Speaking of food…
California 1956
A call for submissions was made a few years ago by the Merced County Historical Society. My mom is a genealogy virtuoso who loves archiving stories of family history that usually involve food. Given that the organization was looking for contributors to share recipes for their publication: Cooking in Merced County A Taste of History. She was delighted to take part and submitted the recipe posted above. Her entry made the cookbook!
She had such a hard life. But you would only know if you listened really closely to the details she shares. She never speaks disparagingly of her childhood. She shares what fun she had climbing trees and rooftops in her bare feet staring up at the stars, making up her own fairytales, imagining what adulthood might have in store. I think she was trying to get as far away as she could from the fields below that her family labored so hard in from sunrise to sunset. Her favorite harvest? Tomatoes because she could use the juice from a tomato to wash her hands before eating a taquito at lunch time. Cotton was the worst because her fingers would be bloody at the end of the day from plucking the fiber from its thorny pod. I try to remind myself of these stories when I think I’m having a bad day at work. My worst day is far better I’m sure than the best day she ever had while harvesting strawberries, garlic, watermelon, etc. in the summer heat or the pouring rain of the central valley.
Square One Notes 
Wow, the things your mom saw while working as a child harvester, Sandra. Speaking of food, fruit turnovers sound very tasty.
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Yeah Mark, it really makes me appreciate my produce and lots of things in between as well. I wish she had chosen to submit her chocolate empanada recipe though. I’m not crazy about pumpkin. I can say that because she doesn’t read my blog. 🙂
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And I won’t squeal, Sandra, promise.
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I think I have a twin.
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From what I gather, I think you’re right! 🙂 No wonder we are kindred bloggers.
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This post touched my heart and made me hungry. Then I noticed you reviewed Belinda Carlisle’s book and thought you could’ve titled the review “Circle In The Sand(ra)”. See what I did there?
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You made me laugh out loud! Got nervous for a sec. Thought you were gonna rip on the Go Go’s. Was gonna have to get grumpy with you. Glad you’re still on my good side 🙂
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No I like happy Sandra comments…although…the grumpy face could be fun 🙂
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Trust me. You don’t wanna tangle with grumpy me. Not pretty.
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Challenge accepted 🙂
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LOL! Awesome!
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Absolutely beautiful
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Thank you so much! And welcome!
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