Lady Helen’s cheese straws were part of my Christmas memories growing up. Her family and my grandparents had vacation homes next to each other in Pass Christian, Mississippi. They were always a special addition to our festivities. I am so glad to have the recipe. Thank you!
I remember seeing a documentary about the Key West hurricane which took the lives of the veterans.
It's not just hurricanes which can cause that damage. There was that awful flooding in Baton Rouge around 2016. My husband's grandma lost everything in that flood and had to be rescued by the Cajun Navy. I have some of her recipes which she gave me as a wedding gift, but I realized as I tried to make some that as she wrote them, she missed key things--not holding back, but just not writing the complete recipe. Getting the cheese straw recipe is wonderful because I can't make hers. Thank you!
I agree, this was a great post to read. I love to read about food and history. An excellent book by Dorothy Hartley is Food in England. First published in 1954 and still in print! By the way, what is a founding member? Is it someone who renews their subscription? Sorry to sound a bit thick!
What a lovely, heartfelt and evocative post! Also seeing what these cheese straws meant to other people makes me smile because I love how the same recipes for things crop up in different places. This recipe is almost identical (baking powder is not even suggested, and there is no Tabasco) to my Mum's cheese straws which also happen to be one of the most popular recipes of all time on my blog. Those cheese straws are part of so many traditions! Whilst my blog is a business and I write recipes people want, I actually make sure to post all our family recipes on there even if I know they won't do well so I always have multiple backups of them and can reach them instantly - not only because yes, I'd be heartbroken if something happened to my Mum's handwritten recipe book, but to also record the changes she's made along the way, in her head, and not written down!
I forget where I saw it many years ago in a Florida cookbook, but the addition was a small package of cream cheese to the oriiginal recipe with the egg yolks.
I loved it, and usually do this now. I make a calamondin pie this way.
I also use some cream cheese to stabilize my sweetened whipped cream.
A young bride & friend who lived through Katrina lost all, including her recipes, and asked for my help. It was an honor to gather favorites from our community, and we “showered” her and her husband with her new cookbook. It was a really sweet moment. Molasses cookies among other treats were served at the event. Probably have a photo somewhere. Also, before my first child was getting married in 2001, I had begun cataloging my own recipes to give to her. This “homemade” cookbook has been given to all of my kids now.
It seems almost indecent to share this, but I found I prefer the taste of Key Lime Pie made with conventional limes. Plus it's less fiddly to make. I look forward to giving these cheese straws a go, although I'm likely to use less cayenne. Why, yes, I AM boring. 😂
Lady Helen’s cheese straws were part of my Christmas memories growing up. Her family and my grandparents had vacation homes next to each other in Pass Christian, Mississippi. They were always a special addition to our festivities. I am so glad to have the recipe. Thank you!
I picked up this book. So many memories!
I remember seeing a documentary about the Key West hurricane which took the lives of the veterans.
It's not just hurricanes which can cause that damage. There was that awful flooding in Baton Rouge around 2016. My husband's grandma lost everything in that flood and had to be rescued by the Cajun Navy. I have some of her recipes which she gave me as a wedding gift, but I realized as I tried to make some that as she wrote them, she missed key things--not holding back, but just not writing the complete recipe. Getting the cheese straw recipe is wonderful because I can't make hers. Thank you!
I agree, this was a great post to read. I love to read about food and history. An excellent book by Dorothy Hartley is Food in England. First published in 1954 and still in print! By the way, what is a founding member? Is it someone who renews their subscription? Sorry to sound a bit thick!
What a lovely, heartfelt and evocative post! Also seeing what these cheese straws meant to other people makes me smile because I love how the same recipes for things crop up in different places. This recipe is almost identical (baking powder is not even suggested, and there is no Tabasco) to my Mum's cheese straws which also happen to be one of the most popular recipes of all time on my blog. Those cheese straws are part of so many traditions! Whilst my blog is a business and I write recipes people want, I actually make sure to post all our family recipes on there even if I know they won't do well so I always have multiple backups of them and can reach them instantly - not only because yes, I'd be heartbroken if something happened to my Mum's handwritten recipe book, but to also record the changes she's made along the way, in her head, and not written down!
I forget where I saw it many years ago in a Florida cookbook, but the addition was a small package of cream cheese to the oriiginal recipe with the egg yolks.
I loved it, and usually do this now. I make a calamondin pie this way.
I also use some cream cheese to stabilize my sweetened whipped cream.
A young bride & friend who lived through Katrina lost all, including her recipes, and asked for my help. It was an honor to gather favorites from our community, and we “showered” her and her husband with her new cookbook. It was a really sweet moment. Molasses cookies among other treats were served at the event. Probably have a photo somewhere. Also, before my first child was getting married in 2001, I had begun cataloging my own recipes to give to her. This “homemade” cookbook has been given to all of my kids now.
It seems almost indecent to share this, but I found I prefer the taste of Key Lime Pie made with conventional limes. Plus it's less fiddly to make. I look forward to giving these cheese straws a go, although I'm likely to use less cayenne. Why, yes, I AM boring. 😂