Miss Grace Gifford was born in Glenside Saskatchewan May 29, 1916. She passed away in her 94th year in September of 2010.
She was a Wife, a Mother of four, and a kindergarten teacher in Vermilion Bay in Northwestern Ontario, where she lived for some sixty years.
Miss Grace was also the beloved Mom to Mr. Bill and Grandmother to Miss Tina, Jason and Miss Ashley and four other grandchildren as well as 9 great grandchildren.
I only met Grace a couple of times. By the time I had moved to Dryden in May 2010, Miss Grace was living in a Senior’s Home, although I’m pretty sure she would have much preferred to stay alone in her home in Vermilion Bay, tending to her garden and living quietly, amongst the streets and the neighbourhoods that she had come to love. She was never known to have raised her voice, the epitome of dignity and grace.
I regret not having spent more time with this lovely lady. Mr. Bill has many pictures, her hair always coiffed her blue eyes looking directly into the lens of the camera. Mr. Bill is just about the kindest person I know, it’s not hard to imagine from whom he would have inherited this trait.
I was digging about in an upper cupboard in the house that Mr. Bill and I shared when I discovered a little green box with a weathered top.
You would have thought I had found a pot of gold. A recipe box half filled with handwritten recipes. Little white cards with notes at the top, like “(good)” or (“breadmaker”).
Recipes with the author or source printed carefully in the corner.
Holding that box in my hands I felt like I had stepped into a time capsule. Before Pinterest. Before the net. When life was slower and we had time to record our favourite recipes on little white cards. When sharing a recipe with our friends and neighbours, meant making the recipe first so it could be given to the recipient, along with the little white card.
Here is a link to buy an assortment of those index/recipe cards.
There are desserts, puddings, cookies, breads, main dishes and sides. There is a variety of authors. I’m hoping to be transported back in time with each new card. Let’s start here:
Washington Nut Bars
- 1 cup cake flour
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
Rub together the cake flour, the brown sugar and the shortening. Pat into an 8×8 pan (I used the back of a cup measure). Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Beat eggs, add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and nuts. Pour over base and bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
Hope you enjoy this recipe from the little green box! Thank you Miss Grace!
Be bold, be authentically you!
~ Donna
