A Shiloh Christmas: Chapter 2) [ December 21st,1899]
Mornin, Betsy. Good morning, Randy. You're up awful early. Where ya headed? Oh, I'm going to visit Grandma AnnaMae so she can give me one of her recipes. She's a real nice lady, isn't she? Yes, she is, Randy. She's lived around here for as long as I can remember. When I was little, she sold cakes and pies to the lady that ran the boarding house where Daddy and I lived. How old were you, Betsy? I was five at the time, Randy. Daddy had just bought Shiloh, but we still lived in town because he hadn't built us a house yet. Was he still a judge then? Yes, he was, but he retired a short while after that and we moved into an old cabin here on Shiloh. I'll have to show it to you sometime. Have a good ride, Betsy. You be careful out there. I will, Randy. And you be careful,too. And it wasn't long until Betsy reached Grandma AnnaMae's home. I hope she's home, Betsy thought as she knocked on her front door. Why, hello, Betsy. Come in, child. What can I do fer ya? Do you have a recipe for something called an apple stack cake, Grandma AnnaMae? I sure do,honey. I'll tell you the ingredients an you can write em down. You need three/fourths of a cup lard or shortening, one cup sugar, one cup sorghum molasses, three eggs, one teaspoon salt, four cups wheat flour, one/half teaspoon soda, two teaspoons baking powder, one cup milk, three cups of cooked dried apples,applesauce, or apple butter, whichever one ya have. Sift the flour, salt,soda,and baking powder. Cream the lard, and sugar. Mind ya mix em well. Add sorghum and mix it good. Add eggs one at a time. Make sure there aren't any lumps. Pour one/third inch deep in a greased skillet. Cook ten minutes. This'll make six to seven layers. When they're cool, stack the layers using around three cups of your apple mixture between the layers. Did ya get all that? Yes, I did. And thank you for the recipe. You're welcome,child. Randy told me that it was something his mother made at Christmastime so I thought I'd surprise him with it. But I didn't have the recipe so I came to you. He's a fine boy, that Randy. Always so kind an gentle with everybody. He certainly is, Grandma AnnaMae. He makes me glad every single day. Well, I'd better be getting back before they all wonder what happened to me. Goodbye, Betsy. Tell everybody howdy for me. I will, Grandma AnnaMae.
Mornin, Betsy. Good morning, Randy. You're up awful early. Where ya headed? Oh, I'm going to visit Grandma AnnaMae so she can give me one of her recipes. She's a real nice lady, isn't she? Yes, she is, Randy. She's lived around here for as long as I can remember. When I was little, she sold cakes and pies to the lady that ran the boarding house where Daddy and I lived. How old were you, Betsy? I was five at the time, Randy. Daddy had just bought Shiloh, but we still lived in town because he hadn't built us a house yet. Was he still a judge then? Yes, he was, but he retired a short while after that and we moved into an old cabin here on Shiloh. I'll have to show it to you sometime. Have a good ride, Betsy. You be careful out there. I will, Randy. And you be careful,too. And it wasn't long until Betsy reached Grandma AnnaMae's home. I hope she's home, Betsy thought as she knocked on her front door. Why, hello, Betsy. Come in, child. What can I do fer ya? Do you have a recipe for something called an apple stack cake, Grandma AnnaMae? I sure do,honey. I'll tell you the ingredients an you can write em down. You need three/fourths of a cup lard or shortening, one cup sugar, one cup sorghum molasses, three eggs, one teaspoon salt, four cups wheat flour, one/half teaspoon soda, two teaspoons baking powder, one cup milk, three cups of cooked dried apples,applesauce, or apple butter, whichever one ya have. Sift the flour, salt,soda,and baking powder. Cream the lard, and sugar. Mind ya mix em well. Add sorghum and mix it good. Add eggs one at a time. Make sure there aren't any lumps. Pour one/third inch deep in a greased skillet. Cook ten minutes. This'll make six to seven layers. When they're cool, stack the layers using around three cups of your apple mixture between the layers. Did ya get all that? Yes, I did. And thank you for the recipe. You're welcome,child. Randy told me that it was something his mother made at Christmastime so I thought I'd surprise him with it. But I didn't have the recipe so I came to you. He's a fine boy, that Randy. Always so kind an gentle with everybody. He certainly is, Grandma AnnaMae. He makes me glad every single day. Well, I'd better be getting back before they all wonder what happened to me. Goodbye, Betsy. Tell everybody howdy for me. I will, Grandma AnnaMae.