMmWmoyHMUhuWg7PmsVr-2yOcZTrhkM6VgMZvZncIa3cms28HisnPaajzJLvSBBewxcg86j6WUjDO39Ew6eoM5wLyx653hHdh-vz14otMr_Gy8L_GDaj2hrnRYjkU9N/w268-h400/A53C9C33-1159-4C3A-97E1-DC51B5441556.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For the most part, this was a fun project. We look forward to using this Waterford Stanley cookstove someday.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTxyw1YJa5e6YXoKJXyKTuZZGD823nVEJF841x5unkI2ZrfXkQRfYKu8cqppgJItPLezUnABd4tkvTbge97HJDaQvAlxJAs4NwnlCU86LbxaFL4C8BjZ_L-VrGjd2mDs1asoiDvrDwNOSkqmYni8KIgivgFHDBEHOgIX8cjH3YfsYtI3qxMu6FMC1/s1044/48254EA0-1072-44AD-A3CC-B7BB1877D2BB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="831" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTxyw1YJa5e6YXoKJXyKTuZZGD823nVEJF841x5unkI2ZrfXkQRfYKu8cqppgJItPLezUnABd4tkvTbge97HJDaQvAlxJAs4NwnlCU86LbxaFL4C8BjZ_L-VrGjd2mDs1asoiDvrDwNOSkqmYni8KIgivgFHDBEHOgIX8cjH3YfsYtI3qxMu6FMC1/w319-h400/48254EA0-1072-44AD-A3CC-B7BB1877D2BB.jpeg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">After reading everything that Brett sent, two things are abundantly clear: a) He and his wife have a beautiful and unique cookstove to use, and b) Brett has a very useful set of skills that I only dream of having!</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I have heard very good things about Waterford Stanley cookstoves, and when I was at Lehman's last and had a chance to examine one, I was quite impressed with the standard of workmanship that went into these ranges.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thanks, Brett, for your contribution to my blog!</span></p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-35061324881627311302022-08-12T17:53:00.000-07:002022-08-12T17:53:08.584-07:00Still Cooking with Wood<p>I'm not dead.</p><p>I wonder how many blogposts I've started with that sentence. </p><p>No matter. I'm not dead, just busy.</p><p>Never fear, though. I am still cooking with wood.</p><p>I've been using the Hayes-Custer cookstove out in the summer kitchen several times per week. With the exception of a batch of ketchup and tomato juice, I've done all of our canning so far this summer out there, too. </p><p>In the picture below, you can see my red cast iron skillet with a batch of chicken frying in it. Potatoes are simmering in the taller Saladmaster kettle on the back of the stove, and a vegetable is steaming in the small Saladmaster saucepan on the far right side in front of the teakettle.</p><p>Astute Saladmaster fans will recognize that both of those pans should have long handles on them. My grandmother purchased these pans in the 1960s, and they have been well-used. The handles had started falling off before I inherited them, but I come from a long line of cooks who have continued to use cookware with missing handles, and I'm not about to get rid of a perfectly functional piece of Saladmaster just because the handle is no longer there!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNzdV_mfFCnPFbapI2V3TzQNa-ucNaVuAhJ8LjVlY3ecPFw1tBMNp5r0eTfaz1k7jAfz7T0AghSgFp7EPgpJ6CuTFL-U71YIrLcf7_u2PTkcfk4J6xWJUC88y60k3ZvIj2wWLpKmdaLlfh6eVz0Jx89ShDyTR_y3a93ikm2EqlYcFQFB46PQlrfDn/s4608/IMG_1767.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNzdV_mfFCnPFbapI2V3TzQNa-ucNaVuAhJ8LjVlY3ecPFw1tBMNp5r0eTfaz1k7jAfz7T0AghSgFp7EPgpJ6CuTFL-U71YIrLcf7_u2PTkcfk4J6xWJUC88y60k3ZvIj2wWLpKmdaLlfh6eVz0Jx89ShDyTR_y3a93ikm2EqlYcFQFB46PQlrfDn/w300-h400/IMG_1767.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>Due to the high price of propane, I have been studiously avoiding using it for cooking purposes since we quit firing the Margin Gem on a regular basis back in May. Thus, any cooking not done on the Hayes-Custer has been done on an electric hot plate or on the vintage electric stove we have in our basement. To date, the electric rates in our area have not risen, but I imagine that may just a matter of time. We do have to use propane for the baking we do for the Monday Markets, however. </p><p>I don't want to start a political debate here, but I have been following the prices of propane and heating oil across the nation, and I predict that a lot of wood is going to be burned to heat homes this coming winter. Because of that, I just want to take this opportunity to once again tout the benefits of a woodturning cookstove. These amazing appliances are made to cook and bake, but they can also heat your hot water and warm your home, and they can do it very economically.</p><p>Of course, along with wood heat comes concerns about safe installations, chimneys, insurance, and in some places zoning regulations. Please remember that with the exception of the zoning rules, the other concerns are surmountable and, in my opinion, easily offset by the cost-savings of heating with wood.</p><p>Another benefit of the woodburning cookstove is your increased independence. If you have any means whatsoever of gathering your own fuel, you are much less dependent upon whatever other energy systems the majority of Americans use to prepare their food to eat. In this day and age, I feel that is very important, and it contributes greatly to my peace of mind. Because you can easily waterbath or pressure can on a cookstove, you also have the means to preserve food too--so long as you have access to water and the necessary supplies.</p><p>All right, I'll get off my soapbox now as I need to get outside and shut up my chickens. </p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-7238179187345370202022-02-27T18:43:00.002-08:002022-02-27T18:43:22.958-08:00Answers to Questions about the Montgomery Ward Economy Cookstove<p>I've received a couple of comments from readers who have Montgomery Ward Economy Cook Stoves just like the one my brother has. One stove is missing the oven cleanout door, and the other's grates are disassembled. Thus, I've had requests for pictures of Kevin's stove. </p><p>The first picture that you see is the inside of the firebox with the left side of the stove at the top of the frame. You can see all four of the firebox liners win place as well as the dump grate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYm8rF9sThX0k_4aRZFIxHrgphC-zzulUK4eG8HiyuKyQhu7NdZ31C1ey5ijWQTmwBwZiF4oPvPMJgsYM3ZrllBRnDFNZwX6XYbwQQX99EtjvkGzLZB-rCjHTn3YqrCsOIerevnwgWFfy8oGwWWoT_8kpEpUrgdFkkuA-XFKzwxtEpXhPCQbSU0Kq1=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYm8rF9sThX0k_4aRZFIxHrgphC-zzulUK4eG8HiyuKyQhu7NdZ31C1ey5ijWQTmwBwZiF4oPvPMJgsYM3ZrllBRnDFNZwX6XYbwQQX99EtjvkGzLZB-rCjHTn3YqrCsOIerevnwgWFfy8oGwWWoT_8kpEpUrgdFkkuA-XFKzwxtEpXhPCQbSU0Kq1=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The next picture is taken while standing at the front of the stove to provide a better view of the rear firebox liner.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7b_s7rN-nEjh0-O568BV9RschscfOyLjhGrc6jXh7qQsCy7fJZdA2p34xQtNW1Ep86IWdpRUi-YxKo17SUVPWVz09y1_-UygeH_UrQe6LRO4wa5P_jdOKH692Zffhv9fwjSb-VmMwfQQvYd9m9pat7bpfO41Skrs2KDOLPtrz5mPNNnE-co_MS7vN=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7b_s7rN-nEjh0-O568BV9RschscfOyLjhGrc6jXh7qQsCy7fJZdA2p34xQtNW1Ep86IWdpRUi-YxKo17SUVPWVz09y1_-UygeH_UrQe6LRO4wa5P_jdOKH692Zffhv9fwjSb-VmMwfQQvYd9m9pat7bpfO41Skrs2KDOLPtrz5mPNNnE-co_MS7vN=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The picture below is taken from behind the stove and shows the front firebox liner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZVC5ITREB3HsCoRha5_T__s4K4cXikPCtkh5w1wDLr5RJ3K5xB_Ug6h2wl8DYnjtc3adnNHtscWcJpgpMF0cJp1A6uJkHFrllpS8GiH_cDKUr6_wQJQd_GwOoQq_2ixVYnDfOgP8Dv0uGsOHFIJZjMhSGnJYlwuy4e12ATUiAIljt39yHyj1uoueY=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZVC5ITREB3HsCoRha5_T__s4K4cXikPCtkh5w1wDLr5RJ3K5xB_Ug6h2wl8DYnjtc3adnNHtscWcJpgpMF0cJp1A6uJkHFrllpS8GiH_cDKUr6_wQJQd_GwOoQq_2ixVYnDfOgP8Dv0uGsOHFIJZjMhSGnJYlwuy4e12ATUiAIljt39yHyj1uoueY=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This picture is also taken from the rear of the stove so that the flue path is on the left.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDYDwlzXM6DGx5wEIj5GWPPt_DkPLc8vehm0aEfigRny328qoUr-2OrwsWjpA5RnOi-u-mV97Qm5hBmH8K6lAwogkmc6zn6rc-2eTyEN7hg35eUILvrh_voImzHharGlE0s5pUkZ7Yyb_sllHvp1lc0JYxEF2sEfdFsAQzhl-BVeu1woggu7eZfV9G=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDYDwlzXM6DGx5wEIj5GWPPt_DkPLc8vehm0aEfigRny328qoUr-2OrwsWjpA5RnOi-u-mV97Qm5hBmH8K6lAwogkmc6zn6rc-2eTyEN7hg35eUILvrh_voImzHharGlE0s5pUkZ7Yyb_sllHvp1lc0JYxEF2sEfdFsAQzhl-BVeu1woggu7eZfV9G=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Below, you see what is behind the firebox door. Kevin's stove does not have an ash pan, but I imagine the stove originally had one. You can also see how the central pin on the dump grate rests in the frame.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhynFdb94wBP98ti011b7p0Rahws_x3Y5UA0lY4cHYk0Wha3Rfkb3BdUNpYiMu3berql5nnpHYr-Di7TLkPJkhDA6da_GluCkfybZI_vHJkMdwCvV9s-t0csBpU1ssyjAZ_30dGDavOGbLTeQXc4t1hptH7xPN8iCVRdewLRebogxxTisrPedOYLNsg=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhynFdb94wBP98ti011b7p0Rahws_x3Y5UA0lY4cHYk0Wha3Rfkb3BdUNpYiMu3berql5nnpHYr-Di7TLkPJkhDA6da_GluCkfybZI_vHJkMdwCvV9s-t0csBpU1ssyjAZ_30dGDavOGbLTeQXc4t1hptH7xPN8iCVRdewLRebogxxTisrPedOYLNsg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, the pictures below show the door that covers the oven cleanout. The first picture is a sideview which shows the lower part of the door. The door is made of cast iron, and the weight of the horizontal lower portion is what holds the door in place when it is in the opening beneath the oven door.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL5uyP29lBupFVpiBORc3XoimIimbZT3F4eDF_JO_XkO0icBVi3kjU0BHbnieUu-6K1dodbFBItb49wZFNSdTmPT3migzEOE7xtK4ZWB5xQaGLiJ3-sZEgpxmER_XVk4M5NJ0_a-dyhbJgpsVLd8G29DyxrTfX_C8uZAsQ1rXMhps6Lk3ORnFg3Tt1=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL5uyP29lBupFVpiBORc3XoimIimbZT3F4eDF_JO_XkO0icBVi3kjU0BHbnieUu-6K1dodbFBItb49wZFNSdTmPT3migzEOE7xtK4ZWB5xQaGLiJ3-sZEgpxmER_XVk4M5NJ0_a-dyhbJgpsVLd8G29DyxrTfX_C8uZAsQ1rXMhps6Lk3ORnFg3Tt1=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a view of the front of the door. This is what is visible when it is in place on the front of the stove.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgX-v2chPkjEnURVMeYd2iHzYXDuhTa5jTbRfXbaykXqjkmPIsPn7B90EBaSZhUXyap0cl8Z-5ynGjKuV5Bsy5VeyYW5SoIUCUFnrWlgga4V9Aj2vCq3d1ItvAqM0YO3-MC1q5wDVoK45l3UBZez5U4Gl7TwUNVnmSoMtehz_e5BiBBkvMcudjwOt5Y=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgX-v2chPkjEnURVMeYd2iHzYXDuhTa5jTbRfXbaykXqjkmPIsPn7B90EBaSZhUXyap0cl8Z-5ynGjKuV5Bsy5VeyYW5SoIUCUFnrWlgga4V9Aj2vCq3d1ItvAqM0YO3-MC1q5wDVoK45l3UBZez5U4Gl7TwUNVnmSoMtehz_e5BiBBkvMcudjwOt5Y=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The final picture is of what the back side of the door looks like. All of this is inside the stove when it is in place.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88Y45qESZ3PEm8X8aLu5-AkeF1QP4Thsue8Y51542qmwirBPOVvhHxoZWUlkCnzftddE_PdliSdPjqB7bRyYALTfKZshO7oIdO6SUhhvjOiB3ldElJ8A3lT3rfKJdRTWmTDCD3Dn7zNhr3cdW79ZdRBMT0JlPfr8UVK3pTkiPDstE_XfDtpbf2T1W=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj88Y45qESZ3PEm8X8aLu5-AkeF1QP4Thsue8Y51542qmwirBPOVvhHxoZWUlkCnzftddE_PdliSdPjqB7bRyYALTfKZshO7oIdO6SUhhvjOiB3ldElJ8A3lT3rfKJdRTWmTDCD3Dn7zNhr3cdW79ZdRBMT0JlPfr8UVK3pTkiPDstE_XfDtpbf2T1W=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>You can see more pictures of this stove at <a href=" https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2013/11/big-news-my-brothers-new-to-his-family.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, and you can see it in use in <a href="http://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2020/06/using-my-brothers-vintage-montgomery.html" target="_blank">this post</a> and <a href="http://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2020/06/tonights-supper-shrimp-scampi-on.html" target="_blank">this post</a>.<div><br /></div><div>I hope this helps!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-8475407084224827372022-01-30T20:09:00.001-08:002022-01-30T20:09:23.094-08:00Bread Pudding Baked in the Wood Cookstove<p>I try very hard to control food waste around here. With a farm dog, a pile of barn cats, and a flock of chickens, there isn't much beyond a few vegetable scraps that doesn't get consumed by someone or something. However, I think of feeding leftovers to our animals as wasting them, so I am always on the lookout for ways to turn leftovers into something different for their second appearance on our table. Bread pudding is one of those wonderful comfort foods that I really enjoy, and it is a great way to convert stale bread or rolls into something new.</p><p>I like bread pudding best when it is made with old cinnamon rolls, and that is what you will see in the pictures below. The best bread pudding is made with sticky rolls or rolls that had maple frosting on them. About six 3" x 3" cinnamon rolls torn into shreds are shown in the red and white bowl, two of them were sticky rolls. Set them aside for a minute while you take care of the wet ingredients.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoUg7beJbTqXNXx0IEihv1JDhjQKnqalm9TxGPNmOavZkt5f_T0qbS_IbKAqhZFA0fvRxvR6qy0rC8CET6L4TaW1T7EHFXGs54VYmnS5t7DMAao83WodIUub6HBhAlW_3cLcTkHBpeGvOJhR4a-9qbD1e0rozL2s2r3kuJdlyZk04MgVedCvKnMZJy=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoUg7beJbTqXNXx0IEihv1JDhjQKnqalm9TxGPNmOavZkt5f_T0qbS_IbKAqhZFA0fvRxvR6qy0rC8CET6L4TaW1T7EHFXGs54VYmnS5t7DMAao83WodIUub6HBhAlW_3cLcTkHBpeGvOJhR4a-9qbD1e0rozL2s2r3kuJdlyZk04MgVedCvKnMZJy=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I always use seven eggs and start with about 3/4 cup milk and a splash of vanilla.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE_bKXZyjSL7s1syZuAsOhzIh6WhBP30DchMIvG0PqL8NxbzI9lv6JZwrRXJbkPBh2CUNDMGasJ3_NT0TbjEkdZPEo2C9S0rDlpY8CfODfEjurYYtVU1Bcvu_bLdCfMJYvwxPfvurLR1hrfMAgdR9jLQZJjbjEXdEWFgh08I6WoJND59CCVJp5R-uh=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE_bKXZyjSL7s1syZuAsOhzIh6WhBP30DchMIvG0PqL8NxbzI9lv6JZwrRXJbkPBh2CUNDMGasJ3_NT0TbjEkdZPEo2C9S0rDlpY8CfODfEjurYYtVU1Bcvu_bLdCfMJYvwxPfvurLR1hrfMAgdR9jLQZJjbjEXdEWFgh08I6WoJND59CCVJp5R-uh=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Beat the eggs and milk and vanilla together until well combined.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijZJYQBj1RXdAucWfDkQrAy8bL1k9DI9T2sgPGtShLr5C3BMMCO37PpxxO3YB01RsAfstpA_I-eS1nBVl0cWTvJOUlT_Q4X2lSxSUZn9qHNw3WH-6QSwCnWJ7tfAFJpLqXpmb4IBBWjWGl9EvW9nGuCU6fZyER5e68r_y52mas62C_0ohEoJzpemQC=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijZJYQBj1RXdAucWfDkQrAy8bL1k9DI9T2sgPGtShLr5C3BMMCO37PpxxO3YB01RsAfstpA_I-eS1nBVl0cWTvJOUlT_Q4X2lSxSUZn9qHNw3WH-6QSwCnWJ7tfAFJpLqXpmb4IBBWjWGl9EvW9nGuCU6fZyER5e68r_y52mas62C_0ohEoJzpemQC=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I pour the egg and milk mixture over the dry shredded rolls, add a couple handfuls of raisins and begin gently mixing it all together.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNSplR1LzyuuWhp_5L-ht47zqLiGrdN7d64a7I0KfFL-d7plfIzmqtSlTh5IMzBpFf22uid70d4OJCFcFc81Kv9CbomtimmDsaCxC4y7rTaaYlPp-GDOLK9JGJgnZ9ewLC1WxAcxTgpIWI9YRHc5gZMm1Atnvei9mVxp6MCwFro70ngkoLWEe4Snb-=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNSplR1LzyuuWhp_5L-ht47zqLiGrdN7d64a7I0KfFL-d7plfIzmqtSlTh5IMzBpFf22uid70d4OJCFcFc81Kv9CbomtimmDsaCxC4y7rTaaYlPp-GDOLK9JGJgnZ9ewLC1WxAcxTgpIWI9YRHc5gZMm1Atnvei9mVxp6MCwFro70ngkoLWEe4Snb-=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I add milk until the mixture is wet enough to be as soupy as what you see in the picture below.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkm3q3lCWoINGkg5B3VovqnL13RVL-iaMigoVVpTp-zVdOF9VD2g17pFkASEiaZqeO78Fk58Gx4h80qiLUZVAWKe8KRtfzuWBo7JjsqGvXwPfYVJzs2ehr4swMclSWgVULs4B1ENK0Yl8gUozZqa7yyGVagsGDCjnv-Mi8RVMIhCrnAGhveSD9gehx=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkm3q3lCWoINGkg5B3VovqnL13RVL-iaMigoVVpTp-zVdOF9VD2g17pFkASEiaZqeO78Fk58Gx4h80qiLUZVAWKe8KRtfzuWBo7JjsqGvXwPfYVJzs2ehr4swMclSWgVULs4B1ENK0Yl8gUozZqa7yyGVagsGDCjnv-Mi8RVMIhCrnAGhveSD9gehx=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I transfer all of it to a greased baking dish.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhckJyViDn0wExCNnXE4-dBYLr-XXcN07ohNV1ZIuilLu_ycbs_DU4CSr1YPjxz2ILfvniozw0n1EOE7r--bPYoOtCI_ozhGB3nQGsmbhNt3LR-I9_MClgs1Zla_mRC2UitoYMx1hA5QKuISx94ZUzja04acLRBzxX0WSoa8KR3kqFLHSFRLL0twCAZ=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhckJyViDn0wExCNnXE4-dBYLr-XXcN07ohNV1ZIuilLu_ycbs_DU4CSr1YPjxz2ILfvniozw0n1EOE7r--bPYoOtCI_ozhGB3nQGsmbhNt3LR-I9_MClgs1Zla_mRC2UitoYMx1hA5QKuISx94ZUzja04acLRBzxX0WSoa8KR3kqFLHSFRLL0twCAZ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Slide the dish into a moderately slow oven (about 300 to 325 degrees F). Don't let your fire get too brisk. My mother-in-law bakes her bread pudding in a bain-marie, and one could certainly do that for this pudding too. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP6-yw3arMeJEJAKYG82zoov4_MPjTEm0f4hXVQ2ivbKv12ffNLGBJwK2w7oGmmdLvBMJ9Kslw79i1xQWfAYeD8bonsuTi62WdieNU3Sv1y_oww-YoxIIotdjAWuX57y9mysz_CP77retkIhQb6c0Vxscw3BWLXQf34sYEwXESfV7X1wO7ovtczxF5=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP6-yw3arMeJEJAKYG82zoov4_MPjTEm0f4hXVQ2ivbKv12ffNLGBJwK2w7oGmmdLvBMJ9Kslw79i1xQWfAYeD8bonsuTi62WdieNU3Sv1y_oww-YoxIIotdjAWuX57y9mysz_CP77retkIhQb6c0Vxscw3BWLXQf34sYEwXESfV7X1wO7ovtczxF5=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Bake until the middle of the pudding is set and a table knife inserted near the middle comes out clean.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnTPZIwKsXJhcLwQhT3htC4NzObpA8Avc_U3uvM_TXLRCoL3kDBrTZIWXar9EQR1klE-Xa-xR0ZI8xVfnI8ZyUpPs45hOsplAQu2Y3caJqv9-6syweDhIFK5QvtWwvH4GoLHZjwJ-UaYEe00XAZdCFRj4fuJokdUKJQZgQF9USQtzcsO3_rnyOqMZ0=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnTPZIwKsXJhcLwQhT3htC4NzObpA8Avc_U3uvM_TXLRCoL3kDBrTZIWXar9EQR1klE-Xa-xR0ZI8xVfnI8ZyUpPs45hOsplAQu2Y3caJqv9-6syweDhIFK5QvtWwvH4GoLHZjwJ-UaYEe00XAZdCFRj4fuJokdUKJQZgQF9USQtzcsO3_rnyOqMZ0=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>You will note that except for the topping on the two sticky rolls, there was no sugar added to this pudding. Therefore, when it was still warm from the oven, I poured a couple tablespoons of leftover frosting on the top, and then just before serving, a little leftover caramel rum sauce which had been using up valuable real estate in the refrigerator for months was drizzled on top.</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsp_WxB6D119mogM4JI-mlgd1kMIAckyjY-0zDg4bp6HbtNzk8kTfXaYxaNscsetPBpwMQGlcb8X_uLyKnfoEBYYXACvRNhQ4Q_6nWxgDMTRkmO9iyjv03eD4ay9PIS4AMHssND4YvfjoNj_s8gz7_O4dpaTYlOHIyCveDxnvpl3n0iuKZ77LxMPov=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsp_WxB6D119mogM4JI-mlgd1kMIAckyjY-0zDg4bp6HbtNzk8kTfXaYxaNscsetPBpwMQGlcb8X_uLyKnfoEBYYXACvRNhQ4Q_6nWxgDMTRkmO9iyjv03eD4ay9PIS4AMHssND4YvfjoNj_s8gz7_O4dpaTYlOHIyCveDxnvpl3n0iuKZ77LxMPov=s320" width="320" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsp_WxB6D119mogM4JI-mlgd1kMIAckyjY-0zDg4bp6HbtNzk8kTfXaYxaNscsetPBpwMQGlcb8X_uLyKnfoEBYYXACvRNhQ4Q_6nWxgDMTRkmO9iyjv03eD4ay9PIS4AMHssND4YvfjoNj_s8gz7_O4dpaTYlOHIyCveDxnvpl3n0iuKZ77LxMPov=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGT6B0VrwTbH3Q_4l6KwqC_gUYDu7g6kai2Z6ylpt7Rlkd9qCGvnuuIxcSEUNRSGSK7IeD5Pmtpu6mfejCNtbFDBD0t0Bk6BpWxThcaF406dsy5VjY2vj4tU-faJLtegWAqNRWBh1zT67WYeeiOW6vTq5EyLWauK-QWQ2xJfM4O2MmEa2Tcdx2h4MK=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGT6B0VrwTbH3Q_4l6KwqC_gUYDu7g6kai2Z6ylpt7Rlkd9qCGvnuuIxcSEUNRSGSK7IeD5Pmtpu6mfejCNtbFDBD0t0Bk6BpWxThcaF406dsy5VjY2vj4tU-faJLtegWAqNRWBh1zT67WYeeiOW6vTq5EyLWauK-QWQ2xJfM4O2MmEa2Tcdx2h4MK=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In my opinion, this is a dessert that is fit for a king, and the main ingredient is something that could have just been thrown to the chickens. Let me know in the comments how you make your bread pudding!</div><p><br /></p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-45322884346200619852022-01-09T19:45:00.002-08:002022-01-09T19:45:48.160-08:00Iowa State University's Minnesota Wild Rice Soup<p>When I was a student at Iowa State University back in the mid-1990s, the school's food service system in the dormitories was outstanding. The food was truly excellent, and most of it was made onsite at the various dormitory complexes. In retrospect, the variety available to us was amazing, too.</p><p>At that time, any student who ate at the dining hall could request any of the recipes for the foods we were served. After eating this soup for two years and loving it from the start, I marched myself into the kitchen one day and asked for the recipe. I'm so glad I did! I have a niece and nephew who have been part of the dormitory system at ISU within the last two years, and they tell me that this soup is no longer served there. I find that very sad because this is my favorite soup of all time.</p><p>The recipe that the food service people gave me was in huge quantities, of course, but I gave the recipe to my aunt Ellen, who is a fabulous cook, and she reduced it to proportions that are manageable in a home kitchen. However, as always, I have altered the recipe since then to make it a little simpler and easier to make; however, the flavor is exactly the same as what we ate at ISU. Here is what you need to do:</p><p>1. Bring four cups of chicken broth to a boil directly over the firebox. I've used homemade broth, store-bought canned broth, and broth made from bouillon paste or cubes. In the pictures below, you see four cups of water with four Herb Ox chicken bouillon cubes in them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGeQ2mVJvoq-NrzaE6XM9Xpt6e-m54ARvs_ZP3kzA74gxTbnZOm1L7kIrx39MMFWhsZWiDOsVmhLNJaKE3emgn3WXkrmmNs0XLxkWrGRA8QHBkUIW8FG13kHZEm1cRBcAkXn0HA-SO3d-iFfM7AwTgwr7_dzYhRJK_lAz98Vj6rjF3eNnynosUvkNj=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGeQ2mVJvoq-NrzaE6XM9Xpt6e-m54ARvs_ZP3kzA74gxTbnZOm1L7kIrx39MMFWhsZWiDOsVmhLNJaKE3emgn3WXkrmmNs0XLxkWrGRA8QHBkUIW8FG13kHZEm1cRBcAkXn0HA-SO3d-iFfM7AwTgwr7_dzYhRJK_lAz98Vj6rjF3eNnynosUvkNj=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>2. To the boiling broth, add 1/2 cup white rice and two or three tablespoons of wild rice. I used three in this batch, and I prefer that amount.