Month: September 2017

Devil in the Dust by Cara Luecht

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

The author drew me into the 1930s right away. The story starts slowly and builds.

Many have already moved to California to escape the terrible dust that covers everything. The pastor, Peter, and his wife, Lillian, do their best to support the few families left in their Oklahoma town.

Emma’s husband is missing. Was he hurt? Or had he abandoned Emma and her five hungry children?

At 15, Jessie can’t stand to watch her younger siblings get by on so little food. With her father missing, there is no money to buy more food. There has to be something she can do to make things better.

Then a stranger drives a fancy car into town.

This story is told in multiple viewpoints, giving readers a glimpse into how tragedies suffered color your vision when nature itself seems to turn against farming families.

The author did a wonderful job of creating an authentic feel of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. The characters’ choices and thoughts ring true to the time. This novel robbed me of a few hours of sleep!

Definitely recommend.

-Sandra Merville Hart

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Cream of Cucumber Soup Recipe

/ sandramervillehart

I found The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, originally published in 1896, in an antique store. Fannie Farmer’s name is still well-known today.

Stock, water enriched by the food cooked in it, is an important ingredient in numerous soups. Homemade stock brings full-bodied flavor to recipes. The recipe for the chicken stock used in this recipe is found  here.

To make this soup, finely chop enough onion to give 3 tablespoons and set aside.

Peel 3 large cucumbers. Remove the seeds and then slice them.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in onion and cucumber. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour. Cook about 1 ½ minutes.

Add 3 cups of chicken stock or chicken broth. (I had run out of stock so I used broth instead.) Stir in 1 cup of milk. Turn burner to a medium high heat until soup boils.

Remove from heat. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Strain the broth. Rinse the saucepan before returning the strained soup to it.

Beat 2 egg yolks. Stir these into the soup. Add ½ cup light or heavy cream (I used heavy cream) and ½ teaspoon salt or salt to taste. Reheat the soup until hot, stirring frequently. Do not boil.

This is the first time I’ve made this type of soup. There is a light, refreshing taste of cucumber. I thought it tasted delicious and will make it again.

This recipe makes 7 one-cup servings.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Revised by Cunningham, Marion and Laber, Jeri. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Alfred A Knopf Inc., 1983.