Debbie’s Dish S
pring turns to summer around Carbondale, Illinois, when the university students pack their bags and head home, and our academic community slows down to a real southern pace. Spring turns to summer when our magnificent displays of creamy white dogwood and vibrant fuchsia redbud turn green and blend with the edge of the Shawnee National Forest. Spring turns to summer when the pink and white blossoms on the apple and peach trees drop off, and tiny fruit emerge. Spring turns to summer when the last strawberry is picked. Spring turns to summer when neighbors gather Debbie Moore to commemorate yet another anniversary of an important historic event. Welcome home to Carbondale and Southern Illinois. Welcome to 20 pages of heritage photographs, historic accounts of the foodways of the region, memories of grandma’s kitchen table and recipes for fantastic foods that link us to you. We hope to make your taste buds tingle and lure you to visit this wonderful place filled with wineries and vineyards and vast orchards. Welcome home to Carbondale and Woodlawn Cemetery, the birthplace of Memorial Day. It all began in 1866, in Carbondale. Upon his return from the Civil War, Gen. John A. Logan was in great demand as a speaker for public occasions. In April of that year, Logan spoke at a memorial observance for the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. The observance was the first of its kind in Illinois, and I believe the first in the entire Executive Director :: nation. It was held right here. Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau In January 1868, Logan was elected as the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and by his General Order #11, the Grand Army of the Republic observed its first Memorial Day on May 30, 1868. We’ll do it again this year, on May 31. You’re invited to attend this very special observance in this more than special place! We’re proud of Carbondale’s heritage and look forward to sharing it with you. We’ve expanded the size of our favorite little magazine and hope to encourage you to find your way home to Carbondale.
‘I’ve got the inside scoop.’
Debbie Moore
Enjoy your Summer!
Debbie Moore Executive Director Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau
2 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
Contents
:: Spring 2010
Cobden ... It’s the Berries!
4
Cobden was known for being a place that was always growing – literally. Although Appleknockers love their apples and celebrate their peaches, the ‘official’ fruit of Cobden, with the strongest and longest track record for sweeping the competition, would have to be the strawberry.
The Atomic Home
You know you’ve found a special place when, for the time you are there, you are remembering the best memories of ‘the good ole days.’ Some favorite memories are from Granny’s kitchen or Grandma’s house. In either place, you felt safe, happy and surrounded by the finest things.
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Carbondale’s Farmers’ Market 18 Carbondale has been known for many decades as the hub of the region. The community has also been a strong voice for local food and agriculture issues. In 1975, a need was identified for developing an outlet in the region to get local produce to the residents of Carbondale and the surrounding area.
Quarterly Magazine Spring 2010
Publisher Debbie Moore Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau Executive Director Content Stephanie Rhodes Coordinators Bloomin’ Communications Nicole L. Davis, PhD Southern Illinois University Carbondale Hospitality & Tourism Administration Program Graphic Design Rhonda M. Ethridge The Southern Illinoisan Newspaper Contributors Judy Travelstead Union County Historical Society Paul Brinker Photography City of Carbondale Historical Archives
Recipes in this issue QUICK AND EASY STRAWBERRY RECIPES :: Page 5 FRIENDSHIP WHITE BREAD :: Page 15 FRIENDSHIP CINNAMON ROLLS :: Page 15 FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER :: Page 15
On the cover For the Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler recipe, visit www.foodfunfolks.com. Photo by :: DEBBIE MOORE
Food, Fun & Folks is a quarterly magazine published by the Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau For information regarding this publication or the information contained in the publication, contact Debbie Moore, Executive Director Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau 1185 East Main, Suite 1046 Carbondale, Illinois 62901 (618) 529-4451 or (800) 526-1500 Visit our websites at www.cctb.org or www.foodfunfolks.com ©2010 Carbondale Convention & Tourism Bureau
www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 3
Cobden
It’s the Berries!
By Stephanie Rhodes ::
T
he “official” fruit of Cobden, or vegetable for that matter, could provoke hours of debate among locals and people from the past, with the obvious contenders for many being the apple or the peach. Home to acres of rolling hills of tree fruit, apples and peaches were some of the first orchards established in the 1850s and 1860s as “easterners” (Europeans) moved to the area. Apples were the crop that fed families and customers and provided jobs to residents and migrants. Perhaps the most notable icon of apples and their significance to the people of Cobden today is the school mascot – the Appleknocker. One is left to only guess at the number of apple pies that have been baked since the German immigrant fruit growers arrived in the region.
en in Cobd d e v i r r mily a mm fa es of land. a l F l a cr gin The ori chased 117 a r u p and
Mule power tr ansported pro
duce to be sh
in 1888
ipped via train
Richard Cobden was an English statesman, free-trade supporter and responsible for the British Corn Laws. Cobden was a major stockholder in the Illinois Central Railroad, and he visited the United States to see his investment in action. He passed through (and stopped at) South Pass in 1859 while riding the train from Chicago to New Orleans. Some believe the president of the ICRR requested the town be renamed Cobden, and it was, but not officially so until 1901. Cobden, Ontario, and Cobden, Victoria, Canada are also named after this notable.
Visit Cobden and experience these great treats!
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Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
.