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEpIFbCjp7qyllGC7z8rumcGuALB1JNczk92djVreTK4T0zCeJvSbdjf3G6u8MSk1E-2b7-fb4GVkUl4B4ce1K4eWcw8aqbhITxH_7NLs-iFdxJC0LmnutUrn8W0pcyDSbkE0nlliO8UpiKJPVQSvvFCoXvqaav7gAG8He0bjqJdo2tRIeGyTrg-Kk=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEpIFbCjp7qyllGC7z8rumcGuALB1JNczk92djVreTK4T0zCeJvSbdjf3G6u8MSk1E-2b7-fb4GVkUl4B4ce1K4eWcw8aqbhITxH_7NLs-iFdxJC0LmnutUrn8W0pcyDSbkE0nlliO8UpiKJPVQSvvFCoXvqaav7gAG8He0bjqJdo2tRIeGyTrg-Kk=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3s40-ssuRggkwxSFR11Vw3uFxPoQa4hNDcG5rZs1dG5Ykp-xHer2oqnJ0humHBcMRO6vBXyVpcDKwVXjqBxOwnU4YPlwJjfnegIFtUQxMe9roLcVjDiL9kHT4kfI-JnfkMCKImvH4mL1mLDIS048bjNYUj1NRf2hJB5p9DBngR07e6ShQajVeDe-b=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3s40-ssuRggkwxSFR11Vw3uFxPoQa4hNDcG5rZs1dG5Ykp-xHer2oqnJ0humHBcMRO6vBXyVpcDKwVXjqBxOwnU4YPlwJjfnegIFtUQxMe9roLcVjDiL9kHT4kfI-JnfkMCKImvH4mL1mLDIS048bjNYUj1NRf2hJB5p9DBngR07e6ShQajVeDe-b=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>3. Cover the broth and rice mixture with a tight-fitting lid. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. While the rice and broth are boiling over the firebox, chop a scant cup of onion, a stalk of celery, and a carrot into small pieces.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigqfe6lgHyiGjxOXpjZamkI3Psk8YZQdasIZp505SHLAwhIvxbJ8WPrbZYagmhcQMAqqra-YHdrxQNgWKuvd0hW2YYQhxvI0ogENC93Wq_xFQ3YUqTbrt9zI1ycSnV7SSmGmKMitJH_uGJP_tkKQrKWlqBI0WL0tX7wldVgcYAGCyH7-86QZ3fErm6=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigqfe6lgHyiGjxOXpjZamkI3Psk8YZQdasIZp505SHLAwhIvxbJ8WPrbZYagmhcQMAqqra-YHdrxQNgWKuvd0hW2YYQhxvI0ogENC93Wq_xFQ3YUqTbrt9zI1ycSnV7SSmGmKMitJH_uGJP_tkKQrKWlqBI0WL0tX7wldVgcYAGCyH7-86QZ3fErm6=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEVuGoqkdkaYtURbXCisCrGS09g8s_IZOAvgJy_aDAkEOJ69P-spNAvXNjxNOgkYteEbB1IN8JOFpT49-LQWCGmKitKeF1VE2IMiGcvbhoOUVh0Jc00LWPGhBA4hkUs2qVAxmh173VTmMWztPKYfTFIMj9vJWiQOuOTSjyF25MMYWEpSiehIuJi_WT=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEVuGoqkdkaYtURbXCisCrGS09g8s_IZOAvgJy_aDAkEOJ69P-spNAvXNjxNOgkYteEbB1IN8JOFpT49-LQWCGmKitKeF1VE2IMiGcvbhoOUVh0Jc00LWPGhBA4hkUs2qVAxmh173VTmMWztPKYfTFIMj9vJWiQOuOTSjyF25MMYWEpSiehIuJi_WT=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>4. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the rice and broth. By this time, some of the liquid will have cooked off and been absorbed by the rice, and you need to begin watching the soup kettle carefully. Keep your teakettle of boiling water handy because I have never made this soup but what I've had to supplement the liquid with water from the teakettle. You can see in the picture below that I also had to move the kettle away from the fire. Stir this occasionally, adding water as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the soup kettle.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. While the rice and vegetables are cooking, melt four tablespoons of butter over a cool part of the cooktop.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG1VJcC7ta_cSt2gqhHAB9wUeTmiaTjJs1aouVswdYthjmXTLwe3lvxoQ7F25uEAn5GQcuAgYHPgLLLveFIT-Y9fiUlTVVRVEQtDiWMVldHpD6uuseQW10b0jD_z4sfDF9u0g-UrMkfMeQqXghye0rP-9hzcUXdbv_XxLXYvBRuI9fZ9TYRVwYIWIh=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG1VJcC7ta_cSt2gqhHAB9wUeTmiaTjJs1aouVswdYthjmXTLwe3lvxoQ7F25uEAn5GQcuAgYHPgLLLveFIT-Y9fiUlTVVRVEQtDiWMVldHpD6uuseQW10b0jD_z4sfDF9u0g-UrMkfMeQqXghye0rP-9hzcUXdbv_XxLXYvBRuI9fZ9TYRVwYIWIh=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>6. Sift six tablespoons of all-purpose flour (1/2 cup minus 2 tablespoons).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6wjiUf7nMOZTKr0HEswwUz2-u-P7mmB0zGXsOZcLKR3SPwxA9n7u07aKIrRztuBFfYnzaosxhuIdaR_RIRZOXbkZib839dp9hS-_sa1WosvqWFsS5ZUoRe8v71Tax9jH3_qh9LX1gBI5sBaokwKmahyCw7pObSlu_LeXGWMye3ILrvP_rlTNYd5Gr=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6wjiUf7nMOZTKr0HEswwUz2-u-P7mmB0zGXsOZcLKR3SPwxA9n7u07aKIrRztuBFfYnzaosxhuIdaR_RIRZOXbkZib839dp9hS-_sa1WosvqWFsS5ZUoRe8v71Tax9jH3_qh9LX1gBI5sBaokwKmahyCw7pObSlu_LeXGWMye3ILrvP_rlTNYd5Gr=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />7. Move the melted butter directly over the firebox, add the flour to it, and cook it into a roux.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXNddUeQ1a1_xGDq5XORhBfYyCuB4UvG3wXJVpD2LsW9AwbGMAhiBeDHJKCzgvsXvEEUiKU5OgpmaYJ2j6BJYfSVdTp_kNiOKbbJLCzGBi5yWkXgDIZ2RC_7U5_3UBzv8S_IOupKHkeOdYSbvWltSwTQPeUz_ry8QFtBKqXIJ-YWBFdBOfLX3Xv7kN=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXNddUeQ1a1_xGDq5XORhBfYyCuB4UvG3wXJVpD2LsW9AwbGMAhiBeDHJKCzgvsXvEEUiKU5OgpmaYJ2j6BJYfSVdTp_kNiOKbbJLCzGBi5yWkXgDIZ2RC_7U5_3UBzv8S_IOupKHkeOdYSbvWltSwTQPeUz_ry8QFtBKqXIJ-YWBFdBOfLX3Xv7kN=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. I didn't get any pictures of this, but once you have cooked the roux, remove it from the heat. Measure 3 3/4 cups of milk. Stir enough of this milk into the roux to make it into a white sauce. When the carrots are soft, add the remaining milk and the white sauce to the rice, broth, and vegetable mixture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">9. At this point, add two tablespoons of slivered almonds and 1 1/2 cups of cubed ham. (I just add a whole one-pound package of ham because the few pieces of ham that are left always spoil in the refrigerator before I get them used.) The ham and the almonds add a surprising amount of flavor, and the almonds add a nice crunch to the soup.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghbw9QdxpeMbpn6hSoWvtkZDLUX54olX5FgJPkTHEa3FhqbR4aSufnqwCEdwqhDQhGARQbdzlUKAzquiRaYXHt5h4aCWHc1xrLG4XQVnOuD0q80WkkDZJ1DtBLIc32KKSU6rt0FHGbcOyBSBAkkxLpf2JWrzsaAR4fpeI0f3os2Pmu_1_eS0bEvs1N=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghbw9QdxpeMbpn6hSoWvtkZDLUX54olX5FgJPkTHEa3FhqbR4aSufnqwCEdwqhDQhGARQbdzlUKAzquiRaYXHt5h4aCWHc1xrLG4XQVnOuD0q80WkkDZJ1DtBLIc32KKSU6rt0FHGbcOyBSBAkkxLpf2JWrzsaAR4fpeI0f3os2Pmu_1_eS0bEvs1N=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV4C6Q1wL4AHKioxIg_lqpXfTy32QtXPxSo7Wu8fFgsncMcvucdealah9eDx0WWyq6nH_a_xrJGt8kAPQkX4J0HFX6PYC7F4rwxvFOfL-eih_T9_PS-lCYLV3s8hQUR44YZFUMueocX_h8SJhiDheEo_LStVES3r5jdsWoBXZYsi_RGiJKs3hJUUmk=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV4C6Q1wL4AHKioxIg_lqpXfTy32QtXPxSo7Wu8fFgsncMcvucdealah9eDx0WWyq6nH_a_xrJGt8kAPQkX4J0HFX6PYC7F4rwxvFOfL-eih_T9_PS-lCYLV3s8hQUR44YZFUMueocX_h8SJhiDheEo_LStVES3r5jdsWoBXZYsi_RGiJKs3hJUUmk=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10. Move the soup kettle back over the firebox and return everything to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent it from scorching.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">11. At this point, season the soup with a dash of pepper, a couple dashes of celery salt, and a couple dashes of garlic salt. Be very careful about not over salting as there can be quite a bit of salt in the chicken broth depending on what kind you used, and the ham adds salt, too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV4C6Q1wL4AHKioxIg_lqpXfTy32QtXPxSo7Wu8fFgsncMcvucdealah9eDx0WWyq6nH_a_xrJGt8kAPQkX4J0HFX6PYC7F4rwxvFOfL-eih_T9_PS-lCYLV3s8hQUR44YZFUMueocX_h8SJhiDheEo_LStVES3r5jdsWoBXZYsi_RGiJKs3hJUUmk=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4yJTCqBZ3K7FqKT7JP9MBri7TELxjmVa_E-g-pql0EZE7P2MQ9THjy8IewhvctXeZv-QBoeFUasOt2OkfLm9wE36px64IuaB69txqMLhigDz1KPmkJOmL_egy9olq4tqC48FmrykZiGhiD74tSdAu5lpcQ5ayEMSYon21cBUChvoeh5MXgJ0jsEmM=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4yJTCqBZ3K7FqKT7JP9MBri7TELxjmVa_E-g-pql0EZE7P2MQ9THjy8IewhvctXeZv-QBoeFUasOt2OkfLm9wE36px64IuaB69txqMLhigDz1KPmkJOmL_egy9olq4tqC48FmrykZiGhiD74tSdAu5lpcQ5ayEMSYon21cBUChvoeh5MXgJ0jsEmM=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>12. Once the completed soup comes to a full boil again, it will have thickened too, and it is ready to serve.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since our stovetop was cluttered with our teakettle and another pot of water to add humidity to the air in the house, I put the soup kettle up on a trivet to keep it hot while I made some toast to serve with the soup.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9t6kMQsSln0UAHlN6ZStdSJy0mUt_M8Qdr7JGn766f7Y2gvPQrryekgwMSvSS_s-v4U92qu4GnZhV1GCwPX4E4qmpQqTtkJ_xO2YmbBIwN7tZi-HZH4Kmue1_2in06UX9zK58KfxQuDFe2Ls_XLS43KMk8714UF2IulC3aeKp-mvS15W1ilZHgi4S=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9t6kMQsSln0UAHlN6ZStdSJy0mUt_M8Qdr7JGn766f7Y2gvPQrryekgwMSvSS_s-v4U92qu4GnZhV1GCwPX4E4qmpQqTtkJ_xO2YmbBIwN7tZi-HZH4Kmue1_2in06UX9zK58KfxQuDFe2Ls_XLS43KMk8714UF2IulC3aeKp-mvS15W1ilZHgi4S=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>You can see the finished soup in the picture below. It is fantastic! As you can tell from the description, the person cooking this soup is constantly occupied with the process for a good forty minutes or so, and with the ham, wild rice, and almonds, I wouldn't call this an economical dish, either. Thus, I don't make it often, but when I do, it is worth every bit of time and money. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUF3kgrUIGO6_PXxWREjbWMv-uatITpWHrqu_lNg-dIVPjneDOTKXDNXeFF_WabNljfbg4kTmmHehRGT6llEtEJhq3bLew-_wIl_9u0H7Qjtx7XdmTBVt2D6EBPCunvkAGcbZApL_UYhVPn-haDyXwc6mxfHTStoP8kcHaKtT5DMw9S4hZap8MkZcW=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUF3kgrUIGO6_PXxWREjbWMv-uatITpWHrqu_lNg-dIVPjneDOTKXDNXeFF_WabNljfbg4kTmmHehRGT6llEtEJhq3bLew-_wIl_9u0H7Qjtx7XdmTBVt2D6EBPCunvkAGcbZApL_UYhVPn-haDyXwc6mxfHTStoP8kcHaKtT5DMw9S4hZap8MkZcW=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-57464950813706019112021-12-31T18:51:00.002-08:002021-12-31T18:51:58.386-08:00Grandma Ruth's Gingerbread<p>I am not dead.</p><p>I can understand why my faithful readers may have thought so over the few months since there has been radio silence from me on this blog since July. To sum up the events which have happened since then, we hosted a family reunion in early August (such a privilege to be able to do that), I returned to full-time teaching later that month (nobody's more surprised than I am), both Nancy and I contracted Covid-19 (despite being vaccinated), and I feel like I've been chasing my tail ever since.</p><p>As a matter of record keeping, we didn't start daily firing of the wood cook stove until the latter half of October of this year. We'd had a few fires here and there as temperatures in the house and our cooking needs dictated, but it wasn't until the weather became regularly chilly that we made the commitment to shutting off the electric water heater and having a wood fire every day. That was a full month and a half later than it was in 2020.</p><p>From then until a couple of days ago, Marjorie the Margin Gem was embarrassingly filthy, and she would not have stood to have her picture taken for blogging. She finally got her long-overdue bath last Tuesday and with the exception of the interior of her oven, she is ready to pose for the camera once more.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaLybZd8UlWB4daTCttQqCcbG4Y3XAsfZqeWIQ14FiOH0Gb1y4U1EYofbqlJ_kfrT_QilE3x-HSfHPQCX6nuJ-8vL8IwrfgPHqLgm7o36KoXpQAK79nwDuCysViy8HRXT0f9Hs3mmVWWtB0vFwp2-RJhm4SDYS6vd5JU_NVR9piQoeocOb8kbX2r2c=s4608" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaLybZd8UlWB4daTCttQqCcbG4Y3XAsfZqeWIQ14FiOH0Gb1y4U1EYofbqlJ_kfrT_QilE3x-HSfHPQCX6nuJ-8vL8IwrfgPHqLgm7o36KoXpQAK79nwDuCysViy8HRXT0f9Hs3mmVWWtB0vFwp2-RJhm4SDYS6vd5JU_NVR9piQoeocOb8kbX2r2c=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of Marjorie snapped this evening.<br />She looked even better before Nancy and I<br />fried bacon on her this morning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>With the extremely busy schedule we've been keeping, I haven't cooked anything very interesting or that hasn't already landed on this blog in some way or another. We were invited to supper at my best-friend-since-second-grade's house last night, though, and when I asked what we could bring, "Dessert" was the answer. Thus, I pulled out an ancient recipe that I haven't made for at least eighteen years because Nancy had never had it: Grandma Ruth's Gingerbread.</p><p>I think it is interesting how certain members of the family will always be known for the special foods they make. My dad, for example, will be forever known as the creator of the "Super Duper" a microwaved sandwich whose genesis in the early 1980s went completely unnoticed in the culinary world, but whose presence on our supper plates during that decade was a fairly regular occurrence. Mom was the family donut maker, and Granny's mashed potatoes were the smoothest and fluffiest (she credited them to her powerful arms which she swore were the result of milking cows for so many years). Meme was known for her cinnamon rolls, her old-fashioned candies, and the endless flow of cookies that came from her oven. </p><p>My grandma Marian was probably the best all-around cook in my family, but she would always say that her mother-in-law, Grandma Ruth, was who taught her to cook. Born in 1897, Grandma Ruth was the second of nine children in a prosperous farming family south of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her older sister Olive preferred to work outside in the barns or garden, so Grandma Ruth was employed in the kitchen with her mother and a hired girl named Olga. </p><p>With eleven members of the family, Olga, and at least two hired men, preparing all of the food for fourteen every day caused Grandma Ruth to become a good cook in short order. I consider Grandma Ruth our family's first "foodie." Once she had her own kitchen, my grandpa remembered her as a person who often tried new recipes. However, she didn't like making food that she considered sub-par. Grandpa specifically remembered her making a new recipe for some kind of fruity ice cream that he and his father just loved. "But she didn't like it, and we never saw it again," Grandpa lamented. </p><p>Grandma Ruth was known for her cakes and pies. One of the recipes that I associate with Grandma Ruth is gingerbread. Her gingerbread is of the cake variety, not the cookie type. In today's world, it seems like desserts run toward chocolate more often than anything with fruits being a close second, but in years past, spices were what cooks relied on to keep things interesting, and brown sugar and molasses were more affordable sweeteners than white sugar. The age of this recipe is shown by its use of these ingredients along with its half cup of boiling water from the wood cookstove's ever-present <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2012/05/teakettles-and-wood-cookstoves.html" target="_blank">teakettle</a>. In addition to the boiling water, here is what is needed to make this old-fashioned dessert:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4On9COpTgbjKSvwjVyYOEK4D4oVAxOGbjcfiNPT-Y199cv7hFmlfMxHwI86y-FporDOe5TwYGq_7fWzgD4LD7UHtK1FCwWFDRHyWyOfKDcOYEpWBgrjtigH46fSzrjDJ3p6skpZ2q-HhWW15ahT84ZIeEFvr3Ah1dkOqd3fVHR2zAekN2kO5tFOVY=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4On9COpTgbjKSvwjVyYOEK4D4oVAxOGbjcfiNPT-Y199cv7hFmlfMxHwI86y-FporDOe5TwYGq_7fWzgD4LD7UHtK1FCwWFDRHyWyOfKDcOYEpWBgrjtigH46fSzrjDJ3p6skpZ2q-HhWW15ahT84ZIeEFvr3Ah1dkOqd3fVHR2zAekN2kO5tFOVY=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1/3 cup brown sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/3 cup shortening</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/3 cup molasses (I think mild flavored is best for this.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">3/4 teaspoon nutmeg</div><div style="text-align: center;">3/4 teaspoon cloves (I scant this)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 teaspoon ginger</div><div style="text-align: center;">dash vanilla</div><div style="text-align: center;">3/4 teaspoon baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">3/4 teaspoon baking soda</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 1/2 cups sifted flour</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, as is so often the case with Grandma Ruth's recipes, the instructions for this recipe are sparse. They simply say, "If mixing by hand, be sure to alternate flour and water." I'll be a little more specific than that for all of you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If baking this in a wood cookstove, build your fire such that you will have a moderate oven (350ºF). Grease an 8" x 8" square cake pan.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Cream the brown sugar and shortening.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqGHKzkVwy6W9y1y1zzE2tcBvJbw1vmxuQh_mJrxLBI5j6X70zCI51tOhoHm6bkAA3WpkXBuNZNVgwS64uf_V6ItzVSUW0FdN5wULnW2VNPQgy0ltDhDgfD8L1uUwOa_phW2UQciTVb0tlrs7WsMK5q2dkzk_NjwtI1FbEqLlRCPoZ2LxjaOGs4l2q=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqGHKzkVwy6W9y1y1zzE2tcBvJbw1vmxuQh_mJrxLBI5j6X70zCI51tOhoHm6bkAA3WpkXBuNZNVgwS64uf_V6ItzVSUW0FdN5wULnW2VNPQgy0ltDhDgfD8L1uUwOa_phW2UQciTVb0tlrs7WsMK5q2dkzk_NjwtI1FbEqLlRCPoZ2LxjaOGs4l2q=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>2. Add the egg and molasses and beat them in.<div><br /></div><div>3. Add the nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and vanilla.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWbTHaFbrWHTCUqTSUWfxZ0QqhZm49W9UBokzo9DqzugQs8yAJiYvmGx0cOfnvRnlF2fG6d2w0Iluak8uuH-yZhR8-yLKxhVaQ3zsh3zxzLGgXj2N9XotC2twwtSB-QrgRFNRLQiGhqx719zjLZifnGB1-02tR0KjBBU5yyj_rK-eLRWY-XHKGEdkp=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWbTHaFbrWHTCUqTSUWfxZ0QqhZm49W9UBokzo9DqzugQs8yAJiYvmGx0cOfnvRnlF2fG6d2w0Iluak8uuH-yZhR8-yLKxhVaQ3zsh3zxzLGgXj2N9XotC2twwtSB-QrgRFNRLQiGhqx719zjLZifnGB1-02tR0KjBBU5yyj_rK-eLRWY-XHKGEdkp=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>4. Beat in the baking soda and the baking powder next.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2-3E-ou-pFBhNH6k2FBHgeAZH49LEWWChdvwoGtR5rJRj1ZsA6yY9e5sR2oiaJKOQ2Q8qNJ-yaWBdvAJHUGODUmvpABGLZW_A24aWtx3dGEfydnWoYsKmniGpk52lpD1QKmLn7WM1o3K-VSC4wVOS_fL9PrUK36j9W1niO4mLSgjBRD4K2LEROGa-=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2-3E-ou-pFBhNH6k2FBHgeAZH49LEWWChdvwoGtR5rJRj1ZsA6yY9e5sR2oiaJKOQ2Q8qNJ-yaWBdvAJHUGODUmvpABGLZW_A24aWtx3dGEfydnWoYsKmniGpk52lpD1QKmLn7WM1o3K-VSC4wVOS_fL9PrUK36j9W1niO4mLSgjBRD4K2LEROGa-=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Alternately add the sifted flour and the half cup boiling water by starting with a half cup flour, then a quarter cup of the water, another half cup of flour, the rest of the boiling water, and the remaining half cup of flour. The batter will become fluffy as the boiling water reacts with the leavening agents.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIUVGMYS565Yce9v4nfder7fanY6VzqeH0ay9sc-LeuGTw7kYE3zBIYPsIIQEYqv2wNXep7hj57sF0SJGgGutXuEq3w6ay_hkmh3-uLfD3l-Z75YNPub0pBPXqjr8YuIlUqvCr5-ICQOFIn6EixRscPgHHOprY7KMA1aVqgdtiVYP4dTxPUndthOaG=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIUVGMYS565Yce9v4nfder7fanY6VzqeH0ay9sc-LeuGTw7kYE3zBIYPsIIQEYqv2wNXep7hj57sF0SJGgGutXuEq3w6ay_hkmh3-uLfD3l-Z75YNPub0pBPXqjr8YuIlUqvCr5-ICQOFIn6EixRscPgHHOprY7KMA1aVqgdtiVYP4dTxPUndthOaG=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake in a moderate oven until it tests done. Mine took 23 minutes.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6DUoxoHdobr1n486vjCHduP2z_RUsAus6cK8BAL6cosuIEer1iJIBF7tgeCmFsFMcAYCihIf-JmBJXTubVeHpRBsdSEYzIQmEiZuYT6nRwsBRH1_Y1DjdtNsbYxl70SFQZu6_C-hTAZhBK8d1UQMdh-ZYhbZ9nSztk_3PqlGr3QRq-sXsqCr36VbL=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6DUoxoHdobr1n486vjCHduP2z_RUsAus6cK8BAL6cosuIEer1iJIBF7tgeCmFsFMcAYCihIf-JmBJXTubVeHpRBsdSEYzIQmEiZuYT6nRwsBRH1_Y1DjdtNsbYxl70SFQZu6_C-hTAZhBK8d1UQMdh-ZYhbZ9nSztk_3PqlGr3QRq-sXsqCr36VbL=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>7. In my family, gingerbread is always served with sweetened whipped cream on top.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigpttAKqYU3a_56LGubcQWhZhaxsqbchddY-IDGx1j5iLNzKIReLcaaYWKdL0smn_0QwdubsNyHJOZm1ldUB0A9jS4NWMTLMbJXbEozYqmUfEpTRRu31OiggY9bAq8E38e-LwuWlwJPH6RePyc8O8Tl5Wp23f5DZJBT2XJ4GSG5_jfY6t-x8HEeDxv=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigpttAKqYU3a_56LGubcQWhZhaxsqbchddY-IDGx1j5iLNzKIReLcaaYWKdL0smn_0QwdubsNyHJOZm1ldUB0A9jS4NWMTLMbJXbEozYqmUfEpTRRu31OiggY9bAq8E38e-LwuWlwJPH6RePyc8O8Tl5Wp23f5DZJBT2XJ4GSG5_jfY6t-x8HEeDxv=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>This recipe has what I would call "old world flavor." The molasses and spices hearken back to a time when people's tastes in desserts were entirely different from what we are used to now, and with each forkful my imagination runs wild with what my great-great grandparents might have been thinking as they enjoyed this same recipe over a century ago.</p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-28379665462575277502021-07-06T18:50:00.000-07:002021-07-06T18:50:48.490-07:00Recreating One of My Favorite School Lunches on the Wood Cookstove<p>You would never have caught me saying that I loved school lunches when I was growing up. The food that my mom, grandmothers, and aunts made at home was far superior to anything that was served to us at school. There were a couple of meals, however, that I did really like. One was maidrites (or sloppy joes or taverns--whatever you call them) and the other was beans and wieners. I know, I know. I suspect that most of the other kids thought what you're thinking because by the time I was in high school, we never had them anymore.