Sunday, March 4, 2007

jim dandy to the rescue

My mother is sitting here, next to the window, working on her sewing and singing her heart out. We're listening to the '50s station on XM Radio. They're playing long lost hits like "Jim Dandy to the Rescue" and she's remembering them all.

She used to work at Life of Virginia, coding punchcards. Every week when she got her check, she'd stop on her way home to pick up a 45 of the latest dance hit. And now, not at all dusty from all these years of not playing them, she knows all the words and most of the singers' names.

Here's the recipe for the 1-2-3-4 cake. So named because of its sequential ingredients. My mother wanted to tell you that she adds about a cup and a half of chopped black walnuts to the batter to make it into the black walnut cake. She also wanted to alert you that it might be hard to find black walnuts this time of the year. Most stores only carry them seasonally for holiday recipes like fruitcakes. She buys them in December and freezes them. They don't have a long shelf-life which is probably why they are not stocked year 'round.

Whenever there is word that my mother is going to make this cake for a bake sale, people clammer to claim them. They call her and preorder so the cake never really makes it to the bake sale at all.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love ya Momma. I wish you were coming to see me too. Black walnut cake is my favorite not Amy's :) Ha Ha

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Amy and Miss Amy's Mom! I just printed the recipe and think I will make it with some of the pecans still hoarded in the freezer. Enjoy your visit. If my mum could visit for a bit, our moms would be singing a duet for sure! :)

Junie Moon said...

I think it is so touching that you and your mother are enjoying your visit. She looks lovely in her photo and naturally I'm curious as to exactly what she's stitching there. Thank you for providing her recipe and please thank her for her generosity in sharing it.

gkgirl said...

wouldn't it be nice to have
a reputation like that,
that people are waiting
in line for something you create...

and she is cute to boot
:)

Anonymous said...

How precious to spend time with your mom doing crafty things and listening to 50's radio. It is so very sweet.

Anonymous said...

It's lovely o meet your mother, and you're so lucky to have the bestest home baked cake!