How many apple dumplings have been consumed? How much applesauce or apple butter lined the shelves of early pantries, and how much cider filled earthen jugs for storage through the winters of the late 19th century? The official fruit of Cobden could be an apple, but then there is the peach. Really it is more than “the peach”. Any Flamm, Lingle or Sweitzer (local growers) could tell you there is a peach for every occasion – canning peaches, pie and cobbler peaches or “just a good eatin’ peach”. People travel from all over the Midwest to enjoy the season (generally July-August) and a chance to “win a peck” at the annual Cobden Peach Festival every August. Around the time the first tree fruits were established in Cobden, then called the community of South Pass, pears and cherries were plentiful and quite delicious. Sweet potatoes also grew well – not on trees, of course – and even took the prize from the Illinois State Agriculture Society. Maybe sweet potatoes should be the official vegetable of Cobden! But then, peppers might be able to defend their role as the “official” representative of Cobden. Today, peppers from Cobden and the surrounding communities are packed and shipped to known grocers throughout the Midwest. The Cobden pepper is also celebrated locally at a festival. They are canned, made into fabulous blended jams and honeys, and you’ll always find them at local farmers’ markets. Although Appleknockers love their apples and celebrate their peaches, the “official” fruit of Cobden, with the strongest and longest track record for sweeping the competition, would have to be the strawberry. The real story starts with the railroad. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were serving in the U.S. Congress, and both were deeply committed to developing a railroad that included routes from and through Southern Illinois. Efforts were eventually successful and the Illinois Central Railroad line,
connecting Chicago with New Orleans, was completed in 1856. Finally, South Pass strawberries had a link to metropolitan markets. As men left the farms to serve in the Civil War, women took on the responsibilities of working in the fields. Strawberry picking was just a small portion of the responsibilities they inherited. Picking and plowing, mowing and growing, the women kept it going. Their precious strawberries were becoming more important. Strawberries were shipped on the railroad during this time, but they were highly perishable for even a short trip. To get the best price for strawberries, the best option would be for producers to get the strawberries to Chicago, a major
Quick and Easy Strawberry Recipes Compose a great salad lunch by adding fresh strawberries, goat cheese rolled in chopped pecans, sweet onions and fresh basil to buttery salad greens. A splash of bottled sweet onion vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment! A perfect appetizer tray includes fresh strawberries, a block of soft mild cheese, a round of Gouda cheese, fig preserves and your favorite cracker or bread! Add a quality balsamic vinegar for dipping! The easiest tea time dessert is made by filling prepackaged phyllo shells with packaged cheese cake filling. Top it with a perfect sweet strawberry and a couple mint leaves and you have something beautiful and satisfying.
www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
Want more?
For additional strawberry recipes, visit www.foodfunfolks.com
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 5
population center and hub for other businesses and consumers. But that was just too long a trip — nearly 350 miles from Cobden — to ship the fruit. It was during the 1860s that Parker Earle was living just east of Cobden. He was actively researching and experimenting with fruits and vegetables to identify the ideal varieties to grow in the area. He was paying close attention to strawberries. Many varieties of fruits and vegetables grew well in Cobden and the surrounding fields, but the challenge remained in getting the produce to the most profitable marketplace. This would remain a challenge for the next decade. In 1866, Earle experimented with various shipping containers or “chests”. (If you think of an ice chest, you would contain the ice in a larger insulated container to chill and store the fruit.) Though far from perfect in the original construction, Earle was determined to find a way to ship the strawberries. Other designs he used included various insulated box cars and refrigerated railcars that were already being used for shipping fresh meat and fish. In all attempts, ice would melt, berries were damaged, and Chicago was no closer for the growers of Cobden. Parker Earle was never discouraged, and his determination paid off. In the following years, research, technology, experience and collaboration would fare quite well for Cobden. It was determined that cooling the berries before shipping would extend the
life of the fruit for transport. A better railcar was developed, too, with refrigeration for shipping fruits and vegetables. The credit was given to Parker Earle for this development, and so Cobden became known as the birthplace of the first refrigerated rail car that literally changed the industry. What a boost for this already thriving and innovative community. Cobden was known for being a place that was always growing – literally. Farmers were growing a long list of produce, and the area, according to Richard Cobden, was a garden. (The village would later be named after Cobden in 1901.) The streets were lined with stores, offices and restaurants to serve the growing community. Today, the “downtown” area of Cobden is home to preserved brick buildings that once housed feed stores, dry goods stores, cafes and a theater. Memories and tales of the village and people are housed in the Union County Museum in Cobden. Several of the brick buildings are now home to local artisans’ shops and galleries. A good meal is easy to find at the Yellow Moon Café. They serve fresh food from real homemade recipes, and there is always a “local” close by for a discussion about the official fruit or vegetable of Cobden.
Cobden is still as alive today as the acres of fruits and vegetables that have surrounded the village for more than 150 years. Travelers can visit local orchards and farm markets and easily feast on the fruits of the land from May through November. Growers raise fruits and vegetables commercially, but they still sell right off the farm – strawberries, blueberries, peppers, squash, tomatoes, peaches and apples. You pick the winner! What should be the “official” fruit representing Cobden, Illinois? I’m casting my vote for something small, bright red, juicy and deliciously sweet! Special thanks and credit to Union County Museum for Cobden historical information. Purchase your copy of “South Pass Revisited – A 150 Year History of Cobden, Illinois” and “A Pictorial History of Cobden, Illinois 1857-2007” at the Union County Museum.
Need more information? While you are visiting Cobden, go here: Union County Museum 117 Appleknocker Saturday & Sunday 1-5 p.m.