</p><p>Beans and wieners were <i>always </i>served with a piece of delicious cornbread and a helping of canned pineapple. This combination never changed, and that was fine with me. These days, this is a meal that I make on one wood cookstove or another at least once a year using foods that I have canned on a wood cookstove.</p><p>In my previous post, I wrote about <a href="http://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2021/06/baking-cornbread-in-wood-cookstove.html" target="_blank">how to make homemade cornbread in a wood cookstove.</a> While that is baking, I use the heat of the stovetop to make my beans and wieners. </p><p>In the picture below, you can see a home-canned jar of pork and beans processed on the Margin Gem last year that I wrote about in <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2020/05/canning-homemade-pork-and-beans-on-wood.html" target="_blank">this post.</a> The half-pint jar is extra tomato sauce from when we canned Homemade Heinz Ketchup last summer. You can read about that recipe at <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2012/09/homemade-heinz-ketchup.html" target="_blank">this post</a>. The jar on the right is a pint of home-canned pineapple. I blogged about that <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2021/01/canning-pineapple-on-wood-cookstove.html" target="_blank">here</a>. If you've ever had home-canned pineapple, you'll never want to buy a can of it in a grocery store again. It is SO GOOD! </p><p>Of course, the remaining item in the picture is the package of hot dogs. I have to admit that, in my opinion anyway, the cheaper the hot dogs, the better the beans and wieners taste. I don't even want to think about why.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD_txwJ-RuhDurSyB3wT2gA05ZK3RDEszznkhWN5mOMmRai4drWUlOQx5akOYj8kMHaqJ4t_q0ZG9SjWj1n4LawmpMVakoU9aLZZnD9o7i8FYvUG8LOIfUynC9rZOB4saWjeRbqGmEZ8/s4608/IMG_1694.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD_txwJ-RuhDurSyB3wT2gA05ZK3RDEszznkhWN5mOMmRai4drWUlOQx5akOYj8kMHaqJ4t_q0ZG9SjWj1n4LawmpMVakoU9aLZZnD9o7i8FYvUG8LOIfUynC9rZOB4saWjeRbqGmEZ8/s320/IMG_1694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For this batch of beans and wieners, I mixed the jar of beans and the jar of tomato sauce with a little extra brown sugar and a dash of dry mustard and cinnamon and the tiniest sprinkling of ground cloves. These are the spices that go in the homemade ketchup recipe. Under ordinary circumstances, I would have just added some homemade ketchup to the jar of beans. However, the beans in that batch were extremely dry, so I knew I needed more liquid than normal, and the half-pint of tomato sauce fit the bill perfectly.</div><div><br /></div><div>I sliced maybe four hot dogs into the mixture, stirred it all together, and took it out to the Hayes-Custer cookstove in the summer kitchen.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeze3MvyF3hMbxcgLfJPaDgwlsevow6q156oOE_9TUoQUQX7dsEJve9bPdQHorclna-1W-MH1fWb2vBwS3-3Y78nFrQGRgXpZZwojf53e7Xy_p_8sa_DY1oVBoEo6I19aRgsc8U4wailE/s4608/IMG_1696.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeze3MvyF3hMbxcgLfJPaDgwlsevow6q156oOE_9TUoQUQX7dsEJve9bPdQHorclna-1W-MH1fWb2vBwS3-3Y78nFrQGRgXpZZwojf53e7Xy_p_8sa_DY1oVBoEo6I19aRgsc8U4wailE/s320/IMG_1696.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Since you have to have a pretty hot oven to bake the cornbread, cooking the beans and wieners directly over the firebox is not a good idea because they will almost certainly scorch. Thus, I had them in the middle of the cooktop. I stir them frequently until they have come to a boil and the hot dogs are heated through.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeHKwyePMyZAls2ohOxVHOFd2LOesBDqnges1fMAaqidiYKH4NHx2ut3Ec2YEj3sa20qgRzCohgRtCiPD-7hJhuffYdWDxqhFweaKYwIR8iJ4VoMLElSff7F5k6lPFIgQZde78NXSD40/s4608/IMG_1698.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeHKwyePMyZAls2ohOxVHOFd2LOesBDqnges1fMAaqidiYKH4NHx2ut3Ec2YEj3sa20qgRzCohgRtCiPD-7hJhuffYdWDxqhFweaKYwIR8iJ4VoMLElSff7F5k6lPFIgQZde78NXSD40/s320/IMG_1698.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time the beans and wieners are cooked, the cornbread should be done.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfYYu9VPiboWkhvRYaOVjBxNruUKpUaU9M4jnRK46XQjbKSTAcvPAVr_feoP08nzW_bVclTkGtnV_XVDnueEe-J2IpDbqZrk4HcYO-IxHo2_wag4CzXsLNePOQzZ97fqSAPsS3RfnIQw/s4608/IMG_1697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfYYu9VPiboWkhvRYaOVjBxNruUKpUaU9M4jnRK46XQjbKSTAcvPAVr_feoP08nzW_bVclTkGtnV_XVDnueEe-J2IpDbqZrk4HcYO-IxHo2_wag4CzXsLNePOQzZ97fqSAPsS3RfnIQw/s320/IMG_1697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now at school, of course, this meal was served on putrid-green lunch trays with all the divided compartments to keep the foods from running together. Those trays were a source of particular frustration to me on Beans and Wieners Day because I discovered early on that the cornbread and the beans and wieners are best eaten together. I used to labor diligently to make sure that each forkful had a piece of cornbread and a dollop of beans and wieners on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that I'm grown up and can serve this the way I want, I pour the beans and wieners right on top of the slab of cornbread. Delicious! It's definitely my favorite way to eat cornbread since it's a lot less work to make sure that each forkful has some of both. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uLWEN74g7mIVcqIbMUro2I4X7lBtGcQqoWbwSmcWXlxKz1lXFx6TMdKxcUPigOcs47v_eP5HGbnOYsGNAW6Ist_jsI8XCVz1-7rtEePl6417dqh5RznqZ2dO0kPAkgNZWhwMNLSTa7g/s4608/IMG_1699.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uLWEN74g7mIVcqIbMUro2I4X7lBtGcQqoWbwSmcWXlxKz1lXFx6TMdKxcUPigOcs47v_eP5HGbnOYsGNAW6Ist_jsI8XCVz1-7rtEePl6417dqh5RznqZ2dO0kPAkgNZWhwMNLSTa7g/s320/IMG_1699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>The home-canned pineapple sends this meal over the top, and I don't know why I don't make it more often.</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-59023607534195410272021-06-30T17:36:00.001-07:002021-06-30T17:36:20.168-07:00Baking Cornbread in a Wood Cookstove<p>When I was growing up, I could take or leave cornbread. My mom used the same recipe that her mother Grandma Marian used. Maybe the recipe was even Grandma Gladys's or from further back in our family than that. I don't know. While it was just fine, it wasn't my favorite recipe for cornbread.</p><p>I remember enjoying the cornbread that was served in school lunch, though, and I mentioned that to Phyllis, a family friend and now one of the ladies who comes in to help with the Monday Market baking here in the summer. Years ago, Phyllis invited me over for supper on a night when she was serving her family cornbread, and her recipe was just what I was looking for!</p><p>Phyllis has graduated to a cornbread recipe that she says is even better than this one, but I'm sticking with this version--which I've changed a little from the original version. Here is what I do:</p><p>In a medium-sized bowl, place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/3 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8l1jKz0Sh9o2Ksy6Qc0ifQts_404-kHAb5OJHGrD0kH7gkj8iShPswx9W-ISrLNnChCFZW-6_ENjlf3D1ZqIV53Thbebb3qtnk0bYOSKU1YoVg81nnTbX5RtKFNhLVUyVzSijgnJ_AQ/s4608/IMG_1688.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8l1jKz0Sh9o2Ksy6Qc0ifQts_404-kHAb5OJHGrD0kH7gkj8iShPswx9W-ISrLNnChCFZW-6_ENjlf3D1ZqIV53Thbebb3qtnk0bYOSKU1YoVg81nnTbX5RtKFNhLVUyVzSijgnJ_AQ/s320/IMG_1688.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Whisk all of these dry ingredients together.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1GSYOFxONTqsnPXmLCxWGIXqvdBci9bLGdam3-U5KN6H4LNWFz6vkME1iff9szXL6HDhBOU1yZdFGrdwHLsIT0xUfFnQeQEmoAMeOpulS8UdmS5HCQ5oEemMfvaPH4oUu5WrrgnKpt0/s4608/IMG_1689.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1GSYOFxONTqsnPXmLCxWGIXqvdBci9bLGdam3-U5KN6H4LNWFz6vkME1iff9szXL6HDhBOU1yZdFGrdwHLsIT0xUfFnQeQEmoAMeOpulS8UdmS5HCQ5oEemMfvaPH4oUu5WrrgnKpt0/s320/IMG_1689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Into a glass measuring cup, put 1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1/3 cup salad oil, and 1 egg.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Pyl3sG_1dbkOoXfP0ecBFR1dbRmo0fZUMdYVs-AJh7b5srh8BpQbrJrdN6VKJ9w4obQe5_iWoBdH1MYMA_S95kMQqBlpK8P_z3aEKrr1F9r-T22ucHPR7fVrwEEq0G82RGIIr_meZCE/s4608/IMG_1690.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Pyl3sG_1dbkOoXfP0ecBFR1dbRmo0fZUMdYVs-AJh7b5srh8BpQbrJrdN6VKJ9w4obQe5_iWoBdH1MYMA_S95kMQqBlpK8P_z3aEKrr1F9r-T22ucHPR7fVrwEEq0G82RGIIr_meZCE/s320/IMG_1690.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Beat these wet ingredients together until well blended.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFQYOGoeRZgDSvPCxtiUZ5VEdvH9hu-it3Rsh3h9OR5yxU9D9C1NENaNLK6kwlUloSNJwQ3PIVoV1wFQd8-R9Sd2u8V1RcM7smdCxOGeLfPrSFGXgX4Dj8qh_EqbYIEhEKFPKh5NqHtk/s4608/IMG_1691.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFQYOGoeRZgDSvPCxtiUZ5VEdvH9hu-it3Rsh3h9OR5yxU9D9C1NENaNLK6kwlUloSNJwQ3PIVoV1wFQd8-R9Sd2u8V1RcM7smdCxOGeLfPrSFGXgX4Dj8qh_EqbYIEhEKFPKh5NqHtk/s320/IMG_1691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredient mixture and stir only until well combines. You don't want to over mix at this step because that will make your cornbread tough. Pour all into a greased 8" x 8" dark square pan. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PMJrqcbaX5z9hGgZSEK6VIjrIeBOLmrs3ea9zhnq-AHdIGRWCUy6O0FXg4r6UwF3SVA5msjMTGKbnaKdRyWVIPLZLAWzqgft2xMULurnxyNzk9IRUvT7-5H1FOSkwtIkhR6CC7y8yVk/s4608/IMG_1692.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PMJrqcbaX5z9hGgZSEK6VIjrIeBOLmrs3ea9zhnq-AHdIGRWCUy6O0FXg4r6UwF3SVA5msjMTGKbnaKdRyWVIPLZLAWzqgft2xMULurnxyNzk9IRUvT7-5H1FOSkwtIkhR6CC7y8yVk/s320/IMG_1692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Bake in a moderately hot oven (400ºF) until edges are slightly brown and have begun to pull away from the pan and the center tests done when a toothpick comes out clean.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQJaJ1Z6NkKDRJWJI4pPz6zaZOB994q-toaCzD1Xv-MtPBEeEdr4K-AJWlXkdQR7vP9gVE0_kxbGnI0YeI-sd49YMtQXG-zxxpEez6rVHk7Cmd6_Nuajgj4xbCXnSnEBRGFAp6xgp94Y/s4608/IMG_1693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQJaJ1Z6NkKDRJWJI4pPz6zaZOB994q-toaCzD1Xv-MtPBEeEdr4K-AJWlXkdQR7vP9gVE0_kxbGnI0YeI-sd49YMtQXG-zxxpEez6rVHk7Cmd6_Nuajgj4xbCXnSnEBRGFAp6xgp94Y/s320/IMG_1693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvUHYOI6MtvJAHFqf66nyKeYK8LQJTCchnlKwN2l8zE1LoUICE4SDghATK-NncX0DeRB_AtjYLtj7x0dO8Zm7-PxR82iKGHW0xW2vCpS_mJgs_YnPQ8-k2dsAIhu05NeCGzqqnPJhxHo/s4608/IMG_1697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvUHYOI6MtvJAHFqf66nyKeYK8LQJTCchnlKwN2l8zE1LoUICE4SDghATK-NncX0DeRB_AtjYLtj7x0dO8Zm7-PxR82iKGHW0xW2vCpS_mJgs_YnPQ8-k2dsAIhu05NeCGzqqnPJhxHo/s320/IMG_1697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>I find that pulling a pan of cornbread out of the oven of a woodburning cookstove feels somehow--what is the word? <i>"nostalgic" </i>maybe?--since we know that this was a staple on the supper tables of history. I notice that our local Fareway sells cornbread alongside the other bakery goods, but I haven't dared try it. For one thing, I know that homemade cornbread does not keep well at all, so I figure there must be all manner of preservatives in what they sell at the grocery store. Besides, this is not a difficult recipe, and I don't think anything could come close to the flavor of it fresh out of the oven. </p><p>When I was growing up, cornbread was served with white corn syrup or molasses. This is not my preferred method of serving it, however. Stay tuned for the next post to see how I like to eat mine!</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-39272478893750699252021-06-20T13:10:00.000-07:002021-06-20T13:10:25.974-07:00Cherry Bars Baked in the Hayes-Custer<p>In my last post, I said that I would be bringing a series of posts to you about cooking out in the summer kitchen. I've started those, but this isn't one of them. </p><p>We have five sour cherry trees here on our farm. Three are courtesy of my grandparents, and the other two are volunteer children of our venerated Montmorency cherry tree. The Montmorency cherries are my favorite, but they aren't quite ready yet. Nancy and I did pick from the other two dwarf cherry trees yesterday, though, and as she is not a pie lover, I made cherry bars. I've seen this recipe in several places, but we first had these in the early 80s after my aunt Rhonda Jo made them. Now, they are a recipe that I will forever associate with her.</p><p>I think Rhonda Jo probably made them with canned cherry pie filling, but since we are starting with fresh fruit, the first thing we had to do is convert the cherries into pie filling. To do that we use an old Kitchen Klatter recipe that my Great-Grandma Ruth very likely copied down as she was listening to the radio. </p><p>For one batch of cherry pie filling, you need the following:</p><p style="text-align: center;">4 cups of fresh cherries</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 to 1 1/2 cups cherry juice (the juice from the cherries should be sufficient)</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 cup sugar</p><p style="text-align: center;">3 to 4 Tablespoons cornstarch</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8n6pAoH3QETKIGAvDy1VHjIt4gMvkPUDNMXHO_G3kkd_7wxYjMKP4i0yILm4GvHTB0nI8Fbrw_F6-2yseIf7nXrzYSfDbGltjLQaa63Vaws5IKrju4lONiT0bke4dbR-tNXN5tAfv2M/s4608/IMG_1685.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8n6pAoH3QETKIGAvDy1VHjIt4gMvkPUDNMXHO_G3kkd_7wxYjMKP4i0yILm4GvHTB0nI8Fbrw_F6-2yseIf7nXrzYSfDbGltjLQaa63Vaws5IKrju4lONiT0bke4dbR-tNXN5tAfv2M/w400-h300/IMG_1685.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This avocado green plastic colander belonged to Granny,<br />my paternal grandmother, and I've been picking cherries<br />into it for almost forty years.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Of course, you first have to pit the cherries, saving as much of the juice as you can. The process of pitting cherries by hand is messy and not an appropriate place for a camera, so there are no pictures of that step. Sorry. </div><div><br /></div>Both of my grandmothers, Meme, and my mom were all very thrifty cooks, and very little of the produce that we grew here at home went to waste. I grew up watching this team of women work for hours over dishpans of wormy apples just to save whatever they could for human consumption. Hence, Granny always made us save the pits as we processed cherries. She would then put just the tiniest bit of water on them in a saucepan and bring them to a boil on the stove to get as much of the cherry juice as possible. I don't know whether this is necessary or not, but this is what she always did, so I continue the tradition.<div> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMV7Vf_iA3R926xrDWrW78t0oUZzvwZ1mF8O4CBDk38wBAtqSQahp_RvwOXjfRdNIXSd_4WhBAO_CmFhXfufRxaQP1d9KrxmvtclhJEuOCwK4YmPqPNdr2M2sOskszabGPJeMu5EFTUk/s4608/IMG_1686.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMV7Vf_iA3R926xrDWrW78t0oUZzvwZ1mF8O4CBDk38wBAtqSQahp_RvwOXjfRdNIXSd_4WhBAO_CmFhXfufRxaQP1d9KrxmvtclhJEuOCwK4YmPqPNdr2M2sOskszabGPJeMu5EFTUk/w300-h400/IMG_1686.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cherry pits and a splash of water coming to<br />a boil over a freshly started fire in the Hayes-Custer<br />in the summer kitchen.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG5sDT0sZ34VJ3u4UgtkaPbuQsP-nDUwxgOqZJNcgc4QVX-sbmsTPyEy-u-0_ZSJ7mwKvQDUpcSXxA2ht_tZRDzz-u4Ok2faszKfhyheFYbFKBYzS6uxBZBllHI5OTrvUB8LgbP97xHE/s4608/IMG_1687.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG5sDT0sZ34VJ3u4UgtkaPbuQsP-nDUwxgOqZJNcgc4QVX-sbmsTPyEy-u-0_ZSJ7mwKvQDUpcSXxA2ht_tZRDzz-u4Ok2faszKfhyheFYbFKBYzS6uxBZBllHI5OTrvUB8LgbP97xHE/w300-h400/IMG_1687.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boiling cherry pits.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Once you have all of the juice drained off the pits, place the four cups of cherries, the juice, one cup of sugar and 3 to 4 Tablespoons of cornstarch in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyiD7w1jBLPXTgcRt9oj5gT1NDIJPSaGNnra29cImTs205TB4pc9iLyJKxyz8I8NAcPThE3w19hh6yaQ2RWErZRxoCefOnvbfq-MR-EJH1l2CCorcoGsG4hLq1T4ZdsHzVcY9MvgT_PM/s4608/IMG_1700.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyiD7w1jBLPXTgcRt9oj5gT1NDIJPSaGNnra29cImTs205TB4pc9iLyJKxyz8I8NAcPThE3w19hh6yaQ2RWErZRxoCefOnvbfq-MR-EJH1l2CCorcoGsG4hLq1T4ZdsHzVcY9MvgT_PM/s320/IMG_1700.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Start cooking this mixture directly over the firebox, but when it begins to thicken, move it to the middle of the cooktop to continue cooking until the desired thickness is reached.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hint: This step can be a bit tricky. Sometimes (often), this has not wanted to thicken for me. I discovered that if you strain the cherries from the juice and cook just the juice, sugar, and cornstarch directly over the fire, once it reaches a good boil, it will thicken when you add the cherries back into the hot mixture.</div><div><br /></div><div>It has been extremely dry around here this spring, though, and we had a hard time getting much juice to come out of the cherries at all. Thus, yesterday, I actually had to add a little boiling water from the teakettle in order to thin the mixture to an appropriate consistency. You just have to watch and be careful!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CcM1r8NHa7LXZ033ngNc4cLmYju2QBxS3o3uUzpNLMbJ7MV4XQPWR7Wx5LOAaZTpPJPPx8XEQ5Z8zwrUJ3sEc5XKSoEhA1ocnlX7Re-yTsmwVbdtvfG90LX-ir5A1m6ZuMz-8QXeWOc/s4608/IMG_1701.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CcM1r8NHa7LXZ033ngNc4cLmYju2QBxS3o3uUzpNLMbJ7MV4XQPWR7Wx5LOAaZTpPJPPx8XEQ5Z8zwrUJ3sEc5XKSoEhA1ocnlX7Re-yTsmwVbdtvfG90LX-ir5A1m6ZuMz-8QXeWOc/s320/IMG_1701.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Remove the cherry mixture from the stove and stir in a 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring. Set aside.</div><div><br /></div>For the batter, you will need 1 cup of very soft butter (no substitutes) and 1 3/4 cups of sugar. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTkoI_QVgvqlEDa00EuqUmjfYbxGqqqREaLrHKeJsYVQsAfSb0CbClSc_LnG3LGPGb3JVc97bP9wM8Algf5CngvhHlTEcreL7wBa-vTrUSBTJhSocR7hxZod0_b_TSUn46PQvBG4YNgk/s4608/IMG_1702.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTkoI_QVgvqlEDa00EuqUmjfYbxGqqqREaLrHKeJsYVQsAfSb0CbClSc_LnG3LGPGb3JVc97bP9wM8Algf5CngvhHlTEcreL7wBa-vTrUSBTJhSocR7hxZod0_b_TSUn46PQvBG4YNgk/s320/IMG_1702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please pardon my avocado green Sunbeam Mixmaster.<br />It is uglier than sin. It belonged to Granny, and when I <br />inherited it 26 years ago, I thought I would just use it<br />until it died. The thing has to be near to fifty years old now<br />and shows no sign of dying anytime soon. How I wish she'd<br />bought a white one!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Cream the butter and the sugar together until smooth.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHaOdhTZAgqdR4BDjYxcsU7kazqcEEfEI9PUh6kGfeHL1yu2CbADXZCJLr5mAmproaFCXain_eJzi5vnmqfDzXsGMXLzHZRzkIOgCIpUnXIgtEgaD-Po_Gr-2wKB1dLMD-wfQf0H-kc8/s4608/IMG_1704.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHaOdhTZAgqdR4BDjYxcsU7kazqcEEfEI9PUh6kGfeHL1yu2CbADXZCJLr5mAmproaFCXain_eJzi5vnmqfDzXsGMXLzHZRzkIOgCIpUnXIgtEgaD-Po_Gr-2wKB1dLMD-wfQf0H-kc8/s320/IMG_1704.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add four eggs to the butter and sugar mixture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis59In1IgIWdl3KusgexYbX95Q8hoVq6ppcNsWH-LFzAsgOFp8D-vUniek3t7BSRh7xEqVmySjvlGY9dMbPb23sgesidASNBrNuJqk90JGl35W_QTh9kacXzysecXQP-gZmMWpARE7A1s/s4608/IMG_1705.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis59In1IgIWdl3KusgexYbX95Q8hoVq6ppcNsWH-LFzAsgOFp8D-vUniek3t7BSRh7xEqVmySjvlGY9dMbPb23sgesidASNBrNuJqk90JGl35W_QTh9kacXzysecXQP-gZmMWpARE7A1s/s320/IMG_1705.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>To the above, beat in 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu7njYIGR4FBgL04MyaqMTrLcJ0oKzd_oqc2X9pD5ihquy9mrulOzBe7mb5MlMR4NiYM8DhKqr_T15cluGWpkpK-5c5pdB3CI1UUW7OOF57Z9QEvssqvZleWDL7ubdxGC0F4SzQ79vBo/s4608/IMG_1706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu7njYIGR4FBgL04MyaqMTrLcJ0oKzd_oqc2X9pD5ihquy9mrulOzBe7mb5MlMR4NiYM8DhKqr_T15cluGWpkpK-5c5pdB3CI1UUW7OOF57Z9QEvssqvZleWDL7ubdxGC0F4SzQ79vBo/s320/IMG_1706.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stir in 3 cups of sifted all-purpose flour. Good luck trying to keep from tasting the batter at this point. It is SO GOOD!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmrNWnrG2JMMYxmctOwpq5_ozI9KAax8bJLstzNmlYLD9CMAKazCdtb2qM7ChD7EuttNqBNECuPz9fwHjpLYiNemB0CP9kKt-vwKKV7tYcsTdVlr7J-NgyF1nyprzeZnZnZzkt20x16E/s4608/IMG_1707.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmrNWnrG2JMMYxmctOwpq5_ozI9KAax8bJLstzNmlYLD9CMAKazCdtb2qM7ChD7EuttNqBNECuPz9fwHjpLYiNemB0CP9kKt-vwKKV7tYcsTdVlr7J-NgyF1nyprzeZnZnZzkt20x16E/s320/IMG_1707.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Spread two-thirds of the batter into the bottom of a <i>greased</i> jelly roll pan.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-GXyOxVVt8VnWm4G5EIWyfYSVKxzAfgV5OaZIUtjMR4MVN2RNn2h1SqbFtNyLUw5PpgXL26I50lBYUI8yQdYDknhFQY2vZmUMNFxI6_LqaA0Cw68TdowfSbhI_AeQsE1mHEmlszOcAA/s4608/IMG_1708.