The Aunts' Cook Book

T^his slight evidence of materteral affection has no inherent right to be called a cook-book. It contains^ as will be seeny no general rules for cooking. It is conspicuously lacking in direc- tions how to bakcy broil or brewy and is eloquently silent on the frugal themes of the trying-out of faty the making of soapy etc. It makes no claim to being either thoroughy economical, scientific or systematic. It is merely a collection of family recipes. Nor are all the receipts contained herein necessarily indigen- ous to the households that supplied them. Some are original, many have been sanctified by the usage of former generationSy some were the gifts of friendsy others the inventions of most ex- cellent cooksy both past and presenty still others have been lifted bodily and baldly from the sacred archives of Mrs. Lincolny Mrs. Rorery Mrs. Ronaldsy et cie. But all are in common use in the homes of their contributors. And as these donors hail from all corners of the country andy as the family of the donees on the maternal side is Southern and on the paternal from New Englandy they swing a wide circle of tastes and ideas in cuisinerie. Should any future scion of the clan be sufficiently interested to wish to trace the identity of the contributors to this volumcy concealed in several cases under none too dignified nick-namesy we will save them the trouble by announcing ourselves as follows : ** Auntie** — Mrs. Fairfax Landstreet, of West Virginia and New York. Aunt ''Deir—Mrs. Windsor T. WhitCy of Cleveland. Aunt Elinor — Mrs. Guerdon Stearns Holdeny of New York and Cleveland. Aunt Elizabeth — Mrs. John Berryy of West Virginia and Greenwich. Aunt Emery — Mrs. Henry Vose Greenough, of Cleveland and Boston. Aunt Gertrude — Mrs. Thomas Atterbury McGinleyy of Cleve- land and Sezifickley. Aunt "Mattie** — Mrs. George Faber Downey^ of West Virginia^ Salt Lake City, Washington^ etc. Aunt "Robbie** — Mrs. Benjamin P. Bole^ of Salt Lake City and Cleveland. Aunt Virginia — Mrs. L Dean Holden, of Baltimore^ Cleveland and New York. Grand-mother Holden — Mrs. Liberty Emery Holden^ of Cleve- landy Salt Lake City and California. One of the progenitors of the dedicatees of our book^ on the paternal side, lived in Steventotony N. Y.y in the early part of the last cent- ury. In the village was an eccentric old damey known as "Aunt Betty y* who had a way of dropping in for dinner or supper quite 'unannounced. One day she arrived as the family had finished their evening mealy but great-great-grand-mother Susannah Brown managed to put before her a respectable though not elaborate repast, expressing the regrety as she did sOy that there was not more left. Aunt Betty regarded the food dubiously and remarkedy "There* s enough of it — such as it is.** Great-great-grand-mother Susannah thereupon hastened to apologize for its quality. "Ohy* rejoined Aunt Betty cheerfullyy "ifs good enough — what there is of itV* So with our cook-book. Here it is — what there is of it and such as it is. SFEECH Not you alone, our little brides. Throughout a life-time merry. Will share alike, we trust, in this, Our effort culinary. Your babies' babies may — who knowsl Become at proper ages Residuary legatees To all its toothsome pages. To rich preserves, to flowing bowl. Not bread and butter merely. But milk and honey, cakes and ale. In portions mounting yearly. When we, its sponsors, shall have come To malted milk and gruels, To 'transformations,' shawls and canes, To patch-work quilt and crewels. Or farther yet, adown the years. From out some dusty garret. Some hand may lift it, idly urged To test its crumbling merit. And trying out some favored dish. Selecting it with prescience, A savory whiff may bring again Its creatress in essence. Spirit of her who served it first, Wholesome or sweet or spicy, Weighty or dainty, tender, tart. Peppery, mild or icy.