A Parcel of Pralines

By Marilyn Hunter

My great aunt’s recipe box, which I inherited, is filled with many treasures but there is only one recipe that tells an unforgettable story.

The year was 1942. The Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor and World War II was in full swing. Aunt Lucile and Uncle Harry had been married only a short while before he was swiftly swept up in the draft and shipped off to war.

Letters from homesick soldiers were pouring in to American women on the home front. Their men were in need of basic items in short supply like blankets, socks, soap, aspirin and toothpaste. But Harry’s letters to Lucile were very different. He was a steadfast sort who worried less about blankets and socks and more about the saintly pleasures of home. He begged for something near and dear to his heart…her homemade pralines.

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Volunteering at the Hurley Corn Festival

By Lori Powell

Every year on the third weekend of August, I volunteer to help run the food stand at the Hurley Corn Festival from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. The festival is held down the road from my house in Upstate New York.

This was the 32nd annual festival and each year, it helps to support the Heritage Society. (I was a board member until I moved to Pennsylvania.) I used to also process the vendor applications, find new vendors and then place them at the festival. Not an easy task. I was happy to give up those duties, along with my seat on the board, to Mr. Eric as he is known to his students (he teaches seventh grade history at a local school in Ulster Country).

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Simple Tips for Summer Food Safety

By Sandy Hu

The other day, I told my optometrist I was working on a blog post about summertime food safety and immediately she chimed in with, “Don’t leave the potato salad in the car!” Like my optometrist, we’ve all learned a few food safety tips along the way.

But for an in-depth look, I turned to an expert, my friend Laura Brainin-Rodriguez, who has a Master’s Degree in public health, a Master’s Degree in nutritional sciences and is a registered dietitian. Here’s an astounding statistic Laura shared with me: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted that in 2010, one in six Americans got sick from foodborne illnesses, and most frequently during the summer.

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Caramel Sauce – it’s Easy!

By Sandy Hu

There’s nothing like a bowl of frosty ice cream to cool down on a warm day and nothing more decadent than adding a drizzle of warm caramel sauce on top.

Caramel sauce is surprisingly easy to make and much more delicious than store bought. Try Katie’s recipe from her blog post early this year. I’ll walk you through the steps in today’s Video Friday demo.

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The More Things Change…

By Marilyn Hunter

In this ever-changing world of food, ingredients and philosophies about how we eat, very few recipes withstand the test of time. But old-school garlic bread, in my opinion, should stay the same forever.

One of my favorite stories is about Rose Pistola, a beloved icon of San Francisco’s North Beach Italian food culture. Rose is said to have passed away peacefully with a wedge of good Parmesan and a cup of olive oil on her bedside table. She was a master of “red gravy” and San Franciscans loved dipping crusty Italian garlic bread in her tomato sauce.

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