My grandmother Memaw Hasty [Wilma Butler Hasty] majored in Home Economics at Bessie Tift College and was a wonderful cook. She was always happy to try new foods, new methods of cooking, etc. -- except for things she didn't like, like garlic. (Her idea of "Italian" was actually canned spaghetti from Chef Boyardee. LOL) She was a "modern" cook for her day -- she used Crisco instead of lard, for instance.
Mom found the recipes below and I wanted to share them.
The Pear Salad recipe has an interesting history. My aunt Jane Hasty made it when Mamaw was visiting, probably sometime in the late 1960's, and Mamaw liked it and wrote down the recipe. She sent it in a letter to my mother. My mother made it and liked it. Mom gave the recipe to her sister in law, Diddy. Diddy liked it and gave it to her other Thompson sister in law, Evalyn. Now, my aunt Evalyn was a gourmet cook, and if she liked a recipe we considered it high praise indeed. Evalyn made the recipe for years, on many occasions. [See below for Evalyn's version of this, which Diddy said is not quite as sweet.]
I left the image large, to be easier to read.
One of these days I'm going to make some pear salad, in honor of Mamaw and of my Aunt Evalyn. [Thankfully, Diddy and Jane are still with us.]
I remember Mom making the frozen salad recipe and it was very tasty. Mom froze little one cup servings of that once, in our big freezer, and when we were hungry for something sweet and there were no cookies or ice cream available we would eat a frozen salad.
When I look at these photos of my grandparents it makes me kind of sad. Rarely does a day go by that I don't think of them and miss them. I loved to sit on my grandmother's lap and play with her necklaces. She loved good costume jewelry and almost always wore necklaces. I have some of them now.
I loved to sit on my grandfather's lap and he would read to me. Bible stories, Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson -- those were our favorites. Even now, if I catch a whiff of Old Spice it brings back those memories and I want to cry.
My grandparents always wore aprons when they cooked. My friend Stacy at Down South House & Home has a lot of really unique and creative products, from tea towels to tote bags, to tee shirts, but my favorite is her new line of aprons. This one is just adorable -- and in the South it's very important to be raised right. If you're looking for a unique and delightful Christmas gift, check out the aprons and other wares at Down South House & Home. I know my memaw would have loved everything Stacy makes.
Recent Comments