Family Recipe Friday - Boiled Dinner

It's kind of funny. When I was a kid, I wasn't a big fan of the baked ham dinner. Sure, it was okay and I'd eat it with minimal fuss, but it was not my favorite meal. Still, I looked forward to it because of what would inevitably follow: boiled dinner. 

Ah, boiled dinner, how can I put something so ethereally delicious into words? Imagine all the best parts of Irish fare--meat, potatoes, carrots, cabbage--simmering on the stove all afternoon. Fragrances mingling. Flavors marrying. (Are you with me on this one?) Whether it was prepared in my grandmother's kitchen or my mother's, it was a giant pot of awesome sauce. (Did I mention that I've been a vegetarian for several years? Writing this is unmitigated torture.)

Okay, since you're probably now at your breaking point, dying to know how to make this yourself, I'll get on with it.

Boiled Dinner

Ingredients:

• Leftover baked ham (or corned beef), still on the bone
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head of cabbage, quartered
• Several white potatoes (yes, "several"), halved
• A bunch of carrots, sliced about 1-inch thick
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

I know you're in awe of all these really precise and helpful units of measurement, right? Admittedly, this is what you might call a go-with-the-flow-and-trust-your-instincts kind of recipe. Believe me, I'd provide the metric conversion of "several" and "bunch" if I could, but it's a little outside my realm of expertise.

Directions:

• Combine all of the above mentioned ingredients in a large pot
• Add enough water to cover the vegetables
• Bring to a boil
• Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, frequently ladling the juices over the meat while cooking

And that's it. It's not elaborate or complicated--just homey and delicious. So, set aside your measuring cups just this once and tap into your adventurous side. This dinner is worth it. (Really, I promise.)

International Museum Day - Shelburne Museum

Today is International Museum Day and, as a lover of cultural heritage institutions, I can't help but reminisce about a museum that has some meaning to my family history pursuits.

My grandfather was not a regular museum-goer. He was an outdoorsy fellow who liked walking through the woods, working with his hands, and tending to the family's substantial plot of land. The idea of being cooped up inside a building looking at art and bric-a-brac didn't really appeal to him. 

There was one museum, however, that we visited when I was a child that he seemed to genuinely appreciate. And it means even more to me now because of his fondness for it.

The Shelburne Museum, located near Lake Champlain in Shelburne, VT, is not a typical museum. It boasts "39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic" on the property, so there is much to see--both indoors and outdoors. My grandfather especially loved the barns on-site and the antique tools and farm equipment. As he looked at the collections, he reflected nostalgically on the good ol' days when farms flourished and peppered the countryside. 

And there was something for everyone there. We kiddos were crazy about the steamboat Ticonderoga. (It seemed so opulent and impressive, especially compared to the unadorned and utilitarian ferry we had taken en route to the museum). We were also drawn to the collection of toys and dolls. (We were children, after all, so that was inevitable).

I have returned to the Shelburne Museum on more than one occasion as an adult and have found something new to appreciate each time. But, above all else, it's the fact that my sweet grandfather once enjoyed the site so much that will keep me going back for years to come.

Wordless Wednesday - "The Girls" (circa 1982)

Wordless Wednesday - Graduation 1955

Amanuensis Monday - March 28

An excerpt of Pid's writing, dated Sunday, March 28 (year uncertain, likely 1993):

"Still have the sniffles. Out to see mom, she looks good. 60 degrees. Cooling down, raining." 

Most of Pid's journal entries were like this: short, factual, and to the point. Her letters, on the other hand, tended to be longer and more detailed. I still have many of them.

Mystery Monday - A Mystery Solved

When I started this blog just a few short weeks ago, I wrote an explanation for the blog's title. I had selected this name in honor of my grandaunt "Pid" whose unusual moniker was something of a family mystery. 

