Enjoy this brief first-hand account of a stress-free Christmas family get together from 1935. It sounds like a lovely time. We observe the old custom of having our whole family together for Christmas dinner. Last year there were nearly forty of us. Each family brought a basket lunch with service for its own members. No dirty dishes to mar the…

Today I’m sharing a recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins, that are also great made with squash. In the spirit of “waste not, want not,” here is a recipe that originally came from a World War I-era cookbook, but I’ve modified it somewhat to be gluten free with minimal sweetening. gluten-free baking Gluten-free baking is a tricky endeavor. I know.…

Are you a housewife or a homemaker? Or do you call yourself something else. It’s interesting that a profession that’s been around since Eve came into the picture doesn’t go by one term in the English language. Recently I found the most interesting piece in a forgotten little book written in 1896. In it was one of the best description of…

Have you ever tried foraging? If you do, you probably won’t brag about it or tell everybody about the joys of foraging. Recently I discovered an essay written in 1907 entitled “Wild Grapes for Jelly.” The author writes of the summertime treasure that wild fruit can be to the select few who are willing to claim it. She says this…