Friday, May 21, 2010

Mama Hattie Post

If you lived on Wyckoff Road in the early 20th century, then you know who I mean when I speak of Mama Hattie.
And if you knew Mama Hattie, then you knew how good a cook she was. I still remember the day I was apparently considered old enough to walk to Mama Hattie's house by myself to visit. I was probably about 10 years old. I'm sure my mother had spoken with her to make sure my visit was alright, because when I entered the kitchen the aroma of fresh-baked cookies hit my nose. I sat down with Mama Hattie and over a glass of fresh-from-the -barn milk and her homemade cookies, we visited. I felt very grown-up that day, and there were many more visits to Mama Hattie's kitchen through the years.
Imagine how pleased I was when looking through Winifred Cowles Glanville's collected notes to find one recipe. It must have been her very favorite, since there were no other recipes in the booklet. It was labelled simply Brown Bread, Mrs. Post.
Since Winifred's Christmas card list is part of her booklet, I looked at the names and the only Posts were Mr. and Mrs. Otto Post. And Mrs. Otto Post was Mama Hattie! Now I haven't tried making this recipe yet, but rest assured that I will soon. I thought you might like to try it as well.

Brown Bread, Mrs. Post:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of buttermilk or sour milk
2 tablespoons of shortening
1 1/2 cups of white flour
2 teaspoons of soda
some salt
whole wheat or graham flour, about 2 cups
raisins - a cup or whatever you want - dates etc.
Makes 2 loaves. Cook about 3/4 hour in moderate heat

5 comments:

Roger A. Post said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will be sure to whip up a batch of Grandma's brown bread and try it. I don't think we had the recipe, at least in my household, and I appreciate your discovery.

mil said...

I think I'll make some, too!

Linda Van Buskirkli

Roger A. Post said...

Sandie, I seem to recall that the Glanville farm in Fleming was the first brick house north of Stone School Road on the east side of Silver Street. I couldn't remember much about Winifred Cowles Glanville except hearing the name when I was a child. A little searching revealed that she was raised in Scipio, apparently in the Ensenore area, and married Wilfred Glanville of Fleming. The Glanvilles were in the Owasco Lake Grange with Hattie, Otto, and Marian Post, which accounts for me frequently hearing their name many years ago.

Janet said...

Roger, thanks for sending on the Brown Bread recipe. I always have buttermilk & molasses on hand, I surely will make some.
Like the rest of the grandchildren, I was never disappointed when putting my hand in Grandma Post's cookie jar and finding fresh baked cookies inside.
In her later years, Marian told me that Gramma instructed her to always have cookies baked when company was expected.
Thank you Sandy, for recalling such fond, warm memories!
Janet

Unknown said...

Thanks, Sandie, for the post. I recall Grandma Burlew making brown bread pretty frequently when I was little (and how good it was with a little cream cheese). I’ve tried again and again to recreate the taste. I wonder if she used Hattie’s recipe. I’ll have to give it a try.