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-GXyOxVVt8VnWm4G5EIWyfYSVKxzAfgV5OaZIUtjMR4MVN2RNn2h1SqbFtNyLUw5PpgXL26I50lBYUI8yQdYDknhFQY2vZmUMNFxI6_LqaA0Cw68TdowfSbhI_AeQsE1mHEmlszOcAA/s320/IMG_1708.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Spread the cherry filling over the bottom layer of batter, and then dollop the remaining batter on the top.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlNejtLxBr9DvnxfiUFfsmqCaumwHnN-LgiOVhtbWheoZMp6MOVs2HNVaDqifjSdU8853FyfHAfrk06sbrwtWshF9xijPeCnGjGV_9i20qr0Mt2jSurCooXIngFj6hhF12yC4vrCHMPA/s4608/IMG_1709.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlNejtLxBr9DvnxfiUFfsmqCaumwHnN-LgiOVhtbWheoZMp6MOVs2HNVaDqifjSdU8853FyfHAfrk06sbrwtWshF9xijPeCnGjGV_9i20qr0Mt2jSurCooXIngFj6hhF12yC4vrCHMPA/s320/IMG_1709.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Bake in a moderate oven for about a half hour until it begins to pull away from the edges and is golden brown.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuK3bwaJz2YNvqEuajEzplKQsbV3lZI8seBtx5RY7vns8qNFhmKN-FZc1qPDYSk6xKqOX6qt6VVGBBg4RqZLCpg60ul7cowxUhd9OOMW9H6rh6Cm8997HdcvbD7isl_1o03UtLSuebSq4/s4608/IMG_1711.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuK3bwaJz2YNvqEuajEzplKQsbV3lZI8seBtx5RY7vns8qNFhmKN-FZc1qPDYSk6xKqOX6qt6VVGBBg4RqZLCpg60ul7cowxUhd9OOMW9H6rh6Cm8997HdcvbD7isl_1o03UtLSuebSq4/w480-h640/IMG_1711.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't the Hayes-Custer do a nice job<br />of baking?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes:</p><p>If you want to freeze sour cherries for later use in pie filling, pour the cherry juice from cooking the pits, the four cups of cherries, and the cup of sugar into a freezer container and freeze. When ready for use, thaw, drain the sweetened juice off, add the starch and cook. Add the cherries once the juice and starch have come to a boil and thickened.</p><p>If you were going to make a cherry pie with the filling, I would recommend adding a dash of cinnamon to it along with the almond flavoring. JUST a dash, though.</p><p>These bars can be made with any type of canned pie filling. Strawberry is one that I've seen fairly frequently.</p><p>Some people drizzle a little vanilla icing over these bars. Now, I <i>love </i>frosting and put it only lots of things, however, I will admit to thinking that these are sweet enough without it. You do what you want, though.</p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-50640424477118351462021-06-17T16:42:00.001-07:002021-06-17T16:42:56.771-07:00Cooking on the Hayes-Custer in the Summer Kitchen Again<p>Nancy has pronounced me crazy.</p><p>My insanity is not news, however. My longtime, loyal readers and certainly those who know me personally had no doubt arrived at this conclusion long ago, so that is not the reason for this blogpost.</p><p>The reason for this blogpost and the reason that Nancy has pronounced me crazy are one and the same. She made her proclamation when she saw me hauling a large skillet of cauliflower out to the summer kitchen a week ago Saturday. </p><p>"You're cooking out there?" she said incredulously.</p><p>"Yes," I responded.</p><p>She looked at me strangely.</p><p>"I've told you how much I don't like cooking on that gas stove," I said, shrugging.</p><p>"You're crazy," said she.</p><p>Guilty as charged, I guess. I've said before on this blog that no method of cooking compares to cooking on a woodburning cookstove, and now that I don't have to give it up for the summer, I don't plan to.</p><p>I had posted on May 22nd that we had turned our electric water heater back on. However, we had some cooler weather after that, so I fired the Margin Gem again for a few more days. We left the electric water heater on, but we used the valves in the basement to alternate using water heated electrically and water heated by the Margin Gem. Once the first of June rolled around, however, the weather got quite warm again, so I have not had a fire inside the house since then.</p><p>I've put a two-burner electric hot plate on the reservoir of the Margin Gem in the house kitchen--something that was done quite frequently in history judging from the pictures I've seen. I've used this for only very light cooking here and there. Any serious cooking and baking has been hauled out to the summer kitchen.</p><p>I really think this Hayes-Custer is quite fuel efficient. On just a few sticks, I can do quite a bit of cooking and baking. Speaking of baking, I think it does a beautiful job of it. In the picture below, I left the goods in the oven about three minutes too long (my fault entirely), but isn't everything a beautiful, uniform golden brown? I didn't have to rotate anything during the baking time, either.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7we0eT4fRWCEGNnMjusdk9rRorQTjTbVq_w1xLHneko5A9_tatnySsPu5VbrX0RgsDx00KmALaisATvKRNwdE5kSQaWjfoYrlnP_etLQRsO_JsnV7K3QdUhuASQb3uFOBAdXVaX0HUiQ/s4608/IMG_1672.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7we0eT4fRWCEGNnMjusdk9rRorQTjTbVq_w1xLHneko5A9_tatnySsPu5VbrX0RgsDx00KmALaisATvKRNwdE5kSQaWjfoYrlnP_etLQRsO_JsnV7K3QdUhuASQb3uFOBAdXVaX0HUiQ/w480-h640/IMG_1672.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bread and rolls coming out of the oven on the Hayes-Custer. Notice how <br />small a fire was required to keep the oven hot.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oh, and I wish someone would explain something to me: Why do I like cinnamon rolls that are made out of bread dough so well? I make very good cinnamon rolls using my own variation of my aunt Meme's recipe. For Monday Market baking, I mix up 15 batches of those rolls, five batches at a time. People stand in line to buy them. But, when I'm baking bread for just Nancy and me, I sometimes make one loaf's worth of the dough into a pan of cinnamon rolls. That's what I did in the picture above. And I love them! They have less fat and less sugar in the dough; they are not nearly so light. In fact they're downright chewy, and I savor every bite! But why?</p><p>Anyway, the picture below is my first ever attempt at tater-tot casserole. It was very good, but I'm just not a huge fan of tater-tots. I would like to try it as the recipe originally said, which was to make it with sliced potatoes. We'll see. Didn't the Hayes-Custer do a nice job of browning the tater-tots, though? Nancy doesn't like vegetables to be <i>in</i> the casserole, so the two saucepans over the firebox have home-grown peas and sweet corn from our freezer in them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI0iznBLut9mxdffjUODd4gESE4Tk5d3u24TBhXzVsupwmDUIPSFUb9pFZlUdvlj8xic4JkXQHFyGtxgxzn-JmX3XtSpxDsfBV9UFGrueYWSD8HqzrxTJ-HqZsPha8qW-XkAe8CBeQTI/s4608/IMG_1674.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI0iznBLut9mxdffjUODd4gESE4Tk5d3u24TBhXzVsupwmDUIPSFUb9pFZlUdvlj8xic4JkXQHFyGtxgxzn-JmX3XtSpxDsfBV9UFGrueYWSD8HqzrxTJ-HqZsPha8qW-XkAe8CBeQTI/w480-h640/IMG_1674.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>During Covid-19 quarantine time, I learned to make hamburger buns from scratch. The ones that I made on Tuesday of this week were the best batch ever. The secret? I think it was the fact that I used bacon grease in them instead of Crisco or vegetable oil. I've never done that before.</div><div><br /></div><div>The buns didn't taste like bacon at all, but they were very tender. They look a little brown on the top, but they were actually just perfect. I made them for the barbecued shredded pork that you can see in the smaller saucepan directly above the oven. I made the shredded pork out of some that I had canned on the Margin Gem back in 2017. The sandwiches were very delicious.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcIAuavMbF8-UfEwDCTun-qarOsF_1FMSfUuwx3CHTaLjqnY7ZfVBpMguE8LippYRkKN3oNat9YmVik1GEoeY2be0cehf-wXt9etSrfFfnlbxbQSA2lMDHZ31wq9QFwFcnncjU9fjuHM/s4608/IMG_1681.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcIAuavMbF8-UfEwDCTun-qarOsF_1FMSfUuwx3CHTaLjqnY7ZfVBpMguE8LippYRkKN3oNat9YmVik1GEoeY2be0cehf-wXt9etSrfFfnlbxbQSA2lMDHZ31wq9QFwFcnncjU9fjuHM/w480-h640/IMG_1681.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>When I start a fire to do some cooking in the summer, I try to take advantage of the fire as much as possible in order to be more efficient. The black saucepan on the warming shelf has hardboiled eggs in it that are being timed before their cold water bath. The saucepan over the firebox was water coming to a boil for cooking pasta for a salad.</p><p>The last picture is of yesterday's breakfast--and supper and today's supper actually. The pancakes and part of the bacon were the breakfast. The rest of the bacon and the chicken breast hidden inside that small cast iron skillet on the back of the range all went into the aforementioned pasta salad.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCXy2rFs9dxMr-sEPfZcG8tzh2mnJFyHYFr2oa0S93Z2iGRc2sch8-BTB3m-KuIQxgD6XEDnbziR6zAEQnq1Fz7nNl_UZJxGf8rOBJOjMn1-PcMDUxdHRl0fEPTyIaxk34KQW8sVWwJA/s4608/IMG_1684.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCXy2rFs9dxMr-sEPfZcG8tzh2mnJFyHYFr2oa0S93Z2iGRc2sch8-BTB3m-KuIQxgD6XEDnbziR6zAEQnq1Fz7nNl_UZJxGf8rOBJOjMn1-PcMDUxdHRl0fEPTyIaxk34KQW8sVWwJA/w480-h640/IMG_1684.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast cooking on the Hayes-Custer wood cookstove.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There has been much more cooking done on the Hayes-Custer already this summer, but not every occasion has warranted a picture. As you can see, the stove has been busy, and I must say, it's been very cooperative too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've got a series of posts using this stove coming up, so stay tuned!</div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-40878036173632244862021-05-22T19:21:00.001-07:002021-05-22T19:21:52.817-07:00The End of the '20 - '21 Heating Season<p> Just wanted to drop a quick post for record keeping purposes. We turned on the electric water heater this morning after turning it off on August 31 of 2020. I would have liked to hold out until June 1st, but two things happened. The first is that Nancy and I received our Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccination yesterday, and we haven't been feeling too perky today. Our internal thermostats have been a little wacky, as a result, which brings me to the second thing. We've had a lot of rain here lately, and the humidity was running very high overnight and this morning. Thus, the idea of starting a fire for hot water just didn't sound at all appealing today, so we caved. I don't regret it a bit. The last thing I want from my wood cookstove is to be enslaved by it, so it was a wise choice.</p><p>School will be out after Thursday of this coming week, so I'm hoping to start cooking in the summer kitchen soon. Look out for future posts centering around the Hayes-Custer!</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-72509380852479933992021-04-30T12:46:00.000-07:002021-04-30T12:46:35.853-07:00In Praise of the Margin Gem's Waterfront<p>Things have been ridiculously busy in our lives over the last several weeks. School has kept me occupied with both substituting and accompanying the choirs; our church has hired a pastor; after a futile housing hunt we prepared our little house here on the farm for him and his wife to live in; and our church is converting a former doctor's office into our new church building.</p><p>You will note from the list above that I haven't done any spring gardening or cleaning, and I didn't even put mowing on the list, though the yard is beginning to look like a jungle. All of these necessary activities have prevented me from posting very regularly.</p><p>Through it all, we've still managed to be firing the Margin Gem on a daily basis. My goal is to have it heat all of our hot water until the end of May, but we shall see. Lots of factors play into this, such as how much time I have to keep gathering and cutting fuel, how hot the weather becomes, the levels of humidity indoors and out, whether I can keep enough dry fuel ahead, etc.</p><p>Today, though, I just wanted to write a quick post to say how truly impressed I am by the water heating capacity of our Margin Gem system. In something I read or watched or in a phone conversation with Daniel Fenoff of <a href="https://stovesandmore.com/" target="_blank">Stoves and More LLC</a>, where we purchased our Margin Gem back in 2011, I remember him saying that during the summer months they lit a fire in their cookstove each morning in order to cook breakfast. That fire heated enough water to meet their hot water needs until they had another fire in the evening to cook supper. </p><p>With our schedule as full as it has been, we haven't been doing a lot of cooking. Last night we had a cold supper, for example, and the night before that, all I made was a dish that my niece calls "Bougie Ramen." As that involves simply boiling water for three minutes, it was far faster to cook it on the electric stove down in the basement. Thus, what we've been doing is not starting a fire in the cookstove until just before we go to bed. Once the fire is well established, I put large chunks of wood in the stove and turn the draft down so that the fire will burn all night. When we get up in the morning, there is a nice bed of coals that I rake together. I throw some kindling on this, wait a few minutes after it has caught fire, and throw a few more small pieces in. This fire is sufficient to fry a couple eggs or make French toast, and it tops off the hot water enough that we can shower and wash dishes in the mornings.</p><p>(Note: The above firing method of firing the cookstove can create an unduly large accumulation of creosote in the chimney. In order to prevent that, I have to use the driest wood that I can find.)</p><p>You don't have to have a very hot fire in order to heat quite a bit of water. I think this is due to the large surface area of the Margin Gem's waterfront.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilONHogP_tcRLO1SaQ0zkNjds7C83KNOOpM6-jqjZRaixZO0GZI8PyU1iZscOn2WWhnGKRzLS7-BKKvcBIt_lDhTKsPxAtM0fb9tCG_KGjYmId35mQkKSyaVWldyJHy9-DaoaUwVHoWSE/s3072/10-20-12+202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilONHogP_tcRLO1SaQ0zkNjds7C83KNOOpM6-jqjZRaixZO0GZI8PyU1iZscOn2WWhnGKRzLS7-BKKvcBIt_lDhTKsPxAtM0fb9tCG_KGjYmId35mQkKSyaVWldyJHy9-DaoaUwVHoWSE/w300-h400/10-20-12+202.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the Margin Gem firebox.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In the picture above, you can kind of see the waterfront. It is the whole left side of the Margin Gem's firebox and measures approximately 16" x 12" which results in about 192 square inches of heat exchanging space. Coupled with a stone-lined 40-gallon Vaughn range boiler, the heating capacity of this system is impressive, I think.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrbuBbCbluSWJpQ34PtLnjwKhd1zHRm7gL7B1HucPOYhoEpwHiQON4U-FiEVZEANWMeG50dGmurv6W1cR15oL4lkS1ZauKS4fQADVRkksB9XsKxlwLU6LliwWYoe2cmPssnkFTI-nRSs/s3072/IMG_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrbuBbCbluSWJpQ34PtLnjwKhd1zHRm7gL7B1HucPOYhoEpwHiQON4U-FiEVZEANWMeG50dGmurv6W1cR15oL4lkS1ZauKS4fQADVRkksB9XsKxlwLU6LliwWYoe2cmPssnkFTI-nRSs/w300-h400/IMG_1067.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of the Vaughn range boiler before it<br />was attached to the Margin Gem.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />If I were going to level any complaint against this water system of ours, it would be at the mixing valve which tempers the water as it leaves the tank and goes into the house plumbing. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9MwaPG79lxNtcg0iCL_ZD9y-03_E_KkQByybnQJQ-pCySgIGdbXsrqj1r0XDu4YVBcqL3Qz2MybMKIwOgxP6WFKDMnaqw6uIHWlf1zvjd6w1mSL2VCU6w1TUl-vbVxto-XAGaY1vfb4/s3072/stove+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9MwaPG79lxNtcg0iCL_ZD9y-03_E_KkQByybnQJQ-pCySgIGdbXsrqj1r0XDu4YVBcqL3Qz2MybMKIwOgxP6WFKDMnaqw6uIHWlf1zvjd6w1mSL2VCU6w1TUl-vbVxto-XAGaY1vfb4/s320/stove+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our problematic mixing valve.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Sometimes in the middle of a shower (and perhaps it does this at other times too, but we have no way of knowing) it behaves badly, sending the water from very pleasant to too cold to uncomfortably hot for no apparent reason. We notice that this happens most frequently when the water in the tank is extremely hot. I believe this little defect to be the result of the fact that it was damaged by the plumber during installation. While this is annoying, it hasn't proven to be dangerous, and getting it replaced will not necessarily be expensive, but it will be colossally inconvenient.</div><div><br /></div><div>The longterm weather forecast is for fairly cool weather, so we'll see how long we can hold out until we switch to electrically heated water for the summer.</div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-52103405345465414152021-04-09T13:19:00.002-07:002021-04-09T13:19:48.627-07:00Chicken Pot Pie Baked in a Wood Cookstove<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgak3CFxW2nZqbcbcpVEUk1sJfBG4CjMBX36FVlaKY04pK4oSzeNcKSPq9oGbevzhxi6t3zHAsFHdO5aqZDQCDJD6n8PHM9w7-i7iDHCTDvpAdA2JWKfNJBrYtZ6p7tcDQhkWSQPTRIF7Q/s4608/IMG_1498.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgak3CFxW2nZqbcbcpVEUk1sJfBG4CjMBX36FVlaKY04pK4oSzeNcKSPq9oGbevzhxi6t3zHAsFHdO5aqZDQCDJD6n8PHM9w7-i7iDHCTDvpAdA2JWKfNJBrYtZ6p7tcDQhkWSQPTRIF7Q/s320/IMG_1498.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of an earlier chicken pot pie which<br />was baked in the Margin Gem; it's not the one you<br />will see in the photos below.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>One thing Nancy and I both love is good chicken pot pie, and we're pretty happy with the version that I make. Pulling a meat pie out of the oven of a woodburning cookstove gives one a feeling of satisfaction that is a close second to that of a beautifully browned turkey or a golden loaf of bread.</p><p>As always with any wood coookstove dish that is going to be baked, the first thing you have to do is to build your fire and heat the oven. You need a "hot" oven for baking a pot pie, so build your fire so that your oven will run at about 425ºF.</p><p>I think the second step to making a really good chicken pot pie is making the right crust, and I'm excited to share the recipe that I use. It originated from my reprint of the 1950 <i>Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook </i>(Wiley Publishing, Inc. and General Mills, Inc.), and it was labeled "English Pastry." For a meat pie, especially a chicken pot pie, I think people generally are looking for a thicker, richer crust than one might find on a homemade fruit pie, for example. As always, I've tweaked the recipe a bit, and now it's exactly what I'm looking for.</p><p>The ingredient list for the crust is as follows:</p><p style="text-align: center;">2 cups sifted all-purpose flour</p><p style="text-align: center;">2 tsp. baking powder</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 tsp. salt</p><p style="text-align: center;">2/3 cup butter flavor Crisco</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/2 c. hot water</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 Tablespoon lemon juice</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 egg yolk</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 egg white</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 Tablespoon cold water</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is what you do:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1QMKOVCaM66m12MMfLKWsYt-eWvjVRJoZCNAz6ghFNwJvBoq8bBFK4Ow9wTwaSdmIUVEOhfTcNK4lFNrGSO1_IK880tLrh_iHMcgtf9AJoTv1hoGPMA8WFltZqdzSa9n1oN4N3x22fg/s4608/IMG_1645.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1QMKOVCaM66m12MMfLKWsYt-eWvjVRJoZCNAz6ghFNwJvBoq8bBFK4Ow9wTwaSdmIUVEOhfTcNK4lFNrGSO1_IK880tLrh_iHMcgtf9AJoTv1hoGPMA8WFltZqdzSa9n1oN4N3x22fg/s320/IMG_1645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>2. Measure the butter flavor Crisco and pour the half cup of hot water over it from the <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/2012/05/teakettles-and-wood-cookstoves.html" target="_blank">teakettle</a>. Obviously, this will soften the shortening significantly.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Add the tablespoon of lemon juice to the shortening/hot water mixture and stir around a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. While stirring the above mixture vigorously, add the egg yolk. You've got to stir while doing this so that the egg yolk doesn't cook.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuI6BpQEyr5HFe7yrVW4b09dA1ZJm-_LVIdbYSeDqssMffbUHy2Pd4kPzumWSeV04DnQX_Dkk6_IvB7B16eNcgySTJmCHLzBxQcDtt54ucD5ZBixEPstQGEJwXVLIp_54OJkvOoTx447I/s4608/IMG_1647.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuI6BpQEyr5HFe7yrVW4b09dA1ZJm-_LVIdbYSeDqssMffbUHy2Pd4kPzumWSeV04DnQX_Dkk6_IvB7B16eNcgySTJmCHLzBxQcDtt54ucD5ZBixEPstQGEJwXVLIp_54OJkvOoTx447I/s320/IMG_1647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry, stirring until no lumps of shortening are visible.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0lVEeDWCWmgg6JEYhxJa6cQgneoRCBfeBMnFSvp9yPnXQLXPtHg3QaEDxLUcXUUyhDwmvu-KkuVbR7R6JESxGG3fUf3dGu18Y1D75pzvgJHh_ieFEXYbkKM8TLvBmhbQdulBT6wCGwY/s4608/IMG_1648.