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Beloved Clute teacher marks milestone
Published November 26, 2009
There are times when I am especially pleased to have this column, so I can do something I think is special. And this next item you’ll be reading is truly special to a lot of us Clutetonians.
Gin,
I received a call from Mrs. Flora Cain’s son today asking me to get as many other former students as possible to send her a birthday card for her 95th birthday, Tuesday, Nov. 24. I know this is short notice.
I’ve sent e-mails to as many of my classmates as I have addresses for. I remembered you worked on the Clute ninth-grade reunion when I did, so was hoping you could get the word to as many as you could.
I’m not even sure if you had Mrs. Cain for an English teacher. If not, you missed a blessing. She is a wonderful, Christian woman.
Thanks,
Dianne McDougal Howard
Dianne,
Thanks for passing on the word! I will never forget Mrs. Cain. As a matter of fact, I think I gave her lots of gray hair, but not by being unruly. See I wanted to be an actress (don’t laugh … I “could’a” been great!) She helped me every way she could.
She gave me the lead in the ninth-grade play; she allowed me to write some skits that were put on in assembly. She did her part; I just didn’t follow up on my end. She told me in my annual that I had caused her many sleepless nights because of my ambitious nature.
I loved that woman and there is no one out there that could wish her a more heartfelt HAPPY BIRTHDAY than me. And if anyone else would like to send her a card, e-mail me and I’ll give you her address. It doesn’t matter that it will a little late … ever heard of, “It’s the thought that counts?”
• • •
Dear Gin,
My friend and I both attended Lutcher Stark High School in Orange, and graduated in 1965. During our years in the Orange school district we both enjoyed a peanut butter pie that was to die for, so delicious.
It had the consistency of a buttermilk or pumpkin pie. Most of the current recipes out there now add cream cheese or whipped cream to the pie. We want a copy of the original that I am sure was baked.
If you can help us in any way it would be greatly appreciated. Wouldn’t it be nice to find all of the recipes from the school cafeteria in Orange, Texas, for 1950 to 1970? Wish I knew how to find those wonderful recipes.
The yeast school rolls are still being made, but haven’t been able to find anyone who remembers that wonderful pie.
Thanks so much for doing such a great job on your column. Hugs and again many thanks for looking for me.
Dorothy Mosley, Lake Charles, La.
Thank you, Dorothy, for the hug. I needed it! I hope we find that peanut butter pie recipe for you! And not only because in my e-mail back to you I bribed you with trying to get the yeast roll recipe for me. I love yeast rolls.
Nothing says love and comfort in a home like the aroma of homemade yeast rolls baking.
• • •
Dear Gin,
I may have the recipe for the Buttermilk Cake that Gloria Dailey is looking for! My grandmother was an excellent old- fashioned cook. Cakes and pies were made from scratch. Many recipes were never written down; they were created totally from memory.
However, she did collect recipes from The American Press, which she adapted and made her own with added ingredients. The recipes were clipped out of the newspaper and glued into a notebook. Some of them included her personal baking notes and the date of the recipes.
My grandmother’s home was destroyed in Hurricane Rita. As we were sifting through the remains I discovered the notebook completely intact!
I read Gloria Dailey’s request for the Buttermilk Cake that appeared in the American Press about 25 years ago. Sure enough, there are two Buttermilk Cake recipes in my grandmother’s notebook. The dates they appeared in The Press were not included, but the recipes start with the oldest collected. The Buttermilk Cake recipes were at the very beginning of the notebook, so I am assuming they were posted at least 25 years ago.
I am attaching a copy of the actual page in the notebook that has two recipes. Notice the use of the word “oleo.” You hardly ever see that word in recipes anymore.
Hope this is what Gloria is looking for! It would be so nice to know that my grandmother’s favorite recipes are living on in someone else’s kitchen.
Gin, I almost forgot to mention how much I enjoy your column! I also enjoy hearing the history behind the recipes and the memories people associate with them. I hope I was able to help with the Buttermilk Cake recipe.
Sincerely,
Deborah A. Ledet, Lake Charles, La.
Buttermilk Cake
This is an old Creole recipe, which has a little something of every type of cake in it. It is made in an angel food pan and looks like a pound cake, but has a light, velvety crumb.
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
4 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon lemon extract
3 cups sifted cake flour.
Mix all ingredients together and beat for 3 minutes. Bake in 325-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Frosting
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice.
Mix together and pour over cake after it has baked. Return to oven and allow frosting to cook throughout the cake for 3 minutes.
Buttermilk Pound Cake
2 blocks oleo
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla.
Cream oleo and gradually add sugar. Sift flour and soda together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well each time. Slowly add milk, then flour and soda mixture. Add vanilla. Bake in tube pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Sweet Cream Sauce
(Delicious over cake)
2 egg yolks
11/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons flour
1 large can evaporated milk
1 can water.
Mix eggs, sugar and flour. Gradually add evaporated milk and water. Cook until thickened. Cool and spoon over slices of pound cake. Recipe submitted by Mrs. Harold Adams of Sulphur, La.
Deborah,
Thank you for those cherished recipes. I’m so sorry about nasty Rita! You just did what I love, and everybody who reads this column loves, that is to give us some history and conversation about the ones we love and the food they are responsible for us loving … again thanks.
Gloria thanks you, too. I just know it!
• • •
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody … and no, I didn’t remember it was Thanksgiving day that my column would appear. But my good editor Glenn Krampota, who takes good care of me, reminded me.
So like I always say: Be sure to eat too much and then take a little nappy on the sofa during halftime of some football game that will be on. Mind-numbing football!
If you have recipes or tips to share, or a request, send to Conversations with Gin, P.O. Box 334, Clute, TX 77531, or e-mail ginscolumn(at)hotmail.com.
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