Kris Mares

Over the last Christmas season, our family got to spend a few days at Racer’s mom’s house. While we were there, I was perusing her cookbooks. On the shelf, tucked in between some very modern looking books, was a yellow book with this cover:

Now, since Racer’s mom has been divorced for many years, I was wondering why this old book was on her shelf. When I opened it up, there was an inscription. Handwritten in blue ink are names that show the book was a wedding gift from Racer’s paternal grandmother (now deceased) to his mom. What an incredible find on a cold winter day!

As I looked closer at the book, it is part novel and part cookbook. The story tells of a young woman and her first year of marriage. The cookbook tells the recipes for the wife’s various kitchen endeavors throughout that first year. For a wonderfully inexplicable reason, I love this book! Add it’s age and the family history surrounding it… well, I asked Racer’s mom if I could have it. She obliged and the book came home with me.

So now, I have this idea for a new adventure. I am going to try to “recreate” this book. I’ll use Bettina’s recipes – making them modern day – and try to tell a story of how/when I cook them. Before I started though, I had to set up my “emergency shelf.” Here is what I needed (according to Bettina):

• 6 cans pimento (I only purchased 3) – $3.87
• 6 cans tuna – $3.90
• 6 cans salmon – $11.94
• 6 jars dried beef (I’m not sure what this is and couldn’t find anything that might be equivalent)
• 12 cans corn – $5.88
• 12 cans peas – $5.88
• 6 cans string beans – $2.94
• 6 cans lima beans (butter beans for any needing help like me) – $4.14
• 6 cans devilled ham (I got something like Spam) – $10.14
• 6 cans tomatoes – $3.30
• 6 jars pickles – $8.94
• 6 jars olives (I got home and only had 5 in my bag…) – $4.95
• 6 small cans condensed milk (Aldi’s only had the 12 oz cans) – $7.74
• 6 boxes sweet wafers (I got party crackers, 2 boxes each of 3 flavors) – $8.34
• 1 lb box of salted codfish (not sure what this is and couldn’t find anything that might be equivalent)
• 3 pkg. marshmallows (2 each of big and mini) – $3.76
• 3 cans mushrooms – $1.65
• 2 pkg. macaroni – $1.58

So my emergency shelf is set up and I’m anxiously awaiting my first story/recipe! Are you ready to start this journey with me?