When I was growing up I spent many weeks every summer flying from my home in Brewer, ME to Danville, IL to visit my paternal grandmother. My dad died when I was young and he had been an only child so my Grandma Florence spoiled me terribly. I loved going to visit her and then visiting her sister, my Great-Aunt Margaret who lived a few streets away from her. Florence's brother, my Great-Uncle Joe, would occasionally be in town and would visit as well. He and his wife had retired and traveled around the country in a motor home going to various antique shows and flea markets. I believe it was in the summer of '83 or maybe '82 I met Florence's cousin, Freeman. He was in Illinois that summer doing work on the family history for a genealogy book he was putting together on that branch of the family. I remember going to old cemeteries and being taught how to do the rubbings of old headstones to make out the names as we tried to track down our ancestors. It was fascinating to me! Being a fan of mystery series such as Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden I felt like I was an amateur sleuth seeking that elusive clue. A few years passed and the book was finally produced and I got a copy of my own.
But there was an even more interesting book my Grandma and Great-Uncle Joe sent to me in 1993. It was one of those fundraiser cookbooks that are often put out by church groups, or junior leagues, etc. When I got it in the mail I was surprised. I knew my Great-Uncle Joe worked with some historical society, but was unaware of their fundraising efforts. So, the little spiral-bound collection of recipes and advice was another clue into my family history. It even included one of my favorite recipes: my Grandma's pork chops! I already knew how to make them, but to see her recipe included in the book was like a validation of my favorite childhood memories. Here's a look at this little gem:
