After Hours Mischief at Neighbor Nancy’s

After the work of the day is done, the serious playing begins. When you live next door to your pop. And your pop is an antique truck fanatic. Well, let’s just say that it is charmed life I have lived. Here are a few pictures of the recent typical adventures.

One of the first adventures of Spring includes one Ford pulling another to the top of the hill for an exciting roll start for the poor winter weary little Model A engine.

You know, I don’t think I ever saw the Waltons try this method. Too bad they didn’t have an F-250 to do the job.

After the tow up the hill, my pop unhooked the chain and whirled around the corner, popped the clutch and the engine roared to life. Every Spring, he tries to start it cold, but after such a long period of hibernation, he always end up doing it this way. Of course, this way is much more fun.

The towing of the Model A pick-up is a signal for me. It means Summer is coming. That the garden better be underway. That I need to stock up on chocolate chips for all the cookie requests.

“Hey, Naner, I’m headed to such-and-such truck show. Do you think you could make a batch or two for my truck buddies and I?”

“Of course, Pop.”

I don’t mind, ’cause a nicer bunch you’ll never meet.

And so it goes. Parades, auctions ( that mortify my mother as she wonders what’s coming home next ) and loads of antique truck shows. The loading, the hauling, the hearty breakfast before dawn on the road at “the best little diner” in some very specific town en route.

Did I mention that my dad knows all the best food places in a 100 mile radius of our house? Bingham’s for cream puffs, Snydersville dinner for pie, and a zillion other places each with their own specialty.

After arriving at any show, the big bustle is around the trucks as they pull in and unveil the latest of beautiful restorations. After some hand shakes, how do-you-dos and chatter about who brought what, they begin to migrate.

Oh, yes they stroll around contemplating each treasured antique, but it all leads to one eventuality. Food.

Barbaqued pulled pork or chicken, vinegar fries, funnel cakes, snow cones, popcorn from the antique popper wagon, lemonade from a barrel. And let us not forget that he still has a giant bag of “chocolate chippers” in the cab of a centrally located show truck (for easy access.) Oh, it is just marvelous!

After all that, you might as well walk the hundred or so miles home, cause you’ll never get the calories off any other way.

Of course, it’s not all about the shows. There’s a lot of just local fun to be had, too.

The big question: What is the best way to take a bunch of people to the local dairy for ice cream?

The way "little boys" of any age go for ice cream. They might go a whopping 15 mph. Zippy!

While I no longer wear roller skates to every show and pray there’s a pool, I do still enjoy the occasional show or a ride  for ice cream.  If for no other reason, it is fun to see my father’s world.  A world where the toys are big, the food says Summer and the friends are true. It is a fantastic way to catch a glimpse of the character that is my pop.

Great Depression Recipes: Asparagus Timbales

Well hello there!

You look a little crisp. Did you spend the whole day in the garden? Me, too.

For those of you further south than I, here is another asparagus recipe for your garden gleanings. Again, this recipe is courtesy of the USDA circa The Great Depression. Hurray for tax dollars at work.

Asparagus Timbales

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter ( or marg.)

3 Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 cups cooked or canned asparagus, finely chopped.

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

3 eggs

Procedure:

Over medium-low heat in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and let it bubble until the starchy smell leaves and it begins to smell like buttered popcorn.

Add the milk and continue to stir as it thickens.

Remove from heat and add asparagus, salt, pepper and thoroughly beaten eggs.

Pour the mixture into buttered timbale molds.

What? No timbale molds? Me neither. In fact I had to ask my ex-cooking teacher mama what the heck they were. “Thimble shaped” molds. Whatever.

Instead, pour the mixture into any buttered oven-safe single-serving-size bowls. So ramekins are fine …. but the straight sides might make clean removal a little tricky. Serve in the ramekin, but warn everyone they are hot as the Dickens.

Ah, oven-safe custard cups. Perfect. Rounded bottom. Okay, moving on.

Now place the little bowls of asparagus sauce in a pan of water.

Personally, I place the bowls in the pan on the oven rack then slowly add the water so I don’t flood everything.

Bake in a medium oven ( about 350 degrees Fahrenheit ) for about 20 minutes or until the mixture has set nicely.

Serve hot in the molds or overturn onto each plate and garnish.

Boy, is anyone else getting hungry?