Thank you, SIBIA

Sibia, another one of my students, excitedly told me Last Friday that she found a book in one of the stores she visited and that she will give it to me. Today she brought it and told me that she thought of me as soon as she saw the cookbook. She obliged to pose while holding the cookbook. I opened the book to show the front and back covers and the spine. Don't you feel like coming in? It is an old but beautiful book, indeed. In the jacket was written:

first, it is a working cookbook, an intimate autobiography of a charming and adventuresone woman whose enthusiasm has given her the vitality to rear three children, manage three homes and develop a multi million dollar business... and finally it is a valuable treasury of early recipes from Mrs. Rudkin's fabulous collection of antique cookbooks which she has updated with her own modern present-day ready-to-use translations

Below are recipes of Cherry Tart written in 1473 and in 1962. 1473 Cherry Tart Grind sour cherries in a mortar after they have been stoned. When these are ground, add red roses, finely chopped, a little fresh cheese and a little old cheese, ground, a little pepper, a little ginger, a litle sugar; mix in four broken eggs. After the mixture has been lined with a crust, cook it in a well-greased pan over a slow fire. When it has been removed from the fire, pour over it sugar and rosewater. Modern version (1962) Serves 6 Preheat oven to 450 F Plain pastry with Butter 2 cups cooked and sweetened fresh sour cherries or 1 can (1 pound 4 ounces) sour cherries, drained of juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 cups milk 3 tablespoons rosewater 1/2 pint sour cream 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese pink candied red rose petals Prepare Plain Pastry with Butter for 1 pastry shell. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the plain pastry crust. Brush the inside bottom of the crust with beaten egg white and chill in the refrigerator while preparing the cherry custard filling. Wash 2 fresh sour cherries and remove stems and pits. Sweeten to taste and cook for a few minutes. Or, use 2 cups drained canned sour cherries. Sprinkle the cherries with 2 tablespoons rosewater and let stand while preparing the custard mix. Beat together the eggs, sugar, salt, ginger and milk. Add the cherries to the custard mix, stir well and pour into the chilled pastry shell. Bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven; turn the indicator down to 350 F and bake about 30 minutes longer, or until a silver knife blade inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before serving. In the meantime, beat together the creamed colttage cheese and sour cream. When ready to selve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon rosewater over the tart and cover the surface with the cheese. Garnish to your heart's delight with pink candied rose petals (obtainable at food specialty shops).

What a change!