Well, I am so glad I wrote that post because I received a response from a relative who remembered hearing an anecdote about the nickname's origin:

"The story...was that there was an older man in her life when she was a toddler (around 3 or 4 years old) who was named Phil. Apparently she could not pronounce 'Phil,' instead repeatedly and frantically saying 'PidPhiddyPiddyPid!' or something to that effect, and thus, the nickname was born."

This is a fantastic story and I was thrilled to hear it! My heartfelt thanks go out to the wonderful family member who shared this with me.

Mystery Monday - Who Are You William Strong?

"Who are you, William Strong?" is a question that I've been asking lately. I've only gathered a few fractured theories and partial facts thus far:

• He was born around 1852, possibly in New York.
• Based on Pid's recollection several years ago, his middle name was Edward. 
• He was married to May (sometimes transcribed as "Mary") Reynolds around 1873.
• He lived in Willsboro (Willsborough), New York for a substantial portion of his life--if not all of it.

This is where things get hazy. Pid thought that he had been born in Canada, but census records list New York as his place of birth. Stranger still, the census records for 1880, 1900, and 1910 list conflicting places of birth for his parents. 

1880 suggests that both of his parents were born in New York. 1900 places his father's birth in Canada, but his mother's in New York. And the 1910 census indicates that both parents were born in Vermont. I have been unable to find any record of William prior to 1880.

Of course, there is family legend in the mix, as well. One story insinuated that William was originally from Canada, but left under questionable circumstances. As a result, he moved to New York and changed his name to "Strong." I'm naturally going to take that bit of folklore with a grain of salt.  

So, my mystery today is: Who was William Strong? When and where was he born? Who were his parents and where were they born? 

I can only hope that my next trip to New York will yield some additional clues or, at the very least, some direction.

The Story of Pid's Water Jar

This past week, I posted a picture of a glass jar and labeled it simply "Pid's Water Jar" for Wordless Wednesday. Yesterday, I received a request for some words of explanation and I'm more than happy to oblige!

My grandaunt "Pid" was a very practical and frugal person. She didn't believe in spending money on anything she deemed frivolous or unnecessary. She was a "make do with what you have" sort of person and rarely bought things just for herself. 

Pid liked to keep drinking water in her refrigerator, but rather than buying a pitcher, she used a large pickle jar that she had on hand. That jar was in Pid's fridge as long as I can remember and, as it turns out, my mother can recall that same jar from her own youth. It was a known and expected constant: if you visited Pid's home, you would be drinking a glass of ice-cold water poured from that pickle jar. 

The jar is now in my home--stored in a safe place, but one in which I can see it every day.

Family Recipe Friday - Michigan Sauce

Almost anyone who has summered on Lake Champlain would know what you meant if you said, "It's Michigan season!" And if you're lucky enough to have had female ancestors or relatives from the region, you've probably enjoyed a lovely homemade version of this summer dish.

What is a Michigan? It's a steamed hot dog, served on a bun with mustard, chopped onions, and a special "Michigan sauce." They are usually served at seasonal food stands by carhops--very quaint! What follows is my adaptation of the Michigan sauce recipe.

Michigan Sauce 

• 1 lb. 90% (or leaner) ground beef
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped (I use a food processor)
• 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped (food processor again)
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. onion salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 5-10+ drops hot pepper sauce, depending on your "hotness" preferences (I use Gunslinger Smokin' Hot Jalapeño Pepper Sauce, which I got in Kansas.)
• 1/4 c. water

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot. Cook on High setting for 30 minutes. Stir. Switch to Low setting and cook for about 3 hours. To serve: Place a steamed hot dog on a New England style bun. Add the sauce (generously), followed by a thin stripe of yellow mustard and additional chopped onions. 

Ironically, I have been a vegetarian for several years, but will make this upon request for my loved ones!

Wordless Wednesday - Pid's Water Jar

Amanuensis Monday - Military Discharge 1865

What follows is a transcription of my great great granduncle's military discharge paperwork, dated Nov. 6, 1865...

