Salad for lunch

The Woman’s Literary Union held its annual salad luncheon Friday at the Deering Masonic Hall, Bishop Street in Portland.

Member Joan O’Toole was chairman of the luncheon, an excellent meal. The salads and desserts are all donated by members, and they made a delicious luncheon. The hall is an excellent location for this meeting, with long tables in the center of the hall, filled with numerous salads. They were of great variety, too, not just lettuce and vegetables, but some with feta cheese, olives, small green peas, fruit and Jell-O, and we who attended tried to sample spoonfuls of many of them. The desserts are always popular, too, including cupcakes, pieces of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, tarts filled with custard, and also frosted. Nobody went away hungry, I’m sure.

At the table where I sat were Anne Dox, Doris-Gene Briggs, Colleen Reed, Helen Anderson, Virginia Wintle and Cay O’Brien. I was also pleased to see friends Martha Saunders and Mary Jean Pierce.

Lupines to see

I’ve mentioned the easy and enjoyable walk at Capisic Pond Park, Portland. The surprise this week was the lovely stand of purple lupines, just blooming, at the top of the first hill. There were numerous white blossoms behind them. The combination makes a beautiful display.

I checked in my copy of “The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers” and found this description of wild lupine: “Blue, pea-like flowers are in an upright, elongated terminal cluster on an erect stem, with palmately compound leaves. Height, 8-24 inches. Flowering, April-July. Habitat: Dry open woods and fields. Range: Maine south to Florida, west to Louisiana and Minnesota.”

It is a handsome flower and seeing them in a complete group, as here at Capisic, makes a handsome display.

Also, since our peonies are in bloom in our yard, I am reminded that a trip to Maine Audubon, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, is one I must take this week. Our peonies are all pink, but there is great variety at Gilsland, white, red and pink. There are gardens of them on the grounds, near the office and museum and beside the parking lot. From there, a walk down into the fields is a big treat, for many peonies are growing, too. A walk around the fields leads down along the ocean – it’s good exercise.

Treats to make

These recipes are from the March 27, 1974, American Journal, and were in my “Food Favorites” column then. They were given by members of the South Portland Extension, who were having programs on Japan, and are both Japanese recipes. The first dish was served at the High Hopes Extension meeting. It was delicious.

ELLEN WHITE’S ORIENTAL SALAD

2-1/4 teaspoons salt

2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over the cucumbers and chill for 1 hour. Drain and remove as much moisture as possible. Sprinkle carrots with the remaining salt. Combine sugar, vinegar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place cucumbers in one side of a large bowl, carrots in the other side and cover with the vinegar mixture. Chill 1 hour. Drain. Arrange the carrots inside a cumber ring. Reserve the liquid for dressing.

Mrs. Jane Everett made a Japanese Honey Cake, Kasutera. She called it rather an odd cake, more like a cookie batter, very crusty. But she was glad to share the recipe.

JANE EVERETT’S HONEY CAKE

5 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup sifted flour

2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar.

Beat eggs, sugar and honey together until thick. Add the flour, beating well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into greased 9-by-12-inch pan. Bake 45 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking, stir the cake. Continue baking the rest of the time. Let it cool in the pan. Dust with the sugar. Mrs. Everett said it looked like a good little cake, before she stirred it. Then it slumped. She was to check about the slumping.

I say anything with honey in it sounds good to me.

Ramblings

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