Recently my mom was at a garage sale organized by a woman who wanted to sell her cookbook collection. So my mom called me and asked if I wanted any. Of course I did and I told her to buy some "interesting" ones. So my mom went through the large piles of cookbooks looking for those she thought I would find interesting. She did a great job and today's recipe comes from one of those books. Thanks mom!
One of the great things about this cookbook is that inside was a note to a granddaughter from her grandmother. The note includes information on recipes in the cookbook and people's names.
In part, it reads:
"I am sending this cook book to you for Christmas, with your mom as I know you like to try new recipes. I bought this awhile back when they were having the park days and Bi-Centennial celebration. Your mom just called me, I had tried calling her and got no answer, she said she had had her hair fixed tonight thats (sic) why I wasn't able to get her. There's a lot of recipes in this book by Pat Rod, she is the mother of Donna Rod who is engaged to Jerry Wolford, and Donna baked and brought the pine-apple upside down cake to the Sandberg (?) reunion..."
This notes reminds me of the ephemera (documents, correspondence, photos) that I have found in books. These "bookmarks" can be important and I would encourage you to look through your family's cookbooks for "bookmarks." (Not convinced that there are important finds in "bookmarks" left behind in your family's cookbooks? Check out the blog Forgotten Bookmarks.)
What's Been Cookin' in Bureau County. Bicentennial Cook Book is the product of The Ladies of Bureau County Home Extension Association.(Illinois). This 1975 cookbook features recipes and line drawings of places around the county including short historical descriptions. Unfortunately, some of the recipes are not credited to an author but the beginning of the cookbook includes a credits page for those who assisted with the publishing of the cookbook.
Today's recipe is for Pickled Eggs. I'm using this recipe for two reasons. One is it isn't credited which is too bad since the author mentions her grandmother. Second it reminds me of my paternal grandmother and the pickled eggs she made. She used the juice of canned pickled beets for her eggs.