Anthill Gallery & Vintage Curiosities
102 North Front Street Thursday-Sunday, Noon-6 p.m.
Yellow Moon Café
110 North Front Street Café hours: Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday 7 p.m.-Midnight, Saturday 9 a.m.-Midnight
Flamm Orchards
8760 Old Highway 51 North Open May-October www.flammorchards.com
Cobden Peach Festival
August 6 & 7 (Annually, first Friday & Saturday in August)
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail www.shawneewinetrail.com 6 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
Kirkpatricks’
Anna Pottery Turning Dirt to Gold! By Judy Travelstead ::
T
he Kirkpatricks — Cornwall, Wallace and Andrew, Sr. — moved in 1859 to Anna, Illinois, in hopes of making money the only way they knew how — as potters. Cornwall, two years earlier, had invested and lost all of his money in building a pottery powered by steam in a new, highly touted development called Emporium City on the Ohio River next door to Mound City, also in Southern Illinois. Andrew Sr., the patriarch of the family, had made a living as a potter in Pennsylvania and Ohio, while Cornwall had kilns in Kentucky and Ohio. Yet another son, John, established a pottery in Vermillionville, Illinois (1836). The next year, Andrew Sr., with his sons Murray, Andrew Jr., Edwin and Wallace, moved to Illinois to work with John. Andrew Sr. and Wallace left Vermillionville in 1857 to join Cornwall at Emporium City/Mound City. In 1867, John opened a pottery in Metropolis, Illinois, while Murray continued working in the LaSalle County (Illinois) area. In Union County, the men found that high quality kaolin was readily available. The Illinois Central Railroad was easily accessible in the new town of Anna, and there was property across from the Anna depot just waiting to be developed. Wallace purchased property on West Vienna Street (in the area now home to Dino’s Too restaurant). The Kirkpatricks wasted no time in setting up a pottery and firing their first kiln in November 1859. Cornwall worked his way out of bankruptcy and purchased (from Wallace) in 1867 half interest in the property and pottery. The Kirkpatricks’ products included all sizes and types of jugs for storing molasses, cider, vinegar and spirits; pint to gallon size jars to be sealed with wax for canning the summer’s fruits and vegetables; and one- to six-gallon open crocks for pickling eggs, making kraut and storing lard and meat. The pottery produced milk pans, bean pots, butter and salt crocks, covered sugar bowls and creamers. Butter churns holding two- to six-gallons of cream, pitchers, tea and coffeepots, all necessities of the 19th Century homemaker, were also part of their twice weekly firings. The bulk of the pieces were covered with an Albany-type brown slip, while the items made of gray stoneware had a clear, salt-glazed surface resembling that of an orange peel. Few of the pieces made to use in the preparation and storage of foodstuff are signed or dated, making them difficult to identify. It was these utilitarian items, along with the sale of raw kaolin mined north of Anna, that put money in the pockets of the Kirkpatricks. The family enjoyed a virtual monopoly www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
in the production of pottery in Southern Illinois. Most of their utilitarian products were sold within a 100-mile radius of Anna, but they also shipped thousands of tobacco pipes and their specialty wares south and throughout the Midwest. The Jonesboro Gazette noted that the churns, crocks, jugs, jars, etc., were pronounced by “all who have used them equal in every respect to the celebrated Ohio stoneware” and that the Kirkpatricks were “literally turning the very dirt to gold, and enriching themselves and neighbors”. Wallace was the salesman for the pottery and could be found at local and regional fairs in the summer and fall demonstrating his craft on a potters wheel. The local newspaper noted Wallace’s trips to fairs and expositions in St. Louis, Chicago, New Orleans, Cincinnati and New York City. One-inch brown jugs were among of the novelties given to fairgoers as a means of advertising the pottery’s products. As many as 15 skilled potters, making everything by hand except the tobacco pipes, worked at the Anna Pottery during the height of its production in the 1870s and early 1880s. Cornwall and Wallace were then free to use their artistic abilities in developing unique pieces. Valued today as folk art, the one-of-a-kind pieces such as snake jugs and fair jugs and the specialty wares — including frog mugs, ink wells, dogs and railroad pig flasks — sell for thousands of dollars. The more common of the pig flasks are brown, but they were also made in gray stoneware with cobalt glue decoration. Cornwall made the fair jugs and urns incised with names of people involved with the fairs and county officials as a mechanism for recording contemporary events. He developed the pig flasks as a venue for advertising one’s business. Wallace, known for his love of nature and his snake collection, made the sculptured forms, often painting the figures after the wares were fired. These folk art pieces dealt alternately with local, state and national politics and events, as well as the social and cultural issues of the day, including the temperance issue. Many of the specialty items and unique pieces are marked. The most common signature is an incised, handwritten in script “Anna Pottery”. Other markings include
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 7
“ANNA POTTERY” stamped into the clay in block letters. Dates often are included on these pieces. Both Cornwall and Wallace were active in community affairs, serving as town trustees. Cornwall was mayor of Anna for five years. Both were members and held offices in the Masons and the Odd Fellows. A bust of a young Abraham Lincoln, often referred to as a Lincoln death mask, is more than likely a fraternal organization item. The Kirkpatricks were known for their great admiration of Lincoln. In an 1878 article, a reporter for the Farmer and Fruit Grower newspaper remarked that, “Those ingenious gentlemen of the Anna Pottery, Messrs. C. & W. Kirkpatrick, are forever getting up something new.” A perfect example of the significance of that statement is the tin coffee pot with a unique filtering system that was recently donated to the Union County Museum. Cornwall and Wallace received a U.S. Patent in 1879 for the development of a removable, vertical wire sieve or strainer with cloth stretched over the mechanism for filtering the coffee grounds. The sieve, held in place by vertical grooves formed in
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Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
