Mom is long gone and not here to defend herself but I need to tell you this anyway. We had to write a thank-you note before wearing or eating anything. My great uncle in Switzerland used to send us a package of lebkuchen (German spice cookies) in a fancy package every year for Christmas.
We knew what it was, it arrived around Labor Day and Mom hid it away for four months. Then we opened it on Christmas morning. All four kids (well, those who were old enough to read and write) had to complete our notes before we could eat a cookie. They were great but quite stale probably six months after they were baked.
Years ago in Houston it was holiday season and I saw lebkuchen on the shelves of a specialty store I frequented. I bought a box and took it home and had the first fresh lebkuchen I’ve ever tasted and it was a revelation! These were chocolate and spicy and had a wafer bottom like a Communion wafer. As a matter of fact, my father used to call this particular one a “God bless you, my son.”
I gave one to my husband. He hated it. I bought another box for his family. They shared one cookie and returned the box. I guess it is an acquired taste. More for me!
Most of our hand-written notes were stateside except those that went to Canada and Switzerland. Rarely do I place a stamp on anything today. I even do our taxes online and haven’t even printed out those 64 pages for posterity.
I write because yesterday my blog was read by people in the USA, Canada, Swaziland, Brazil, Spain and Vietnam. I don’t even know people in the last four countries. It boggles the mind. Here I am trying to finish up 500 posts so I can honorably retire (I tried to do it at 1,000, again at 2,000. Now the goal is 3,000.)
Who would have thought as a baby in Daddy’s lap that Al Gore would have invented the Internet (!) and I’d have a blog that was read around the world? And now I am marveling at all the quality stuff I’ve recently acquired from the 50’s. No, I’m not into Mad Men but my husband is. Perhaps that’s where he got the idea for the vaporiser.
Big things are about to happen. I know it. Must get Skype up and running. All for now. I’m still here and all the worldly folks are out in other countries reading my blog. Aren’t I lucky. Dee
Cooking with Dee 