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0lVEeDWCWmgg6JEYhxJa6cQgneoRCBfeBMnFSvp9yPnXQLXPtHg3QaEDxLUcXUUyhDwmvu-KkuVbR7R6JESxGG3fUf3dGu18Y1D75pzvgJHh_ieFEXYbkKM8TLvBmhbQdulBT6wCGwY/s320/IMG_1648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>6. Pop the crust mixture into the freezer to chill while you mix and cook the filling. If you're not going to be assembling this pie immediately, just put the pastry dough into the fridge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, in the pictures that you see below, I used a quart of chicken breast meat that I had canned on the Margin Gem last fall. When I can chicken, I fill the jar loosely with pieces of meat, and then I fill the jar to an inch from the top with hot water and add a bouillon cube or two. After the meat has been processed in the pressure canner, the chicken usually condenses down to a little over a pint of meat swimming in about that much broth.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is what I did for the filling. I'm sorry that there aren't any hard and fast measurements for any of this; it is always just by guess and by golly.</div><div><br /></div><div>7. Drain the quart of canned chicken, putting the broth in a tall-sided frying pan. I use my Magnalite chicken fryer. To the broth I added one bouillon cube and a teaspoon of chicken base. Put that directly over the firebox to come to a good boil.</div><div><br /></div><div>8. While that was heating, I poured about a 1/2 cup of heavy cream into it along with the juice from a six-ounce can of mushrooms.</div><div><br /></div><div>9. Add a half teaspoon of paprika, a dash of pepper, and a sprinkling of seasoned salt.</div><div><br /></div><div>10. I beat about six tablespoons of all-purpose flour into a cup of cold milk until it was smooth. </div><div><br /></div><div>11. While stirring the hot mixture constantly, I added the milk and flour mixture. </div><div><br /></div><div>12. Once the flour and milk is added, stir constantly with a fork until everything comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Once that happens, add the canned chicken, the canned mushrooms, a tablespoon of onion flakes, and a cup or two of mixed vegetables. Bring everything to a boil again, stirring quite frequently.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEhCJzgR1kCSm1zjDNWpGnZQ93CoEmKpznUZ_yPullLSZJCEsAFCLV-l_6gNrcD9VCGnizRsK__j7C4yW1KPhyde5ceIbIlGu16LnP7uMMWeR_yosTUlnRc3N0U3wb-Rfv2zoStGi-MA/s4608/IMG_1649.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEhCJzgR1kCSm1zjDNWpGnZQ93CoEmKpznUZ_yPullLSZJCEsAFCLV-l_6gNrcD9VCGnizRsK__j7C4yW1KPhyde5ceIbIlGu16LnP7uMMWeR_yosTUlnRc3N0U3wb-Rfv2zoStGi-MA/w400-h300/IMG_1649.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>13. Move the filling mixture as far away from the fire as possible so that it will just simmer very gently while you work on the crust.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPTNPYYwNTMrkjxcS4_ZZD0K7-RBvRDHsU6AsQrdeh8hyphenhyphent1y__pPhCcIIZ1Tv_lAP4eQPKD8AbOXwEHVo42nI6TPIFEVQ6NJcayibZ7KkqqThR8YwUzTsw2NbWk3Noc_H4GTjbpriE8M/s4608/IMG_1650.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPTNPYYwNTMrkjxcS4_ZZD0K7-RBvRDHsU6AsQrdeh8hyphenhyphent1y__pPhCcIIZ1Tv_lAP4eQPKD8AbOXwEHVo42nI6TPIFEVQ6NJcayibZ7KkqqThR8YwUzTsw2NbWk3Noc_H4GTjbpriE8M/s320/IMG_1650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>14. Whisk the egg white and cold water from the crust ingredients until they're a little frothy on top.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpLWkMpWsJzpeEsERn3YB8UQtFAILYoCka2V7JXo4TW1awtU8v3RQKXu0D1JYG6mFjDXO0BN_GbktX1JMCO-CBHLs_r1mrN8_1qwTb4li7PcwJLmzb_Idd_yR7IB3LsHYe0f3TOte3_c/s4608/IMG_1651.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpLWkMpWsJzpeEsERn3YB8UQtFAILYoCka2V7JXo4TW1awtU8v3RQKXu0D1JYG6mFjDXO0BN_GbktX1JMCO-CBHLs_r1mrN8_1qwTb4li7PcwJLmzb_Idd_yR7IB3LsHYe0f3TOte3_c/s320/IMG_1651.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>15. Remove the pastry dough from wherever you had it chilling. Pat 3/4 of the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish pie pan. I find that our Pampered Chef deep dish stoneware pie plate is perfect for this.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kn_1_UPu5BZHEhaxtOtemH5GPZcrvB6-q5fE9LDExFd90vDlBNmhyKYM5OzvmiQgWj9KLM9iSr7b5wlypTyZiLsS0IZu6Ppmua9K79NI_bP5c1YJOXfHk60ODHVIuovOp3IXIHz4ImA/s4608/IMG_1652.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kn_1_UPu5BZHEhaxtOtemH5GPZcrvB6-q5fE9LDExFd90vDlBNmhyKYM5OzvmiQgWj9KLM9iSr7b5wlypTyZiLsS0IZu6Ppmua9K79NI_bP5c1YJOXfHk60ODHVIuovOp3IXIHz4ImA/s320/IMG_1652.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>16. Roll out the remaining pastry dough until it is just large enough to fit over the top of the pie. I didn't stop quite soon enough in the picture below.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FEMd_zw5fNWWbetKUNH6qaOw_ux-VLBnkcHvlexDdv6AM_5aciFI1yvXQqrwYWBqvvHPgGAGP3Aa5b93eEtpfuyZkcx77vnb-WodHhKKvvHH465GeaM9QgHnfq0PcqNQzGyEwqI6Aw4/s4608/IMG_1653.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FEMd_zw5fNWWbetKUNH6qaOw_ux-VLBnkcHvlexDdv6AM_5aciFI1yvXQqrwYWBqvvHPgGAGP3Aa5b93eEtpfuyZkcx77vnb-WodHhKKvvHH465GeaM9QgHnfq0PcqNQzGyEwqI6Aw4/s320/IMG_1653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>17. Pour the hot filling into the bottom crust, leaving about a half-inch of space at the top so that the pie won't boil over in your oven.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGf6qFUFxr4H59B3xDNkarIZGYLRWa1XLtg2pq6v5GtW5_mNCg5Hfcco9NFBP327Tm1r0DNsgFxCS7h3raQ6O_LmNubWkFB_MArjxYSoetBijBduvYjnkQRjXZZ8sRmQgy7Q-oradD10/s4608/IMG_1654.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGf6qFUFxr4H59B3xDNkarIZGYLRWa1XLtg2pq6v5GtW5_mNCg5Hfcco9NFBP327Tm1r0DNsgFxCS7h3raQ6O_LmNubWkFB_MArjxYSoetBijBduvYjnkQRjXZZ8sRmQgy7Q-oradD10/w400-h300/IMG_1654.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>18. Put the top crust on the pie, pinching the edges together to seal. (I'm embarrassed at the looks of this one as I didn't center the crust right and had to go back and patch it.)</div><div><br /></div><div>19. Poke holes in the top crust to vent the pie; then brush the egg white/water mixture over the top.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZrrF_3odgz1twrPGSh0bbQG1S7k2FDutTBhUb5CYWeTHOfgRXQ7dY1pN5rljwSHRIfjHyIM-__xcwiYJwbzb0XOqqKSf1Y4EKF5IprbQS7J5UqyyUhSNpG0uX-iqOf49ViWRDMDtqh0/s4608/IMG_1655.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZrrF_3odgz1twrPGSh0bbQG1S7k2FDutTBhUb5CYWeTHOfgRXQ7dY1pN5rljwSHRIfjHyIM-__xcwiYJwbzb0XOqqKSf1Y4EKF5IprbQS7J5UqyyUhSNpG0uX-iqOf49ViWRDMDtqh0/s320/IMG_1655.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>20. Slide the pie into the hot oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is a beautiful brown.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5veOhIiY7sZu65oqTXwFFXxDszc3GyJqH1GiFiz-8ObMbcsiTw-rHr8GaWqpVwxARMoPbnSZgOZNZwPGoPH68xR31WnrY9Do7PpAw09w9IwHFBRjwzchFTpLjWtD9F-uvgkoLaiei858/s4608/IMG_1656.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5veOhIiY7sZu65oqTXwFFXxDszc3GyJqH1GiFiz-8ObMbcsiTw-rHr8GaWqpVwxARMoPbnSZgOZNZwPGoPH68xR31WnrY9Do7PpAw09w9IwHFBRjwzchFTpLjWtD9F-uvgkoLaiei858/s320/IMG_1656.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I took a picture of the oven thermometer while the pie was in the oven. If you look closely, you can tell that the thermometer doesn't indicate that the oven is anywhere close to 425ºF, but experience tells me that it is. If the thermometer on your wood cookstove's oven is not accurate, that doesn't mean that it's not useful. For example, after almost a decade of baking in the Margin Gem, I don't pay any attention to the numbers on the thermometer. Instead, it is more helpful to think of the thermometer like a clock face. If the needle is pointing to 10:00, the oven is at 350º. Eleven o'clock is 375º; noon is 400º; one o'clock is 425ºF. If the needle goes past three o'clock, I need to open the oven door! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPGBeq50UaTj0zCOjQ1E4qJKC56LTxuRA2KXpLL-qkDiTOE1TuLmWIYg-4Qq9_Vv7Su3vLxbE_N9e9I6JmXEFmu00iz5TAsSSCE72kK0TcXT6CwryUDWAmtl2cP27BZ9XXFxRwOY2yGc/s4608/IMG_1657.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPGBeq50UaTj0zCOjQ1E4qJKC56LTxuRA2KXpLL-qkDiTOE1TuLmWIYg-4Qq9_Vv7Su3vLxbE_N9e9I6JmXEFmu00iz5TAsSSCE72kK0TcXT6CwryUDWAmtl2cP27BZ9XXFxRwOY2yGc/w400-h300/IMG_1657.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After three or four attempts at photographing what the fire looks like in order to maintain a hot oven in the Margin Gem, I settled on this one.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s-2kIwwPQsQhFqSoxVbehflRWz-WJPgD7SyXgsKi03sDoPQMdb-4YKQ7zHoc4lWa7ZocGOGxRUE-CrUrcqlDcowuEAs5J3TN7Wv0XXlGKfq93EyYuPDERpxDCGNSZ0LfI-9IgXvvBsI/s4608/IMG_1660.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s-2kIwwPQsQhFqSoxVbehflRWz-WJPgD7SyXgsKi03sDoPQMdb-4YKQ7zHoc4lWa7ZocGOGxRUE-CrUrcqlDcowuEAs5J3TN7Wv0XXlGKfq93EyYuPDERpxDCGNSZ0LfI-9IgXvvBsI/w400-h300/IMG_1660.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Watch the pie carefully during the last few minutes. When you're baking at an oven temperature this high, you don't want to let the crust burn.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJcUuBqAvnRBlvG-HCgt1nJgYW-uxRpD7evbW1NVsEUCbqCM1lofTNxMLdamm6q_wWQI0ayQhU5yZoGoUeTqhlHauQ2FXpP5yFN3JsyUenmO3aQFng-6FCmSxgHWrE9iZtBb-sih-pPw/s4608/IMG_1661.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJcUuBqAvnRBlvG-HCgt1nJgYW-uxRpD7evbW1NVsEUCbqCM1lofTNxMLdamm6q_wWQI0ayQhU5yZoGoUeTqhlHauQ2FXpP5yFN3JsyUenmO3aQFng-6FCmSxgHWrE9iZtBb-sih-pPw/w400-h300/IMG_1661.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't the egg white wash make a nice looking<br />crust?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZhA0uQUmYV7006Gpd-Jz9VdQo1Ymj9rhftsnCnP80ligM_U9WqopcP7ggAKW8vxxMf4i3HQvpzTVJmY8rcGXRGlV9TiFCpMblZ2iGyg69cBmgDGLdjcpujPxgVLxt8NoOi7hyZ6sTwY/s4608/IMG_1664.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZhA0uQUmYV7006Gpd-Jz9VdQo1Ymj9rhftsnCnP80ligM_U9WqopcP7ggAKW8vxxMf4i3HQvpzTVJmY8rcGXRGlV9TiFCpMblZ2iGyg69cBmgDGLdjcpujPxgVLxt8NoOi7hyZ6sTwY/w400-h300/IMG_1664.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture because I wanted to show that when this crust<br />is baked in a stone pie plate, it pulls away from the edges once<br />it's done (as long as you've done a good job of sealing the edges<br />and none of the filling has boiled down between the crust and<br />and the pan). You can see it particularly well at the lower left side.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>21. After you remove the chicken pot pie from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before you cut into it. That will let the filling thicken even more, and it will be easier to neatly remove a piece. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7ROXfGUALMRzv8carXZ8uoFdNiElz0KWLahVfmiC9NOPS-Zv2XC-1a5PMYiIFUOP1TpVgc3kciiZM6HRSjHea6K_PkiKa21o3iIajSV-W78A3jFpX0jg1QFuBqXgIuqZr_7H7KN-0s4/s4608/IMG_1665.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7ROXfGUALMRzv8carXZ8uoFdNiElz0KWLahVfmiC9NOPS-Zv2XC-1a5PMYiIFUOP1TpVgc3kciiZM6HRSjHea6K_PkiKa21o3iIajSV-W78A3jFpX0jg1QFuBqXgIuqZr_7H7KN-0s4/w400-h300/IMG_1665.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A piece of the finished chicken pot pie.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We find that this version of chicken pot pie reheats into very tasty leftovers. In this household, that is a very high recommendation for any recipe!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The picture below is of the pie in the picture at the beginning of this post before it was baked. I included it to prove that I can actually make a top crust that doesn't have to be patched!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAz0lD8NCslCbHKSj5-9R8KSTzXDy7Q1tfcKSREYtmIAlXfe-COSBDL-Ho_slm4PdBF3RFa6VifOgPWIRh-kBP5Y4zEbTRaRk5uCu620KfLX2dPgYGqckfSOwjBHAtCdZpp13uKegjTw/s4608/IMG_1497.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAz0lD8NCslCbHKSj5-9R8KSTzXDy7Q1tfcKSREYtmIAlXfe-COSBDL-Ho_slm4PdBF3RFa6VifOgPWIRh-kBP5Y4zEbTRaRk5uCu620KfLX2dPgYGqckfSOwjBHAtCdZpp13uKegjTw/s320/IMG_1497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-31326358001276704712021-03-31T16:47:00.002-07:002021-04-01T06:12:56.063-07:00Mrs. Wilbur Heckman's Dumplings<p>The following recipe is one I copied out of the Anita, Iowa, Centennial Cookbook. This is a <i>very</i> old-fashioned recipe with a <i>very </i>old-fashioned flavor. It is too warm for soup, and we have used all of our home-grown potatoes, so I made them the "artificial potatoes" way in the lower half of the recipe.</p><p>This is the way the recipe appeared in the cookbook:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Grandma (Mrs. Wilbur) Heckman's Dumplings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;">(Copied just as she wrote it to her granddaughter)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">I used one egg and 1/2 cup of milk, a pinch of salt, about a cup of flour with one teaspoon baking powder, stir good, have your soup broth deep enough to an inch or more above other ingredients and boiling. Now drop by teaspoonful but have your spoon dipped first in hot broth. Place lid on for five minutes, or until they look done, or porous on top. <u>But</u>, don't peek at them until 5 minutes are up. When we were short of potatoes in the spring, I would feed the family by doubling the recipe, have several inches of salted water boiling and drop by tablespoons in water, let cook, then take those out onto a platter and drop more in. I would have butter browning with bread crumbs and onions and cover each layer of dumplings with that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">Mighty good! The boys (she had seven sons) called them artificial potatoes--easy and filling.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: courier;">Vesta Bailey Duensing</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Here is what the dumpling batter looks like when it is all mixed up. I put perhaps an extra tablespoon of flour in them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QXIC8Ai_-xZPO_sNMfNSXtkCtME4RyFga5P2fd8AowDxTl4H5Hel44NOBVh51KYIysJtwMYP1qaaPajsHHvt8KEwbzYvgWOA2nVVu6YkGdxFWH85gLQdMv0RR8ixmVA4WIGhl9Yg5Pg/s4608/IMG_1639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QXIC8Ai_-xZPO_sNMfNSXtkCtME4RyFga5P2fd8AowDxTl4H5Hel44NOBVh51KYIysJtwMYP1qaaPajsHHvt8KEwbzYvgWOA2nVVu6YkGdxFWH85gLQdMv0RR8ixmVA4WIGhl9Yg5Pg/w400-h300/IMG_1639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I browned onions and bread crumbs in butter just like she suggested. If I make these again, I'm going to forego the bread crumbs. They were unnecessary and added kind of a sandy texture to the outside of the dumplings.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElpgXDGQj4xI9r73l23vJiSP5pPp0amhHrESyqWjUttG7BLgakE14XafiU4H1CmmH7BFuf9wHqGCJYS_pcG_iAjVUVyPlxMfisUBp_OJ7kInRXKPPMBNS93PXN4XLKHF3M7vZkYcOV4s/s4608/IMG_1640.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElpgXDGQj4xI9r73l23vJiSP5pPp0amhHrESyqWjUttG7BLgakE14XafiU4H1CmmH7BFuf9wHqGCJYS_pcG_iAjVUVyPlxMfisUBp_OJ7kInRXKPPMBNS93PXN4XLKHF3M7vZkYcOV4s/w300-h400/IMG_1640.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't take a photograph and spoon the dumplings into the boiling water, so you'll have to settle for a picture of what they looked like when I removed the lid after the five minutes of boiling time had elapsed.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HAlfqMPeLc63LZjGBsgJKTpaJ0080OK5jOkn961l9qNguTT5R2JXp1MHbFjSXJ0M97yCD1wzU5O9k0Kei5IM_gnXxgIsvZLF3SmB1jAhORLsQ_XTlrs4uBvzqf3YsZX2RqTu3pxNCkQ/s4608/IMG_1641.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HAlfqMPeLc63LZjGBsgJKTpaJ0080OK5jOkn961l9qNguTT5R2JXp1MHbFjSXJ0M97yCD1wzU5O9k0Kei5IM_gnXxgIsvZLF3SmB1jAhORLsQ_XTlrs4uBvzqf3YsZX2RqTu3pxNCkQ/w300-h400/IMG_1641.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I scooped them into a frying pan of hot browned butter and then added the browned onions and bread crumbs.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoi1BM0Bfl9uVM5aLHT8i2nIg9jPaYf6lHt7zgfnpKYWkb1RYGaAneeDTPkR1dW1D8kFIGu6T8Qr9-aKH3CvpznnqXtzr6gfR5o3lklB20n_Ff9_uIQE9jcj3m5ewtFejJIwk-Nk4BeLw/s4608/IMG_1642.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoi1BM0Bfl9uVM5aLHT8i2nIg9jPaYf6lHt7zgfnpKYWkb1RYGaAneeDTPkR1dW1D8kFIGu6T8Qr9-aKH3CvpznnqXtzr6gfR5o3lklB20n_Ff9_uIQE9jcj3m5ewtFejJIwk-Nk4BeLw/w300-h400/IMG_1642.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once again, Marjorie the Margin Gem is <br />desperately in need of a bath! Poor girl. She's<br />always getting her picture snapped when she's<br />not at her best.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The dumplings were faintly like boiled potatoes, and they certainly weren't bad. I ate them with a lettuce and cabbage salad and hamburgers that I had canned last summer on the Hayes-Custer.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRH4lwWzKaTaDxxmbF3OqZ_aN6Z3JIEjh-4uS9LFjevbMwHpXq87t3Anrg3DpKhZLTadmCZKEm9lWXZ6bIeYqMELa4SGZcT8H0mw-_0vbzsSnsnifRBWyk49nSO8ZTedPDlUsG-tse8c/s4608/IMG_1644.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRH4lwWzKaTaDxxmbF3OqZ_aN6Z3JIEjh-4uS9LFjevbMwHpXq87t3Anrg3DpKhZLTadmCZKEm9lWXZ6bIeYqMELa4SGZcT8H0mw-_0vbzsSnsnifRBWyk49nSO8ZTedPDlUsG-tse8c/w400-h300/IMG_1644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In these days of heightened awareness about carbohydrate consumption, I don't suppose these will enjoy renewed popularity. However, back in the day when farming involved constant physical labor, you can see where these little balls of energy would be welcome on the noon dinner plate if the potato bin was empty.<br /><div><br /></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-37422566673232288912021-03-24T13:31:00.004-07:002021-03-24T13:34:25.177-07:00Great Majestic Ranges<p>I want to share another fun piece of cookstove media from my collection. The scans below are from an oversized booklet showing the ranges which were being manufactured by the Majestic Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri, in the late 1910s. Because of the size of the pages, I had a difficult time getting full-sized scans.</p><p>As with so much of the wood cookstove ephemera I have, no publishing date is present anywhere in the booklet. Thus, we use various clues to arrive at an approximate date, and the first clues appear on the front cover.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0JrkX99cn9n0Y7j__VsctxAgpqS0pJdw4W60tDXVQwW66mAVLjYW6dkViDqBiKgBIFrBnI23sFI0PSY4PjybXdI5TrTBDhDJvk6wv1hrlubgdAnicNXhf3PPq5dqtiuShwAODBaWoyY/s2048/img022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0JrkX99cn9n0Y7j__VsctxAgpqS0pJdw4W60tDXVQwW66mAVLjYW6dkViDqBiKgBIFrBnI23sFI0PSY4PjybXdI5TrTBDhDJvk6wv1hrlubgdAnicNXhf3PPq5dqtiuShwAODBaWoyY/w494-h640/img022.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The woman's hairstyle in the photograph above screams 1915-1919. The style of her blouse also is appropriate for that time period.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our next clue comes from the inside cover, which states that the Great Majestic Range is "The Range with a Reputation" because it won a gold medal, the highest award given at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California. More commonly known as the San Francisco World's Fair, this event opened on February 20, 1915, and did not close until December 4 of that same year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another indicator of the date is the fact that none of the stoves in the booklet have any porcelain enamel on them. As I understand it, the capability of using porcelain enamel on stoves was developed right around the turn of the twentieth century, but it wasn't until the 1920s that it became widely popular.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA0LPe7IHooZCHZ9OjaxkA2OGeYfhRYsm-lWTPERNxeboXo6ZOF_4hYKI6i2T2nIElTg-IMP51KLY9xTkNJYcjvG8R3Gman0CaQP_Iaq7TVT6hBYyIEAuJ-PO1PXGi3FIRpx-mCv4uko/s2048/img046.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA0LPe7IHooZCHZ9OjaxkA2OGeYfhRYsm-lWTPERNxeboXo6ZOF_4hYKI6i2T2nIElTg-IMP51KLY9xTkNJYcjvG8R3Gman0CaQP_Iaq7TVT6hBYyIEAuJ-PO1PXGi3FIRpx-mCv4uko/w494-h640/img046.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Majestic Manufacturing Company, sometimes called the Majestic Stove Company, produced about two million ranges between the 1880s and the 1940s and was one of the ten largest stove producers in the United States prior to World War II. Many of their ranges are still in use today, and they are very commonly found in stove restoration shops.<div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ7R-RoyysJUUcf6gf9b6He2iioMOOOGeLb5xc0QGqVDVVAReWGac2gIYLeaIatJcTa4qWlOTKkpboP2u9pnHjyulzTDZlRR7yMpftzAupvoKsQvh6gmOjYWMonzode8IxnZIb8382R0/s2048/img002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ7R-RoyysJUUcf6gf9b6He2iioMOOOGeLb5xc0QGqVDVVAReWGac2gIYLeaIatJcTa4qWlOTKkpboP2u9pnHjyulzTDZlRR7yMpftzAupvoKsQvh6gmOjYWMonzode8IxnZIb8382R0/w494-h640/img002.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The section about malleable iron on the above page is interesting. It touts the superiority of malleable iron over cast iron, saying in part that the life of a Majestic Range is three or four times as long as an all casti-iron range. I would be interested to hear what modern-day stove restorers have to say about that. It is my understanding that the all-cast-iron ranges built in the Northeast are far easier to restore, and from the looks of what is on the internet, a lot of them have lasted pretty well. I invite those who are much more knowledgeable than I to put their two cents worth in the comments section at the bottom of this post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The information about the "Pin Extension Malleable Iron Water Front" on the next page explains how the Majestic waterfront provides more hot water than any other design. The Majestic waterjacket design was certainly unique. It had a series of circular "pins" that protruded from the top right side, thus vastly increasing the surface area where water could be heated. Majestic used this design for many years. I think it probably worked very well. