Thursday, November 12, 2009

Food that Really Schmecks by Edna Stabler 1968



Food that Really Schmecks is a wonderful look at the Mennonite community, so pull up a chair and join Edna Stabler, her friends and family in their kitchens preparing some of the best food I have ever tasted. Edna starts off warning us that she is not a qualified cookbook writer, and I agree with her. This book does not have the formal layout that we are used to in most cookbooks today,and you won't always find a list of ingredients before the recipe but it's more of a story of how food had been and still is prepared in the most delicious of ways. Recipes that have been passed down from the pioneers and some have been tweaked a little to fit in with a more modern world. As you can see by the shabby cover, it is my favorite go to book for comfort meals that my friends and family all seem to love.

Edna died of a stroke in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada in 2006 at the age of 100. She is listed on the Canadian Who's Who List for her many accomplishments and awards.

Here for your approval, from Food That Really Schmecks, is her famous Carrot Cake Recipe complete in Edna's exact words.

CARROT CAKE

Wendy Machetzki, the darling bride who works in Kitchener's Provident Mennonite book store where you can browse, sit in front of a charming real fireplace and have a free cup of coffee, gave me her favorite cake recipe. "I don't call it carrot cake because people don't want to even taste it then. I call it Wednesday cake or whatever day of the week I baked it on," she told me.

2 cups sugar..............................................1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups flour...............................................4 whole eggs
3 cups finely shredded carrots....................2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda............................Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together. Blend in oil, add eggs and carrots, then vanilla. Blend in oil, add eggs and carrots then vanilla. Blend well and bake in 8-inch layer pans at 350-degrees for 35 minutes.

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