the metal on the inside of the pot, divided the pot into two sections with ground coffee put in the section opposite the spout. Water circulates freely in the pot and extracts the flavor from the ground coffee. The spent coffee grounds are kept on one side of the pot by the wire sieve. To clean the pot, pull out the sieve. Cornwall died in 1890. Wallace died six years later. In 1900, Wallace’s widow sold the Anna Pottery to James I. Toler, a local potter who had worked for the Kirkpatricks. By this time, glass and metal containers had replaced heavy, cumbersome pottery jars and jugs for storage, and whiteware was used for the table. Housewives preferred to be able to see the fruits, vegetables and meat they put in jars for the winter’s fare. Glass jars were cheaper and weighed much less, making them easier to handle. Machines replaced hand work. Toler failed to successfully convert the pottery to the manufacture of whiteware or tableware and sold the enterprise in 1903. The building was razed the next year. Included in the Union County Museum’s collection of Anna Pottery is a chimney pot that once graced Cairo’s Riverlore Mansion. The collection also includes stoneware and redware cemetery markers, Union County fair jugs, an owl whistle, a miniature jug with a Stanhope, a ball commemorating the 1877 railroad workers’ strike and a photograph of Wallace’s long lost Pioneer Farm. The most significant pieces, from a historical standpoint, are the 40 individual tiles that once were a local home’s fireplace hearth. Made in the 1880s of gray stoneware with cobalt blue highlights, each tile is incised and decorated with
different names including those of Kirkpatrick family members, Anna businessmen, local and national events and government office holders, as well as the only known images of their homes and potteries in Ohio and Kentucky. Cornwall’s Anna house and the Anna Pottery building are each depicted on separate tiles.
Anna Pottery Union County Museum The museum, owned and operated by the Union County Historical and Genealogy Society, is open to the public Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except Easter Sunday) and by appointment. Admission is free. The museum closes the second Saturday in December and reopens the first Saturday in March. For more information call 618-893-2567, 618-833-8352 or the Museum at 618-893-2865. The Historical Society, chartered as a not-for-profit organization in 1972, is an all-volunteer group.
www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 9
Up Close with San Cha By Nicole L. Davis ::
I
remember my first trip to Hunan Village very well. It was 1989, the year the restaurant opened in Carbondale, and I was about 16 years old. Asian cuisine was, even then, relatively common for Carbondale because of the international student population at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. However, we were accustomed to buffets and small restaurants, certainly nothing like my first experience at Hunan Village. I don’t remember what I ate so much as I remember being fascinated by the décor and enchanted by the atmosphere. Everything was pristine, and I felt like a little princess being waited on by very attentive servers. I was captivated by the restaurant, but it would be years later before I would become acquainted with owners San and Jenny Chan. San was born in Laos in 1959, but his family fled the country in 1975 during political upheaval. Their destination was Thailand, where they spent several years living in a refugee camp. Although San and Jenny were acquaintances in Laos, they didn’t begin dating until they found each other in Thailand. They have now been married 32 years and have three beautiful children. San and Jenny’s journey took them and their families to Quebec City, Canada, where they lived for eight years, then finally to Southern Illinois. San’s sister and brother-in-law convinced him that the restaurant industry was the place to be, and Hunan Village opened in Murphysboro in 1987. Two years later, the family moved the restaurant to its current location in Carbondale. On the day that the magazine staff visited with San to write this article, he treated us to a feast of his and Jenny’s favorite menu items: Hot and Sour Soup, Samosas with hot chili dipping sauce, Honey Walnut Shrimp with Jungle Salad, green beans with pork, General Tso’s Chicken, Hot Curry Chicken and mocha cake for dessert. The four of us ate it all; it was too good not to! During our conversation, San and Jenny talked about their favorite foods, admitting that everything on the Hunan menu is a favorite. San, however, is partial to Jungle Salad, a dish he remembers fondly from childhood. Hunan Village is an integral part of San and Jenny’s life. They often eat there on days off, and recently spent New Year’s Eve there with family. “You just can’t make food this good in your home kitchen,” admits Jenny, because of the commercial equipment that produces the very hot flames needed for wok cooking. The food served at Hunan Village is always fresh, never frozen, and always delicious. Regardless if you love spicy foods or simply want something a little less exciting, there is a dish on the menu that you are sure to enjoy. While you are there, don’t be surprised if San walks up to your table for a chat; he loves to mingle with his guests, and many
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Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
an
of them are repeat customers. “You can’t survive without the regulars,” says San. In fact, one customer we discussed drives two hours one way to enjoy a very spicy beef hot pot — weekly! Food and fun aren’t the only things San enjoys about his life. He loves folks, too. San is very active in the Carbondale community and the community’s international student population. Recently, San traveled with SIUC Chancellor Sam Goldman and other university officials to China and Taiwan to help recruit students to SIUC. He doesn’t stop there, though. San’s help with recruitment efforts are beginning to pay off, and he is even more committed to the actual students once they arrive to Carbondale. “I like to help. I don’t expect anything www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
in return,” San said. And he truly doesn’t expect anything in return. San’s own education was very important to him. On his recent international travels, San was able to visit with a favorite high school teacher, after spending several months trying to locate her. It was obvious, as he told us this story, that she had been a very important part of his life. San and Jenny like to travel when they can but are happy to call Southern Illinois home, “It’s a nice, safe, small town and good to raise a family. We have everything we need — nature and water — the city doesn’t have that.” I’m glad I have that pleasant memory of my first trip to Hunan in 1989.
