December 16, 2005
Red Door Sans Wreath - working my enthusiasm up for the holidays
A terrible storm this morning (are we surprised? thank goodness it's only sleet, changing to rain) precludes a long slippery drive north to my ladies group. Thus I am left to my own devices, which rarely happens. They are creaky, to say the least.
I am gathering together all those gifts that must be wrapped and mailed, and putting them in labelled piles for those who can make much better hospital corners than I. Where I dare, I have given preparedness presents -- windup flashlights, festive foil emergency blankets, long underwear, $5 pup tents, contamination suits, a small portable bucket toilet with disposible bags and special enzymes (the scent of which, I fear, will give away the surprize under the tree), sweetly shaped hot water bottles, etc.
A particularly wonderful find was a small paperback book entitled "What Shall I Cook Today; 124 Thrifty, Healthful Test Recipes" from the makers of Spry. The cover is filled with cartoon testimonials from housewives (and hubbies with forks lifted) bubbling dialog like "I got all my recipes from the SPRY Cook Book. The directions are easy to follow and SPRY makes everything taste so good, you MUST try it!" and "SPRY is so white, I just KNOW it's purer" and, in response "Its more economical too,you can fry with it over and over again" (so much for purity).
I am having difficulty finding the "healthful" recipes, as advertised, since the book primarily focuses on cookies, pies, frostings and donuts, with a little deep frying and sauteeing. How is it that this country did not have an obesity problem until recently? I must confess that I bought two big containers of Crisco for my emergency supplies, but I don't exactly know why. It seemed like a good idea at the time -- maybe to smear myself for winter swimming, should it prove necessary. I can xerox a few recipes before I give the book away.
Having just finished "Appetite for Life", I am thinking I should donate this little jewel to the Schlesinger Library's women's history through cookbooks collection rather than just wrap it up. Perhaps I will suggest a donation to the recipient, thus killing two birds with one stone.
I must soon decide whether to launch a Christmas tree in the middle of my semitically-identified household. Since we always spent Christmas with my side of the family, long-lived Christians, way out of town, and recently departed, there was never a need to have a tree here. If I continue all this time consuming fact dumping, the decision will be made for me.
Photo note: No wreath but lots of nifty triangles
Posted by Dakota at December 16, 2005 02:16 PM