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I would have to say, however, that in the range where I saw one installed, I think the pins would have been in the way when trying to put larger chunks of wood in the fire. You can sort of see the front pin sticking out over the piece of wood burning in the firebox in the photograph below. This range was at Mill Creek Antiques in Paxico, Kansas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufOs0h-eFq6ay6Ysfmel5z4akAgiMETKBDYo1ft7U0AuD97wA6CF-Etyxnp0t3mrRnA-EElG3J8SQ5BCTuloXKbka9BuFL4DrV_BxcJaK-z7MKs5nJnhWKG2ztwVDxIApZyLeimR2jNg/s4608/IMG_0712.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufOs0h-eFq6ay6Ysfmel5z4akAgiMETKBDYo1ft7U0AuD97wA6CF-Etyxnp0t3mrRnA-EElG3J8SQ5BCTuloXKbka9BuFL4DrV_BxcJaK-z7MKs5nJnhWKG2ztwVDxIApZyLeimR2jNg/w480-h640/IMG_0712.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an earlier model Great Majestic than what you see in the catalog.<br />You can tell that because it has the ornate "Tea Pot Shelves" that this<br />catalog says were unsanitary on the next page.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Following that, is the obligatory information about how wonderful the oven is. I have yet to run across any stove brochure, flyer, or advertisement that doesn't advertise how wonderfully the oven bakes--and always on <i>so little fuel</i>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrkg5xA_LBB5evXZ-lHj5SAK7aFAXQcgqIOcZKuTpNIz80fI9FBRAt8Ac_yvVYyPcBtXGtvEVX1wsmCrJPd4Ls_BvWZQDTd4ojUPHDTcxwMSgHO_6nqma_03s3LbU7AxWYAVlaODFRcQ/s2048/img003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrkg5xA_LBB5evXZ-lHj5SAK7aFAXQcgqIOcZKuTpNIz80fI9FBRAt8Ac_yvVYyPcBtXGtvEVX1wsmCrJPd4Ls_BvWZQDTd4ojUPHDTcxwMSgHO_6nqma_03s3LbU7AxWYAVlaODFRcQ/w494-h640/img003.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The text that was cut off at the bottom of this page simply reads,<br />"and see for yourself."</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ7R-RoyysJUUcf6gf9b6He2iioMOOOGeLb5xc0QGqVDVVAReWGac2gIYLeaIatJcTa4qWlOTKkpboP2u9pnHjyulzTDZlRR7yMpftzAupvoKsQvh6gmOjYWMonzode8IxnZIb8382R0/s2048/img002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nD4TM3Ge4C0ssNY59-qqSbFRqe3Jb3ULCGt3GbGqsmJ0SaNnAA4FElUG30swBVkgC4VjOj-abUH_o20fIsr8H7uqAO00BVLlmc-VZ54nEqdw3mGZQVoTIh_nYAHC5goxxLzmLc8tL68/s2048/img004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nD4TM3Ge4C0ssNY59-qqSbFRqe3Jb3ULCGt3GbGqsmJ0SaNnAA4FElUG30swBVkgC4VjOj-abUH_o20fIsr8H7uqAO00BVLlmc-VZ54nEqdw3mGZQVoTIh_nYAHC5goxxLzmLc8tL68/w494-h640/img004.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The page below talks about the warming closet below the baking oven. This was a feature that some New England ranges had, but in Midwestern ranges I believe it was unique to Home Comfort and the cabinet-style Majestics. They advertise that you can dry wood and shoes down there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F9fivQsHf2Yev27IpCxfEcHkZxjLQd8pGzjlA6b2lIvQtjNELbFYWOLItzQdbMWNVRW5nBvBcGepzSiv61WmU37hRXIFIqHNUn3PvSdwzHaI537zCDAFzkurMUaxFWaeRDcTb4jsD0I/s2048/img005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F9fivQsHf2Yev27IpCxfEcHkZxjLQd8pGzjlA6b2lIvQtjNELbFYWOLItzQdbMWNVRW5nBvBcGepzSiv61WmU37hRXIFIqHNUn3PvSdwzHaI537zCDAFzkurMUaxFWaeRDcTb4jsD0I/w494-h640/img005.jpg" width="494" /></a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And now for the pictures of the stoves!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdXJPdiRHX2kKbRFwgWYTKQTeYuOSh1ehYQsJlQng0ivGCJ9y9-BXNE77ThLEsbIRRoI27HzNbiCFmp2Ep1AOHPcuGUVKGpf4SxW6c9ovLDABIxAmdC__2lFvUPCByjEe9yu2xTAd0Vs/s2048/img006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdXJPdiRHX2kKbRFwgWYTKQTeYuOSh1ehYQsJlQng0ivGCJ9y9-BXNE77ThLEsbIRRoI27HzNbiCFmp2Ep1AOHPcuGUVKGpf4SxW6c9ovLDABIxAmdC__2lFvUPCByjEe9yu2xTAd0Vs/w494-h640/img006.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Majestic cabinet style "Square Range."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>In the text boxes at the top right of each picture, you can see the different sizes that each model range came in.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRuhSLmB-a0eGmiYJDx4c-aERJp5IddlRxWrVEAfEXoxD9YLnnEKqQnoRua_1bp-ySZgSHput3ARIX7S_8DpTnMTilqgQVlMjJ-wC2ikcPaBpVEQxOhavLB2cryp9TK7mTNmDh5Yv38I/s2048/img007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRuhSLmB-a0eGmiYJDx4c-aERJp5IddlRxWrVEAfEXoxD9YLnnEKqQnoRua_1bp-ySZgSHput3ARIX7S_8DpTnMTilqgQVlMjJ-wC2ikcPaBpVEQxOhavLB2cryp9TK7mTNmDh5Yv38I/w494-h640/img007.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pictures on the right side always show the same Great Majestic Range<br />model except with legs.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2Z7upBANhTvMIep23BfcE-W30jBPfdoA7gVV8N9twI3z-NlFncJ8sZw0r-YTQVorowi1cATiM3OnRqFSdsqVWolZk6kEsRY2euVgH8ShtI4gHhYJzCUgey4grKGIQR-oOwF_lxj6HWs/s2048/img008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2Z7upBANhTvMIep23BfcE-W30jBPfdoA7gVV8N9twI3z-NlFncJ8sZw0r-YTQVorowi1cATiM3OnRqFSdsqVWolZk6kEsRY2euVgH8ShtI4gHhYJzCUgey4grKGIQR-oOwF_lxj6HWs/w494-h640/img008.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYHgwAkCJPMZQabjYKgjaIO7qXtsoQENWlO2_cCvttNUpZz0HVh977TyrLVzegfU_-rpiijpz86SxL9E8tBuBlyFWi03OQSR941B86jzqk6N7BYagMPWledzqETb1UAx6kS09NMMk378/s2048/img009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYHgwAkCJPMZQabjYKgjaIO7qXtsoQENWlO2_cCvttNUpZz0HVh977TyrLVzegfU_-rpiijpz86SxL9E8tBuBlyFWi03OQSR941B86jzqk6N7BYagMPWledzqETb1UAx6kS09NMMk378/w494-h640/img009.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpFGEeCDZSiHFfA_vQEFzQyfynDEecTABefpOSN2ChyfMnNJG2S7rXLLgPXEj82vjytZzpx5bM8IRepNL6fT8jcQ8d701cdjbBKe3yZJ346j9naZRXWSOdWBTbvYcsz3uSvCZLeJmdis/s2048/img010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpFGEeCDZSiHFfA_vQEFzQyfynDEecTABefpOSN2ChyfMnNJG2S7rXLLgPXEj82vjytZzpx5bM8IRepNL6fT8jcQ8d701cdjbBKe3yZJ346j9naZRXWSOdWBTbvYcsz3uSvCZLeJmdis/w494-h640/img010.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggffY5eytoPrhZx9qaH4h-v5wo2EyDSUZJ1Ytpwz_huoPcRKspPdIjjUh3kmKEe5bYRiHK29NumHPu97mv5d8zY_Ep3arps5Osock3fd9BmR_nyvtwbiUxfY74rGh9q3jQnx_h_CuycWs/s2048/img011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggffY5eytoPrhZx9qaH4h-v5wo2EyDSUZJ1Ytpwz_huoPcRKspPdIjjUh3kmKEe5bYRiHK29NumHPu97mv5d8zY_Ep3arps5Osock3fd9BmR_nyvtwbiUxfY74rGh9q3jQnx_h_CuycWs/w494-h640/img011.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wGAHvfT0mj9wQMHwvQsFoUKgln7lCmzozyPeO6xoKW9y7KKc4PjzeLUqOppABPu6cJkB6XoTxIuauJ-1ot6ZXysDoEpQKNV8bh6FbhIi1D_9sU7L6iO_3HnLL497Xerv2XJCXLlLZFE/s2048/img012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wGAHvfT0mj9wQMHwvQsFoUKgln7lCmzozyPeO6xoKW9y7KKc4PjzeLUqOppABPu6cJkB6XoTxIuauJ-1ot6ZXysDoEpQKNV8bh6FbhIi1D_9sU7L6iO_3HnLL497Xerv2XJCXLlLZFE/w494-h640/img012.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EjxSsdfzqHysUAh_BLbZPh4y4p3hSc_ETbhj620XH1lB847y2unBEqEDDOS0UlCTTByG7wMJno_hDbqdQ5je8XZpR30_ANvax38YbaCIZDCh-767_u4hUm2PtQPeeKE8Wv3L3r_UCa0/s2048/img013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EjxSsdfzqHysUAh_BLbZPh4y4p3hSc_ETbhj620XH1lB847y2unBEqEDDOS0UlCTTByG7wMJno_hDbqdQ5je8XZpR30_ANvax38YbaCIZDCh-767_u4hUm2PtQPeeKE8Wv3L3r_UCa0/w494-h640/img013.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZRB_PxYanXHheS9jLCx2MI9XUzkRPYs9FFT8W6wK7Jb2mEG8SpxzMO_ojHpdA80z1EQXMRSFE7bt67yqFB24oHiApr2isZSzbSx2z2qhfiyQZPMHHej01kpTw7Etyrfw34s3w2gY4kU/s2048/img014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZRB_PxYanXHheS9jLCx2MI9XUzkRPYs9FFT8W6wK7Jb2mEG8SpxzMO_ojHpdA80z1EQXMRSFE7bt67yqFB24oHiApr2isZSzbSx2z2qhfiyQZPMHHej01kpTw7Etyrfw34s3w2gY4kU/w494-h640/img014.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder how well the range in the picture below actually sold. To me, it looks very inconvenient to operate because the only draft is located <i>below</i> that whole reservoir assembly!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb58W6x0sQuv-OVzCzl8l3ujtmn2GaERg0FgN2ekuC21x_yVsJoD4KTg0aF7O9U0X01m-VGPFSLykRRYOtfBTjIvLOVTAczlmNqvFapdYObqbjOW3mlcKNs5sjvHCfnBj8Oko8ZfJwx8/s2048/img015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb58W6x0sQuv-OVzCzl8l3ujtmn2GaERg0FgN2ekuC21x_yVsJoD4KTg0aF7O9U0X01m-VGPFSLykRRYOtfBTjIvLOVTAczlmNqvFapdYObqbjOW3mlcKNs5sjvHCfnBj8Oko8ZfJwx8/w494-h640/img015.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn33oVatjLO1OUOL0KHMuqaNs_jT-4ArY9JKL4D724HKX5F4r28aiknFXVeYFy09IhG5IEWK9hrMjdcK9PbZHByLbpEoRs5i_gkQLx8iKMivqQ4ZELqoTffPflMUP2mDUsjxDFgFyjz6Q/s2048/img016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn33oVatjLO1OUOL0KHMuqaNs_jT-4ArY9JKL4D724HKX5F4r28aiknFXVeYFy09IhG5IEWK9hrMjdcK9PbZHByLbpEoRs5i_gkQLx8iKMivqQ4ZELqoTffPflMUP2mDUsjxDFgFyjz6Q/w494-h640/img016.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3La2eH7nShpEduYIMpAEh3k4NrLTyAnmmAXxhuw1JS2anvpWfYI7mL-Z4yhI5BexuM64wZcgPXljnZmS7WePg-EiWlhYQRwPM80lJMZJXA8kcyb2ofNYpmFXxuhO6Psmm6aNUyU1XcI/s2048/img017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3La2eH7nShpEduYIMpAEh3k4NrLTyAnmmAXxhuw1JS2anvpWfYI7mL-Z4yhI5BexuM64wZcgPXljnZmS7WePg-EiWlhYQRwPM80lJMZJXA8kcyb2ofNYpmFXxuhO6Psmm6aNUyU1XcI/w494-h640/img017.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIdKW8a0N4g6IKuj62g_BJ4zACauoWPpn0qwz8TV6ablUxENmrwnX9hekwsenz_XSF3_qYMEiBeGudnUSaV5ynQVCGYNHQA6AukrrtZg0NshE67EFN0sznEuRQd7UDPyBTsl8iB7lDfs/s2048/img018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIdKW8a0N4g6IKuj62g_BJ4zACauoWPpn0qwz8TV6ablUxENmrwnX9hekwsenz_XSF3_qYMEiBeGudnUSaV5ynQVCGYNHQA6AukrrtZg0NshE67EFN0sznEuRQd7UDPyBTsl8iB7lDfs/w494-h640/img018.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbm9uRnCl2Zga6Uc7S0B5H6JxBVB7M_jSCntULUACZfPF-mnu1gzGtVUIWckKJSWfE4zu2xulUP7xU-hU5BJBBc5nEBHOy0Y3wAVgsLm56l83Y1s6HnKmMttxy53lGjyRc5dj7M5LB_I/s2048/img019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbm9uRnCl2Zga6Uc7S0B5H6JxBVB7M_jSCntULUACZfPF-mnu1gzGtVUIWckKJSWfE4zu2xulUP7xU-hU5BJBBc5nEBHOy0Y3wAVgsLm56l83Y1s6HnKmMttxy53lGjyRc5dj7M5LB_I/w494-h640/img019.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRugcgiSIzIFvZXyz3_AIKak9pNyAM4EIvAJowVBU0EMZuW4revTaPRgG7pAZM75zkkLEjT4r4h-ZOP_ZG6lrOrBfexH34h9bwV7js6ON2eQjAdYimHChe6ZNaxX5aBIc5Nm7o1nA-F2k/s2048/img020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRugcgiSIzIFvZXyz3_AIKak9pNyAM4EIvAJowVBU0EMZuW4revTaPRgG7pAZM75zkkLEjT4r4h-ZOP_ZG6lrOrBfexH34h9bwV7js6ON2eQjAdYimHChe6ZNaxX5aBIc5Nm7o1nA-F2k/w494-h640/img020.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EtdExliAEH7m7XJJf3-Jlcofmzilb0z3PxsbGppt_chvseMzF0L8SjKKoI3LNeRr4AwE2leFhyphenhyphenVHOdycjKfoFwl3Wq5JHzFCH34eZT32yxVz5T5flug5ZZFj4Alvk52LvVYIVp9mvmQ/s2048/img021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EtdExliAEH7m7XJJf3-Jlcofmzilb0z3PxsbGppt_chvseMzF0L8SjKKoI3LNeRr4AwE2leFhyphenhyphenVHOdycjKfoFwl3Wq5JHzFCH34eZT32yxVz5T5flug5ZZFj4Alvk52LvVYIVp9mvmQ/w494-h640/img021.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A very similar stove to the one above is currently for sale on Ebay. You can see it here:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Great-Majestic-Stove-functional-and-new-chrome/303742237307?hash=item46b872ba7b:g:MdkAAOSwYvNfl5Wf">https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Great-Majestic-Stove-functional-and-new-chrome/303742237307?hash=item46b872ba7b:g:MdkAAOSwYvNfl5Wf</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Ranges that were equipped with both a water reservoir and a waterfront and boiler were quite common in houses where running water had been installed. The reservoir was most often used to heat rainwater, which was collected from the roofs of houses in cisterns. It was valued for washing dishes, clothing, and hair because it was "soft." In other words, it didn't have all the minerals of well water and therefore cooperated with soap better and provided better cleaning.<div><br /></div><div>The waterfront and range boiler were usually connected to water systems providing well water or city water, which would be under pressure so that it could be piped throughout the home.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_k7_HAvvZEPtr28vjpTi3W0yleMqXZIxoySQfo76b3nYCmbNAHiKk70eGPeWPqIXhgNb2E4W5ZNn-cGM3uT_Pt_E2kNgOb113yY9sL8tQvL5fmnW_EpU0yd5zlEozcr3-SgROM0LFKQ/s2048/img023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_k7_HAvvZEPtr28vjpTi3W0yleMqXZIxoySQfo76b3nYCmbNAHiKk70eGPeWPqIXhgNb2E4W5ZNn-cGM3uT_Pt_E2kNgOb113yY9sL8tQvL5fmnW_EpU0yd5zlEozcr3-SgROM0LFKQ/w494-h640/img023.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs0yqCLP-l15f43e5KsOFiTYqbb2NdgYnLqEwYtH7YY3szil2UYjO6oIrSoNIuXeA4yY4JB8rWA0O0UNN5Y27vv4wupbCyoFt0kU_Z6G3jAsrCo3LpanhLRiaHn-wQe-fep1KQZVtizU/s2048/img024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs0yqCLP-l15f43e5KsOFiTYqbb2NdgYnLqEwYtH7YY3szil2UYjO6oIrSoNIuXeA4yY4JB8rWA0O0UNN5Y27vv4wupbCyoFt0kU_Z6G3jAsrCo3LpanhLRiaHn-wQe-fep1KQZVtizU/w494-h640/img024.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Combination ranges were coming into fashion during this time. The gas side was used during warmer weather when the ability to shut the heat off as soon as cooking was finished kept the kitchen much cooler.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtdY76OGSZFmWTFHyEcKY1vj03-iVQQ21RSNMjEK1Aiex2-rb555hlaM2yTiMM_UcPf3GgnKw5Tbh7hkyp3VJEzxkoUDPBf0_NVz44ogmIdGlqoBwWCeZNylmblFZQh9UFkI_iRkWdr8/s2048/img025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtdY76OGSZFmWTFHyEcKY1vj03-iVQQ21RSNMjEK1Aiex2-rb555hlaM2yTiMM_UcPf3GgnKw5Tbh7hkyp3VJEzxkoUDPBf0_NVz44ogmIdGlqoBwWCeZNylmblFZQh9UFkI_iRkWdr8/w494-h640/img025.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMh6esOCEahRcer3NUQDzyoRp74aKVJo-HQuu9oqc1DOaOElpghOOG33TKVrXg6N6jo-JsOMD7Fp-RRpEmNYUZ3-aBI6wrAJzI_Zsv-HAU5eHddFp7yYv_YOWfQnOlTsB2rhRmJ58OuA/s2048/img026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMh6esOCEahRcer3NUQDzyoRp74aKVJo-HQuu9oqc1DOaOElpghOOG33TKVrXg6N6jo-JsOMD7Fp-RRpEmNYUZ3-aBI6wrAJzI_Zsv-HAU5eHddFp7yYv_YOWfQnOlTsB2rhRmJ58OuA/w494-h640/img026.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And now for the pie´ces de re´sistance:</div><div><br /></div><div>Someday...someday I hope to get a chance to cook on a stove like one of these!</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP1aosl_4t7B0aQ6O3zI7tQnXOLKlv9zoaLlqUiJj9XtjxfqOjWuKlSSdbq5b6Th_o2qUPtXekuuyViivaYAvYjj7RSDOIY-8vnnrZUBoAxclrPfObB2_31VQ1HEAyVUJktV2g6_rjZY/s2048/img027.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP1aosl_4t7B0aQ6O3zI7tQnXOLKlv9zoaLlqUiJj9XtjxfqOjWuKlSSdbq5b6Th_o2qUPtXekuuyViivaYAvYjj7RSDOIY-8vnnrZUBoAxclrPfObB2_31VQ1HEAyVUJktV2g6_rjZY/w494-h640/img027.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The largest range of this style came with three 23" x 23" ovens and weighed<br />in at a whopping 1740 pounds!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I would love to know how the flues in the range above were designed because the description says "One fire box will heat one, two, or three ovens, as needed, or entire top can be heated without heating the ovens." How did that work?<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMAwDypvr7tP-asAiRt6K4bhIHOg5KNKbpIK5S5uveyBSKsTV2Ee5WAqr4gn7rq2Ks_kgmyiQ9dIejRPwJw2OYVM9Jn5QDTyWwoDCrxE0WGVqgLDY8kCK7InNcPG9SC-5nsm2QInRfdc/s2048/img028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMAwDypvr7tP-asAiRt6K4bhIHOg5KNKbpIK5S5uveyBSKsTV2Ee5WAqr4gn7rq2Ks_kgmyiQ9dIejRPwJw2OYVM9Jn5QDTyWwoDCrxE0WGVqgLDY8kCK7InNcPG9SC-5nsm2QInRfdc/w494-h640/img028.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>According to the information here, Majestic was the largest manufacturer of hotel ranges in the world. These ranges could be "twinned" with as many of them as were desired, thus making the long, multi-ovened beasts you see in historic photographs of places like the White House kitchen. Man! Cooking on one of these looks like so much fun!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0np6MFfGx31C8ArOb_zLkTJCYrVFRxwuNAcZRttqFombG-xlokrolHNJI4OQBQ9TYzBa0U-2KxGXXI-sjYfHfm81f1s17jVcTEtAcZZCY-5D9JZLFMkOF8fLOmBprb_DrMBa3ZZGdcQ/s2048/img029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0np6MFfGx31C8ArOb_zLkTJCYrVFRxwuNAcZRttqFombG-xlokrolHNJI4OQBQ9TYzBa0U-2KxGXXI-sjYfHfm81f1s17jVcTEtAcZZCY-5D9JZLFMkOF8fLOmBprb_DrMBa3ZZGdcQ/w494-h640/img029.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div>So, are any of you dear readers cooking on a Great Majestic? If so, tell us all what you think of it in the comments below.</div></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-47111533010531792021-03-03T05:44:00.001-08:002021-03-03T05:45:37.966-08:00Request for Help from a Flameview Owner<p>Yesterday, a comment was placed on this post about the Flameview that I feel needs a little more attention than it will probably get in its original location. The comment is below. If any of you Flameview owners can help this fellow wood cookstove owner out, that would be great.</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Help! I have a Flameview wood stove with warming shelf and am in need of the manual. Can't find the sucker anywhere. Can someone on here email it to me, please? djmontowski@gmail.com Thanks in advance!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-23148197105772452092021-02-28T12:55:00.002-08:002021-02-28T12:55:25.362-08:00Grandma Marian's Rice Pudding<p>Both Meme and Grandma Marian were of the school of thought that rice should be cooked forever in the top of a double boiler. I know Meme's mother (my great-great-grandmother) cooked it in the same manner, and it was always served on Saturday night for supper. Thus, I almost laughed aloud when I read the following bit from page 50 of my reprint of the 1933 Home Comfort Cookbook:</p><p><i>"Rice should not be put into a double boiler and cooked slowly into a pasty mass."</i></p><p>That is EXACTLY what they both did, and I ate it happily every time!</p><p>If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that Grandma only made rice once per month. It was served instead of the ever-present potato with a sprinkling of sugar and a dash of cinnamon once it was on our plates. Other than that, it was completely unseasoned. (I had never even heard of salting rice until I was in college, and I had never had Chinese food either.) If any rice was leftover, she would make it into rice pudding for dessert a day or two later. Since she didn't ever know how much rice she would have (she was constantly cooking for large groups of family and hired men), there was never any recipe for her rice pudding. Furthermore, sometimes it all fit into a small custard cup, and sometimes it needed an 8" x 10" Pyrex dish. Obviously, this dish is very flexible.</p><p>Also, I should give fair warning that though Grandma always called this "rice pudding," it is really more of a baked custard with rice in it. Thus, if you are looking for a rice pudding that is more similar to a cornstarch pudding, this isn't going to fit that bill.</p><p>To start with, you need leftover cooked rice, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. You can see in the picture below that I had two different containers of leftover rice, and I would estimate that they amounted to about 2 1/2 cups altogether.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcH0xV-Idl6aiLpxFH7kTQiCL1m2BWqETXFJzxTpzxuoAn7700tovoMewouGUF79uVNg8x0XalhV83e8y7mP8UyZJ-wXuBHXyqIgPdUwW0-pahTCqCOnyUj7p2yJEQl29HD-rzxzRwZ4/s4608/IMG_1614.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcH0xV-Idl6aiLpxFH7kTQiCL1m2BWqETXFJzxTpzxuoAn7700tovoMewouGUF79uVNg8x0XalhV83e8y7mP8UyZJ-wXuBHXyqIgPdUwW0-pahTCqCOnyUj7p2yJEQl29HD-rzxzRwZ4/s320/IMG_1614.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To this amount of rice, I added three eggs and some milk, a splash of vanilla, and perhaps a quarter cup of sugar. I could have put more sugar in--Grandma certainly would have--but I like this best served with ice cream, so I didn't want it to be all that sweet.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CFdiNU6_9uNRtAW_s-wWRV4qG4O6-_ivWXngWAn-4mJRS1gG3Vk86SgIvVb3sgUH3DA7M_D1bpMCLFjYHU436lNQWrubNOxwWC7qW7eELuaq69_F1pQ9qqsDzvNjo_hVmkaV3s8F5Pg/s4608/IMG_1615.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CFdiNU6_9uNRtAW_s-wWRV4qG4O6-_ivWXngWAn-4mJRS1gG3Vk86SgIvVb3sgUH3DA7M_D1bpMCLFjYHU436lNQWrubNOxwWC7qW7eELuaq69_F1pQ9qqsDzvNjo_hVmkaV3s8F5Pg/s320/IMG_1615.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Three eggs didn't seem to be sufficient, so I added a fourth and a dab more milk. That's the thing with this sort of "recipe": you have to carefully observe what things look like so that you know how to adjust your proportions. In this case, you want there to be enough egg and milk mixture to cover the rice completely. You can see that things looked better after I added these extras.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KYiFvnAH4a5F8iQlXWREMnWhkN_kWznb38qs0OxUiuGIkvWNTEbPibMB1vEViewFWNVu7a8UnqAcW5MhLQM84k0GTs5QP4xIOpUf6yAgkE9U7tmt6WIpw9T-hFX6F1FzoWe95QtOBHc/s4608/IMG_1617.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KYiFvnAH4a5F8iQlXWREMnWhkN_kWznb38qs0OxUiuGIkvWNTEbPibMB1vEViewFWNVu7a8UnqAcW5MhLQM84k0GTs5QP4xIOpUf6yAgkE9U7tmt6WIpw9T-hFX6F1FzoWe95QtOBHc/s320/IMG_1617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, add whatever amount of raisins you would like. I think I put in a heaping half cup into this batch. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHtDz3k9KG6Z3DPwe2IRWPoVConbRFPdxh7XImZjW1dA2XnYb6wnuvNkeSpVuFFNfVMOKkxSflMhEAMfkbEfSVyVWXo-8J6O6KVvFGxdmYt_CYvnD_zEzh0FpossHjhVR4jCQ-xfyVCI/s4608/IMG_1616.