‘Carbondale is a nice, safe, small town, and good to raise a family. We have everything we need… nature and water…the city doesn’t have that.’
San Chan
Owner :: Hunan Village More importantly, though, I’m glad I have friends in San and Jenny. Every trip to Hunan is filled with good food, lots of fun and these two very special folks.
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 11
Make yourself at home
Atomic Home! at the
By Stephanie Rhodes ::
Y
ou know you’ve found a special place when, for the time you are there, you are remembering the best memories of “the good ole days”. For me, my favorite memories are from my Granny’s kitchen or my Grandma’s house. In either place, I felt safe, happy and surrounded by the finest things. In Granny’s kitchen, the things I remember most were the dishes that served up some of the finest cooking ever. These memories are vivid and colorful. The batter for the oatmeal cake was mixed in a Texas Ware melamine mixing bowl, the splattered red one to be exact. The cake was baked to perfection in an aluminum cake pan and served on Fire King dessert plates the color of orange sherbet or “orange peach” as they call it. Grandma’s house was my place to “doll up” in gloves and jewelry from the past. I could play dress-up for hours and would then grab my seashell and glass bouquet and pretend to go out for the evening looking my finest. Ah, the memories, very special ones. It is no wonder I enjoy incorporating the designs and wares of the 1950s and 1960s in my own home today. If I had my way, I would live on the set of a photo shoot from a 1950s Good Housekeeping magazine. If you ask The Atomic Home shop owners Dale Snyder and Randy Morris, they would tell you this is a special era for all the same reasons I think it is special. They would probably remind you that this period of time was also the last “real” design era, and an era that is very much
still in style, an era that influences many designers of furniture and accessories today. Dale tells this with great enthusiasm and certainty. Dale lived in a Victorian-style home for many years in St. Louis, where he was based for his job as an airline flight
The Atomic Home
1424 Walnut Street • Murphysboro, IL 62966 Spring hours: Thursday 1-6pm, Friday 1-7pm, Saturday 11am-6pm & Sunday 1-5pm Winter hours: Friday 1-6pm, Saturday 11am-6pm www.theatomichome.net 618-967-1777 12 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
attendant. He decorated and furnished the home from top to bottom to match the home’s architecture and unique style. Eventually, he would sell that home and all the wares and buy a 1950s style home, an era which he didn’t know much about in terms of interior design. This move became the inspiration for his new adventure to learn about the 1950s and 1960s era of design and home décor. This “hobby” would later fuel his interest to open a business with Randy, creating a beautifully merchandised retro shop full of 1950s and 1960s furniture, housewares, kitchen gadgets, dishes, glassware and all the kinds of things that made my grandmothers’ homes complete. After testing the waters in a couple other locations in Southern Illinois, their shop has a good home with great neighbors in the community of Murphysboro, on Walnut Street. What makes the shop so special is that it is merchandised so well, with nooks that take you back to an actual living room, dining room or kitchen from this much-loved era. Dale and Randy greet customers from all over the map. It is not uncommon to have customers from as far as Arizona or Florida. Because the shop is so special and the owners put such great care into the items, long-distance customers often stay in touch and keep Dale and Randy on the look out for special request items. The other thing that brings the shop owners great joy and keeps them inspired is everyone’s story. Many customers have stories like mine that keep them shopping a little longer than expected, as they see yet another item that sparks another fond memory. Whether it is a lamp, clock, sofa or dish, hardly a customer enters the shop who doesn’t reflect and connect with something wonderful in Atomic Home. It is easy to fall in love with the shop and Dale and Randy’s style. All items stocked in the shop are carefully inspected and cleaned. Lamps and electronic items are all rewired and repaired, if needed, before they ever reach the store display. You can expect the quality and service that
would make you think you were buying items brand new. During your next trip to Southern Illinois, don’t forget to stop at The Atomic Home on 1424 Walnut Street to find your favorite piece — or two, or three — of the past. Our past makes us who we are today, and I am so glad that I still love all those things that connect me to the women who helped me find my way.
