NOEL SUGAR COOKIES AND WW1 WAR BREAD

Frances Evans and her husband Norman, plus five children lived on a farm across from MacPherson Cemetary on Magoon Point Road.

.

She cooked, sewed, and kept chickens and delivered the eggs. She knit mittens for her children and grandchildren, and she made her own quilts. She had a large garden, and kept it free of raccoons with her 22 rifle. As well as all that she played the organ in the United Church every Sunday.

For most of her life, Frances made bread every day, no modern electric bread maker for her.  However, she did have a bread machine.

Many years ago, my Mother bought it from Frances, to give to me, as a birthday gift. I am sure 

that handle hand been cranked many times before I got it.  The stamp reads... Universal Bread Maker, Awarded Gold Medal, St. Louis Exposition 1904...

A visit to her kitchen would guarantee a pleasant chat at the old wooden table, a good cup of tea and always a freshly baked cookie or other treat.

 It was at one of these many visits over the years that Addie copied the following recipe. There are many variations of this recipe, some add raisins, and spices.  I have noticed that the instructions were seldom written out in full...I guess a good cook knew what method to follow.

Brown Bread  1st W. War Recipe

1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon soda - mixed in molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups milk (sweet or sour)
1 cup white flour
2 cups Graham flour
2 table spoons butter - melted

1 hour in moderate oven  - 1 loaf

NOEL SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup butter

1cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup icing sugar

3 eggs

1  tsp soda

1 tsp cream tartar

5 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp almond flavoring

1 tsp vanilla

Mix and cream, form into small balls. Glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 15 mins at 350.

( I guess this was a form of kitchen shorthand)

Frances Evans and her children at a celebration of her 90th birthday, in the Murray Memorial Center, Georgeville.