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Friday, September 16, 2011

PRIZE PEACH COBBLER (and a giveaway)

My favorite cookbook is 50 years old! I read about it in the local paper today...

50 years ago, a group of women in Tampa's Junior League were looking for a way to raise money to help with their civic projects. They decided to write a cookbook. Little did they know that this book would become iconic...a staple gift for a young (or old ) bride, a housewarming gift, a tourist souvenir... Even Jackie Kennedy Onasis bought a copy at the Florida Pavilion at the 1964 Worlds' Fair. Her photo, carrying the cookbook, spurred nationwide sales of the cookbook!


What I love about this cookbook, is the glimpse it gives to the way of life in Tampa during the early 1960s.  Each chapter is prefaced with beautiful stories of family, food, and the culture of the day. An example of this is the story telling of the manner in which Cuban bread was delivered...
"Long ago, when the 20th Century was still young, Cuban bread was delivered in a horse-drawn bakery wagon, and the deliveryman, swinging the loaf of bread like a bat, would impale it on a nail hammered to the side of the customer's house.
Another favorite example of the times is "Here in Tampa we women look forward to the Fall of the year when our men go forth in the morning as hunters, and return in the dusk as providers....There is something primitively satisfying in receiving from your man food for the table."
Throughout the book, recipe contributors are identified by their MARRIED names...such as Mrs. Joe Black. There is also a wonderful mixture of  Spanish, Italian, Greek, Cuban, and Southern recipes found in its pages, reflecting the diversity of Tampa...and Florida. I especially love the recipes from favorite restaurants of my childhood...places that closed many, many years ago.

 The artwork throughout the book is quite special. It was done by a local celebrity...Lamar Sparkman. His drawings were found in the pages of the Tampa Tribune, for years. This is one of his drawings of the pirate, Jose Gaspar, and his (decorated for the Gasparilla festival) pirate ship.






(You can read more about this festival at: http://artfullygraced.blogspot.com/2010/01/pirates-are-coming.html )

OK....why am I telling you about this cookbook...besides the fact that I love it so much that my copy is beginning to fall apart (It is 35 years old...)? 


On September 25, I am going to give away a 50th Anniversary edition to one lucky winner. Here's how you enter...
   1.  Leave me a comment.
   2.  Become a follower of Artfully Graced
   3. Tell others about this giveaway.


Here's one of my favorite recipes from the cookbook...


Prize Peach Cobbler  
from Mrs. Julian Lane (Frances and her husband, Sen. Julian Lane, were very dear family friends. I have used her cobbler recipe for 35 years...and ALWAYS receive raves!)

3/4 cup flour                            
Less than 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups fresh sliced peaches
1 cup sugar


Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix with 1 cup sugar; slowly stir in milk to make batter. Melt butter in 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan. Pour batter over melted butter. Do not stir. Carefully spoon over this the peaches and sugar, mixed thoroughly. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serves 6. Delicious hot or cold. Serve with cream, if desired.
***I have cut the sugar in half... 3/4 cup in the batter, and 1/4 cup in the peaches. I also use the batter recipe with different fruits or fruit mixtures, such as blueberry and peaches, together. Yum!

I am linking with Foodie Friday

17 comments:

Loui♥ said...

awesome!!
love the historical info!
wonderful give away!
however..i have an overflowing collection of cookbooks.. from everywhere I've lived around the world,,
but my favorite of all:
The Southern Living Cookbook!!
warmest hugs..
Loui♥

Anonymous said...

yum to the recipe and the giveaway.
I'm a happy follower,will put on my sidebar
~Jo

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

That would be a wonderful cookbook to have! Thanks...and also for sharing the recipe! YUMO! ♥

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I'm a follower, too! Hugs! ♥

Anonymous said...

I am collector of cookbooks..so this was a no brainer to attempt to get one... What a wonderful way to get to know the region with out having to have lived there..even though my two summers spent there were some of the best of my life! :) It is so great to be back in touch with you after all these years! :) XO Lynsey Granger

jmac said...

me..me...me!!! plz put my name in the bucket. You know I'm a sucker for cookbooks!! (note to self: take pic of mom's original betty crocker for jane!)

One Shabby Old House said...

Oh my....is this yet another one of your secrets to being such a good cook. If won will I magically transform into a culinary goddess such as yourself. If so please enter me in your contest! Always a follower!
Hugs
Becky

Karena said...

The additional history is what makes this cookbook so interesting. Plus no doubt the recipes are all delish!!

Thank you so much!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Arabella said...

The example recipe for Peach Cobbler sounds delightful, Jane. I'd love to win this recipe book.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Hugs,
Marie

Unknown said...

my favorite fall treat - thanks for the recipe,as it will be on my "to do" list this week!

Linda said...

What a great idea. I love cookbooks from all over. I'm going to try out your recipe with pears since we have an abundance.

Moore Minutes said...

You're absolutely right! This cookbook highly interests me. :D Thank you for offering it. I'm all in!

Amy said...

What a wonderful giveaway and thanks for the detailed information. I'm your newest follower. Just tweeted about your giveaway and here's the link: https://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it/status/115940726268895232

Thanks for a chance to win.

amy [at] utry [dot] it

ProjectHope7 said...

What a great giveaway!... thanks so much. I am a happy follower on GFC. Love your site. Jane , do you think you could go to blogger and add the email subscriber button?? tho I follow on GFC, I dont get your updates for some reason.. I actually came back to your site when I saw a tweet by another blogger about your cookbook giveaway!
Awesome double rainbow!... looks like you had a special vacation...
God bless.
Cathy B
pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com

ProjectHope7 said...

Jane this recipe looks so easy and delish... but I am allergic to peaches sadly- highly... have you or your friends tried subbing any other fruit in this recipe and had good results?? thank you!

Cathy B
pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com
http://palmbreezeliving.blogspot.com

MissBliss said...

this sounds so fun!

MissBliss said...

I'm already a follower :)