Old black and whites This 1920 photograph was taken in Carbondale of surviving Civil War Veterans and members of the John W. Lawrence Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. First row: Alfred Hooker, John D. Fly, Philip J. Keller, Jefferson Phelps and E. J. Ingersoll Second row: James Thompson, John W. Toler, James M. Johnson and O.P. Loudin Third row: Henry N. Hagler, Izri Hagler, Mr. Dexter, Charles Thomas and N. W. Kelly
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FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 13
Foodways of Logan’s Time
Carbondale City
Bakery in 1866
By Debbie Moore ::
I
n the year of John Alexander Logan’s birth, it is likely that the meals prepared for his family were prepared on an open hearth. Logan was born on February 9, 1826, in what was clearly still a wilderness in Southern Illinois. Migration from the Upland South had started decades before, but there still had been no clear significant development. That wilderness was filled with food sources, as well as the important resource of hard woods, needed to keep those “home fires” burning. Roasting, boiling and pickling were among the most used preparation techniques, and wealthier families had Dutch ovens, beehive or brick ovens built into their fire places. The less fortunate found themselves baking corn bread in the “Johnny cake” style on a flat surface held over the flame. Other breads, known as “ash cakes,” were wrapped and placed in the hot coals of the fire. Because the French Colonials who had arrived in the northwestern part of Southern Illinois a hundred years before Logan’s birth grew wheat and milled flour, it is likely
that his family had access to these products. Logan’s father, Dr. John Logan, was a Scotch-Irish immigrant and had acquired a fortune before moving to Illinois. The Logan home was known to be a central point for activity: political, educational and social. One can assume, because of the known affluence of the family, other essential and popular staples were within their reach. Chocolate, coffee and tea were likely found in their cupboards. One can assume that their kitchen garden was prolific, their chickens laid lots of eggs and their cows gave sweet milk. Beyond that, the foodstuffs available to most families in the Southern Illinois wilderness consisted of wild game, fish and fowl. The wild nuts, berries, greens and other fruits of the forest were essential to the diets of the masses. Eaten on
Early cooks made their own yeast! They had several methods. • Boil hops, malt and rye bran; strain it; thicken it with more rye and molasses; boil it again; let it cool and then add lively yeast to it. • Combine milk, salt and flour; set it by the hearth fire until it bubbles; use it quickly. • Mash three potatoes; pour boiling water over them; let cool; add flour, molasses and a cup of lively yeast. Today, most at home bakers depend on rapid rise yeast or box mixes, and they enjoy the use of bread machines! What a change! Some of us, however, still enjoy the occasional use of sourdough starter baking. Sourdough was developed by the Egyptians in about 1500 B.C., but continues to be a popular “chain letter” style of gifting. Amish Friendship Bread recipes allow the user to remove a cup of the starter and give it to a friend, so they can start their own “sponge” or “starter” or “mother dough”.
Downtown Carbondale Streetscape in 1890. 14 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
Try these great recipes! Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
.
Friendship Bread Starter 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 cup warm water 2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups milk 1 cup sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour
Sprinkle two tablespoons sugar over the warm water; sprinkle the yeast over this and leave it alone for ten minutes. It will be doubled in size and bubbly. Mix the yeast combination with the rest of the ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl (that has a lid). Stir it with a wooden spoon and cover it loosely. Place it in a warm location and let it stand overnight. The next morning, stir the mixture, cover it again and place it in the refrigerator. Each day, stir the “starter,” returning it to the refrigerator. On the fifth day, take out one cup of the starter to bake with, and then feed it with: one cup flour, one cup milk and ½ cup of sugar. Continue to stir it each day and on every fifth day, remove one cup to bake with and feed it again with the previously listed ingredients. If you don’t want to bake, give your cup of starter to a friend. For every cup you remove, you should feed the starter accordingly. crude pottery or wooden plates, the masses had hominy for breakfast, salt pork for supper and a hardier dinner (at noontime) consisting of soup, meat, some kind of pickled vegetable or fruit and a simple dessert. Desserts came in the form of fruit pies and minced meat pies baked in “coffins,” a crust so hard and thick that it was impossible to eat and really only intended to preserve its contents. Logan was educated, fought in the Mexican War and was married in 1855. By that time, foodways even in the Southern Illinois wilderness, had changed considerably. Iron cook stoves were common in the kitchens of many families; preservation by canning had been invented in France for Napoleon’s armies a half century earlier but had finally become a common practice in American kitchens in even the most rural areas. The “wilderness” finally had real population centers like Murphysboro and Carbondale. The new Illinois Central Railroad linked the region to Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. Commerce, previously only available via the Mississippi River, was finally arriving and departing via rail. Logan entered politics and eventually became a notable Civil War General. By the beginning of the Civil War, the region was the center for many commercial orchards and farms that were beginning to supply cities to the north with produce. In 1858, Carbondale’s City Bakery was built and local housewives and cooks gave a big welcome to commercially produced bread.
www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
Friendship Cinnamon Rolls 3 cups flour 2 cups starter 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup warm water 2 eggs, beaten To prepare the rolls: 1 stick melted butter 2 cups brown sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts ¼ cup raisins Combine half the flour, starter, baking powder, baking soda, salt, warm water and eggs. Blend well to form a sticky dough. Gently fold in the remaining flour and knead for five minutes. Place in a bowl, drizzle it with oil and turn it to coat the dough, so it doesn’t stick to the bowl. Cover and let it rise for an hour, until doubled. Punch down the dough and roll it into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Brush the melted butter on the dough; sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, nuts and raisins. Roll it up; slice into 18-24 sections and place them in a prepared 11-inch by 15-inch baking pan. Cover with a towel and let rise again, until doubled. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. While still warm, drizzle with icing made with confectioner’s sugar thinned with milk.
Friendship White Bread 1 envelope of active dry yeast 1 ½ cups warm water 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup of friendship bread starter
(pictured above)
1 ½ teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda Approximately 5 cups of flour
In a big bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water; add the starter, salt, sugar and oil. Blend well; cover and let rise for 2 hours until double. Combine with the baking soda and half the flour; blend well and then begin to work in the remainder of the flour. On a floured board, knead for five minutes; divide in half and for into two round loaves. Score the tops of the loaves and let it rise again for 1 hour until it doubles in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. The bread will brown and sound hollow when tapped. For a soft crust, brush the loaf with butter or spray it with cooking spray.
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 15
Carbondale’s
The Newell House
Newell House
features locally made sausage in their yummy
Sausage and Asparagus Strata. Louie’s P & R, located in Herrin, Illinois, is the local sausage maker!
