[This post finishes the letter of January 30, 1943, written by Vance to his folks.] You are right about the mail and food being the soldier's dish. We eat an awful lot of candy for some reason or other. I hesitate to have you bake stuff but, of course, I'd love to have some molasses cookies or on second thought maybe filled cookies would be better if you have or can get raisins. They would not break up and anyhow I don't care much for molasses cookies unless they stay crisp which I doubt would be possible. Some way cake doesn't appeal so much right now. We have cake every once in a while anyhow. So how about some filled cookies if you have nothing better to do. Had a letter from Nellie Gaylord last night and she promised some cookies sometime in the near future so it looks as if I may fare well. She and Howard had driven to Portland and had a hectic time getting back home. She drove off the road in a blizzard and nearly upset the car. Had to crawl out over Howard and walk over a mile into Pe Ell for help. Finally got out but left the car in Pe Ell and took the bus to Raymond. I guess they must be in pretty good shape to stand such a rap. Howard was terribly scared but had no ill effects.
[Howard and Nellie Gaylord, an elderly couple, were friends of my dad's in Raymond. When Daddy married Mother, Nellie came for the wedding. When she passed away, she left her car to my dad. I think brother Chuck used it for a while – drove it to and from the University of Idaho for a year or two, I believe.]
Most of the fellows are in town tonight and lights should be out but aren't. However, I won't tempt the fates too far so here goes for so long for this time.
My love to you, Vance -- P.S. Lights just went out.
BAKING COOKIES
There's no doubt about it – Grandma Ina's recipe for gingersnaps (or molasses cookies) was my dad's favorite. When he baked cookies, this is the recipe he used. I'm surprised that he thought better of her sending a batch of these.
INA DOBSON'S GINGERSNAPS
5 or 6 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsps ginger
1 tsp cloves
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup Crisco
1/14 cup molasses
1 ½ tsps soda
1/3 cup hot water
Mix and sift dry ingredients except soda. Cut in shortening until like coarse cornmeal. Make a well in center and molasses and soda dissolved in hot water. Add more flour if necessary for stiff dough. Roll out thinly on floured board. Grease cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
Now, my dad loved to change recipes. He always thought that he could improve any recipe. Often he didn't even try the re
cipe before he began to experiment with it. Grandma's gingersnap recipe was no exception. He added an egg and ½ cup brown sugar to this recipe. When I make them, I stick with Grandma's recipe.
I mixed the dough last night while cooking supper. Knowing that this recipe makes a large batch of cookies, I halved it. I used a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. My dad used a larger cutter – probably the lid of a Crisco or coffee can when such were tin – and then stored the cookies in a large tin can where they stayed crisp as he gradually ate them up.
I don't know the origin of this recipe, but it's similar to recipes for "Joe Froggers," historic to New England. KW
8 comments:
How fun to use an old family recipe. Gingersnaps are a favorite in our family but I just use a recipe from a '60's era garden club cookbook. They're drop cookies. You are to be commended for making cutout cookies!! I always think they are too much work--I'm all about instant gratification, so you've totally impressed me with these.
Both my grandmothers had recipes for rolled gingersnaps. Your comment, Chris, touches upon some issues I'm mentally developing for another post. My family's favorite ginger cookie is also a drop cookie.
How about the mention of filled cookies -- if Ina has nothing better to do? Now there's a labor-intensive cookie: Prepare a cooked filling, mix sugar cookie dough, cut circles, place a measured amount of filling on bottom and cover with top and seal with your fingers. The top will need a slit -- or, if you have time, you'll use your tiny star-shaped cutter for the vent hole. And to my taste, that's also a rich cookie.
Time for true confessions. I've never made a filled cookie. I've *thought* about making them, but in all the thousands and thousands of cookies I've made, there's nary a filled one.
My guess is that Ina made those filled cookies, time or no, because your dad requested them and that's what we moms do. It would have been a labor of love.
My dad likes chewy (undone cookies). Does he like a crispy ginger snap? How did yours turn out? crispy or chewy? Did you have to cook some on half time for Dad?
I plan to do some new cooking this weekend. I hope to have a successful experiment with my food processor. Stay tuned for details!
Chris, I haven't made filled cookies either. I remember Mother making them once. Ina sent Vance cookies but he doesn't say what kind they were.
And Hallie, this project was not about your dad, but yes, he does like crisp gingersnaps -- buys them at the store. Purchased gingersnaps are low in fat. I'm not sure about the ones we bake. I notice these are disappearing so he must find them palatable.
I'm glad you're going to play with your food processor. We're waiting to hear about your experiment.
Oh, I knew this project was about Grandpa, but since I figured the mouths that would receive these particular cookies were yours and Dad's, I thought I'd solicit more info on those tastes.
This particular recipe was a staple in our home as I grew up. My dad baked them -- not my mother. Often when Daddy baked cookies, I was called upon to clean up the kitchen, and I would be irked about that because to this day the way I judge whether or not to bake cookies is whether or not I feel like cleaning up the mess. Baking cookies is the fun part; the mess is the downside. And when I bake cookies according to my preference, it will usually be chocolate chip.
I used the gingersnap recipe in its original format. They came out crisp -- not soft. All four trays were baked to perfection -- none burned or under-baked.
Daddy baked large batches and we often dunked them in tea or milk. Frankly, I don't think there's anything about that recipe that needs fixing, and with today's powerful mixers, it's an easy recipe.
I think recipes of this type were useful in WWII when eggs and sugar were rationed. Of course, Ina had plenty of eggs at her disposal.
And, I think these cookies would be good if frosted, but I've never done that. I use another recipe for gingerbread cookies when I frost them.
If the car mentioned is the 1936 Pontiac Coupe, your dad must have given or sold it to Dale Johnson, and I bought it from him. It had been rolled and the top was filled with body putty, which was flaking off. I had it from the time I was 16 until I got the 1953 blue Ford from Mom in1955.
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