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHtDz3k9KG6Z3DPwe2IRWPoVConbRFPdxh7XImZjW1dA2XnYb6wnuvNkeSpVuFFNfVMOKkxSflMhEAMfkbEfSVyVWXo-8J6O6KVvFGxdmYt_CYvnD_zEzh0FpossHjhVR4jCQ-xfyVCI/s320/IMG_1616.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lightly sprinkle cinnamon on the top of the pudding once you put it in whatever dish you are going to bake it in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Pk9qBk35kZXcW5EW051hzUxnOhfn7qVx1NSfMGSEAYrdecsHTqD7ssx2lQCeLgdbL0GJex_quO2Ok8x_ecwAQETDlOP49jW5-u_v3bo-5crYksKiYxCROdcFqsKMNZhc9r9AxsOCiY/s4608/IMG_1618.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Pk9qBk35kZXcW5EW051hzUxnOhfn7qVx1NSfMGSEAYrdecsHTqD7ssx2lQCeLgdbL0GJex_quO2Ok8x_ecwAQETDlOP49jW5-u_v3bo-5crYksKiYxCROdcFqsKMNZhc9r9AxsOCiY/s320/IMG_1618.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a particularly good recipe to bake in a wood cookstove because you don't have to have a certain oven temperature. I imagine Grandma baked it at 325ºF, but you just have to have a slow to moderate oven.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwe3zuca-JVhbAhXDJo3KJ6yksRkg_bAy9vQl3T-FduUcENZHF1QQFvZe-jFf8W3I7-Ey1bGNzB9YqpncQTNwZey9_22Ve9u4g1KmgAWAp5Q32VP6VVZiEuRVcz2XAqQNn7XHa1_K6qHU/s4608/IMG_1619.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwe3zuca-JVhbAhXDJo3KJ6yksRkg_bAy9vQl3T-FduUcENZHF1QQFvZe-jFf8W3I7-Ey1bGNzB9YqpncQTNwZey9_22Ve9u4g1KmgAWAp5Q32VP6VVZiEuRVcz2XAqQNn7XHa1_K6qHU/s320/IMG_1619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Watch the pudding carefully, baking it until it is firm in the middle. Depending on the size of your pudding, this can take quite a while. Again, just watch it carefully and don't let your fire get too hot!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjqbPM0MazmyHD7YhBrPYxaljX6F0kWJSjd4a3JvqbBP2oJ96YU44zilAc201iYdujOBei7Ov1hKnUkRAZT6duwFdtQiPu_SehmQLadqAc7RyIdvPSFoh_aMQt8aTDmXqx_AKS5paRQs/s4608/IMG_1620.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjqbPM0MazmyHD7YhBrPYxaljX6F0kWJSjd4a3JvqbBP2oJ96YU44zilAc201iYdujOBei7Ov1hKnUkRAZT6duwFdtQiPu_SehmQLadqAc7RyIdvPSFoh_aMQt8aTDmXqx_AKS5paRQs/s320/IMG_1620.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I like this rice pudding best when served warm. Grandma always served it with Cool Whip, milk, half & half, or ice cream. My favorite is ice cream.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW133frqGk_aMlEidIA9eQ53KCBPHPQ59je60urizM7ufi0j01rf3zvMuDaPjDF5mPdV4aZR6gsiVl9cu_Za8p-fLz6Dh6Uopu-ICnDUKtA_loadLRWriXrEgTKQ1YERIIQ0GrXrtKw8U/s4608/IMG_1621.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW133frqGk_aMlEidIA9eQ53KCBPHPQ59je60urizM7ufi0j01rf3zvMuDaPjDF5mPdV4aZR6gsiVl9cu_Za8p-fLz6Dh6Uopu-ICnDUKtA_loadLRWriXrEgTKQ1YERIIQ0GrXrtKw8U/s320/IMG_1621.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We have some family friends who make a very similar dish that they just call "Baked Rice." Theirs is less sweet, has a bit of salt added to it, and is served as a starchy side dish for the main meal rather than a dessert, but it is the same basic idea. Both their family and Grandma's has a lot of German influence, so I wonder if this is a German dish.</p><p>Please fill up the comments with information about whether you or your family make something similar, and let us all know how your method differs.</p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-17355796138324787822021-02-22T08:29:00.004-08:002021-02-22T08:29:58.827-08:00Enterprise Stoves from the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation of Nashville, Tennessee<p>I thought I'd share one of my 2020 Christmas present with all of you. This stove catalog is from the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation of Nashville, Tennessee, and lists all of their coal and wood ranges, stoves, and heaters.</p><p>It has been very difficult to find information about the Phillips and Buttorff Corporation anywhere on the internet. What little I've found says that when Henry W. Buttorff, who was born in 1837, came of working age, he started as a sheet metal apprentice and worked his way into being a leading businessman in the state of Tennessee. The Phillips & Buttorff Manufacturing Corporation was incorporated in 1881 but had been in business as Phillips, Buttorff & Company for several years before that. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHdztJXtWE232fjVWvxnlIZKQNKlnnmgTnDfktc8yDMfYXitlqHMW1vMgapujyoKeKiuQs4WPxgVULujFcV7adLd4Dn-TXbMWsP8wpQerVs8Qvss-SV200mPtxcLMY7EltuvBtoYJ9eI/s2048/img023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHdztJXtWE232fjVWvxnlIZKQNKlnnmgTnDfktc8yDMfYXitlqHMW1vMgapujyoKeKiuQs4WPxgVULujFcV7adLd4Dn-TXbMWsP8wpQerVs8Qvss-SV200mPtxcLMY7EltuvBtoYJ9eI/w494-h640/img023.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There is no date anywhere in this catalog, but my best guess is that it dates from 1946 - 1950. I base this on the following evidence:</div><div><br /></div><div>a) The style of stoves shown in the catalog.</div><div>b) The font styles used for the text.</div><div>c) Page 1 identifies this as catalog "T."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3-Ud2SH01YHcIeGy2O4HMgV4LH-DyfY5MtrnRh0Go1X8_e__6zszslJzOv0bAiPO-mf72uVBwbUDbjYmfHmK1INQy-sUa8OnSLFP6KqUIEEBaKV1bSLALezk5r-b-H3Z_cBD0g6m8oE/s2048/img024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3-Ud2SH01YHcIeGy2O4HMgV4LH-DyfY5MtrnRh0Go1X8_e__6zszslJzOv0bAiPO-mf72uVBwbUDbjYmfHmK1INQy-sUa8OnSLFP6KqUIEEBaKV1bSLALezk5r-b-H3Z_cBD0g6m8oE/w494-h640/img024.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My research uncovered that Catalog "H" came out in 1932. If a single catalog were published each year, Catalog "T" should have come out in 1944. However, we all know that World War II stopped stove production in the U.S. since all foundries were retooled to produce munitions or other products needed for the war. </div><div><br /></div><div>The catalog does say that Phillips & Buttorff also produced a complete line of electric and gas stoves at the time it was published. During my research, I found several pictures of Enterprise gas stoves from this company, some of which looked as though they were produced in the 1960s. I was not able to find any information about the company's end, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before you take a look at the pictures below, let me say that I was initially confused about this catalog because I expected it to depict the Enterprise stoves which were manufactured in Canada. I now know that the Canadian Enterprise stove line was manufactured by Enterprise Fawcett in Sackville, New Brunswick, and had no connection that I can find to the Tennessee company using the same branding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enough comments, Jim. Let the pictures speak for themselves!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPQgmBsbe5RATbj0F5BO3jPH0WfNBIPm1ssCOY_lYlQRxDqexP0AcBwBbbI-_V6O8xdUcZPDd2TATu76PKAFhrfisMu3SM4caMQR6_Dw9b6sxENKV42AvJQTYgQKqJtBIS0Rp1NFbfJc/s2048/img025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPQgmBsbe5RATbj0F5BO3jPH0WfNBIPm1ssCOY_lYlQRxDqexP0AcBwBbbI-_V6O8xdUcZPDd2TATu76PKAFhrfisMu3SM4caMQR6_Dw9b6sxENKV42AvJQTYgQKqJtBIS0Rp1NFbfJc/w494-h640/img025.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrzmQyJoCQDus7uP_kQPrUfJstCtv0CleT_xsoh-bBMuu7bOTizYa7d1Vy2558iPVRLn8XiweMSsxOkOwFvP0enWuQnDOrYN_vnc8wit31V9WD7P419Uh-iMkFxTyqewGhKAOoGxQN7M/s2048/img026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrzmQyJoCQDus7uP_kQPrUfJstCtv0CleT_xsoh-bBMuu7bOTizYa7d1Vy2558iPVRLn8XiweMSsxOkOwFvP0enWuQnDOrYN_vnc8wit31V9WD7P419Uh-iMkFxTyqewGhKAOoGxQN7M/w494-h640/img026.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i9bJJbwYDBZ5Nk0UZRTc7rxXEYECVKRzum9lgwpxQ2IMBBKP45rHJP_g232OQzafI8V2Asl0OLFYrzWBgYLIoydiB74n23G4xlFfPLCBO3EhWhUbezPc4RixwiBoQ2lyGvdWP7x0I20/s2048/img027.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i9bJJbwYDBZ5Nk0UZRTc7rxXEYECVKRzum9lgwpxQ2IMBBKP45rHJP_g232OQzafI8V2Asl0OLFYrzWBgYLIoydiB74n23G4xlFfPLCBO3EhWhUbezPc4RixwiBoQ2lyGvdWP7x0I20/w494-h640/img027.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rAVdlOVa82wlugWGlG-4mV8X5bduwIKi6kuLgA0WCOi9dMJmD_1ZRc_Vz3jJG4mVsT99L6GUwZiofZdKRgQUgExOO7dOtbw8UQNwP-uMsSWWEZHrj2L0WGeBHnO8z-siiXr9Rk6tyw4/w494-h640/img031.jpg" width="494" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtIHDMMoCoZCuACBpMpTHIXaTj1pSjPYOwnnctWuWV64wtTvERLYv4HLRmhyb1ULwjXy_DX7cSpuNSB4oZcsk5q88tM2Kxw2-MINYggzEM8BjK3_wy6I0gz8qXC-PyYEun7hAJLP4jSs/s2048/img032.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtIHDMMoCoZCuACBpMpTHIXaTj1pSjPYOwnnctWuWV64wtTvERLYv4HLRmhyb1ULwjXy_DX7cSpuNSB4oZcsk5q88tM2Kxw2-MINYggzEM8BjK3_wy6I0gz8qXC-PyYEun7hAJLP4jSs/w494-h640/img032.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyIvjO1qoGbvn0ijWS93BNWEWIul8Ma2aXN2C99nlxtksD6nfpi_n-VtZ-GLeYW1Fhtc-DcZ75xYqr14Px6S3q0WF3rinMo9k5XzRs4Ah0gDzxm553MRu6SKvqIplujHTujECCXVh740/s2048/img035.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyIvjO1qoGbvn0ijWS93BNWEWIul8Ma2aXN2C99nlxtksD6nfpi_n-VtZ-GLeYW1Fhtc-DcZ75xYqr14Px6S3q0WF3rinMo9k5XzRs4Ah0gDzxm553MRu6SKvqIplujHTujECCXVh740/w494-h640/img035.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_QSnSv7HOf-uOHTVNSfz-7UjaUwOJsPWpXWbPZFfKarXb_LW_vLoM6lEF3FKzz3YOhIienDVQCG_rlW0L7HhJB_2A6FiGmmGVJ1B1DktCfueNS6Npsnd2P9FDnLJMznB4IXMxZHXs9U/s2048/img036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_QSnSv7HOf-uOHTVNSfz-7UjaUwOJsPWpXWbPZFfKarXb_LW_vLoM6lEF3FKzz3YOhIienDVQCG_rlW0L7HhJB_2A6FiGmmGVJ1B1DktCfueNS6Npsnd2P9FDnLJMznB4IXMxZHXs9U/w494-h640/img036.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The ten-page gap here is because the omitted pages all had to do with their heating stoves.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeaxuuFzUqTV_w-9ktqF_A3I3t_q1YaDzm7TErRODwsQiFzvkXWMzyNchcfTZlfXm3-FwXLxysdmZ8AoFzg51XHdWoYsi6Y3RqgxohxdLaQKZiSiggdVq7PyLGEwi8CkjTro_dtKIwH8/s2048/img037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeaxuuFzUqTV_w-9ktqF_A3I3t_q1YaDzm7TErRODwsQiFzvkXWMzyNchcfTZlfXm3-FwXLxysdmZ8AoFzg51XHdWoYsi6Y3RqgxohxdLaQKZiSiggdVq7PyLGEwi8CkjTro_dtKIwH8/w494-h640/img037.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_3ik89RD-s27zzJcoIjG9h4btNR29mOhpdDAXslZjkWyIuvlUDnaThJd4qWDtyH2tAcPpwhF3bKkvthOQ1WlCSec51i8fZVeRZ3pdtr8FEXqqsmVmt-F5Np747B-y-XkMh56Wos9-s/s2048/img038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_3ik89RD-s27zzJcoIjG9h4btNR29mOhpdDAXslZjkWyIuvlUDnaThJd4qWDtyH2tAcPpwhF3bKkvthOQ1WlCSec51i8fZVeRZ3pdtr8FEXqqsmVmt-F5Np747B-y-XkMh56Wos9-s/w494-h640/img038.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZvkoBxYYQw3AA-Vges1Dxz8CbUi4eYT6JBMtvKaOdKcgysRHEFVR5kY9zwzOJKk3SKBoKPLfaqan8UaaJ9w8-PoVL_63MxXeh6qzOYJCrHVcckKCNRcIGGIbmnAiw_Oh8x9jmzDk5T4/s2048/img041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZvkoBxYYQw3AA-Vges1Dxz8CbUi4eYT6JBMtvKaOdKcgysRHEFVR5kY9zwzOJKk3SKBoKPLfaqan8UaaJ9w8-PoVL_63MxXeh6qzOYJCrHVcckKCNRcIGGIbmnAiw_Oh8x9jmzDk5T4/w494-h640/img041.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZoU-NOzN6wf3EfktxkGwEHvIa3iWTKLq2hohm-g191IqAmw04NY1VAqU_WjDaM0F5rMRvCje6Uv3DuTLL2XyZQ4iJ5vfrF_Pz0_5EG64_RVd7BwZ43N_E6P9nY2plpukivEsCFzvrl4/s2048/img042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZoU-NOzN6wf3EfktxkGwEHvIa3iWTKLq2hohm-g191IqAmw04NY1VAqU_WjDaM0F5rMRvCje6Uv3DuTLL2XyZQ4iJ5vfrF_Pz0_5EG64_RVd7BwZ43N_E6P9nY2plpukivEsCFzvrl4/w494-h640/img042.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClleKsbM1PCUTzTs12hKFQXVUPKfy4zkB0SV7Hrf0fOr5n75NLV9AhJizeVf00-oSIhRZhStkGbb9q8xyVGd1rdSY9l4E_T7CQDajNKtY3ghXoPWzqall8_WIH_YepjDtBjY83tos9aY/s2048/img043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClleKsbM1PCUTzTs12hKFQXVUPKfy4zkB0SV7Hrf0fOr5n75NLV9AhJizeVf00-oSIhRZhStkGbb9q8xyVGd1rdSY9l4E_T7CQDajNKtY3ghXoPWzqall8_WIH_YepjDtBjY83tos9aY/w494-h640/img043.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_31DQEYoILA05unjsxLBQcyzb94xgbTvWg8dVN-BF_ujRCodnEq6zh2QPsTEU8e4HiwYCwCqWRczX57SKQv7MWGRbzG8CNzU6uNuCVU1hyphenhyphenCUFrmwKdAH3VWPcHj_RFcjE7ZT-lvm-Lc/s2048/img044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_31DQEYoILA05unjsxLBQcyzb94xgbTvWg8dVN-BF_ujRCodnEq6zh2QPsTEU8e4HiwYCwCqWRczX57SKQv7MWGRbzG8CNzU6uNuCVU1hyphenhyphenCUFrmwKdAH3VWPcHj_RFcjE7ZT-lvm-Lc/w494-h640/img044.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The page above, my friends, is the type of thing that caused me to start this blog. Notice how scant the directions really are.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K6izVDHf3DzV5h6T61C5pX6b2TfMRgDripVlD_PP3Pjzjk195gb9LvtDRj7jlGCWE7uSTJd0_9wsGYXCZQkLh6HY5xUTcj4kBGx5-7dAI2REPJ-kaZS_x3dMV2J0PEq-O-4e-maM8ww/s2048/img045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K6izVDHf3DzV5h6T61C5pX6b2TfMRgDripVlD_PP3Pjzjk195gb9LvtDRj7jlGCWE7uSTJd0_9wsGYXCZQkLh6HY5xUTcj4kBGx5-7dAI2REPJ-kaZS_x3dMV2J0PEq-O-4e-maM8ww/w494-h640/img045.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><p>If any of my readers has a Phillips & Buttorff Enterprise stove, please comment below about your experiences with it. Also, if anyone who reads this knows more about the Phillips & Buttorff Corporation, by all means, utilize the comments to let us all know more about this company! </p>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-10625520701338280992021-02-16T19:44:00.000-08:002021-02-16T19:44:22.141-08:00Product Review: An Ash Vacuum<p>I used some of my Christmas money this year to buy an ash vacuum from Tractor Supply Company. Anyone who has a woodburning stove knows that ashes have a habit of landing in places that you don't want them, and a vacuum is the easiest, quickest, and most thorough method of cleaning them up. </p><p>We've got quite a history with vacuums used for ash removal in this house. When we first moved in when I was six years old, we exchanged houses with my grandparents who lived next door here on the farm. My grandmother left her Hoover 2201 here, and we used it to vacuum up ashes around the Washington Stoveworks parlor stove that was in the enclosed south porch. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPzorGsCa5Lw0wk4qqqNxbcrnSRklThxEu0qB_3hoVaWI_932Yw22655aLHMYmYRw5g9Es1UdaGAX575VilayIwz9486HTjfim-lsMI0GpiB8lUYu_EPJGtuW2Z80OegVZAl-UvxHIEA/s273/Granny%2527s+Orange+Hoover.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="185" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPzorGsCa5Lw0wk4qqqNxbcrnSRklThxEu0qB_3hoVaWI_932Yw22655aLHMYmYRw5g9Es1UdaGAX575VilayIwz9486HTjfim-lsMI0GpiB8lUYu_EPJGtuW2Z80OegVZAl-UvxHIEA/w271-h400/Granny%2527s+Orange+Hoover.jpeg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hoover 2201 identical to the one Granny<br />left here in 1981. Photo courtesy of Pinterest.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We used this vacuum for perhaps two or three years until I accidentally sucked up a live ember. The air rushing through the vacuum cleaner's system quickly fanned the ember into flames, and the machine was ruined. </p><p>After that, we brought up the Airway Sanitizer Vacuum that had been our basement vacuum cleaner even when we lived in the little house. I think this one belonged to my great-grandparents on my dad's side. It was just like the one in the picture below, only we still had the original cloth hose.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5grJOg-2TY1HuEornSHeZg8MRV2Jj3c9ES9GiB3AAYl6gpw9rQOJQJObN_auHcX9eKq3unK1TjNcJkXvt15GLYPTledAcxQZ4gbGm4PMdGyPCcDaJq_RWnghTLldSwbJ4c4fTheWSLMI/s300/Airway+Sanitizer+Vacuum.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5grJOg-2TY1HuEornSHeZg8MRV2Jj3c9ES9GiB3AAYl6gpw9rQOJQJObN_auHcX9eKq3unK1TjNcJkXvt15GLYPTledAcxQZ4gbGm4PMdGyPCcDaJq_RWnghTLldSwbJ4c4fTheWSLMI/w240-h320/Airway+Sanitizer+Vacuum.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old Airway Sanitizer Vacuum like <br />the one we had. Photo from Pinterest.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure what happened to end this vacuum cleaner's career. I suspicion that in the days before the almighty internet, we were no longer able to find bags for it. I cannot say for sure, though. At any rate, it served as the vacuum for the heating stove in the south porch for at least a decade, which coincided with the time that we had an Englander heating stove.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next vacuum that was used regularly was my Kirby Generation 3. Around the time that Nancy and I started dating, however, I vacuumed up a wood chip that ruined the fan. Thus, on one of Nancy's and my earliest dates, we had to deliver my vacuum cleaner to the Kirby repairman in Council Bluffs.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90bTl7RhK4T6qztVbrTe-ak3UuUvCUPENrrHCMLk3Wy9Ky9znlWk7FqUlegac0bazWfIEFKg5HcLMj1BFFHy_sNewYFpj65HD8BYMC9LexMkQaC4rtLlukebkzGJAZWmQ6Pl_5Z9eU9M/s4608/IMG_1629.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90bTl7RhK4T6qztVbrTe-ak3UuUvCUPENrrHCMLk3Wy9Ky9znlWk7FqUlegac0bazWfIEFKg5HcLMj1BFFHy_sNewYFpj65HD8BYMC9LexMkQaC4rtLlukebkzGJAZWmQ6Pl_5Z9eU9M/s320/IMG_1629.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We hadn't been married long when we went to an auction in rural Shelby County, Iowa. At that auction, Nancy was excited to find a Eureka Mighty Mite just like the one her mother has. We purchased it for a whopping $7.00 and have considered it a blessing ever since. Its arrival occurred near the time we replaced the Englander with a Jøtul.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjN4tHJ3d24EBnmQq9oPmhmj0DMfB0rUL5h220cUlCIdTNu66XetDMA91SP4ogvYYBmcpxtbch_5x0NjQf0sNt3DgsjUFrq_171A7S0-TN_95jpWeipVC_u-rsXrbRTx5ZdU8ZSSBO1M/s4608/IMG_1630.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjN4tHJ3d24EBnmQq9oPmhmj0DMfB0rUL5h220cUlCIdTNu66XetDMA91SP4ogvYYBmcpxtbch_5x0NjQf0sNt3DgsjUFrq_171A7S0-TN_95jpWeipVC_u-rsXrbRTx5ZdU8ZSSBO1M/s320/IMG_1630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The Mighty Mite was doing a fantastic job of ash removal for us, but its bags are quite small, and with some recent store closures in our area, we are only able to purchase the bags online. Cleaning up ashes seems to fill vacuum bags more quickly than plain dirt removal. Further, the memory of what happened to the Hoover 2201 is still strong in my mind, and I don't want a repeat performance! Thus, I've been looking at ash vacuums half-heartedly for a while and finally decided to take the plunge and buy one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our local Tractor Supply store carries a brand called REDºStone, which is priced at less than $50. Designed to be similar to a shop vac, it has no bag. Instead, whatever is vacuumed up travels through a flexible aluminum hose to a metal base. The motor and filter assembly clamp to the top of the metal base. While the instructions caution the operator not to vacuum up live coals, with both a metal hose and metal dust bin if a burning ember does inadvertently make it into the machine, the risk of fire is greatly reduced.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYcvu6xE9NMDB3DhxfWJQ__9negkzrlSzlXp5GHehdIsfBC7rpybYzbiqgZ9oepcfsK-kfUOqUxY_0A_5RtdqcAlQVQEmu224VXe9hDkHnPskZInUWia0wXLb3X85Rs9QhFeYZT-ZXx0/s4608/IMG_1626.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYcvu6xE9NMDB3DhxfWJQ__9negkzrlSzlXp5GHehdIsfBC7rpybYzbiqgZ9oepcfsK-kfUOqUxY_0A_5RtdqcAlQVQEmu224VXe9hDkHnPskZInUWia0wXLb3X85Rs9QhFeYZT-ZXx0/s320/IMG_1626.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Margin Gem is equipped with small shelves to catch ashes when you open the front firebox door and the ash removal door. They do their job very well until they are full, and then the ashes fall on the floor. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO02cyXs49aFlFd_GUI2Zkf0B56sXMLf2yrZ3UVQh3zQSPbjfeUPf829EH-8aPjgskQrk-LwyQZyt8g-V5uYF6x_un24qDZ6hc3Q5gxl4gd4AgQZipooz9ZxFQ0uQo5GKn9Y6jedBgF4/s4608/IMG_1622.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO02cyXs49aFlFd_GUI2Zkf0B56sXMLf2yrZ3UVQh3zQSPbjfeUPf829EH-8aPjgskQrk-LwyQZyt8g-V5uYF6x_un24qDZ6hc3Q5gxl4gd4AgQZipooz9ZxFQ0uQo5GKn9Y6jedBgF4/s320/IMG_1622.JPG" /></a></div><p>The ash vacuum is the perfect tool to clean up all of this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPTGHT9r2W12NxLsFYIPHPe9QhRdq18buMAzO9IG0lTNTlq7NJFVE-RKs7FKJqJGruKHjs0IyLwiaBk7in_ncgpfc3eQjdYj7NT1x1ez81atHDvtYQmsSIgCFOQ60Qn2jkd1z9FfaIA4/s4608/IMG_1624.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPTGHT9r2W12NxLsFYIPHPe9QhRdq18buMAzO9IG0lTNTlq7NJFVE-RKs7FKJqJGruKHjs0IyLwiaBk7in_ncgpfc3eQjdYj7NT1x1ez81atHDvtYQmsSIgCFOQ60Qn2jkd1z9FfaIA4/s320/IMG_1624.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The suction that this machine has is really quite impressive--much stronger than what I think is usual for a regular household vacuum cleaner.</div><div><br /></div><div>The feature of this vacuum that most surprised and pleased me has to do with the air filter. First, when I unboxed it, I found that each vacuum is shipped with an extra air filter. Secondly, the air filters are washable! I consider this a fantastic feature. In the picture below, I'm flushing the air filter clean under running water according to the directions provided.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTmXneB9mbDeiEXBcUyeh5DxTIUTnQiUPMlGMRWEz4dwf9bzdToLtjB_Grm17Vd3uoh6O-z3Ziz2NhXcdNQqcxUL3aol89l7FVUhJQHqXqQReUNG6yLjrrmPo132cSXsMINuKYFTDSvg/s4608/IMG_1627.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTmXneB9mbDeiEXBcUyeh5DxTIUTnQiUPMlGMRWEz4dwf9bzdToLtjB_Grm17Vd3uoh6O-z3Ziz2NhXcdNQqcxUL3aol89l7FVUhJQHqXqQReUNG6yLjrrmPo132cSXsMINuKYFTDSvg/s320/IMG_1627.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>You can see in the picture below that it cleaned up very well. Twenty-four hours later, it had dried completely. A quick turn of a wing-nut reattached it to the motor housing, and the vacuum was working as good as new.