"To all whom it may concern:

Know ye, That Henry D. Cooley a Private of Captain Lemon [?] Company, (A,) 118 Regiment of New York Volunteers, who was enrolled on the Twenty Eighth day of February one thousand eight hundred and Sixty Five to serve One year or during the war [sic] is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this Sixth day of November, 1865, at New York City by reason of Tel. Order War Dpt...May...1865 [incomplete, parts illegible]

(No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.)

Said Henry D. Cooley was born in Willsborough in the State of NY, is 19 years of age, Five feet Eleven inches high, light complexion, Blue eyes, light hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a Farmer.

Given at New York City this Sixth day of November 1865.

W. E. Blake [?]
A. C. M. Dept of East [incomplete, parts illegible]"

Based on his pension paperwork, I believe that Henry Cooley died in 1887, leaving behind a wife (Lucy) and at least four children.

Scanning Photos - My Grandparents

Today was another day of scanning for me, as I continue my efforts to preserve our family pictures and letters.

This photo, which was taken during the early 1950s in the Adirondacks region of Upstate New York, shows my late (maternal) grandparents during their courtship days. 

These two shy teenagers would one day celebrate their wedding, the births of their children and grandchildren, countless joyful holidays, and ultimately, a love and commitment that would last over 50 years.

Those Places Thursday - Frontier Town

Frontier Town, early 1990s

In honor of "Those Places Thursday," I combed through my photo collection looking for an image that captured my family at play in a familiar old place.

This photo was taken at a theme park called Frontier Town in North Hudson, NY. (As you can see, my young relative who shall remain nameless is doing time for crossing the sheriff. A warning to all outlaws!)

At Frontier Town, you moseyed back in time for a little taste of the Old West in the Adirondacks. You could see the rodeo, witness a train hold-up, and pick out a special toy pistol to commemorate your visit. (The latter was a must.)

Unfortunately, the park closed in 1998 and has not since reopened.

Pid Was Her Name

Pid was my grandaunt. And, as you probably gathered, "Pid" was not her given name. We come from a family that bestows mysterious nicknames on its members for reasons unknown. Florence Maud was dubbed "Mizzy," Elizabeth Lucretia was called "Luli," and Evelyn Natalie was known as "Sophie." My name is Danielle, yet to my grandparents, I was "Henrietta." Figure that one out.

Then there was Evelyn May, better known as "Pid." Unfortunately, there is no one left from her generation who remembers how that moniker came about. It was just always there and somehow perfectly illuminated the person she was to us. In fact, when we heard someone outside the family call her "Evelyn" or "Evie," it rang untrue, as though they were talking about someone else. 

As a person, she defined the unusual name. If there were a dictionary entry, it would read:  

Pid, ca. 1979-1980

• Pid n. A woman who exhibits the qualities of frugality, fierce independence, strong opinion, moral high-mindedness, temperance, outspokenness, charity, and selflessness. Such a woman may lecture others on moral turpitude, then grant them tremendous generosity without question.

If, at any point, someone mentioned the above characteristics, a family member would probably respond, "Oh, you're talking about Pid." And we would smile.

Although widowed and childless, she somehow became the de facto matriarch of our family. Inexplicably, she was everyone's mother.

It was with Pid that I began exploring family history. She shared the stories of her deceased siblings, her late parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and beyond. On December 28-29, 2002, I spent the night at her home and stayed up into the wee hours listening to her stories and recording everything she could recall about her family, reaching as far back into the past as she could and sharing things only she knew.

It was a long and perfect night that I will always treasure. I didn't know it then, but the timing was fortuitous. On March 13, 2003--less than 3 months after she had shared her priceless memories with me--Pid was the victim of a fatal accident at the age of 80. If we hadn't taken the time to explore our family history together that evening, it never would have happened at all.

So, that's why I'm dedicating this genealogy and family history blog to my dearest "Pid"--the one and only.