Museum Foodies: The Lynchburg Museum System Shares Our Favorite Food Traditions, Part Three
We think the holidays are a good time to reflect on something that connects people from all walks of life -- food. Read this series to discover a grandmother’s biscuit recipe, a dog’s favorite treat, and other food memories we treasure.
History is not just stories from long ago. We believe traditions are a kind of present-day history, so we would love to hear your favorite food traditions, too. Comment below or tag us on social media. How are you making local history?
Christmas is Going to the Dogs
By Lily Anderson (Dog of Tanya Anderson, Administrative Manager)
Lily A. (right) and her sister Scarlett await the annual Christmas ham bone
When my Mommy brought me home 10 years ago, it was January, and I juuuuuust missed Christmas. Now I know that Christmas comes one month (whatever that is) after the turkey I’m not allowed to eat. Wishbones are not for doggies, Mommy says. But that’s okay, because my first Christmas was amazing!
I got lots of new toys and treats, but the best part was not Christmas morning, but Christmas night. Mommy came home from dinner with her family and pulled out the most beautiful gray wrapping paper I’d ever seen. It perfectly matched my gray stocking and all the new gray lights our neighbors had put on their houses. I could smell the most divine scent from a mile (whatever that is) away. I am a hound dog after all.
My best Christmas tradition is the ham bone left over from the dinner my Mommy has with her family. I get to chew on it every year! Now, I also have a sister to share it with, but that’s okay. Mommy makes sure I get the first chew!
Ed’s Famous Yeast Rolls
By Ed Tinsley, Vice Chairman of Musuem Advisory Board
My mother taught me how to make these rolls when I was 12 years old. I have been making them for 70 years, and I have made as many as 500 for Christmas in the past as gifts to friends and family.
Ed Tinsley (shown here as Dr. George Cabell) has been volunteering for the Lynchburg Museum System almost as long as he's been making yeast rolls
2 packages of dry yeast
To start, put the yeast in ½ cup of warm water. (I mean WARM NOT HOT, it will kill the yeast.) Set this aside.
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
6 tablespoons of any kind of vegetable oil
1 cup milk – any kind of white milk
Put the ½ cup sugar in a sauce pan. (A two qt. size will work.) Add the salt and vegetable oil and milk. Add ½ cup of cold water.
1 egg
Enough flour – any kind will work – to make the ball of dough
Add a couple of cups of flour and mix together. Then add the egg beat up in a dish. Mix this in, and then add the yeast and blend this. Then just put flour in and mix together until the mix is in a ball of dough that does not stick to your hands. Spray Pam on a big bowl, and put the ball of dough in the bowl and let set for about 1 hour. It will most likely fill up the bowl. Now, roll this dough about ½ inch thick, and cut the size rolls you want – mine are about ½ inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.
1 stick of margarine
Melt 1 stick of margarine in a small pan. Take each roll and dip in the melted margarine – just wet the bottom of the roll and then put on baking pans – my pans are 11 in. x 16 in. – just push the rolls against each other. This batch of dough will make 55 to 60 rolls when I do them. Set the pans aside for about 3 hours – longer if the room is cool. Pre-heat the oven on bake to 400 degrees and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. It might be necessary to cut the broiler on for a couple of minutes to brown the top of the rolls. If you use the broiler, stay with it. They will burn real fast on top.
Cranberries Are Not Just for Christmas
By Charlotte Fischer, Chairman of Museum Advisory Board
A favorite recipe almost any time of the year is Cranberry Casserole. My brother first introduced this to our family Christmas dinner as a “vegetable” many years ago. Since that time, it has shown up in various magazines and on many tables. Some have slight variations, but I’m perfectly happy to sit down with this one any time, any place. I’ve even had it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. It is just simply -- good. By the way, real butter is mandatory here.
Cranberry Casserole
3 cups unpeeled apples sliced thinly
1 cup sugar
2 cups cranberries (If frozen, let them thaw a while before using -- I always have some in my freezer so I can have this dish all year round.)
Mix ingredients in a lightly buttered casserole dish and cover with the following:
Melt one stick of butter. Add 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oatmeal, ½ cup lt. brown sugar, ⅓ cup plain flour, ½ cup broken pecan pieces.
While you don’t have to, it is not a bad idea to pre-cook the apples and cranberries for a short while before adding the topping. That way, the topping doesn’t get too brown before the fruit has cooked. Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour.
This is good with ham or most anything, and leftovers make a great dessert. It is perfect to take to potluck suppers, since it will fit in most anywhere.