The Wonderful World of Cooking and two mothers $12.00

Katherine Cornell said this book is enchanting. Maybe so, but for one dollar (Lakeside yard sale) it has some great recipes ala the 1950s when it was damn the cream, butter and cholesterol. Still it has enough herbs to make the 21st century cook smile. The Cream of Wild Asparaus uses fresh tarragon, a pinch of coriander, and a sprinkle of mace, served with crusty rolls and fresh berries for dessert.

Edward Harris Heth was a minor writer of the 1940s and 1950s who lived an openly gay life style in the midwest when that was somewhat unusual. At least one young man (then) thought so who met him in a writing class where he was an instructor. This book is autographed, and was given as a gift by the floral shop (Tom Jacks, Milwaukee) to a new bride in 1961. The bill for the flowers, still inside the book, is worth the $1.00: Brides bouquet, $12.50; 3 bridemaids $18.00; 2 altar bouquets, $10.00; Belssed Virgin (sic), $5.00; aisle runner, $10.00; pew bows and streamers $10.00; centerpiece, $15.00; 2 Mothers, $12.00; bouts 9, $4.50. Total for all the flowers for bride, attendants, mothers, groomsmen, tables, etc. was $97.00. So Jean Winzenburg and Steve Treacy of Wauwatosa, WI had quite a wedding.

There are some amusing stories in this cookbook, with Aunt Dell (a large woman who always seems to be in his kitchen), as well as great recipes for Onion Pie, Blueberry Pickle (uses molasses), fried green tomatoes, leaf lettuce and cream (a favorite at my Mother's table), string beans in drippings, Pregnant Soup, Salt pork with creamed new peas and potatoes. Now, aren't you hungry?