Page 62 of Christmas at Carnton

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons sugar

Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar; beat after each tablespoon until sugar is partially dissolved. Scoop onto pie, making sure to seal the edges. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely so as not to overbrown. Enjoy!

Carrie McGavock’s Chow-Chow

Carrie McGavock’s recipe for this cherished vegetable relish appeared in the Tennessee Model Household Guide. She noted, “Will keep for years.”

2 pecks green cucumbers

½ peck green tomatoes

1 pint green peppers

½ peck onions

1 ounce celery seed

1 ounce white mustard seed

1 ounce turmeric

1 ounce whole cloves

3 tablespoons ground mustard

Grated horseradish and black pepper to taste

2 pounds brown sugar

Slice or chop vegetables fine, salt well, and hang in thin cloth to drip in eve. Next morning scald in weak vinegar, then squeeze, dry, and add strong vinegar.

Now what on earth is a peck, you might ask? I asked the same thing. A peck is one-fourth of a bushel. Does that help? No, it didn’t help me much either. In dry measure, a peck is 8 quarts. So when Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, exactly how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? That depends on the type of pepper, of course, but the answer would be somewhere between 10 and 14 pounds. So this recipe is definitely intended to be canned—unless you’re making chow-chow for a very large crowd! Or, say, a hog killing or Women’s Relief Christmas auction!

Thanks to the staff at Carnton for giving permission to share this family recipe.

Christmas Simmering Spices

3 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks

3 bay leaves

¼ cup whole cloves

1 lemon, halved

1 orange, halved

1 quart water

Combine all ingredients in teakettle or 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer as long as desired. Check often and add more water as needed. Mixture may be cooled and stored in refrigerator for several days and then reheated. Simmering spices have long been used to help lend homes that warm and cozy feeling come the holidays. Just like Tempy’s kitchen!

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