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHZ9z6Ox2y9_hv2j4n7fSaXiOjzM1-iT2OvHSc4KCIKw3bd1t3vNKS6rOXwEj6wulwUW-HRL_3A-CEOGPapXc6xTjARnWK7rugzGOLQ-X8xNEJlUtYrkSmnmiAjoMkwa-QfGpyi6kbvc/s4608/IMG_1628.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHZ9z6Ox2y9_hv2j4n7fSaXiOjzM1-iT2OvHSc4KCIKw3bd1t3vNKS6rOXwEj6wulwUW-HRL_3A-CEOGPapXc6xTjARnWK7rugzGOLQ-X8xNEJlUtYrkSmnmiAjoMkwa-QfGpyi6kbvc/s320/IMG_1628.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, I'm very pleased with this ash vacuum, and I would recommend the purchase of one to any serious woodburner. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And now, just for record keeping purposes, I want to attach pictures of our outdoor thermometers this morning. As you can see, it was a bit nippy in southwestern Iowa!</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Xa2iZIjyPe12VkP6PETu9QLENf8GH3vZOE_ibkjXjxH7yvKfi8o0CVZv-JGZNPiMl3hvpuBwUwNqA6Y0AEY-L_3M6z41e2BLoVWOZmtfq8tw9JcO13VKNBrrAwmtItSqu8j7pCpV45c/s2839/IMG_1632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2839" data-original-width="1873" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Xa2iZIjyPe12VkP6PETu9QLENf8GH3vZOE_ibkjXjxH7yvKfi8o0CVZv-JGZNPiMl3hvpuBwUwNqA6Y0AEY-L_3M6z41e2BLoVWOZmtfq8tw9JcO13VKNBrrAwmtItSqu8j7pCpV45c/s320/IMG_1632.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through a frost, dirty porch window,<br />you can see that this thermometer read<br />-38ºF.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolL7h5vt-YbROxCo9SrQyYF58Kugm39Zz55ScLyuwEBPw8dlWHY2bTci1nSDQslQA8cVpTOZ8yoCzNMgC5lTqJ5ooXQH54thr2La1Jkcnw95JdfkdhQJRWn5bap3aciMOQ_VBeuA4Muo/s4608/IMG_1637.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolL7h5vt-YbROxCo9SrQyYF58Kugm39Zz55ScLyuwEBPw8dlWHY2bTci1nSDQslQA8cVpTOZ8yoCzNMgC5lTqJ5ooXQH54thr2La1Jkcnw95JdfkdhQJRWn5bap3aciMOQ_VBeuA4Muo/s320/IMG_1637.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our digital thermometer, whose outdoor sensor is<br />on the north side of the summer kitchen, always <br />registers slightly warmer than the other. Either<br />way, it was COLD here this morning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />So very glad to have a woodburning cookstove on mornings like this!<br /><div><br /></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486194406227682414.post-40118454958667056642021-02-14T22:07:00.005-08:002021-02-15T08:50:06.249-08:00Vintage Recipe: Chocolate Drop Cookies<p>Valentine's Day was one of Meme's (pronounced with long "e" sounds) favorite holidays. I mention her in the biographical information on the left because she was largely responsible for my early fascination with woodburning cookstoves. Meme was a great-great-aunt on my mother's side, and as she had no children of her own, she was very close to our family. She and I spent a lot of time together--much of it baking--and she would continually reminisce about cooking on a woodburning cookstove.</p><p>The 1920s Monarch range which had been her family's second wood cookstove rested in the washhouse on the farm where my cousin makes his home now. Fortunately, it had been removed from the beautiful farmhouse in 1948 because the house burned to the ground in 1962. As that farmstead with the gaping basements used to be a favorite picnic spot for us, I would always go into the washhouse and take a look at that beautiful stove. I can remember one time when all of my mother's family, including Meme, had a cleanup day at the "other place," and my uncle convinced Meme to give us a little tutorial about how she used to cook on that great range.</p><p>On our farm a row of cedar trees used to separate the two houses, the southernmost four standing in a perfect square, and I can remember that when I was five, I drew plans in red crayon for a summer kitchen to be built using those four cedars as the corners. My idea was that the Monarch range could be moved to our place. I can remember pitching the idea to Granny, who listened with amusement but obviously had no intention of making these dreams a reality. </p><p>So, during those early years I had to be content just <i>pretending</i> to cook on a woodburning cookstove while playing with the toy cookstove that Meme had in the spare bedroom of her apartment. You can see an identical toy at this post: <a href="https://woodcookstovecooking.blogspot.com/search?q=the+stove+that+started+it+all" target="_blank">The Stove That Started It All.</a> I suppose that I was in junior high or early high school when Meme began to realize that my desire to cook on a real woodburning cookstove was more than just a passing fancy. I remember that we were in her apartment kitchen watching a pot on the back burner of her Hotpoint electric stove when she started back-pedaling on her romanticism of the woodburning range.</p><p>"Oh, you don't <i>really</i> want an old cookstove," I recall her saying. I protested, and she said, "You have to haul all the fuel in and the ashes out, and then there are some days where maybe it rains and then you can't get the fire to go at all." (My grandfather later explained the set up of the kitchen chimney in the house that burned, and I'm not at all surprised that they had trouble getting a fire lit on rainy days. I've never had such a problem.) However, her years of waxing poetic about the woodburning cookstove had made their mark.</p><p>If Meme were alive today, she would shake her head and be a little embarrassed to think that she had anything to do with my affinity for wood cookstoves. But the reality is that her influence on me was and is far greater than just that. I won't take the time and space to talk further about all of that here, but I will say that one of the areas of influence Meme had was on my chocolate preferences. Meme was a chocolate aficionado, even though I'm sure she'd never heard the word. Meme <i>loved </i>chocolate. Her favorite gifts at Valentine's Day were roses and a box of Russell Stover candies. Among her meager belongings at the end of her life were further evidence of her love affair with chocolate. She had used large See's chocolate boxes for storage of various articles, and at the end of this post you will see a vintage Mrs. Steven's candy tin that she used as a cookie can for decades.</p><p>Meme was funny about her chocolate, though. While I never knew her to discriminate between dark or milk chocolate when it came to those many boxes of Russell Stover's, in her own cooking she halved the chocolate in her recipes. Perhaps this was from motives of economy, I don't know. Whatever the reason, after a steady diet of lightly chocolated sweets all through my youth, I'm not a fan of dark chocolate, and I prefer baked goods that have had their chocolate content reduced too. As I write this, it just now dawns on me that perhaps this is the reason I'm not a chocolate cake fan.</p><p>The recipe that I'll eventually get around to sharing with you in this post is one of those where Meme always reduced the chocolate. Sometime in the 1920s, Meme left the farm to attend Iowa State College (later renamed Iowa State University) in Ames, Iowa. She was nearly thirty years old at the time, and I imagine that after the great romance of her life had dissolved due to religious differences, she thought she ought to be prepared to support herself with a career. Meme spent only a year at Iowa State and then transferred to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she completed her Bachelors in dietetics. </p><p>During my own time at ISU, I had an American history class in the auditorium in MacKay Hall, which is the headquarters of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and I often wondered which rooms Meme would have spent most of her time in seventy years before I got there. I could imagine her as one of the women in the historic pictures of cooking classes in that building, standing in stiffly starched aprons over ancient gas hotplates. I knew about her time at Iowa State because in her kitchen she still had two stacks of recipes that bore the Iowa State College labels. These stacks were bound by elastic bands from panty hose, but one of the recipes was never with the rest; it was the recipe for Chocolate Drop Cookies. I have Meme's box of recipes now, so you can see the card in the picture below. It is hard for me to believe that it is nearly 100 years old today. Don't try to read the recipe the way it's written because she never followed this, even though you can see that she looked at the recipe many times!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLstQIrzh75UUMbF11TISnB8Cn2F4dVV20Ft52CRe88u3U6D3iprWbffy-_-iB9qS1GPjwwreboywIK2uK9qypxKXKc0Ditv0DFSrrWpJjeCMXFOpTDoPh6_zluj9jjuDZ8_w23WQpMg/s4608/IMG_1599.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLstQIrzh75UUMbF11TISnB8Cn2F4dVV20Ft52CRe88u3U6D3iprWbffy-_-iB9qS1GPjwwreboywIK2uK9qypxKXKc0Ditv0DFSrrWpJjeCMXFOpTDoPh6_zluj9jjuDZ8_w23WQpMg/s320/IMG_1599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Meme completed the four-year dietetics course in three years, and due to the stress of doing so she suffered what was then called a "nervous breakdown." She returned to the farm to recover, and events conspired to keep her there until 1947 when she left to make room for my newlywed maternal grandparents. I'd be willing to bet that several batches of these cookies were baked in that old Monarch wood cookstove in the twenty years between her return from college and her move to Council Bluffs. I KNOW that oceans of these cookies came out of the oven on the bright new General Electric Airliner range that she had for the thirty years that she lived on Grace Street in the Bluffs, and another large number of them were baked in the aforementioned Hotpoint in her subsequent apartment. These were truly one of her favorites.</div><div><br /></div><div>Honestly, they're one of mine too, but I discovered that I hadn't made them since before Nancy and I were married, so it was high time that I introduce her to them! One last note before we get to the directions: when I spent my two years at Iowa State University in the mid-1990s, I lived in the dorms, and these cookies were still on the menu of the food service system. You can't imagine how excited I was to see them. They were served two on a plate, and I knew immediately what they were and was surprised that seventy years later ISU was still using their recipe. However, when I took my first bite, I was so disappointed. They didn't taste anything like Meme's because they followed the recipe and used the full amount of chocolate. They bordered on bitter, in my opinion, but I ate them anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make these the way Meme did, here is what you'll need:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 oz. Bakers' unsweetened chocolate</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup light brown sugar (the lighter the better)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup butter, very soft but not melted</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 tsp. soda</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp. baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp. vanilla</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. sifted flour</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is what you do:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Build your fire so that you will have a moderate oven.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Over the coolest part of the cooktop, melt the ounce of unsweetened chocolate. (Does anyone else miss the individually wrapped one-ounce squares as much as I do? I have a terrible time getting the new solid bars to break right along the lines.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjbbqevQ_fxryW8P5khN-GsKFtk-69xIBD7zeFL5qVCSJXFGWur5hMuhPAUUa1HEhJzBC63vHFdVsKo0iEA0MyWPzxpi3lGYFmgwuaqKDQ2JOk_zMlCkbkFPnctUdGbGukWPxUT_QSfc/s4608/IMG_1600.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjbbqevQ_fxryW8P5khN-GsKFtk-69xIBD7zeFL5qVCSJXFGWur5hMuhPAUUa1HEhJzBC63vHFdVsKo0iEA0MyWPzxpi3lGYFmgwuaqKDQ2JOk_zMlCkbkFPnctUdGbGukWPxUT_QSfc/s320/IMG_1600.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chocolate melting in Meme's old Mirro saucepan<br />on the far right side of the Margin Gem.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>3. While the chocolate is melting, cream the brown sugar and butter.</div><div> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKwpQ0dfTCck2jdDRmDX2HwDTiSnlL1OCHExi9JyGvAyB0C_ECKMrPUsNn955FMXAgAeCgHHMaj3cDMK8NVJVHKAHmoRZkZqXMYtEwSjIYCPk2q8iYnJmN-Q2JOm9UANmxbBMgdKhnrA/s4608/IMG_1602.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKwpQ0dfTCck2jdDRmDX2HwDTiSnlL1OCHExi9JyGvAyB0C_ECKMrPUsNn955FMXAgAeCgHHMaj3cDMK8NVJVHKAHmoRZkZqXMYtEwSjIYCPk2q8iYnJmN-Q2JOm9UANmxbBMgdKhnrA/s320/IMG_1602.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soft butter and the light brown sugar<br />being creamed by Meme's 1950 Sunbeam<br />Mixmaster. You can tell already that this<br />recipe doesn't make a large number of cookies.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />4. Add the melted chocolate to the sugar and butter mixture.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfQUk4H0hyphenhyphen7ehNGG_Jpnf0MEwBi6qaS7VTczOZATWYdnnO7Y_ggfnDc58YlBarsc_F66-4SvU5NKYDmcptHPlhFP-w9QXSmCqeKitKOLlb73ITwPFzP3KnMszxu1v8hk5aPJo4NGYHv0/s4608/IMG_1603.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfQUk4H0hyphenhyphen7ehNGG_Jpnf0MEwBi6qaS7VTczOZATWYdnnO7Y_ggfnDc58YlBarsc_F66-4SvU5NKYDmcptHPlhFP-w9QXSmCqeKitKOLlb73ITwPFzP3KnMszxu1v8hk5aPJo4NGYHv0/s320/IMG_1603.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Beat in the egg. You'll have to scrape the bowl carefully to make sure that any chocolate that stuck to the bottom of the bowl is thoroughly incorporated.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfWQNF-fFCw2GsNwUQIsDRmSa8Il4hUareERqOEtdru_97prlR0DhRTyP8Ykx-ADuc-kifsMIguQt6oDwrKHp9WXPWEU2tAcCdZpX0go966y_IdRp2rs1itNWLIIA1oEXoO4-7uq-Tms/s4608/IMG_1604.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfWQNF-fFCw2GsNwUQIsDRmSa8Il4hUareERqOEtdru_97prlR0DhRTyP8Ykx-ADuc-kifsMIguQt6oDwrKHp9WXPWEU2tAcCdZpX0go966y_IdRp2rs1itNWLIIA1oEXoO4-7uq-Tms/s320/IMG_1604.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>6. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpBZroAYw_kvNdBM-Cexswt9kXjSSYmKqb73ng3KAT_uy3jKY9DPkmS6uq2BoUDE2mg_2APmHtxr2EItThmg1LvFZv2mR_ShIDIJElItU6HYIkqxQ_qQpc8_dr1tY-2UM1A5mxEWyq-g/s4608/IMG_1606.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpBZroAYw_kvNdBM-Cexswt9kXjSSYmKqb73ng3KAT_uy3jKY9DPkmS6uq2BoUDE2mg_2APmHtxr2EItThmg1LvFZv2mR_ShIDIJElItU6HYIkqxQ_qQpc8_dr1tY-2UM1A5mxEWyq-g/s320/IMG_1606.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The measuring spoon you see here was<br />also Meme's.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />7. Add the flour and the milk alternately.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvhyphenhyphenwqWE5tqJJ7q8kfusqzRB6DrA3tqf_1E87mXaCHyxwB0lgM7OCIFl2Q_9iteRdi7kLLj9EpW3eLwRXhf2O9jHhyphenhyphenTH8qsfur3Ug1VueXSwsvTAmmmCl_F5wLkqhjDwPWahk8BhzGkg/s4608/IMG_1607.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvhyphenhyphenwqWE5tqJJ7q8kfusqzRB6DrA3tqf_1E87mXaCHyxwB0lgM7OCIFl2Q_9iteRdi7kLLj9EpW3eLwRXhf2O9jHhyphenhyphenTH8qsfur3Ug1VueXSwsvTAmmmCl_F5wLkqhjDwPWahk8BhzGkg/s320/IMG_1607.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two measuring cups and the plate<br />in this picture belonged to Meme. The<br />plate is part of a set of Homer Laughlin<br />Eggshell Theme from the 1940s.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />8. Mix all just until well blended. The dough will feel much more like thick cake batter than cookie dough.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XEFLS68Ju_0YbysmhVjKFglN_tsCO8-6Nq1Ocndhi2TGJseYwzskIiqSP-jlzKUJzOmVEXdd18nm8H01g61u_U21QP0xKQ1m8TtD2mDbz8VSNbBmJ-rKxGGWKkZRZySzMPSOUpWIsjA/s4608/IMG_1608.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XEFLS68Ju_0YbysmhVjKFglN_tsCO8-6Nq1Ocndhi2TGJseYwzskIiqSP-jlzKUJzOmVEXdd18nm8H01g61u_U21QP0xKQ1m8TtD2mDbz8VSNbBmJ-rKxGGWKkZRZySzMPSOUpWIsjA/s320/IMG_1608.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>9. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Make sure the cookie sheet is only <i>lightly </i>greased. You can see in the first picture below that I was too generous with the Crisco. That is why in the second picture two of the cookies have slid into their neighbors once they were exposed to the heat of the oven.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zzNBmwsbVLlvrLWgzW6tvF5A_tY6gpFzhDfHCCGNnXPExa-evVIfBVmIf-5-Hkp4RQIw65Xk8zLbz8BGxn_jR09L7HvyT1pQKsjmNdm4H9jTHwu-97HoQpadeKWzVWce4tubhtOS07k/s4608/IMG_1609.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zzNBmwsbVLlvrLWgzW6tvF5A_tY6gpFzhDfHCCGNnXPExa-evVIfBVmIf-5-Hkp4RQIw65Xk8zLbz8BGxn_jR09L7HvyT1pQKsjmNdm4H9jTHwu-97HoQpadeKWzVWce4tubhtOS07k/s320/IMG_1609.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Meme's cookie sheet. She'd be<br />so embarrassed if she knew how<br />"seasoned" I've let it become.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIb7JF4wwokgQw-X0dzY_yUgdC1ZG9phBP68mO92oUGZCtMnaHIAibIpu7cAQU8hQXszatKKEIE_WUPQJM1rZxw-OjeDcQfO1bkJFk-US5T0fZ56dm0oPMhTE1P4nX-Z2RsxxF0w72p4/s4608/IMG_1610.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIb7JF4wwokgQw-X0dzY_yUgdC1ZG9phBP68mO92oUGZCtMnaHIAibIpu7cAQU8hQXszatKKEIE_WUPQJM1rZxw-OjeDcQfO1bkJFk-US5T0fZ56dm0oPMhTE1P4nX-Z2RsxxF0w72p4/s320/IMG_1610.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographing fire is so difficult! I wish you could<br />really see what kind of a fire it takes to keep a<br />moderate oven.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />10. Now, baking these is a little tricky because you can't tell by looking at a chocolate cookie just how brown it is becoming. Instead, you've got to poke these with your finger. They are done when they have spread out flat and feel like they have just <i>begun</i> to form a <i>slight</i> crust on the top. They are overbaked if they feel like they will be crispy. This should take anywhere from 8-12 minutes depending on how hot your oven is running. Remember that the end product here is more like a little flat cake than what we usually think of when we think of a chewy or crispy cookie.</div><div><br /></div><div>11. Remove the cookies from the pan and put them on paper toweling on the countertop to cool. You'll ruin them if you put them on a cooling rack. Trust me on this one!</div><div><br /></div><div>12. Once the cookies are baked, it is time to make the frosting. If you looked at the recipe above, you know that it came with a frosting recipe, but that was never what Meme did. Instead, in a small bowl, she would put about three tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon of vanilla, and perhaps a tablespoon or so of Hershey's cocoa. Add two or three tablespoons of water and stir.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzVIWtUA3n5PSi2y9Mwu6-tBNx__xk6Xe-yhWe_LbcklHaVEaZaNKVniyX_luVriIgnnTos8oN2cSQ-0z5kwxiW4WBkpo3QMlqiG7FH-Z38tpcT3oQwTisLA3XCeJnboWWCjKpxkmqnk/s2632/IMG_1611.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2632" data-original-width="2494" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzVIWtUA3n5PSi2y9Mwu6-tBNx__xk6Xe-yhWe_LbcklHaVEaZaNKVniyX_luVriIgnnTos8oN2cSQ-0z5kwxiW4WBkpo3QMlqiG7FH-Z38tpcT3oQwTisLA3XCeJnboWWCjKpxkmqnk/s320/IMG_1611.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little more cocoa than I wanted jumped out of<br />the jar when I poured it in, so my frosting was a<br />little darker than Meme's. Oh, and you guessed<br />it: this is Meme's bowl too.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />13. Beat in sufficient powdered sugar to make a thick but spreadable frosting. Frost the top of each cookie, and don't be too stingy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, you could eat these at this point, but try not to. Yes, I know that is much easier for me to say than it will be to do!</div><div><br /></div><div>14. Pack the cookies into an airtight container, using waxed paper to separate the layers so that the frosting doesn't glue them all together. Let these sit with the lid on overnight. The next day they will be at their peak, and what a peak it is!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebpzJmOR0sQMnGQyrFNfNrUqDCQa5KzTHeV6EzJwD25LaBbCicDkAbZEtOomO2CZshyphenhyphenFy_NYH27TPliBBb3T6dLyLdAt30K05ThfzYtfhe7_GgfgRB-_9zmzogifP_xScvH7q3mXipqk/s4608/IMG_1612.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebpzJmOR0sQMnGQyrFNfNrUqDCQa5KzTHeV6EzJwD25LaBbCicDkAbZEtOomO2CZshyphenhyphenFy_NYH27TPliBBb3T6dLyLdAt30K05ThfzYtfhe7_GgfgRB-_9zmzogifP_xScvH7q3mXipqk/s320/IMG_1612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the vintage Mrs. Stevens' Candies tin that<br />Meme always put these cookies in. It was her widest<br />tin, so the cookies didn't have to be stacked high,<br />which would mash them.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Grandma Marian told me once that Meme used to get the lightest brown sugar that she could, and these cookies would have a reddish cast when you bit into them. I didn't have very light brown sugar, but the batch that you see here did have a slight reddish cast inside them. If someone can explain that to me, I'd appreciate it.</div><div><br /></div><div>These were a huge hit with my resident picky eater, and they really aren't difficult to make. I don't know why it has taken me over seventeen years to make these for Nancy, but I'm not planning on waiting that long again!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928066388810835369noreply@blogger.com1