Home Economics (6th or 7th Grade)

Like most girls her age, Grace had a home economics class at school. (The boys went to shop class. In Grace's generation—and even in mine—it was practically impossible to switch.) She thought it was in sixth or seventh grade. We identified recipes from the class from four signs:

1. Grace's memory
2. Use of "f.g." (a few grains) as a measurement. For my cooking, I would interpret this as "one shake," but I would likely use more than that.
3. Single serving (could be sized up)
4. Spelling errors: "casterol," "doe." I have silently corrected these, but I wish I had scans, because the spelling in some cases was charming, and very unlike Grace's adult practice. She was proud of her ability to type quickly and without mistakes.

These are basic recipes that cooks could build on as they gained experience: four one-serving dishes for a single person to cook after work, a casserole to serve company, a cake for a coffee klatsch and cupcakes for a party.

This page includes the single serving scalloped dishes and the white sauce they depend on. Blancmange, a lima bean casserole and a coffee cake follow. The applesauce cupcakes are in the family section because Grace thought the recipe came from her mother.

Here are links to the recipes from this time:

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Escalloped Cabbage
• Scalloped Salmon
• White Sauce
• Blancmange
• Lima Bean and Bacon Casserole
• Quick Coffee Cake
• Applesauce Cup Cakes

Scalloped Potatoes

This is similar to the recipe in Aunt Averil's book.

Serves one.

• 1 small potato
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 tablespoon flour
• milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• few grains pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped onion

Pare potato and slice thin. Place half the potatoes in a small casserole dish.

Sprinkle with half of the dry ingredients. Place remaining potatoes in casserole, sprinkle with remaining dry ingredients, dot with butter, add milk.

Bake in oven at 400°F

Escalloped Cabbage

Serves 1

• 3 leaves cabbage
• 1/4 cup medium white sauce (below)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon grated cheese
• 1/4 cup buttered bread crumbs

Cook cabbage leaves in boiling salted water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water. Drain off water and cut cabbage in small pieces.

Butter baking dish and fill with cabbage. Add the white sauce to which the cheese has been added. Cover with bread crumbs bake in a hot oven until crumbs brown.

Scalloped Salmon

• 1/4 cup salmon, boned and skinned
• 1/4 cup buttered bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup medium white sauce (see below)

Butter baking dish and fill with salmon. Then add the white sauce. Cover dish with bread crumbs. Bake in a hot oven till crumbs have browned.

White Sauce

I would skip the salt here. Mrs. Bottone doesn't use it in her white sauce for lasagne. On the other hand, Joy of Cooking has quite a number of seasoning variations for white sauce, and these scalloped dishes are kind of bland. Perhaps add pepper and a few herbs. Some common combinations: rosemary with the potatoes, caraway with cabbage, dill with salmon.

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons flour
• few grains salt
• 1/2 cup butter

Melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour and salt, stirring so as to combine thoroughly. Add milk gradually, stirring continuously till the mixture thickens.