Recipe(tried): Some Wonderful Apron Books and More Tips for Seasoning a Cast Iron Pan

Hi June!

What a wonderful story about your Mom...I loved reading about all the embroidery she did on the face towels, so sweet! It must be comforting to you to be able to wear such nice memories in those aprons!

I love so much, I wear a different one everyday as I do my household chores or cook, especially when I cook. I have mine hanging on pegs in the laundry room and pick one out every day. Others are folded in my guest closet (I have 183) See? I can't resist buying them when they are 50 cents or $1.00 a piece! I have bib ones and half ones. There are 2 books written by Joyce Cheney and can be obtained from amazon.com...

1. Aprons, Icons of the American Home
2. Aprons, A Celebration
Both have wonderful pictures in them and re-cont the history and lore of these fabulous icons of the kitchen. I never tire of looking thru them! I just wish I could display them. Some friends of mine use a few of their own to hang on their kitchen windows as curtains. Another friend uses them all tacked along the wall on top sort of like a border.

Another super fun book by Gideon Bosker that I found at my local library is Fabulous Fabrics of the 50's
A super book that lets you identify old fabrics when you find them.

Judy Florence also has 2 books out;
Aprons of the Mid-Century To Serve
and
Gingham Aprons of the 40's and 50's.

Yes, the Meyer Lemons I get are the great big ones. If you can plant a tree, by all means, do so. You will always havae lemons on hand!

And about that seasoning of the iron skillet, you must apply the Crisco shortening (some swear by bacon grease also) evenly so that the pan is coated inside and out. After you do it, the pan will be shiny, not sticky. When properly seasoned, nothing will stick to it. You simply "scrub" it with kosher salt and a paper towel. Water and soap should never touch it again. Remember, the black iron skillet is used mainly for frying chicken or baking upside down cakes or corn cakes in the oven. One should never braise or cook with a tomato based acidic product as this will take the seasoning away and you have to start all over again.

Well June, I hope you always tie on your aprons strings and cook happily!!

Love, Gina

P.S. Can you share with us a recipe for Chop Suey made the New England way? (The one with noodles, beef, tomatoes, etc.) I sure do feel like eating some of that this week...yum!!