It was during the Depression and there weren't many treats to share with the little ones. But, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without tea cakes.
She lifted the heavy green bowl out of the cupboard. Measured out the flour, dropped a clump of butter right into the middle of it and, not having a pastry cutter, she started to roll portions of flour and butter together with her hands until the entire amount was fine as meal.
Then she added the other ingredients, eggs, vanilla. etc.
She sprinkled some flour on the countertop, placed her dough in the center and rolled it all out. Her cutter was a drinking glass.
While the cookies baked in the oven, she took out a pan, poured her ingredients into it and stirred it on the stovetop until she had a fudge like icing. This was what made the tea cakes so special.
Once the cookies were cooled, she smeared a dab between two baked cookies. Soon a platter was stacked high with tea cake sandwiches.
A small face appeared around the door frame, the scent of goodness filling her nostrils. She slowly approached the table and with a nod from her mother took a cookie from the platter and ran off to play with her paper dolls.
This story is a true one. That is how I remember my Mother at Christmas time.
Wonderful post, photo and memories!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post Latane! The photo is a treasure. I love, love, love teacakes and this post! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis brought back memories, for sure! My grandmother always mixed her flour and lard together by hand in a bowl for her pies. What a delightful story. I can almost smell the cookies! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a sweet memory! Those were certainly a standby in my childhood. Almost every family had lard and flour, and teacakes were just one step up from everyday biscuits, with sugar and vanilla, but OH, how those loving hands could transform the plain into the special.
ReplyDeleteI well remember them, and remember every woman in our family with their hands all immersed in flour, or flour and Crisco, or a combination, as they made pies and biscuits and teacakes and all sorts of wonderful things from just that humble start.
I was just thinking this morning about making something, and realizing that I'd have to do it exactly that way, for I have no idea what became of my pastry-blender thing when we put the kitchen back together. And so we are transported to the BEFORE, and thank goodness, we know how to cope, for it was such a part of our raisings.
Thanks for the memory.
rachel
PS Our church suppers were never complete til Miss Lottie set down a platter of her teacakes. She always brought them wrapped in a clean pillowcase, cause that's how her Mama said they kept best.
I have my grandmothers Tea Cake recipe, you make me want to look it up and bake.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post, Latane. Such a sweet memory and having the photo is so special. What a treasure! And I know the tea cakes were extra good because they were made with love.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet memory. And a great picture! Thanks for telling this sweet story.
ReplyDeleteOh Latane. I did enjoy your post. Thanks for visiting Popeye. I told the story this week from mom's perspective. I'll be sharing next as told from the 50 year old Cowboys perspective. That is when it gets funny.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mention you before I enjoyed your post/story so much that I would like to feature it in an upcoming
Christmas post. I'll get with you a little later to give you the details. I've enjoyed meeting you!
Thanks for sharing your story.
oh my gosh latane, i adore this post....i remember my mom and grandma would make all the christmas treats, fudge, divinity, popcorn balls....it just hasn't been the same since my grandma and mom died...i wish i had learned all of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory! Thank you for sharing it with us. I am sure that the tea cakes were delicious!! xx
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful! What a perfect thing to write about, Mom! Warms my heart to have such special memories here about Grandmother and her special tea cakes! Love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story. I have fond memories of my grammy baking during the holidays. She made tollhouse cookies, apricot bars and mincemeat pie with hardsauce. I was too young for the hardsauce. The apricot bars were my favorite.
ReplyDelete