Monday, March 5, 2012

September 2, 1944 Beautiful Connecticut, The Caughlans Leave, The Day in NYC, Scalloped Potatoes and Peach Pies


Dear Mother & Daddy,

"My summer is just about over and it's been the shortest summer I ever saw.  I guess that's a sign of old age because they say the older you get the faster time flies.

This has been a full week for us.  Sunday we took a ride out to a park and took some pictures.  I gathered some goldenrod.  It is certainly beautiful this year.  The blossoms are thick and larger than the goldenrod at home.  Sunday evening Dave came by and wanted us to go to a show with him and we all went to a very poor picture.

Monday night Caughlans came up for supper and we really had a nice time.  I used the goldenrod for a centerpiece on the table and it looked so pretty.  We had a real good supper--breaded pork chops, scalloped potatoes, carrots, sliced tomatoes, peach pie and coffee.  After supper we took some pictures of them and visited.  They left Thursday.

We decided if we were going to see New York we had better do it before we get busy in school so we got up early Thursday morning and drove down.  It isn't far--just about like a trip to Springfield--so we were there bright and early.  I wish you could have been with us on the drive down.  Conn. is such a beautiful state and the early sunlight makes it more beautiful.  The goldenrod is growing in large patches and looks just like gold.  Some trees are beginning to turn and others are still a deep green.  The sumac is beautiful.  It grows much larger than that at home and the clusters of berries or whatever you call them are real bright red.  There are lots of old stone fences and all together it's simply gorgeous.  When we first got to New York we drove down to the harbor to look at the Statue of Liberty but it was so foggy that we couldn't see it, so we took a boat out to the Island, Bedloe's Island, and went all through the statue.  The old gal is pretty good sized.  We went clear to the top and looked out over the harbor.  An elevator takes you 10 flights up and then you have to walk 12 more stories.  It's quite a climb but it's worth it.  Close by Bedloe's Island is Ellis Island where immigrants used to be taken but they say it is used just for offices now.  No one except officials are allowed on the island.  This took half the day so we went down town for the rest of the day.  I looked all over town for my goblets but couldn't find them so it looks like I'll have to wait till after the war.  We spent a lot of time on Fifth Ave. because most of the china shops are there.  It really is a busy place.  We went into Macy's and Gimbel's and lots of big stores.  I bought a moss green wool skirt and some stuff in the dime store.  I looked for shoes and a dress but couldn't find what I wanted.  We left New York about 9:00 and got home about 11:00.  It was a swell trip but I had sore feet over it.  They're o.k now though.

I finished my sharkskin blouse and have the sheer that Beulah gave me almost done.  I'm making it long sleeved and trimming it in lace so I think it's going to be very pretty.

We got a check for $10.00 this week as our dividend from the Yale Co-op Store.  It is a school supply store.  Membership is $1.00 and at the end of the year all profit is divided among the members.  If no profit is made you get your dollar back anyway. 

We really enjoyed the Springfield paper this week.  The Teachers College honor roll listed so many that we knew.  We sent last week's Time to you and will mail another today.

I'm having the Dames next Tuesday.  There are just a few of us left now.  School starts a week from Monday so I'm trying to get everything caught up.  They are testing air raid sirens so that means it's 12:00 so I had better fix some lunch.  Write soon."

                                                            Lots of love,

                                                                      B & Bonnie

NOTES from Ann:  The link below has excellent  history and images of Bedloe's Island.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/11/hh11m.htm

About the Co-op dividend: The Yale Cooperative Corporation, called “Yale’s commercial alter ego” by the New York Times, was an insular institution. Yale alumni, faculty, students and employees could become members by paying a dollar a year. The profits of the cooperative were divided in the fall proportionally to each member’s purchases. This was called the “patronage refund” and amounted to about 10% of purchase price. (Quoted directly from www.ivy-style.com)

Scalloped Potatoes

Toss together 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced thin, 2 T flour, 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, salt, pepper and 1-1/2 c. grated cheddar.  Put in casserole dish, pack down.  Add milk to cover.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Cover and bake 1 hr. at 350.  Uncover and bake until tender.

Glazed Peach Pie with Almond Crust

Butter pie plate and coarsely grind  1 c. sliced almonds.  Add 1 c. flour, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Press into pie plate.  Chill 30 min.  Bake 20 min. @375 till golden.  Set aside.

Peel and slice about 1-1/2 lbs. (about 6) peaches.  Toss with 1 T lemon juice and 1/4 c. sugar.  Set aside 1 hr.  Drain juice from peaches and add water to make 1 c. liquid.  Mix this with 1/2 c. sugar and 3T cornstarch.  Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and clear--about 3 min.  Remove from heat, stir in 2 T butter and 1/8 tsp. almond extract.  Add peach slices, mix gently.  Pour in pie shell, cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

French Crunch Peach Pie

Prepare pie crust and bake (unpricked) @ 450 for 5 min.  Mix 2 eggs, 1 T lemon juice and 1/3 c. sugar.  Fold in 1-29 oz. can peach slices, drained and 1-16 oz. can peach slices, drained.  Put this in crust.  Make a topping of 1 c. vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/2 c. toasted chopped almonds and 1/4 c. oleo, melted.  Sprinkle over peaches.  Cover edge of crust with foil.  Bake @ 375 for 20 min.  Remove foil.  Bake 20 - 25 more.  Cool and serve with ice-cream or cheese.

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