Now
By Judy Travelstead ::
Then
It was called the Newell House. The Newell House was built in 1872 on the southeast corner of Main and Washington Streets with a hotel on the second and third floors and shops on the first floor and in the basement. James M. Campbell built the first building, a hotel, on this site in 1855. The frame building burned in the 1860s, and the lot was vacant until Campbell’s son, John G., and his partner, Thomas E. North, built the three-story brick building. James Pease, the former sheriff of Cook County, purchased the Newell in 1899 and completely remodeled the exterior and interior. In January 1915, after another extensive remodeling, Pease renamed the hotel the New Roberts Hotel, in honor of the managers, A.S. and Bertha Roberts. The hotel was considered among the finest in Southern Illinois. On September 21, 1939, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt came from Chicago by way of the Illinois Central Railroad to Carbondale to give the address at the formal opening of the newly constructed Illinois Armory and Recreation Center on Oakland Avenue. The Carbondale Businessmen’s Association arranged for Mrs. Roosevelt’s visit and used the occasion as a fundraiser. Fifteen-hundred tickets were sold in advance at a cost of two for $5. The businessmen needed $2,200 to pay off the loan they had taken out to purchase the land for the armory. They needed an additional $1,500 to buy land off Chautauqua for a new state public health diagnostic laboratory. Mrs. Roosevelt arrived on the 4 p.m. train and went immediately to the Roberts Hotel. She then was driven to the Southern Illinois Normal
Then & Now
Then
University campus where she toured the Resident Training Center. From there she asked to be taken to the area where Crab Orchard Lake was being constructed to meet with some of the local farmers who were unhappy about being displaced because of the new lake. After returning to Carbondale, she went to her suite at the Roberts Hotel, changed into her evening clothes, and at her request, had dinner in the hotel’s dining room along with the other guests staying in the hotel. After delivering a non-political speech at the armory on “The Relation of the Individual to the Community”, she returned to the Roberts, went to her suite and stayed until she departed on the 4:15 a.m. train for St. Louis. The Roberts Hotel continued through the 1950s to be a very prestigious hotel and meeting place for local clubs and business people. In 1965, a local real estate developer purchased the building, updated
16 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
the front with a metal façade and remodeled the interior for office space upstairs and shops on the first floor. It is again called the Newell House and is one of Carbondale’s finest restaurants. Owner Dan Terry has done a masterful job of refurbishing the space and returning this corner location to one that locals and visitors truly enjoy. The extensive menu, lengthy wine list, martini bar and fantastic desserts are outdone only by the charming and comfortable atmosphere.
Now
Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
$ $ outhern SPRING FORWARD TO AN AWAKENING!
timulus
package
By Nicole L. Davis ::
W
e are loving spring in Southern Illinois. It was fantastic to finally wake from the cold winter. Local foodies are enjoying the fresh baby produce at Carbondale’s Farmers’ Market, and families are packing picnic baskets and mapping perfect spring jaunts down rural highways. Why? To watch the awakening, the awakening of Mother Nature’s beautiful blossoming fruit trees in our orchards and the redbuds and dogwoods that edge the Shawnee National Forest. For the spring and early summer traveler to Southern Illinois, there are a variety of fun and inexpensive treks you can take that include not only the natural beauty of the area but a combination of rich heritage with sumptuous food and wine. The perfect weekend getaway starts at a Southern Illinois bed and breakfast, like the Davie School Inn. The Inn, created and owned by Gary and Andrea Dahmer, is a fantastic school turned into a magical lodging facility. Each classroom has been transformed into a suite that houses a whirlpool tub and unique décor. Rates are truly reasonable, and one of the suites sleeps five people. The Inn offers relaxing and affordable accommodations within a short drive of many Southern Illinois food and wine attractions.
Visit www.davieschoolinn.com for additional details. The springtime drive from Anna to Cobden along Old U.S. 51 offers gorgeous views of the apple and peach orchards. From Cobden, travel north to Skyline Drive, then on to Alto Pass for a breathtaking view of the Shawnee National Forest and even more breathtaking views from Bald Knob Cross, which is currently being totally restored. Travel south on Illinois 127 from Alto Pass, take a jaunt west when you hit Illinois 146 and then north again, when you reach Illinois 3. Travel to Grand Tower, the home of the Mississippi River Museum and Interpretive Center. Grand Tower is a little city filled with river lore, and the museum is filled with artifacts from river times gone by. The museum is open Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Call 618-565-2227 for additional information. While you are in Grand Tower, make sure you take the time to visit Devil’s Backbone Park, which sits right on the shoreline of the mighty Mississippi River. Tower Rock will draw your attention. Follow Illinois 3 north to Illinois 149 and travel back east to
Murphysboro and stop at the General John A. Logan Museum. Cindy B’s Café is a perfect lunch stop, serving homemade pies and great comfort food plate lunches. (1110 Locust Street; 618-684-2776) Then continue east to Carbondale, where numerous restaurants are available for your choosing. A visit to Woodlawn Cemetery is a must. South on U.S. 51 takes you back to Anna and the Davie School Inn. You will have made a complete circle, enjoyed majestic scenery, fantastic heritage stops complete with riverlore, Civil War history and really good food! The best part? You’ve spent very little money!
Need more information? For additional travel itinerary through Southern Illinois, visit www.cctb.org www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 17
Farmers’ Carbondale’s first and original Market
The freshest, the best ...
By Stephanie Rhodes ::
C
arbondale has been known for many decades as the hub of the region in many ways, from education to transportation, healthcare to cultural activities. The community has also been a strong voice for local food, environmental and agriculture issues. In 1975, a need was identified for developing an outlet in the region to get local produce to the residents of Carbondale and the surrounding area. At the same time, the importance was never overlooked that fresh, local produce is healthy for the community, and keeping money in the community through support of local agriculture is very important.
The original concept of a farmers’ market for Carbondale came from a group of like-minded citizens participating in the Hunger Action Program as part of the United Church of Christ. While the efforts resulting from the conference would have positive impacts locally, the greater goal would be addressing the need for eliminating hunger in the world. The mission and goals of the effort locally were noble and generous as organizers were volunteers and had a passion for the subject and region. Growers, who would be involved with the market through the years and today, are people who care about people, high-quality food, stewardship
18 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
and sustainability, not just having “a stand” on Saturdays to make a buck. So you can go to the market, buy high-quality products, ask questions about their origin and raising, probably hear a new recipe or two, and make a friend with the grower? Yes, and who knew that was in Carbondale? The Carbondale Farmers’ Market will begin their 35th year of service during the 2010 market season. There are 25 local specialty growers who participate and sell regularly at the market, bringing their wares straight from the field to the market. There are an equal number of producers and vendors selling items, including fresh breads and pastries, pickles, jam, local
Southern Illinois Foodways & Foodlore
meat (both corn and grass-fed), herbs, annuals, perennials and art, which participate at various times through the season. For years, the growers at the market have also been supported by customers connected to Southern Illinois University Carbondale and international students who call Carbondale home. It is not uncommon to find unique varieties of eggplant, squash, herbs and other produce that compliment a delicious recipe from China, India, Morocco or other places on the globe. This incredible variety is offered at the delight of local foodies and experimental cooks. Generally, folks think of a farmers’ market open only from June through August or summer growing months. You might be able to travel to a large city for markets to be open for more than the summer but who can do that very often? And, the products aren’t the freshest or local. The Carbondale Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday, rain or shine, in April through November from 8 a.m. to noon. According to growers and shoppers at the market, though, you can feed off the market all year long including major holidays. Imagine that; local food all year long from Southern Illinois. So when you visit, scan your cookbooks, make your shopping list, pack a cooler and get ready for dinner.
How to eat local all year long from Carbondale Farmers’ Market: APRIL: Early greens at the market include lettuce and spinach. Plants for your own home garden. MAY: Strawberries are in season about mid-month. In addition to fresh berries for salads and desserts, stock up on berries for the freezer and for making jam. Early greens are still at the market including lettuce and spinach. JUNE: Blueberries and zucchini are in season. Fresh is best! Blueberries in the freezer also dress up a pitcher of lemonade for a party. Pick some up for jams, too. Zucchini is a multipurpose veggie – steam it, fry it, shred it in bread. JULY: Tomatoes finally arrive. Let the sauce and salsa making begin. Actually the tomatoes will be around for at least the next three months including red, yellow, heirloom, beefsteak and roma. Don’t forget peppers for your sauce and salsa recipes. Blueberries are still in and peaches come this month, too. The earlier peaches are generally cling-stone and best for freezing. AUGUST: More peaches, tomatoes, peppers. How about picking up some steaks or brats for the grill and a few for the freezer, too. SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER: Apples are here, Also several kinds of squash are ready. Hard squash stores well for a long time. Grab a pumpkin for Halloween. NOVEMBER: Prepare for Thanksgiving with turnips and greens, pumpkins and assorted hard squash. Grab a garlic braid to use through the winter.
good stuff Carbondale’s first and original farmers’ market Located at Westowne Center, Rt. 13 West (behind McDonald’s). The market is open rain or shine every Saturday, April-November, from 8 a.m.-noon. For more information about the market, contact and Market Manager at 618-833-2769. www.cctb.org :: www.foodfunfolks.com
Need more information?
For a complete list of Southern Illinois farmers’ markets, visit www.foodfunfolks.com FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010 19
Foodie
Festivals events &
For additional calendar of events information,
visit www.foodfunfolks.com or www.cctb.org
Southern Illinois Farmers’ Markets Carbondale Farmers’ Market
2102 W Main St. • Saturdays; 8 a.m.-12 noon
Carbondale Main Street Growers’ Market 200 E Main St • Saturdays; 8 a.m.-12 noon
Murphysboro Farmers’ Market
1101 Walnut St. • Tuesdays; 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Herrin Farmers’ Market
Park Ave • Saturdays; 6 a.m.-12 noon
Marion Farmers’ Market
The Peoples’ Market
South Front St., Cobden • Saturdays; 8 a.m.-12 noon
507 W. Main St. • Wednesdays; 6 a.m.-10 a.m. Saturdays; 6 a.m.-12 noon
Golconda Farmers’ Market
Anna / Union County Farmers’ Market
DuQuoin Farmers’ Market
1150 E Vienna St. • Tuesdays; 7 a.m.-12 noon
310 E Main St. • Saturdays; 7 a.m.-12 noon 127 N. Division St. • Saturdays; 8 a.m.-12 noon
For more information
call 1-800-526-1500 or visit or
check it out For a complete list of Southern Illinois farmers’ markets, visit www. foodfunfolks.com
20 FOOD, FUN & FOLKS Magazine :: Spring 2010
www.cctb.org www.foodfunfolks.com
Southern Illinois Foodways 5K/MARCH 2010 & Foodlore